“What does she have on you?” Alise asked.

Jadren freed his hands to waggle a finger at her. “Ah-ah-ah, baby Elal. That would be telling. So, are we leaving today or what?”

“Yes,” Gabriel replied decisively. “Within the hour.”

“Wait,” Asa protested. “You can’t mean to go to House Sammael.”

“That’s where Nic is. That’s where I’m going,” Gabriel informed the healer.

“I mean,” Asa said, clearly trying to sound patient and not succeeding, “you can’t simply ride up to House Sammael, ask if they’re keeping your lady familiar prisoner, and politely request her return.”

“Why not?” Jadren stood up, rubbing his hands together with glee. “It’s either that or storm the house with our army. Oh wait, we don’t have an army. Knocking on the door and asking it is.”

“Will that work?” Gabriel asked the El-Adrel wizard, sorely wishing for Nic’s advice.

“The Convocation runs on manners,” Jadren answered. “Exquisite politeness as a veneer over savagery. I’m betting that, if you show up on their doorstep, back from the dead, they’ll have to offer some excuse, like that Lady Phel had only stopped to visit a few days, and turn her over to you. Nobody really wants outright war.”

“Asa? Alise?” Gabriel asked.

Asa sighed in resignation. “I don’t have better advice.”

“It’s as good a plan as any,” Alise agreed, “given the lack of an army. And if House Elal is involved, my presence will confuse the issue.” Her gaze drifted to Han, his head bowed over Iliana’s hand as she slept. “Will you ask Han to come along?”

He should. Nic would chide him for being soft-hearted and taunt him into being arrogant Lord of House Phel, conscripting everyone to do as he pleased. But he wasn’t that. Couldn’t be that and didn’t want to be. He’d recovered Nic on his own before. He would do it again. “No,” he informed them. “Nor am I asking either of you. In fact, I’m going alone.”

That set them all off. Alise, Jadren, Asa all began exclaiming with versions of how he couldn’t do that. Finally, he cut them off, apparently retaining enough intimidation factor that they immediately clamped their mouths shut. Nic would be proud, he reflected ruefully. “I’ve decided. I’m putting no one else at risk. One person can do what an army cannot. I can knock on a door by myself.”

“Do you even know the etiquette involved, or what a High House is like?” Jadren demanded. “Let me answer for you: No. I’m betting the only Convocation house you’ve ever been to is House Elal for the Betrothal Trials, and they are famous for restricting visitors to particular areas and warding them from the rest.”

“It’s true,” Alise allowed.

“Wrong,” Gabriel shot back. “I’ve been to House Elal twice.”

It had sounded better in his head. And, he had to admit, at least to himself, that he had been scrupulously shepherded in and out on both occasions, kept to blandly uninteresting spaces. Even Lord Elal’s study where Gabriel had been received had held little evidence of the wizard’s work. Gabriel had been in a fury over Nic’s absence, but now that he looked back with clearer and calmer hindsight, it seemed clear that the space had been carefully staged, more like a set for a play than an actual working space.