Gabe winced. Not even the supposedly holy like priests or nuns were immune to Lucifer's influence, and Gabriel remembered quite well how hard some of them could be. "That's a pity," he said with gentle sincerity. "It really is a beautiful language; if you're interested, maybe later on I can help you have another go at learning it."

The Archangel smiled and squeezed Murphy's hands lightly in reassurance. "Just let me know if you need to stop for any reason." Sometimes just the praying itself could be difficult. "Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary," he began, "that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, or implored thy help or sought thine intercession, was left unaided ..."

The prayer rolled off his tongue as easily as something instinctive, like breathing, vibrant with a sort of understated confidence and slow enough for Murphy to follow easily or indicate he needed to pause. The Archangel held the other man's gaze, his eyes soft and encouraging as he spoke.