Grigori watched his Master take another sip of wine. He seemed incredibly pleased with how things were progressing.

"It won't be much longer now, my friend. Joan and Gabriël are being kept apart. No doubt the girl will do something rash to get to her lover."

"She is smart, Master," Grigori said. "She may find a way to remain undiscovered."

"Hmm, perhaps. But when it concerns matters of the heart, mistakes are easily made. And it would not be the first time someone underestimated the Lord Protector. He will find them, and he will act. Inform our general to prepare himself for the attack. He will be glad of it."

Grigori bowed and left. He knew where to find the Borgia Bastard. Ever since the Master had rewarded him with the Howard slave girl, he had barely left his chamber. It seemed that, once more, he allowed a woman to control his actions. He would never learn.
The shadows inhabiting the dark corridors followed Grigori as made his way through to Borgia's chamber. He was reluctant to speak to the man, yet had to follow his Master's instructions. He knocked on the large, black doors and waited. The executed Queen of England opened the door to him. Grigori tried his best not to look directly at her, as she only wore a black see-through negligee.

"Mistress Howard, is signore Borgia with you? I have a message from the Master."

"No, he is not," Katheryn Howard said, twirling her hair around a finger. "He insisted on gathering his men to... um... do something. I'm not sure what; I wasn't paying attention. You can leave the message with me, and I will deliver it to him."

"With all due respect, Mistress, these orders need to be given to signore Borgia himself."

"Oh... Well, I'm sure he'll be back soon. You can come in and keep me company."

Before he could refuse her offer, she grabbed his wrist to guide him inside the chamber. There were candles lit everywhere, a fresh bowl of fruit, and a crystal carafe of red wine. Grigori remained standing as the slave girl sat in a chair and began playing with her hair.

"Are you really going to stand there until Lord Borgia returns?" she asked.

"Yes, I believe that would be best."

She pressed her lips together disapprovingly. Clearly, little Kitty Howard still believed herself a Queen, even though she was less than nothing now. Yet, she could be dangerous. She had managed to climb her way up to the palace, after all. Grigori wondered if the Master had not made a mistake in giving her to Borgia.

"What are you doing here?"

Grigori turned to Borgia's deep voice. A pair of dark eyes flashed between him and the Howard girl.

"Forgive the intrusion, signore," Grigori said. "The Master has sent me. He wishes to inform you that the time to attack is drawing nearer."

"It seems that is all you do, monk. Deliver messages."

Grigori did not react. He knew the man was trying to taunt him. Besides, he wasn't worth the effort.

"I trust your strike team is ready?" he inquired.

"Don't worry yourself about my team," Borgia responded sharply. "We are prepared to attack the moment the Master gives us the order."

"Very well. I shall inform him accordingly."

He made to leave the room, but Borgia blocked him before he could pass the doors.

"There is one thing I am curious about," he said.

"Signore?" Grigori raised a brow.

"How far gone is he? Gabriël? Has he screwed his girl whilst the poison was rushing through him? Has he attacked anyone? Surely he must have."

"We are certain the Archangel has lain with Joan frequently, yes," said Grigori uncomfortably. "A few minor incidents occurred until a graver one happened two days ago. Michael has done what we hoped for. They are being kept apart; thus, a mistake will undoubtedly follow soon."

The answer seemed to please Borgia, and he let Grigori go. His eyes glistened with sudden desire as he walked over to the Howard girl. She rose from the chair and discarded her dress. Borgia grasped her roughly by the hair. He kissed her lips, neck, and the space between her breasts. Then, as he knelt before her, Katheryn looked directly at Grigori. The way she did made him remember her - Alexandra. He could not bear it and left them to their play.

***

Joan sat by the lakeshore. She had left Michael's Villa in tears three days ago. Catherine and Margaret had been waiting for her when she arrived home, but she sent them away. They had urged her to confide in them, but she could not. The only person she could confide in, that she wanted to confide in, was Gabriël. But he was gone. Locked away in the catacombs under the Vale. So close and still so far.

Joan lay down on the grass and closed her eyes. She brought his image before her. She knew every curve of his body now. Her heart ached that she couldn't hold him at a time he needed her most.
She remembered the last time they had slept together. It was so wonderful, lying in each other's arms afterwards. They had both fallen asleep, but it hadn't lasted very long. Joan had woken up to Gabriël talking in his sleep. She had tried to wake him, and when he finally opened his eyes, they were pitch black again. At Gabriël's request, she kept her baslard near and grabbed it from the nightstand, ready to defend herself if needed. Then he spoke.
"Do you really think that will save you, little girl? Soon, every angel and Archangel will know of you two. You will be cast out. The collective will be weakened. The darkness will rise, and the Heavens will be in flames. And all because of you."

Joan had been determined to bring Gabriël back. She had taken hold of his shoulders, kissed him, spoken to him, and made sure he remembered who he was. It had worked. But only for a short while.
They had gone to the kitchen, and Gabriël cried out in pain. She felt his ache as if it were her own and immediately sent a message to Raphael. When Michael showed up, Gabriël seemed to become even more agitated, and he had attacked her. No, not her - he attacked Michael, and she had jumped between them to stop him. And this was how the Lord Protector showed his gratitude; by threatening to take Joan's wings, yet again.
After mulling things over and looking at all incidents so far, Joan was certain of it; the demon reacted more intensely when Michael was near. If she could find out why, she might convince Michael that Gabriël had to stay away from him. She could convince him he was better off under someone else's protection. And that someone could be persuaded to let her see him.

Suddenly, Joan felt a sharp pain in her heart. Her image of Gabriël became more vivid. She saw him on the floor of his cell, screaming and... bleeding! She needed to get to him!
Fighting against the pain, she scrambled up and whistled. Spiritus appeared, and they took off at a gallop. Joan felt her strength return, but her fear also grew. If Gabriël's wound had opened again, she was the only one who could help him. Silently, she prayed Michael would realise this, too.

***

Michael was alerted by the sentries that they had heard Gabriël screaming. When he arrived at the cell, he found Gabriël unconscious and bleeding, with Raphael already working on him. The physician had already been on his way to check on his patient and saw the commotion at the entrance, realising something had happened.

"Good, you're here," said Raphael, briefly glancing up as Michael entered the cell. "We have little time; he needs you."

"What can I do?" Michael knelt beside him.

"Give him your blood like you did last time. Hurry now."

Michael reached for his dagger but paused at a memory. 

"Not my blood," he said. "We need Joan."

"Joan? What on Earth can she possibly do?"

"The last time this happened, it was her blood that saved him. Not mine."

Raphael's head jerked up. He gaped at him in disbelief.

"Michael, how could you not have told me? This is vital information!"

"I-I believed I did."

"Well, you didn't. And instead of arguing about it, you had better get that girl here. Right now!"

Michael ran up the dark hallway. When he got to the catacombs' entrance, he heard loud voices on the other side. He stopped in his tracks as he recognised the loudest and most angry one.

Joan! How did she know to come here?

Michael threw open the doors, silencing the discussion between Joan and the guards with a single look. 

"Let her pass," he ordered. "Make sure no one else enters."

She pushed past the surprised sentries, and Michael quickly closed the heavy doors. Before he allowed Joan to go any further, he grabbed her firmly by her shoulders and spun her to face him.

"I am only letting you go to him now because he is dying. You saved him before; we need you to do so again. Once Raphael and I are satisfied that he is out of harm's way, you will leave. And you will not return here. Am I understood?"

Her eyes shot fire at him. There were undoubtedly many things she wanted to say (or yell) at him, but now was not the time. The longer they delayed, the worse it was for Gabriël.

"Joan, am I understood?"

"Yes." She hissed through her teeth.

Michael let Joan go and followed her down as she sprinted to Gabriël's cell. She dropped to her knees, opposite Raphael, and lifted Gabriël onto her lap. Swiftly, she cut her hand open with a dagger she drew from her shin holster and let her blood trickle onto Gabriël's wound. Although it had fully healed to a scar, it looked as if Gabriël had only just been injured. He looked awful.
Michael watched as Joan's blood slowly but surely cured his friend. He turned to Raphael, who came to stand at his side. The physician was stunned at the sight before him.

"How is this possible?" he wondered aloud. "I've always believed that only Archangels possessed healing powers in their blood. Michael, could Joan be a -?"

"No," said Michael decisively. "No, she is not. She cannot be. Archangels were created by God from His light. None who were human once can become one. And even if, by some miracle, she were one, it does not explain why her blood is more potent than mine."

"Good point. I shall look into this."

They stopped their hushed conversation when they saw Gabriël moving. Raphael put a hand on Joan's shoulder as he knelt beside her.

"That's enough, my dear. Hold Gabriël close to you. I need to inject an extra dosage of the antidote into him, and it won't be pleasant."

As soon as Raphael injected the cure, Gabriël's eyes shot wide open. His body shuddered like he had an adrenaline kick or sugar rush. The screaming tore through Michael. He rushed over to help Joan apply pressure to Gabriël's body. Eventually, after what seemed like hours, Gabriël relaxed again, his breathing even and tranquil as he slumped in their hold. Raphael gestured to Michael to help him get their friend on the mattress whilst he offered Joan a bandage for her hand.

"Watch him," he said to Michael. "I will send for a carriage to get him to the Hospitium."

"No," countered Michael. "You will treat him here."

"Michael, I really believe that -"

"You will treat him here, Raphael. You may send for Isabelle if you need help, but he is not to leave this cell."

A sound alerted Michael, and he turned to find Joan raising her hand to him. He caught her wrist in mid-air before she struck his cheek and glared at her dangerously. 

"Michael, calm yourself!" Raphael grabbed hold of his arm.

"You can't leave him here!" screamed Joan. "He deserves better than this! Rafe can treat him better in the Hospitium, and you know that, Michael! He is your friend! Don't do this to him!"

"It is because he is my friend that I am doing this!" Michael's furious voice boomed through the cell and bounced off the walls. "He is safe here. I am growing tired of explaining myself to you, Joan. Perhaps I should end this right now!"

"Michael, don't be a fool," said Raphael sharply. "Joan is worried. So are you, and so am I. We all care for Gabriël's well-being, but for now, we all need to take a step back before we say or do things we regret."

He pried Joan's wrist away from Michael's hold, and stood protectively in front of her, to Michael's great irritation. His eyes locked with hers. The defiance in her gaze angered him further. 

"I will allow you five minutes to say your farewell to Gabriël," he said. "Until he is fully recovered, and that demon inside of him is vanquished, you are not to come near the catacombs. If you make any attempt to be with him before I grant you this right, you will suffer the consequences. I promise you."