Uriel was all too willing to help me raid Gabriel's wardrobe. Although he is quite a bit larger than I am, I was able to find some smaller pieces and, with the help of Sariel and Uriel, was able to fashion the trousers into something wearable. By the end, I looked very much like a skinny boy.

It was odd seeing myself in anything outside of a dress. I stood in front of the mirror, admiring my reflection for longer than was probably necessary. In truth, I made for a nice boy. I wore tan canvas work trousers, a white cotton shirt rolled to the elbows, black suspenders and my own travel boots. Uriel had hemmed the bottoms so that they fit better around my thin waist and what the hemming could not do, the suspenders did. I secured my blond hair under a hat and the image was complete.

Up close it was certainly clear that I was a girl, my features are naturally feminine and my posture too neat to be a man's, but at first glance, it would pass. We hoped that, if it came to a point where I would need to run from the house or from the church, I could use this as a disguise. Lucius and his demons would be searching for a young blond girl, I was still young, but with these clothes and hat, I didn't look blond or like a girl.

Around eight thirty in the morning, we received a call from Gabriel. The preacher was granting my sanctuary in his chapel. There was a small attic bedroom where missionaries often stayed; it would be mine for the next week. It had taken a substantial donation on Gabriel's part to achieve it, but now I had somewhere to go. 

He told us he was leaving the church to fetch me and that I should be prepared to leave as soon as he arrived. We weren't sure when Lucius planned to pay his visit and I needed to be on holy-ground sooner rather than later.

"How do you feel about the sword?" Uriel and I sat on the staircase of Lily house. 

She'd been working at keeping the situation light, trying to make jokes about my appearance and tease me about Levi. 

Sariel was more fretful. She barely said a word to either of us, only paced and muttered quiet, indiscernible prayers to Adonai. 

I feigned a smile at Uriel's words and kept my gaze on Sariel. She was looking towards the door, waiting for Gabe to appear. I recognized the look in her eye as being something more than innocent worry for my safety and the safety of Gabriel. Although neither party had outright said it, it appeared that Gabriel and Sariel had acquired feelings for one another through pretending to be married. It warmed my heart to know at least one good thing would come from all of this.

I looked down at the weapon; remembering Uriel's question. The sheath Michael had given me worked far better with pants than it had with my layers of skirts. "I like it better this way." I answered, "I feel as if I can actually get to it."

Uriel leaned against the steps behind us, bracing herself on her elbows as she said, "It must be a dream to be a man."

I nodded. "It most certainly would make for a nice change of pace."

Sariel smiled at the two of us and excused herself, sliding past us and heading up to the bedrooms to watch from an upper window. We were quiet for some time after she left, neither of us sure what to say. I knew this might be one of the last times I was able to speak to my friend. It was quite possible that I might die if Lucius had his way. 

Uriel broke through the troubled silence. "Michael has been gone for some time now."

"Only a day or so." I whispered, "I'm sure it is nothing. These things take time."

Her brow furrowed as she said, "Still, longer than is necessary."

I took her hand in mine. "You like him."

She turned crimson and tried not to meet my eyes as she said, "He would have it be more than it is."

"And you would not?"

She wrung her hands. "He's charming and very kind to me—"

"The way he looks at you says far more than that Uriel and you know it."

"We're angels, Cassiel—"

"So I have noticed." I teased. "And, please do correct me if I am wrong, but I don't remember a time when Adonai has forbidden a relationship between our kind."

She frowned. "My kind."

"Hm?"

"My kind. You're human now, Cassiel." She sighed. "No matter how this ends, I will eventually be called back to heaven and we will not see each other again."

I swallowed and picked at a stray thread on my trousers. "Did it hurt you, when I asked to come to earth?"

The air shook as it left her lungs, a frighteningly sad sound. "Do you remember the day you met Lucius, back at St. Agatha's?"

"You were still parading as a nun."

"I was." She smiled to herself at the thought. "I wanted to sway you even then. I wanted you to turn him away and then, when you didn't, I asked Adonai to take this silly desire from you. Your blind desire to kill Leviathan. I prayed that you would see sense. That if this was not what was best for you, then you might turn back. And yet, you kept walking. You kept pushing forward, even when you did not know what you were doing—you never wavered. And so it seemed that they only thing to do was to support you in your choice."

"I'm sorry I hurt you, Uriel."

She smiled and shook her head, her eyes focused on anything but my face, as she said, "No, it is I who should be sorry. I was so afraid, I lacked trust in Adonai and I lacked trust in you."

I gripped her hand. "This has been quite the adventure."

She squeezed my hand in return. "The grandest of adventures."

"There is still much to do," I said. "And I will need your support now more than ever."

"Do you think you can do it, really kill him if it's what Adonai wants?"

"Yes, but I want to know for certain first."

Uriel smiled to herself. "I have always had a fondness for Leviathan. He always fit in nicely amongst Michael and Gabriel." She glanced my way, "We were all so pleased when you found one another, back before things went awry. Michael more so than any of us. He loved Leviathan as a brother. Gabriel too, although he is less outspoken about such things."

"It's as if they've completely forgotten they use to be friends."

"I assure you, Michael remembers. I've spoken to him about it before."

"Gabriel would take up the sword and kill Leviathan himself if he could."

"There are many things Gabriel might do if he could. Don't worry yourself over—"

"Cassiel!" We both turned to find Sariel standing at the top of the stairs. The look on her face spoke volumes. "Go to the kitchen and—"

There was a loud knock on the door.

I stood up, as did Uriel.

"Lucius." Sariel whispered. "I sensed him just as he was arriving."

Fear seized my heart in its cold grip. "What do I do?" The sword pressed heavily against my hip. 

This time, when the knock came at the door, it was not gentle.

"Go out the back." Uriel said, "The kitchen, you can sneak through the garden and onto the back street—"

Sariel hurried down the steps and grabbed my bag. "Run and do not stop until you are in a populated area. Find a group of people and walk with them."

"I know you're in there!" Lucius's words were muffled through the door but they still made every muscle in my body tense.

Uriel shrugged off her thick grey sweater and helped me into it, letting it drape over the small blade strapped to my hip. "And what about you?"

"He cannot hurt us." She said, "Only you."

Sariel stepped forward and hugged me tight against her, pressing the bag into my hands. "Pray to Adonai and run. We will be fine. I promise." She pushed me away from her and towards the back of the house. "Now run."

I did as she said. 

I'd only just rounded the corner and made it to the first landing on the basement stairs when I heard Sariel open the front door. "Dr. Abaddon, to what do we owe this visit?" Her voice was cheerful and sweet, the picture of the perfect hostess, the voice of an angel.

I made it to the bottom of the steps, past the laundry room and the housekeeper's chamber before I heard the sound of glass shattering upstairs. There was yelling and a woman's scream, I am not sure whose. They are not human—they cannot be hurt. I ran through the kitchen and out into the morning rain.

My feet slid against wet pavers and mud as I scurried through the overgrown hedges and past the gardener's shed. In all my life, I have never been more thankful for a particular piece of clothing as I was for those trousers. I lifted the bag, hugging it tightly to my chest. Soon I was out of earshot of the house and I could not longer gage what was taking place inside its walls.

Please, Adonai, do not let them be hurt. 

I pleaded with every pounding of my heart, with every touch of my foot to the pavement. 

Please. 

Please. 

Please. 

Please. 

Please.

I do not know if I was crying or if it was rain falling down my face—perhaps a bit of both. I veered down the alley that ran between the small townhouses and towards the street beyond. I could just barely make out passing carriages. I pushed myself to run faster, to get to a safe place sooner. I had not run since I was a little girl and I found my legs were untrained in the motion, weak and wavering when I needed them to be strong and propelling. 

I'd just crossed onto the pavement when a hand caught my wrist and hauled me back into the alleyway.

I screamed but the sound got lost as a hand came down on my mouth. 

I squealed, indignant and twisted, trying to see my assailant, certain this was my death. I reached for the blade, blinding trying to undo the clasp holding it in place. Michael had promised one cut, one minor scrape, would do the job. 

My assailant kept a tight hold on me and pulled me further into the shadows of the alley so that I could not easily be seen by anyone passing on the street. My fingers slipped against the handle of the sword, shaking too much. I screamed around the hand at my mouth, angry and afraid. Frightened tears welled up. 

My attacker spun me and thrust my body against the brick wall of the alley, hard. All it took was for his hand to move from my mouth and a feral part of myself lashed out. I spat. I'd been a hellion of a child, constantly finding myself bullied or in a fight and, as a result, my aim was true.

"Damn you, Cassiel. I haven't hurt you."

I nearly fell over from shock as I looked up into the dark eyes of Leviathan.

"You." I wrapped my arms around his neck, "You—You scared me. I thought you were—"

He pulled away from me and wiped his palm down the side of his face, rubbing away my saliva with a look of great annoyance. "I've been running behind you for the past five minutes. I was in the kitchen when you went past."

"You should have called out."

"And let Lucius hear me?" He shook his head exasperatedly.

I was panting, covered in sweat and shaking from adrenaline. "Yes, of course." I whispered, "But, how did you—?"

He took my hand and pulled me towards the street. "Come on."

He stooped to grab my bag from where I'd dropped it and we fell into step behind a group of older gentleman who were heading towards the main street of the neighborhood. We'd gone about halfway before Leviathan dropped my hand and pulled me to a stop. He whistled, looking at me for the first time. 

"Bloody hell. Well, don't you look the sight?" He held me out at arms length, "Where on earth did you get gentlemen's clothes?"

"Gabriel loaned them to me."

"Does Gabriel know he's loaned them to me?"

I shook my head and Leviathan nodded. "I assumed as much."

"How did you know it was me earlier?"

He reached out and tugged my hair. "White as snow." The hat was gone, lost somewhere as I was running. I hadn't even noticed. 

We continued walking again, neither of us touching, but Leviathan kept me within arms reach, his gaze fixed on every passing group of people, every person who looked too long in my direction. I cleared my throat, drawing those eyes to me. "Speaking of Gabriel," I said, "he'll be looking for me—"

"Lucius will be looking too."

"Where you with him, just now? Will he notice your absence?"

Leviathan nodded. "I didn't know we were coming after you until we were here. He just told me that it was a house call. I thought..." He shook his head, "I don't know what I thought, I'd hoped you be away from here by now."

"What will he do when he sees you're gone?"

"He'll probably assume I've taken off after you." Leviathan said. "He knows you took of running out the back and I'd told him I was going to try to head you off."

"And you did."

He nodded. "And I did." His throat bobbed as his eyes fell on my face. "I was so afraid for you, I am so afraid for you. I wish that you would leave London."

"You know I can't."

He looked away from me, leading us farther from Lily house. We darted through crowds of people, across streets and then back again, forming a haphazard trail. 

He asked, "Where is Gabriel now?"

"Some church, he's taken your advice and found somewhere I can stay."

"That's for the best, especially now. Lucius is angry, Cassiel. You don't have much time left." His eyes drifted to my waist as he spoke, the sword catching his attention. I wondered if it scared him, me having it so close to him when he knew full well what I meant to do with it.

I took his hand and he met my eyes. "Michael has not returned from Adonai."

Leviathan nodded and hastened our pace a bit. "Do you know where this church is?"

I nodded. "I don't know the name but I know it is on Yates Avenue."

"Yates Avenue?"

I nodded. "I'm afraid I don't know where that is."

He let go of me and stepped towards the curb. I waited as he hailed a carriage and spoke to the driver. Once our destination was established, Leviathan escorted me into the carriage. I nearly lunged from the carriage when he shut the door and went to step away from me. He was sending me alone.

"What on earth are you doing?" I reached for the handle of the carriage door. "Leviathan?"

He leaned forward, through the window of the carriage and lowered his voice. "I've paid the driver. He knows of a church on Yates. He claims it is a small street and that there is only one chapel."

I gripped his hand through the window. "But why are you not going with me?"

"Because I must get back to the house and see for myself that everything is fine there. Lucius is a child when he does not get his way and he was quite determined to get his hands on you. I worry for Sariel and Uriel. They should not be left alone with him, he's wicked."

"What will you tell him?"

"I will tell him that I chased you and that you eluded me. By the time I'd caught up you were already inside a church."

"Will you tell him what church?"

He reached up and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "I will do what I can, Cassiel. But you must get yourself inside that church and keep yourself there, at least until you have decided what to do. We can't follow you on holy ground, it will not kill us, but it will send us to the pit and, although in such cases we can get back to earth, it takes time. Lucifer will not risk it, not when he has you so close." The smile he gave me was one built of false bravery. "And, if you decide to use the sword on me, you need only write to me and I will meet you so that you may."

I brought his hand to my lips. "I love you."

His smile was genuine and he did not hesitate as he responded, "And I love you." With that, he stepped away from the carriage, signaled for the driver to take off, turned on his heels and walked away from me.