I found him sitting on the steps outside of the Ballantyne. He was dressed nicely, marking that he'd attended at least a section of the show and had made his presence known to the guests. Leviathan Desmott was charming to the core and any time he was around, the coffers were bound to overflow. He put the visiting gentlemen at ease because they knew he was trustworthy, he would not go running off to their wives with a story to tell. Instead, he was all too pleased to help paint the picture to their lie. It is just a bit of cards after the play—Just a round of drinks with the boys. There is no need to worry, love. Don't wait up.

I nearly fell over from relief when I caught sight of him. "Levi!" I took the steps two at a time and nearly tackled him.

"Rosie?" He turned to look at me just as I reached him and grabbed his arm. "What on earth are you doing here? I thought you'd be on your way to the docks by now."

I pulled his arm, trying to get him to stand. "There's no time. You must go."

He stood and dusted off his suit. "Go where?"

"Merritt." I found that I was out of breath; I'd run a full tour of the Ballantyne before I'd come outside.

"Yes?" Levi's brow furrowed, "What about her?"

"Lucius has gone after her. You need to go now."

He pulled away from me and turned towards the street, his eyes searching for a carriage even as he said, "No, but she's safe. She's in a church. I assure you, Lucius couldn't get to her if he tried. She'd on holy ground."

I shook my head and shoved his shoulder, pushing him down the steps and towards the street. "Chester and Sebastian, they were drunk and going on about—"

His lips were a grim line. "I'm sure they don't know what they are talking about."

"Go and find out." I urged.

He met my eyes and ran a hand through his hair. "Lucius would have told me if he planned to go after her tonight."

"Not if he wanted to kill her himself."

Levi exhaled and gazed out over the city. It was dark, the only lights coming from the gas lamps and the moon up above.

I walked around in front of him and grabbed him by the arms, "Please go now."

There was a look on his face, a focus that even my shaking could not penetrate. "Do you smell that?"

Although my senses were not as well developed as a demon's, I still had a stronger range of my five senses than most humans did. I lifted my head and closed my eyes. "It smells like—"

"Fire." Levi took off down the steps and I followed. He found the first cab driver he could, "I need to get to Yates Avenue."

The man shook his head. "There's some fuss down that way, I'm not sure I can get through. A driver coming in from that way advised against it."

"What sort of fuss?" I said.

"House fire maybe."

Leviathan gripped the door of the carriage and forced a relaxed smiled. "A house fire? And you're certain it is a house?"

"A church." A driver from nearby called as he pulled his own carriage to a stop. "The church is on fire down on Yates Avenue. Carriages can't get through. I've only just come from that way."

Levi's entire body tensed. "How close can you get?"

"What?"

"How close?" He repeated, "How close can you get me to the fire?"

"I'm not heading that way. I can't afford to spook my horse so early in the evening."

"I'll pay you." Levi said. "I'll pay you for the entire night."

"I'll take you, sir!" A third cab driver called.

Levi turned on his heels and jogged to the carriage. "Yate Avenue. I don't know the name but there's on—"

"Only one chapel, aye, I know the place."

I scrambled inside the carriage before Levi could stop me. He paused outside the carriage and looked in at me. "What do you think you're doing? You should be headed to the docks. You need to run, get away from here now. It is the perfect time, he is distracted."

I shook my head. "Let me follow this to the end. I'm committed to it now."

"But, Rosie—"

"I'm changing my path. Uriel told me I could change my path and I am—I'm choosing to help Merritt. Please don't stop me." 

"Very well." He hoisted himself inside and pulled the door shut. Without another word to me, he hit his fist against the roof of the carriage, signaling we were ready.

He was silent as the carriage hurdled down London streets, down side alleys and under flickering streetlights. We were not far from our destination, but where a fire is concerned it does not take long to wreck havoc in a compacted area such as this. By the time we'd reached the mouth of the road, the smell of smoke was overwhelming. I turned to Levi to find him craning his head out the window; his face blanched when he saw the chapel ablaze. He closed his eyes. "Please don't let her still be in that church."

"She's out, I'm sure of it." I told him, wishing I sounded more confident in my words. 

He just shook his head and called for the driver to a halt. "I pray she is."

I found it difficult to keep up with Levi as he ran down the street. I still wore my costume from the opera, a mint colored ball gown that was about two decades older than I was. I did my best, holding my skirts far above my knees as I followed after him. 

I caught sight of Lucius in time to stop myself before I reached him. I ducked back behind the corner of a neighboring building and watched. He stood at the base of the stairs leading up to the church. He had his hands in his coat pockets and seemed far from concerned about the massive blaze in front of him. Levi squared his shoulders and approached with all the confidence that a demonic prince should possess.

"Lucius." Levi slapped his friend on the shoulder and forced a nonchalant smile as the devil turned to look at him. The worry in his eyes gave him away—but I doubted Lucius knew him well enough to even notice.

"Leviathan, how nice of you to join me." Lucius turned to look back up at the building, a contented smile upon his face. "How did you know I was here?"

Levi was breathing heavily, his eyes darting around the building frantically searching for her—for Merritt. But she was not there. If she had not left the building, then she was certainly dead. He kept his voice light, unworried as he said, "I heard there was a fire at the church on Yates. I assumed it was your handiwork."

"I wonder what it must be like to burn and never feel it."

Levi put his hands behind his back and nodded. "Is the girl inside?"

I stepped closer to them and strained to hear the conversation better over the sound of the slowly gathering crowd. "Of course."

"But—But I thought you wanted her. I thought you need her alive. How—How will you retake heaven if she is dead?"

"Her companions grew suspicious of me and the fun was ruined." Lucius shrugged. "I grew tired of toying with her. Cat and mouse was never my favorite game."

Levi closed his eyes. "Perhaps send a more trusted cat?"

Lucius laughed and nodded to the church,  "It is too late for that."

"She is valuable. We will never have another chance for this." Levi was breathing heavily now, the whites of his eyes glinting with the echo of the flames before him. There was a look on his face, a numbness that was born of fear and resignation. I knew then exactly what he would do.

Lucius was not paying close enough attention to see Levi as he made his choice. Looking at the top of the building distracted him, the flames had not quite enveloped the steeple yet and the cross could still be made out against the night sky. 

It was for this reason that Lucius did not see as Levi stepped forward, onto the holy ground. He did not notice as Leviathan Desmott began to climb the stairs—not until it was too late. Lucius had just looked down, just began yelling to Levi to tell him to come back, before he slipped inside the entrance of the burning church.