Falling (The Soul Collectors Series Book 1) (29 page)

The climb up seemed almost foreign due to the change in the landscape. I hadn’t had time to prepare everyone for what they were going to see. We climbed in silence, and as we neared the top, I could see why the falls had slowed so much. The side of the hill that had been close to Bayla’s cottage was now gone. Even knowing what to expect, I was in shock. The town I had grew up in, my home, everything, was now underwater completely. Even the top of the church steeple was no longer visible. I sat down. Alissa was sobbing, Gray cursed, then quickly apologized to Father Paul. Everett seemed to be in shock.

“What do we do now?” I asked Father Paul.

“Well, I’m sure you should probably head up to wherever your parents are, Hannah. From there, they can help you make plans for the best course of action.”

“But who’s going to keep Gray safe? Won’t Meph or some other demon come back to complete their part? It can’t just be completely safe now that the earthquake is over. Gray is still alive, and whatever made him important to history is still depending upon his surviving past this.”

“Don’t worry about Gray. Take care of yourself.  We will make sure you have a Blue with you. I’m not sure who will be assigned to you as a Watcher, but we will make sure Gray is safe as well as his children and children’s children. He is still vital to history. For now, go to your parents. Lucifer has something more important than Gray.”  Father Paul’s words helped calm me.

A woman seemed to appear out of nowhere next to Father Paul. She looked upset and sad, but kind. “Father Paul.”

“Dabria,” he replied, he face solemn.

“Does my being tasked to collect the souls of those lost here mean what I think it means?”

Father Paul nodded solemnly. Dabria frowned, patted Father Paul on his back in sympathy, but didn’t stay around long. She went to Declan and thanked him for trying his best. He shook her hand, continuously apologizing for failing. He looked broken. I was afraid he might not ever be whole again. Gray came and sat on the ground beside me and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in close.

“We have a lot to discuss, I suppose.” I said to him.

He nodded but didn’t seem in any rush to hear what I had to say. I could feel the shock starting to wear off and reality hitting me. My body was trembling. I had just watched Gray almost get killed and saw Bayla carried away by her enemy.

“Hannah, Declan, can you please come over here?” Father Paul called us over, sending Had to fill in the others on the basics of everything that happened today. “I need to tell you a few things before you take the group to Hannah’s parents in Ohio. First, Hannah, thank you for being of assistance to Bayla. She broke rules talking to you, but you did your best and were of great assistance. We were not aware that Sadie was in leagues with Mephistopheles until after speaking with Nathaniel. He stayed here longer than he had originally planned because of her presence. She fed Nathaniel the same tales she was telling you,” he pointed to Declan, “and Bayla. Sadie was already Rogue before she met Mephistopheles, but enjoyed the extra power she got from being under his wings, so to speak. We also recently found out, after talking to a few other Fallens, that Mephistopheles was the leader of the Rogues. Those that were wreaking havoc without his permission were put onto a list for you to track down, Declan. However, Lucifer allowed those under Mephistopheles’ command to remain under the radar. That’s why Sadie didn’t set off any alarms for you.”

“Wait, who’s Nathaniel?” I was confused.

“Nathaniel was Oliver. He was sent to be Gray’s Watcher as he grew up. We were able to alter the memories of those around here to believe he had always been a part of the family, as not to raise any suspicions. We were afraid to let Gray be here alone.”

“Oliver wasn’t real?” The thought was heartbreaking. I hoped we wouldn’t have to tell Gray.

“Oliver was very much real. Everything that happened with him, all of your memories, are very real. He just wasn’t Gray’s actual brother. He didn’t ‘die’ either. He simply completed his mission and left. However, in your reality, he couldn’t just leave, so he had to create the story of being sick. His mission was to keep Gray safe. Gray was on the wrong path. Nathaniel made the decision with one of the Elders as to how to leave and ensure that Gray would change for the better.”

“Can we not tell Gray all of this?”

Father Paul nodded his agreement.  “It would do no good.”

“Why didn’t Sadie try to kill Gray before today if she was really working with Meph this whole time?” Declan didn’t seem to understand any more than I had.

“Well, because he had commanded her to wait until he could have a chance to take Bayla. There’s a lot about Bayla you don’t know, things Bayla herself does not know. Mephistopheles wanted her, and found his opportunity today.”

“So what makes Gray so special?”

Father Paul smiled. “You’re quite the inquisitive one aren’t you, Miss Hannah?” There was kindness in the reprimand though. “To answer your question, Gray will have an important role in years to come and needed to be kept alive. It was in Mephistopheles’ best interest to have killed him long before Bayla got here, but that’s not how he works. From what we’ve pieced together, he asked Lucifer to assign Declan to this in order to allow himself to stay out of our sights for as long as possible.”

“Meph wanted Bayla?” Declan asked through clenched teeth. “If he hurts her, I’ll kill him.”

“Declan, I can’t tell you if she’s been erased, but I can say that, for the purpose Mephistopheles needs her, she must be alive.  He will do everything in his power to keep her that way.”

“Why are we not on a mission to rescue her, then?” At some point, Hadraniel had joined us.

Father Paul sighed in exacerbation. “Elder Michael already told you, Hadraniel. There are some things that must be worked out.”

“I know what Elder Michael said, but what I don’t understand is why a rescue mission isn’t part of the answer to this situation.”

“That is not how it is written.”

“Speaking of being written, how is it that you survived?” Declan turned towards Had.

“Sadie didn’t have the right ammo for the weapon she used. When she shot me, it was a direct hit. But thankfully, it was only very painful. I hated that we couldn’t tell Bay I was okay. Now, she may never know.” He seemed almost as broken as Declan.

“She loved you. I don’t know if she told you, but you could tell from the way she was after you were gone. She was devastated.” Declan patted him on the shoulder. His words weren’t much, but they did seem to help Haddy somewhat.

“She loved you too.” Had reassured Declan, to which he responded with a sad smile.

“I know.”

He didn’t share with Father Paul or Had the profession of love that occurred between the two yesterday in front of the rest of the group. I wasn’t going to share either. I’m sure he had his own reasons for not wanting them to know.

“Hannah, if you go back into the valley, cross to the other falls and climb up that side of the hill, there will be a rescue team waiting for you all. We were able to get word out that there were teenagers here camping. They will take you all to a shelter before allowing you to travel to Ohio. You may collect the things that you brought from your home before heading that way. You all have until tomorrow morning to meet them there.”

“Why until tomorrow?”

“I figured you might need some time to process everything. Once you are rescued, everything will happen quickly.”

“How will we know who the Watcher is, and that they’re not a Rogue or Demon?”

“I will bring the Watcher to you. I promise I will bring someone great. We have to honor Bayla by making sure her sacrifices were not in vain.”

“Don’t talk about her like she’s dead.” My words caught in my throat.

“I’m not, but until we can find out her status and come up with a way to rescue her, we need to do everything we can to make sure she didn’t do all this for nothing. That’s all I meant.”

“It’s alright, Had.” Gray came up beside us. He wrapped his arms around me from behind. I felt safe and warm. His arms were helping hold my pieces together. I glanced over and noticed Everett was holding Alissa. She seemed content with being in his arms. Other than my parents, we only had each other now.

“If y’all do end up trying to rescue Bayla, you better come find us.”

“Yeah!” Everett spoke up. “It’s only fair we get to help save her. She’s done so much for us. She could have left us to die and only saved Gray and Hannah.”

Alissa nodded in agreement.

“That’s not how things are done.” Father Paul spoke again leaving little room to argue.

Everett and Gray made eye contact and then looked at Declan who gave a slight nod. Whether he was on the good side or bad side, he was going to make sure we got to help if and when the time came. He wouldn’t let us not be there for Bayla. She was our friend now.

“Father Paul, can I finish out this mission by accompanying the group to the rescue sight before returning?” Haddy sounded very much like a soldier.

“I want to go with them too.” Declan said.

I wasn’t sure why Declan was asking for permission from Father Paul.

“You may both join them. Keep them safe until you see the team, then immediately return home. We need to complete a mission review with the Elders upon your return.”

“Yes sir,” they said in unison.

“Father Paul, do you have Bayla’s things?”

“Yes. Why?”

“She wrote notes. I wasn’t supposed to mention anything unless…” I couldn’t bring myself to finish the words. “There’s one for you, Had, and for someone named Aniston. She wanted me to tell you to make sure they got delivered.”

He nodded and was gone. We gathered what we had salvaged prior to heading to the caves. I was quick about explaining my need to get the tub that was hidden at the old falls before making our way to the other side. No one seemed too upset that I had known and was able to save a few things. At the last minute, I had made sure to grab at least one picture that included each of their families so that they had a keepsake. The walk down was strange. I hadn’t been here without Bayla. I didn’t know how to be here without her. She had become such a big part of our group these last few weeks. The mood among us all was solemn.

“Why didn’t she leave me a note?” Declan asked. He had made his way up to the front where Gray and I were leading the group.

“She did. I just wasn’t supposed to give it to you unless I knew for sure what side you were on.”

“And are you? Sure, I mean?”

“Not really.”

“I helped save Gray instead of letting Sadie kill him. Father Paul just told you I was returning to Heaven. What more proof do you need?” He seemed more hurt than angry.

“I want to know why she thought you were her enemy. Why did Lucifer and Meph think you were on their side?”

He words were almost monotone, like he was numb. “I technically belong to their side. It’s a long story. I’m not a demon or a Fallen. I have my own mission. Just as Bayla doesn’t know everything about herself, she doesn’t know everything about how this whole mess even got started.”  He made a circle with his hands, as if to encompass this situation.

“So explain it to me.”

“I can’t, at least not now. You just have to trust me. Do you?”

I stopped walking. I stared at him for a minute. He genuinely looked like his whole world had been turned upside down. I remember what Bayla had said in the woods to him when we were training. “Unconditionally.”

“Falling in love was never in my plan. Until one day I just realized that I love this person too much.” ~Unknown

Declan

The trek to the other side of the hills wasn’t as treacherous, but it seemed worse than all the others combined. Collectively the group was tired. Physically and emotionally. Hadraniel tried to explain how the Elders were planning on handling the situation and rescue of Bayla. I knew more than Hadraniel. They were not going to try to rescue her. What’s done was done, and the beginning of the end was playing out as it was supposed to. I tried to participate in conversations with the group but I was lost. I felt like everything inside of me was dead or dying. Just this morning I was kissing Bayla. I told her I loved her, and after a small battle the fiery response that she loved me too sent me soaring. I felt like I could’ve taken flight. And now, now she was gone. The letter I was carrying felt like it was the heaviest thing in the whole of the universe, and yet it was small. It was light, so light there was no effort at all to hold it. I waited until the group was meeting the rescue team to open it. I took a deep breath, and read the final thoughts of Bayla.

Dear Declan,

If you’re reading this, that means one of two things. Either you won, or I have been erased. Either way, I’m gone. This mission has been unlike any other with which I have been tasked. It’s been the toughest one for me personally, even if it’s not necessarily been the hardest professionally. When I first found out that I had to allow some demon the opportunity to work close to us, I was angry. Why would I want to allow some demon from the opposing team in on my secrets, to give some stranger the chance to ruin my perfect record? Then you walked in the café that first night, and everything went sideways on me. It was hard for me to not stare at you. You were like water to someone who was dying of thirst. I couldn’t drink in the sight of you enough to ever be fulfilled. This made me angrier than you could imagine. I had never had any emotions or attachments to anyone. Now, not only had I started to develop sisterly feelings towards Haddy, but you came along and just ripped my heart wide open. That day I went with Gray to see the valley for the first time was due to having to escape from you,and this new reality I was given. For some reason, I was tasked to make sure I saved you as well as Gray. Father Paul led me to believe that you were a Fallen, and I was given this huge mission to work on redeeming you. As we worked together, and I got to know you more, I just couldn’t see you as a Fallen or a demon for that matter. I still don’t know what you are other than my savior. Even if you’re the one who ends up having to erase me, you saved me from the loneliness I had assigned to myself. I saw how Dabria was after dealing with Noah, and I vowed never to let my job get to me like that. I cut myself off from friends and feelings, not just for the humans I had to work with, but with everyone else except Father Paul. You and Had showed me that it was okay to feel human. I didn’t plan on writing this letter. However, as I sit out in the dark, watching your shadow sleeping in my tent, I can’t leave you with nothing. I think I may love you. It’s not fair for me to say it though. How can I let myself love you when at the end of this, one of us is going to be hurt? But I do love you, Declan. I do. With every single cell inside of me, I love you. I ache when I think about how this is going to end. If I survive and go back to Heaven without you, just know you are in me. Forever. Those kisses were enough to last for my whole life. Fire has been ignited in me for my eternity. I want the in-betweens you spoke of, I want them with you, but I know it’s not possible. I will live a lifetime of in-betweens in your name. I hope though, if you’re reading this because I’ve been erased that you will follow my lead and live a lifetime of in-betweens for me. Please, promise me that. As I lay here watching the stars, I feel content. The stars from this side of Heaven are so beautiful. They are my favorite thing about this place. If ever you are missing me, look to them. And if you see one Falling, it’s me.