"Well, Accuser," Jael said. She and Gabriel sat on the sofa, vaguely relaxed. "Long time no see."

"Indeed," Averel said before turning her gaze to Gabriel, quite pointedly paying Jael no attention. Unfortunately for her, Gabriel had already retreated back into his shell. The empty look was in his gaze, and he had said nothing following their arrival at Shantael's house.

"Where were you this evening about an Earth hour ago?" Averel asked Gabriel.

"At dinner," Gabriel said, his voice barely a whisper.

He offered no further details. "We went out to a mortal restaurant," Jael said. "We left here about an hour and a half ago. As you can see, we've just come back."

"Who was with you?" Averel asked, still looking at Gabriel.

"I was with him," Jael said after Gabriel did not respond. "Otherwise, there were several humans present, including restaurant staff and patrons."

"Is there any proof of your presence there?" Averel asked Gabriel.

Gabriel reached into his pocket, took out a crumpled paper, and handed it to Averel. It was the receipt from Gabriel's credit card transaction.

At that moment, seeing the receipt, something clicked in Jael's mind, and she had to stifle her gasp.

Averel studied the receipt, especially the date and time marked upon it. "Very well," she said after a while. "However, is there evidence of your continued presence there? An eyewitness, perhaps?"

"I was there," Jael said.

"Other than the known liar Jael," Averel said to Gabriel.

At that, Gabriel's gaze took on a sudden glow, and he growled under his breath. "Address her properly."

"I have, fallen General," Averel replied coolly. "And whatever for? This is rather beneath me, you know. Tarrying with a disgraced archangel and his well-worn pet? I've done much better than this over the past year. Be glad of my attentions, Messenger. I would not be here if not for the nature of the item that was stolen."

"What do you know of the Aleph?" Gabriel asked.

Averel returned, "How do you know that it was the Aleph that was stolen?"

This time, Gabriel audibly growled. "I am still an archangel, Accuser. When anything connected to the Demiurge goes missing, I feel the loss."

Averel pursed her lips. An awkward silence fell.

"I believe the restaurant had cameras," Jael said. "You can review the security footage. We were there for the full hour and a half."

The Accuser's gaze flickered to Jael again for a moment. "Anything else?"

"Answer my question," Gabriel said.

"You have no command over me, fallen General, and you are not the interrogator here." Averel turned up her nose. "I will now search the premises for the missing item."

"Do you even know what it looks like?" Jael scoffed.

Averel raised an eyebrow. "Do you?"

Jael rolled her eyes and flopped against the back of the sofa, her arms folded. Averel walked around the living room and kitchen, then disappeared up the hallway. She returned a few minutes later.

"You know nothing," Gabriel said.

Averel narrowed her eyes. "You are as insufferable as ever, Gabriel. Even with a new face."

"Watch it," Jael warned. "Only I get to call him mean things."

"And you, Jael." Averel sniffed. "You two deserve each other."

"As do you and Raphael," Gabriel replied.

Averel's head snapped to the left, and she glared at Gabriel, her eyes wide and wild. Then she restored her usual calm and unruffled demeanor. "Neither of you are anywhere near your salvation. You would be wise not to step on the toes of those in charge."

"Like you?" Jael asked snidely.

Averel folded her arms. "Precisely."

"Okay," Jael said. "Gabriel didn't steal whatever the thing is. Neither did I. Why are you still standing in my house?"

The Accuser tossed her bright-red hair, flipping Jael off in the same gesture. Then she vanished.

"That was pleasant," Jael said.

Gabriel exhaled, returning to his full self. "Such visits with her usually are."

"I guess. She does seem kind of cool when she isn't doing the 'new-Satan' thing." Jael grinned. "By the way, I know how you did it."

"I did nothing," Gabriel replied. "What did you figure out?"

"For the past ninety minutes, up until right before we came back home, you did not have your angelic powers," Jael said. "That's why you paid via credit card. You couldn't access angel money then."

Gabriel nodded. "And why didn't I have my powers?"

Jael's grin widened. "Because you gave your Messenger mantle to someone else, who was then able to access the place where the Aleph is stored and steal it on your behalf."

Gabriel smiled. "Very good."

Jael remembered to calm down, and she smoothed the skirt of her dress and draped one arm over the arm of the sofa. "Obviously. I've always been good."

"You learned from the best," Gabriel said. "Who did I give my mantle to?"

Jael twisted her lips. "I'm still working on that part."

"That's fine. You've done well," Gabriel said. "I'm proud of you."

Jael smirked.

"And I'm thankful for you," Gabriel added, much more quietly. "You have aided me well."

"Or been used by," Jael said, but this time she was mostly joking.

"Or that." Gabriel nodded. Then he yawned and stretched. "Being without my powers made me tired, Jael. I'll bid you good night."

Jael got to her feet. "Good night, Gabriel."

"You looked beautiful tonight."

She was dangerously close to blushing again, so she turned away. "I always look beautiful."

She practically floated up the hallway to her room, and Gabriel made no comment on it.

---

"Hey, so," Jaime said.

On the other end of the phone call, Reynardo braced himself. "Qué pasó, Jaime?"

"I'm kind of missing something of mine that's important," Jaime said.

"What is it?" Reynardo asked.

"Um, I'd rather not say. Could you maybe come by and help me look for it?"

Rey sighed. "Yes, if you promise to be more forthcoming in person."

"I promise," Jaime said. "See you soon."

He hung up. Rey sighed again and pocketed his phone. Then he misted into Jaime's apartment building.

His new teleportation ability had proven most useful lately, despite the annoying vampiric mists that accompanied it. Rey had been incorporating the ability into his hunts. It made things much easier when he needed a victim from whom he could draw copious amounts of blood.

The mists deposited Rey into Jaime's tiny living room. Jaime glanced up from where he was sorting through the sofa cushions. "Oh, hey! Glad you made it. And super quickly."

Rey folded his arms. "What can I do for you, Jaime?"

"I lost something," Jaime said. "Or maybe someone took it from me. I'll tell you what it is, but you can't tell the other guys that it's missing. Or anyone else."

This sounded suspicious to Rey, but he figured Jaime was just being dramatic, as was often the case. "I promise all of those things, Jaime. Now, for goodness sake, what is it?"

"A feather," Jaime said.

Rey balked. "We're looking for a feather?"

"Yes," Jaime said very earnestly.

"Is it your feather?"

"One of mine, yeah."

Rey sighed in frustration. "And how do you expect me to find a feather?"

"I kind of don't," Jaime replied. "I think it's gone for good. But I need to know where it is. I need to know who took it and how."

"Why would someone want to steal a feather from you?" Rey asked.

"I dunno," Jaime said. "Maybe it could be used in some kind of magickal spell against me or something?"

"Who would want to cast a spell against you, Jaime?"

"Well... considering what's happening with Christian right now, and with you, I'd rather not have something like that fall into shady hands."

Rey frowned again. Then he thought about everything that Jaime had said to him so far on this topic. Then he thought about why a feather would be important to anyone. Then he did a Blair Winters-style logic jump.

"Holy fuck," Rey said.

"That's pretty much the root of the problem," Jaime said much too glibly.

"Jaime," Rey sighed. "Jaime, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Be busy finding the feather," Jaime said.

"See? I told you they were after you too."

"I really doubt it. I think they got lucky," Jaime said. "Maybe they noticed my super strength when their guys attacked us and we killed them."

"Possibly," Rey acknowledged.

"So," Jaime said. "What do you think?"

"I think we need to get Blair involved," Rey said.

Jaime groaned. "And have him obsess over what they'll do with the feather? I'd rather not."

"Blair can run a trace on the feather," Rey reminded him. "At this point, he is our best chance. Maybe our only chance."

Jaime nodded slowly. "Okay. Let's go find him."

"Do you have another feather?" Rey asked.

"Turn around," Jaime instructed.

Rey turned around. There was a loud whoosh, and the apartment had a breeze for a moment. Then everything settled. "Okay," Jaime said. "You can turn around again."

Rey did. Jaime was holding a large, brilliant white feather.

"That's a nice feather," Rey said blithely.

Jaime offered no response. Instead he took out his cell phone and swiped at it.

"No, don't do that," Rey said. "I'll text him. And I'll tell him it belongs to someone I met. You're better off staying far away from it."

"You'll tell me what he finds?"

"Of course, Jaime."

"Okay." Jaime paused. "Thanks, Rey."

"You're welcome. Now get some rest," Rey said just before vanishing into the mists again. "I'll text you later."