It's the first day of the fall semester. Excitement is buzzing through the halls, eyes linger on us as Avril and I walk through corridors. Everyone's catching up, telling their friends what they did on holiday, where they went, what they saw, what they heard, who they've dated, who's hot and who's not, who is the new victim for the semester, whose numbers they managed to snag.

I look around anxiously. Rhys is nowhere to be seen. He said he'd meet me at school. Where is he?

Avril sighs, "I remembered something last night."

This stops me in my tracks and I turn to face her.

"I remembered Elijah dragging me off somewhere. I should have listened to you, Donna, instead I turned on you and Rhys. You knew he wasn't right and you were trying to protect me. I was too caught up to listen..." Avril's eyes fill up with tears.

"Avril, don't think about it. The main thing is, you are safe and Elijah won't trouble you again. Don't think about that. Forget it ever happened."

Avril nods and we resume walking down the hall, embarrassingly conscious of the terse whispers and admiring stares pointed at the two of us. Then I spot Rhys striding towards us, looking more dazzling than I ever remembered. He grazes his lips against my forehead gently and then smiles stunningly at Avril.

Next Week...

"Alright, girls!!" Coach Williams shouts, "Baseball! You know your teams! Team One, you're up for batting. Team Two, spread out and keep your eyes on the ball!!" I run out into the middle of the lush fiels, ready to receive the ball should it come my way.

A boom ripples through the air. I look up. The sky is grey. I shake my head and then focus on the game. Just in time, because here is the ball sailing through the air. I step back, my hands outstretched. The ball begins to fall, fall, fall, straight into my hands!! I launch the ball at the baller and she catches it. "OUT!!" We all shout, cheering. The batter sighs and trumps off the base. The second batter comes up, her face shielded by sheer will and determination.

We're halfway through the game when the rain starts lashing down on us, soaking us through to the skin. Then I hear it. "Hey! Hey!" I look back to see Rhys hiding behind a large oak tree. I keep one eye on the game, backing slowly away and go around to meet him. "What are you doing here?" I ask Rhys. His hair is gorgeously dishevelled, dripping from the rain.

He takes me in and grins, "I wish it would rain like this more often."

I roll my eyes and slap his arm gently, "Rhys, why are you here?"

"We need to go." Rhys takes on seriousness, a sort of foreboding in his eyes.

"Why? What happened?" I question, my eyebrows drawn together.

"I'll tell you as soon as we're out of here." He takes my hand and we begin sneaking out of the field. I just hope the ball doesn't roll into my area of the field. As we pass over the school grounds and leave from the gates, I ask again, "What has happened? Tell me now."

Rhys sighs, looking around anxiously, "Elijah and his Master have assembled an army to come to down to Earth and fight us. They will be arriving at any time."

My heart lurches into the pit of my stomach as I breathe, "What? They've got an army to fight the two of us? But, why? What have we ever done to them?"

"Don't you understand?" Rhys says as we sprint across the road, his arm protectively around my waist, "You defied the Master and escaped alive. He's not going to let you get away with that."

I swallow a constricting lump in my throat, "So it's going to be a load of powerful angels against one fallen angel and one useless human?"

"No." Rhys replies as if it is obvious, "I assembled a little army of my own. A few goblins, some warlocks, a few angels, mischievous elves, faeries and a handful of sprites."

I stare at him, my eyes wide, "They exist?!"

Rhys snorts with laughter, "Aren't I standing in front of you?"

"Touche." I mutter as we approach the alley that leads to the Tower. He keys in the pass and we stumble across the grey tendrils of mist to the gates. They're wide open and we jog across the courtyard and burst into the Tower. Sowrds, daggers and knives are laid out on every visible surface. I realise Rhys is wearing a tool belt loaded with weapons. He is carrying a spare belt in his hands.He walks over to me and wraps the belt around my waist and sheaths a few daggers, popping them into the pouches in the belt.

"Am I going to fight?" I ask as he props more in.

Rhys shakes his head, "No, of course not. I wouldn't put you in that sort of danger. These are for your protection."

"Rhys, they want me. I'm not going to stand by, helpless, while other people who don't even know me lay their lives down for me. I can't live with that." I shake my head, causing Rhys to stop and look at me.

"Donna, you are my life. I can't put you in danger. You're not fighting."

"Yes, I am!" I retaliate, "I'm not standing by, Rhys. I can't do that. You have to let me fight." I plead.

Rhys takes my face between his cupped hands, "If anything happens to you, I will die this time. I've lost you once when you were Eliza, don't let me lose you again. Please, Donna. I've waited a long time for this. For us. Let me protect you." Rhys' eyes are pools of tears. I sigh, crumbling inside and reluctantly nod. Rhys smiles and presses his lips hard against mine.

He pulls away too soon and then goes over to the front door. He opens it and all matter of mythological creatures pile in and begin arming themselves with pouches of powdered silver stuff.

"Powdered steel." A kind-looking faerie with raspberry-pink hair and translucent wings says to me, "The only thing that can kill angels."

I nod, still a little disoriented.

I feel as though I'm in a fairytale book that kids read. Rhys touches my arm, sending an electric current shooting through my body, "This is Ruby. She's the one who's going to be taking you somewhere safe while the battle goes on."

"Pleased to meet you." I hold my hand out for her to shake. She takes it, bends down and kisses my hand instead. I look at Rhys, puzzled; he gives me a look of reassurance.

Someone rushes in, panic lashing at their face, "Rhys, they've just left Riré. They're on their way."

Panic sweeps through the room as mutterings turn to full-blown roars. Everyone begins to run around, stuffing their clothes with weapons, filling pouches with steel, barking out orders to others. As they all run around, I'm jostled against Rhys. He takes my hand, steadying me and then fuses my lips with his briefly, "Go with Ruby. She'll keep you safe."

I shake my head in protest, "I don't want to go. I want to help you here."

Rhys sighs, looking around anxiously and then at me, "We've talked about this, Donna. You know you can't help out. Go with Ruby. I promise, everything will be over soon and we'll be together again. It will all go back to normal, everything. I'll do whatever it costs to keep you safe, Donna. Go before they come. I love you."

"I love you too." I say, reaching up to brush my lips against Rhys'. He holds my face still, kissing my chin, my jaw line, my nose, my cheek, my forehead as if encoding me into his memory.

He stands back, before wrapping me in his arms, squeezing me tightly before taking two carefully assessed steps back. "Go." He says, his head bowed, "Go before I change my mind and do something I regret." I nod reluctantly and let Ruby lead me out of the tower. In the doorway, I turn back to look at Rhys. He is running his hand through his hair, his face lined with grief. I try to call out to him but Ruby grabs my hand, steering me further away from him, "Oh no, you don't. He has enough on his plate at the moment."

"I can't do this." I mutter, more to myself than to the eccentric faerie gliding along beside me, "I can't leave him. I need to be with him. I can't go without him."

"Yes, you can!" Ruby yells at me, frowning, "And you will! Don't be so pathetic! If you really love him, you'll do what's right and you'll come with me! You wanna go back? Go. But remember this. If you're killed, Rhys will never forgive himself. Do you want him to suffer for all of eternity?"

I look at her, shocked into silence. Her words sting like a harsh slap. My eyes water with tears at the very idea of Rhys blaming himself for my death.

"I didn't think so." Ruby snaps. We go round to the back -- where I have never been before -- and leave the Tower grounds via a path. Ruby takes my hand and we fight our way through the fog and emerge at a raring, busy intersection.

"Where are we?"

"Somewhere in Florida." Ruby shrugs her shoulders. Now she's not shouting at me, I realise she has a sweet voice. One you would expect a faerie to have, light, chiming, almost musical.

"Florida?" I repeat, disbelieving, "How did we get to Florida?"

"In case you hadn't noticed, Rhys lives in a magical tower. The path is magical. I asked for Florida so it gave me Florida. Now we just stay here but we can't let the path out of our sight because I have no idea where we are." Ruby smiles at me. A couple walk past and stare at the outrageous tone of Ruby's hair. Ruby winks at them and they hurry on, their cheeks burning crimson.

"Ruby, do you think they've arrived at the Tower?" I ask, wringing my hands nervously.

"They most probably have. It doesn't take long for the supernatural to travel. After all, they have the power of the Master with them."

"Ruby, is the Master really God?"

"Oh no!" Ruby shakes her head, "Master is lower than God. Much, much lower, yet he's powerful. Not as powerful as God, obviously, but powerful nonetheless."

I sigh in relief, watching cars speed by. "Ruby, what if they find us here?"

"They won't." Ruby assures me, "They can't find us. They're back at the Tower, busy battling with each other."

"Correct, but I'm not."

I've nearly finished Burning Paradise. There are very few chapters left. I made a trailer for Burning Paradise myself. It's the first trailer I have ever made, so please leave comments to tell me what you think. Pretty please?? Lightness xx