Saints or Sinners | {BOOK 3}

66| The Angel Tablet

Thanks to Cass, we found a dusty, dirty crypt with a vaulted ceiling behind one of the walls of the abandoned building. The angel hung back while Dean and I shined our flashlights around the room. Sensing another time lag, I glanced back at Cass.

"Dean, Eleanor..." he said, pointing toward an item on a shelf against the wall. "That's it."

"How do you know?" Dean asked, shining his flashlight on the carved, wooden chest.

"It's the only thing in here warded against angels."

Dean picked up the chest, glancing over at me. I gave him a look to let him know something was up. Placing the chest on a table by Cass, Dean used a nearby knife to pry open the lid and lifted out the block of stone inside. It looked like the block of clay the demon tablet had been encased in when we first got it from Dick.

"Winner, winner, chicken dinner," Dean smiled.

"Good," Cass said. "Hand it to me, and I'll take it to Heaven."

"No, we'll take it to Kevin so he can translate," Dean corrected, keeping a tight grip on the stone with both hands.

"Right. Of course," the angel nodded. "I'll take it to him right away. No time to waste."

"Well, he's not far," I chimed in. "We've been meaning to... go check on him, bring him some supplies."

There was another lag following my words, and I nudged Dean's back to let him know.

"I can supply the Prophet, Eleanor," Cass replied.

"You know, why don't Sam, Ellie and I take it over to him, and you can get back to your mission?" Dean suggested. "Finding the other half of the demon tablet- that is priority, isn't it?"

"I can't let you take that, Dean."

"Can't or won't?"

"Both."

"How did you get out of Purgatory, Cass?" I asked.

Another time lag. I nudged Dean again.

"Just tell us how you got out of Purgatory," I continued. "Be honest with us- for the first time since you got back, and the tablet's yours."

Cass's angel blade dropped into his hand then. I moved around Dean, blocking him and the stone.

"Cass. Cass, I don't know what Naomi is doing to you, but if you can hear me, you don't have to do this."

I ducked as Cass attacked then, and Dean blocked the blow using the stone.

"Cass!" he yelled.

Thunder rumbled and light flashed like when we broke into the other stone. I felt another time lag.

"Cass, fight this!" I yelled. "This is not you! Fight it!"

Cass went for Dean, who blocked him with the stone once more.

"Dean, run!" I shouted over the thunder as I felt time lag again. "Take it and go."

"I'm not leaving you with him," he shot back.

"What have you done to me, Naomi?" Cass asked.

My heart thudded in my chest as my suspicions were confirmed. Another lag followed Cass's question.

"Dean, go!"

"Cass!" Dean said, putting a hand on the angel's shoulder.

Cass backhanded him across the room, causing him to fly into the wall and fall to the floor. The stone fell from his grip, breaking open and releasing the tablet. I hurried to get in between it and Cass, Dean appearing to have been knocked out from the blow. I threw a punch, and Cass grabbed my forearm, breaking it. I cried out in pain, collapsing to my knees as Cass continued to attack me.