“Love?” Myles raised a critical eyebrow at his little brother.

“Don’t criticize me for something that you cannot understand.” Gabriel shot back, frowning.

“I understand love, just not the brand that’s romantic in nature.” Myles shrugged, waving it away. “But it’s your life, after all…and Joan isn’t so bad, for a human, and a woman at that.”

“She’d have your head if she heard you say that.” Gabriel gave a quiet laugh, shaking his head, then sighed. “Are you sure we’re in danger?”

“I’m positive.” Myles nodded, “The fact that they’ve come after you proves it. I’ve no doubt they’ve been watching you, and Joan, for some time now.”

The younger elf rubbed his forehead, “Why must there be such horrible people in the world?”

“Without the horrible people, there wouldn’t be good ones.”

“I guess not…and the good ones are every bit worth dealing with the bad ones for.” Gabriel said, looking up, hearing Joan’s footsteps above them, pattering around quickly as she packed her things.

“You really do love her?” Myles’ voice was quiet, and somewhat curious.

“I do.” Gabriel found that it was easy to admit.

“Does she know?”

“I have never said as much but…but I think she knows.” He said thoughtfully.

“Again, I won’t pretend to understand romantic notions,” his elder brother shook his head. “but I can’t understand how she could know if you didn’t tell her.”

But Gabriel heard a slightly strange note in his brother’s voice, and cocked his head to the side. “You’re curious.”

“It’s not a crime.” was the quick, clipped reply.

“I didn’t say it was.” He shrugged. “It’s perfectly reasonable that you would be curious. You and I are both naturally curious people.”

“Indeed.” Myles nodded.

There was a knock on the front door, which made Gabriel and Myles jump, their glamours immediately back in place. The younger Locke brother answered the door, the elder following just behind.

A timid-looking woman with dark hair and eyes stood on the front steps. “Oh dear, please excuse me for calling unannounced, but is this the residence of Mr. Locke?”

“I am Gabriel Locke, if that’s who you are looking for.” Gabriel said, taken aback that he should have a potential client at this time.

“I was told that if I had a problem that I needed to take care of, I ought to bring it to him.”

Gabriel bowed, knowing that this is no time for him to be taking on any new clients. “A thousand apologies, madam, but I regret to inform you that I’m currently unable to take on any new clients at this moment. I’m deeply sorry.”

--

As I descended the stairs, I noticed that Gabriel was at the door, and that both Locke boys had their glamours back on. The detective was busy chatting with whoever I’d heard knock a few moments before.

Something was wrong.

I could feel it in the air. It was more than just the general sense that our lives were in danger, but there was an immediate danger lurking in the air suddenly.

Myles looked at me, but I wasn’t sure how to communicate that something was wrong without speaking, so I quickly walked over to him, and spoke as quietly as I could, “Something is wrong.”

“What do you mean?” he frowned.

“I can feel it. Something is wrong. There was danger before, but now there is immediate danger.” I told him.

Just as Myles opened his mouth to speak, I heard a woman’s voice say, “Believe me, sir, you will want to hear about this little problem of mine.”

A strange look passed over Myles’ face, and he spoke to his brother, “Let her in, perhaps another case is what you need to take your mind off things.”

I blinked, confused as to why he’d told Gabriel to let her in when she needed to go away, if only for her own safety.

“Alright.” Gabriel stepped aside, and let the woman in, not questioning his brother’s judgment. I didn’t get a good look at her face as Gabriel led her to the stairs, but I could see that she was wearing a crimson dress, and had luxurious dark hair.

“Oh, you must be Myles Locke!” I heard her exclaim as they went up the stairs, Myles following Gabriel and the woman.

“Yes ma’am, I am.” He said in a curt tone.

Suddenly, something clicked in my mind. This woman was the problem. I couldn’t say why, but her presence in our home was bad news. Could she possibly be an agent of M’s?!

I followed them up the stairs, frightened and confused. I stood outside the door to the study, which Myles had conveniently left open, likely so I could listen in.

“Alright, boys. My name is Gem Moriarty, and I have a problem.”

My blood chilled.

M.

M stood for Moriarty, apparently.

“Well, as you said earlier, this is a place where problems are solved. Perhaps we can be of assistance.” I heard Gabriel say.

--

Gem Moriarty was perched on the edge of the sofa, her timid demeanor suddenly gone, replaced by an almost playful persona. “I don’t know how that could be possible, since you two are my problem! Always meddling in places that you ought not to! Can’t you just leave a girl to her business?”

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“Not when people are being killed.” Myles said in a cold voice.

“Oh that’s no fun! You kill plenty of people!” She laughed, but her eyes flashed dangerously.

Gabriel frowned, realizing that she was probably telling the truth.

“I don’t kill innocent people.” Was his brother’s reply.

“No one is innocent. Everyone is guilty of something. Who are you to decide who deserves life and death when it is an assured fact that no one is completely innocent?” Gem Moriarty snapped.

“I do believe you came here to solve a problem?” Gabriel spoke up.

“And as I said, you two are my problem.” She pursed her lips. “But what am I to do with you?” Reaching into her purse, she pulled out what appeared to be a black oblong rock.

Myles started, and went very pale. “How did you come by that?”

“I have my ways. I know how to get what I want.” The woman’s slow smile was positively villainous.

“What is it?” Gabriel asked, annoyed that he wasn’t in the loop.

“Now don’t answer, Myles, dear, I can do that.” Gem cut in, playing with the black oblong piece of obsidian that she held. “If I understand correctly, this is a top-secret military device that was developed to control the minds of enemy soldiers. The king’s people only ever got it to work for a little while, but I’ve had my people look at it, and they’ve been able to get it to work for whole days. Now, what kind of trouble could you two boys get up to for days?” she asked. “It would certainly solve my little problem. Because I must say, you two remarkable boys are the last obstacle, the final problem, if you will, that keeps me from controlling the streets of this city. So what a miraculous thing it will be when you kill each other for me! I won’t have to worry about either of you anymore!” Before either elf could act, she twisted her hands on either end of the rock, as if she were opening a bottle. A previously invisible crack appeared in the very center of the stone, rotating each side as she twisted, before they snapped into place. Immediately, runes illuminated the surface of the rock in a golden glow.

Gabriel and Myles suddenly found themselves unable to move, their wills stripped from them.

--

Before she could speak again, and force them to kill one another, I bolted into the room, my fear of her overcome by my anger and terror. I pulled for my magic, screaming, “NO!”

A look of surprise passed over her face, but she didn’t have time to react as I pulled for my magic, and lashed out, sending her sprawling across the room, where she crashed into a bookcase.

The oblong device rolled from her hand, and stopped at my feet. Stooping, I picked it up. The glowing light on it faded, and Gabriel and Myles shook themselves.

“Oh blessed Joan!” Gabriel leapt to his feet, and I suddenly found myself in his embrace.

“We have to leave.” Myles said, pulling on Gabriel’s arms, “Now. She has people all around this area, I’m sure of it. You must get out of here, now! Go!”

“Right. Gabriel grabbed my hand and all but dragged me down the stairs.

“My bag!” I reminded him.

The elf bent, easily scooped it up as he ran, and grabbed the train tickets that his brother had brought for us, stuffing them in his inner jacket pocket. “We’ll go to Mrs. Hudson, for now. What will you do?”

“Don’t worry for me. Just get yourselves away from here.” Myles pushed us out the door, following us out and hailing a cab.

“Thank you, Myles.” I whispered, and caught his hand, squeezing it for a moment. I was briefly amused as the disguised elf looked extremely surprised, and blinked, clearly not having expected this reaction.

“Quickly, Joan!” Gabriel said impatiently, and I let him pull me into the cab.

“Of course.” I heard Myles say, his tone clearly surprised as Gabriel ordered the cabbie to take us to the station as quickly as possible, promising double the usual fare if we made good time.

As we dashed away, I saw Myles get into his own cab, and set off in the opposite direction.

“Do you think we’re safe now?” I asked my companion, who was wearing his glamour again once more.

“Well, that blast didn’t kill her, and I’ve no doubt that her lackeys will soon come after her when she doesn’t reappear, as planned.” Gabriel sighed, looking out the window, then reclining back in his seat. “I…don’t think that we’ll be safe until she’s dead.”

I shuddered. “Oh dear.”

His arm slipped around me, and the elf pulled me against him. “It’ll be okay, Joan.”

“I’m scared.” I muttered.

“I know.” Gabriel sighed softly, and it was quiet for a few moments. He spoke again. “You made a most opportune entrance back there, and for that, Myles and I owe you our lives.” I felt him plant a kiss in my hair.

“I couldn’t let her make you two kill each other.” I shuddered again, and was pleased when he pulled me even closer.

“Indeed.” His fingers brushed through my hair. “But you didn’t let it happen, and we are alive and well.”

“Alive, at least, I’m not so sure if you can classify our situation as particularly well, exactly.” I muttered.

One of his long fingers trailed down my cheek. “We’re still a lot better off than many people out there, Joan.” He murmured. I looked up into his face, and saw that he’d let his glamour drop once more.

“I’m not so sure of that.” I heard myself say.

“Perhaps you still need convincing of that, but as long as I have you with me, all is right in my world.” The elf’s voice was soft, and his golden eyes searched my face.

“O-oh.” I stammered, feeling my face flush.

Gabriel seemed to lean closer, but then the carriage jolted suddenly, and sent me scrambling about, trying to keep my balance as my elvish companion, his glamour immediately replaced, sat erect suddenly, his head cocked to the side, as if having heard something. His eyes widened, and he cried, “Brace yourself!”

“What?” I blinked, confused as I situated myself back in my seat, sad that the intimate moment had suddenly passed.

But then my world tipped sideways as Gabriel’s arms suddenly came up around me, and enveloped us, protectively, in his enormous wings.

There was a deafening roaring noise, a rush of smoke, and then the world went black for a moment.

--

Agony burst across Gabriel’s wings as his feathers burned in the explosion.

He screamed. The pain was excruciating, but he curled more tightly around Joan’s small, now unconscious form, as she’d blacked out when the bomb, which had been thrown onto the carriage while it was moving, had exploded. Apparently, Gem’s minions had marked their escape.

The world went black for a little while.

Eventually, the elf moaned, coming to. He looked around.

The sky was above him, and thick, black tendrils of smoke drifted lazily into the sky. His body ached.

Finally, he somehow managed to sit up, still holding Joan, and trying to ignore the oddly numbed, burning sensation that shot across his wings and back. Gabriel was aware that the pain should be more than he was feeling.

Maybe it was just his adrenaline. He’d thrown them out the door of the carriage just as the bomb had exploded, and they’d been propelled from the blast, but had survived, which was more than could be said for the poor, innocent cabbie.

There was a crater some twenty feet away. Realizing that there were bystanders, he immediately put up a glamour, which took very little energy. He also retracted his wings, biting his lip as he did, trying not to scream again, since the action had caused unbearable pain. His feathers had been the most exposed to the blast, and he knew that his wings had been badly burned.

Yes, the adrenaline was most certainly numbing his pain, for the moment, but it wouldn’t last.

Gabriel staggered to his feet, still carrying Joan. She shifted, moaning weakly. “Gabriel?” she clutched her head.

“Hang on, Joan. We have to get to the train station.” He muttered, shaking his head, feeling dizzy.

“Put me down, I can walk.” The object of his affection insisted.

“Are you sure?” he took a few more staggering steps.

“I think I’ll manage better than you are.” She nodded.

Gabriel put her down, and was glad when she slipped her slim arms around him, offering him some support. “Thank you.” He gasped.

“Come on. I can see the station just ahead.” She motioned, her mind surprisingly clear for having just regained consciousness. The elf thanked the universe that she was a magician.

The elf’s vision had gone blurry. “Good, because I can’t see much.”

“You’re bleeding.” She informed him. “Can you put up a different glamour? One that looks like you’re not hurt?”

Gabriel blinked, and changed his glamour.

I nodded, “Perfect. Now come on, there are people around, but I think it’s a big enough crowd that we’re safe…for now.”