“Creatures have been hiding in plain sight, fearful of discovery, ill at ease even with each other. In every ending there is a new beginning.” We learn a lot about how creatures have been dealing with their fears and there is a new beginning, I believe that it is with Diana and Matthew.
Much happens between Matthew and Diana. They begin to come to terms with what they are feeling for each other.
It begins when Matthew takes Diana to his house to avoid the many creatures waiting for her in the Bodleian library. He picks her up at her place; his expression when she gets in his car is sort of sweet. He’s happy she’s going with him and amused that she doesn’t want him opening the car door for her.
There is a portrait of his sister Louisa in his house that catches her eye. This brings about a discussion about his family. His name is de Clermont which was his mother’s name and he took it when she sired him. His stepfather “Phillippe is no longer with us”, there is a tragic story there about both Phillippe and Louisa and these stories should become clear later on, they certainly will have an effect on how things happen. He opens up to her about his family, bringing them closer.
Diana loves looking at Matthew’s books. Matthew sits nearby watching her and enjoying how much she likes his books. While she is looking at them, he asks her if she cast a spell to call up Ashmole 782. She makes it clear (as she continues to do with everyone who asks) that she did not use any magic. He then says that maybe it had a spell on it and she met its conditions. He tests her magic by spilling some of his wine on one of the books; she magically moves the book out of the way of the wine. His hypothesis is that her magic is connected with need. This will become very important later on.
Another wonderful fact that we learn during their visit to his home, is that he was born around the year 500 and was reborn a vampire in 537! She looks at him with such amazement and astonishment. But who wouldn’t after finding out that the man she is spending time with is 1500 years old?!
I miss the yoga classes that they take together in the books. There is a special intimacy while they are there and we learn so much about them and the other creatures. It’s also a wonderful introduction to his place.
The next morning she finds Marcus waiting for her; Matthew was out at a conference and asked him to keep an eye on her. Matthew’s protectiveness is very apparent with this gesture. Marcus is adorable, but this is deceptive because he is also capable of being ruthless if it is needed. He convinces her to come to the lab and give them some blood so they can learn more about her and add her information to their research. I’m not sure I’d willingly go with a vampire into a lab to let them take some of my blood. While she is there, Matthew returns and rushes in all possessive and alpha. He tells them that if any vampire is going to take her blood it will be him.
Miriam recognizes that Matthew is heading in a dangerous direction with Diana and reminds him that according to the terms of the covenant they cannot be together. She and Marcus also believe that Diana knows nothing about the covenant. Her ignorance about this could put them all at risk. The bigotry and lack of interest in learning about anyone or anything that is different is awful and a terrible mirror of humanity.
Diana is becoming very comfortable with Matthew and decides to invite him to dinner.
While she is getting ready for him to arrive for their date, there is a knock at the door. She opens it expectantly believing it will be Matthew, but instead Peter Knox is there. He rudely forces his way in. Matthew arrives just as Knox tells her that “You are just like your father – so open minded that he put himself and your mother in mortal danger.” Sounds a whole lot like a threat to me! Matthew clearly believes this too; he rushes in with supernatural vampire speed and stands next to her with a little growl towards Knox. If a growl can be romantic, this one is.
They have a lovely time together and have a fascinating conversation about the differences between vampires and humans. Matthew has a very specific ability to taste things and entertains her by telling her where what they are eating is from and gives her detailed descriptions of the flavors he tastes in the wine. Diana then asks him what he thinks she would taste like. This changes the entire evening, he tells her never to ask him something like that, but she tells him that she is only asking so that she can understand him. Diana is convinced that she is safe with him while he believes that he would not be able to stop himself.
Sarah and Emily
Sarah and Emily are always in tune with Diana, and have been worried about her. Emily uses a scrying bowl to learn about what is happening with their niece. She sees a man in the shadows following her, and he is not a witch. They are alarmed by this and call her to find out why she is hanging around with a vampire. During the conversation, Emily, who is always thoughtful, asks Diana if she remembers the story her mother used to tell her about a shadow prince who lived between sunset and sunrise. This might just be a foreshadowing of Matthew, I wonder if her mother knew something?
Daemons
There are a number of daemons who are very important to the story. So far the only daemon we have met is Hamish, I’ve been waiting for them and they are finally here during this episode. They are such interesting and brilliant creatures that I have missed them. I’m glad it only took until the 3rd episode for them to be introduced. There is a big clue in the music! Demons by Imagine Dragons is playing while Sophie Norman is sitting behind a counter in a shop. She is drawing a picture of the alchemical child that Diana saw in Ashmole 782.
At the end of her day she heads home with a big pile of books to her partner, Nathaniel Wilson who is sitting behind an elaborate computer set up. He has set up a chat room for daemons to communicate with each other, share stories, and help each other if needed. This is a very important service since they all tend to feel so isolated. She opens one of her books to a picture of the goddess Diana which looks exactly like a little statue she has.
Later on Nathaniel’s mother Agatha comes for a visit to see Sophie who is pregnant and to talk to Nathaniel about his chat room project. He has been given a day to shut it down. It seems that it is against that blasted covenant for too many daemons to gather together. My instant reaction is to ask why vampires and witches can gather together but not daemons. Agatha provided that answer. Daemons are not good at doing things quietly and creatures are supposed to avoid being noticed by humans.
Sophie brings that little statue out that she was talking about with Nathaniel. Agatha wants to know what it is. Sophie thinks that it might be the white queen from alchemy, but Agatha sees that it is the goddess Diana since she is holding a bow and arrow. Why is this little statue so important? She tells Agatha that her father told her that when the time comes she must give her to the person who needs her.
The Congregation
At the opposite end of the spectrum, there is some underhanded and evil planning happening in Venice. Satu arrived in Venice to the Congregation for the first time. The human who takes care of things met her at the boat and showed her around. When she saw the door to the Congregation chamber she got excited and wanted to see inside. No one can see inside unless they are in session. Each creature has an archive/meeting/office space in a separate location in the building. I find it interesting that they are supposedly working together in the congregation but they still keep themselves separate.
Satu is still thinking about Diana after she tried to look inside at her powers and saw that she is very powerful but her powers are locked up somehow. She looks at the files and finds a file for Diana, pulls it out and finds photos of Diana’s dead parents and an official report on her powers saying that she shows little promise, it is signed by Peter Knox. There is also a completely redacted letter and she removes all the redaction, before she can read it Domenico comes in and grabs it out of her hand. The only thing he can read before she magically erases it is Diana’s name. This causes him to be curious about whom she is. He aggressively forces Satu to tell him what she knows.
Domenico then goes to see Gerbert and tells him that apparently Matthew has been harassing a witch in Oxford. He is excited to have an opportunity to bring him in and punish him. They clearly have something against the de Clermont’s.
Gerbert has a strange item that he uses to learn about the future, it seems to provide prophesies. It is a box with a mummified head in it. This is odd for book readers. It isn’t a small change; it is something completely different from the books. I’m not sure I understand why Gerbert needs this thing to give him advice. He is supposed to be a very powerful vampire and I would expect him to be able to make his own decisions. He pulls it out of its hiding place and asks it a question. It answers, “Beware the witch with the blood of the lion and the wolf.” I’m sure the blood of the lion and the wolf somehow refers to Matthew, and he seems to agree. He ends up sending Juliette to “go find Matthew”.
The drama ratchets up towards the end of the episode, between Diana and Matthew and between them and the other creatures.
The morning after their romantic dinner together, Diana is straightening up her place and a large envelope slides under her door. When she opens it up, it is full of pictures of her dead parents. They died violently and horrifically. She leaves and confronts Gillian. I don’t know what she expected to get out of this; Gillian is clearly a weak and untrustworthy person who knows nothing about friendship. While she is out, Matthew goes to her place. He finds the door ajar, the photos on the floor, and her place a mess. He is understandably alarmed and worried about her.
After she leaves Gillian, Diana decides to go to the library to try to get Ashmole 782 again; I think she is hoping to end the harassment. It is the end of the day and only Sean is there. He goes to see if he can get the book for her. While she waits, Knox, Gillian and a number of other witches show up. As usual, Gillian is behind it, he tells her that “Gillian thought that you might take the book out”. When Sean returns without the book, Knox magically attacks him and he collapses. Diana is furious! The room is suddenly full of wind and the look on her face is intense. It is Witch Wind, and it violently blows everyone over. The problem is that it quickly blows out of control. Matthew is so in tune with Diana that he hears it and runs to the Bodleian to help her. He finally gets to her, they reach for each other and he almost immediately calms her.
He takes her to her place and she sleeps. While she rests, he is packing her things. He has decided to take her to Sept Tours (his family’s castle in France). Marcus is alarmed by this; he doesn’t think it’s a good idea for him to take a witch to stay with Ysabeau (Matthew’s mother). To Marcus’s surprise, Matthew isn’t leaving her there; he is planning to go with her.
When she wakes up he convinces her that she would be safest at Sept Tours because no witch would dare trespass on vampire land. At first she resists, saying that she can deal with Knox herself, but he tells her that she has extraordinary powers, but they are undisciplined, and she needs to come to terms with them somewhere safe. They are all amazed at the idea of her Witch Wind, because it has been centuries since anyone summoned it. This is the most intimate moment of the episode. He kneels in front of her telling her that “You’ll be safe there” and then kisses her.
(The song, Go Your Own Way, is playing in the background during this scene and the lyrics are important and fit the situation too well. I have included the lyrics and a link to the video of the version used below.)
It ends with another poignant moment. As they walk out, he reaches his hand out and she takes it. A witch and a vampire, together.
I’m looking forward to next week to see what happens at Sept Tours, and to see if Matthew and Diana’s relationship grows.
Go Your Own Way by Lissie
Loving you
Isn’t the right thing to do
How can I ever change things
That I feel
If I could
Baby I’d give you my world
How can I
When you won’t take it from me
You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can call it
Another lonely day
You can go your own way
Go your own way
Tell me why
Everything turned around
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