In Love With An Angel (a. butler)

Twenty-Six.

Austin finally broke the silence. He leaned against the desk folding his arms, he seemed defensive.

"I don't think it's a good idea" Austin said 

"We must tell her about her father" Hawkins said. My eyes darted up to face him, I wasn't sure what to expect. 

"What do you know?" I asked. My voice felt small, it was like my entire body was shrinking in this room.  

"I believe your father is in limbo. The realm in which you dream. He contacts you through your ability. As a vessel. You then draw everything you see afterwards. They're dreams to you because they occur most when you sleep but you had the same thing when you touched our jewel. It's more like a sixth sense. Premonitions mixed with the past." Hawkins explained. 

"What's limbo?" I asked overwhelmed. 

"It's an immense state of waiting. Very uncertain and undecided. A condition that could last for eternity."  Hawkins said "Think of the world on four different planes. The first you're familiar with is earth and the now. Right? There is also the under and higher grounds. The ones you acknowledge in faith but not much until you experience them. And there's the level in between. Where you get stuck. Your father tried to close the portal within the underground and before the hounds escaped possibly to protect you from what you know now. But in doing so I believe he got himself into trouble and cannot find his way out." 

 I sighed. I had to readjust my ears to understand. "How?" 

"That is something I have yet to figure" 

Austin shook his head. "Ok, that's enough. We have to bring her back to the city" 

I realized that it had been hours since we left school this morning. I was sure everyone was on their way back home now. Somewhere I needed to be. I couldn't take anymore of this. Austin grabbed my hand pulling me towards the door. 

"Austin.."Hawkins called. 

He stared at Hawkins for a short moment. I felt my hand drop back to my side as he let go. He looked at me and sighed. 

"Wait here.." he said before walking back into the office and leaving me out in the hall. I paced back and forth trying to gather my thoughts. I wasn't sure if this was making sense anymore. But part of me couldn't help but feel drawn closer. I slowly walked to the door frame leaning against the wall. 

Austin's voice was the first to speak. 

"I don't think it's safe" he said 

"It isn't up to you. This is beyond us. She's incarnated. I know it. It'll only make things more difficult if we keep her in the dark" Hawkins said 

"How do you know? What if we only get breached?" Marina spoke up. 

"Quite impossible considering what we're dealing with." 

"And the things about her father?" 

"If he's contacting her then she's the only way to find out where he is and her connection can help with the hounds" Hawkins said 

"What if we just work around it?"

"Austin, you can't lose sight of the bigger picture. You know what we have to do to end this once and for all" 

My heart beat faster. What were they saying? What's happening? I stepped closer so that I could hear more. My shoe kicked up against the wall making a soft thudding sound. Austin turned to face the door frame and caught my eye. I jerked back pressing my head against the wall and sighed. 

"Let's discuss later. For now, I'll just take her back home" he said softly. 

I heard the others shuffling around. Austin stepped out the door and gazed at me with concerning eyes. I lowered my head. He placed his hand back into the palm of mine and gripped it tightly. We headed down the hall without saying a word. I thought about what I heard over and over. The last time I was running out of this place on my own but now Austin was guiding me out swiftly himself.