Abruptly, Gabriel turned Vale around, Salve whickering on her lead as she kicked into a trot to follow. The rest of his entourage scrambled out of his way to allow them through. Selly immediately turned her steed to follow along.

“Where are you going?” Alise demanded, dazed by the sudden shift. “We know Nic is up in one of those towers!” She’d been able to determine that much before the spirit spy she’d sent was ripped from her control by high Elal magic.

“We’re walking into a trap,” Gabriel threw over his shoulder, urging Vale and Salve into a faster pace. “No way am I just riding up to Sammael’s front door and asking politely that they give my wife back.”

“But they have to!” Jadren shouted after him. “She belongs to you by Convocation law. All you have to do is demonstrate that you’re alive and that you’ve properly bonded her.”

Gabriel brought Vale up short, wheeling him around again, poor, confused Salve following. The gelding, having caught his mood, pranced and pawed his displeasure. Selly drew her steed up, watching over her shoulder and waiting. “You just said that the history of the Convocation is a bloody and violent one,” Gabriel nearly shouted at Jadren, “and that no one wins by underestimating their enemies. Do you really believe they’re going to start playing by the rules with me now? Or is that your role in this little venture—to convince me to stumble blindly into this trap they’ve set for me?”

Jadren reddened, jaw tight. “I’m trying to give you the best advice I can.”

“From a self-confessed spy,” Gabriel snarled. He shouldn’t have been lulled into thinking that Jadren was—what?—some sort of friend.

Face hardening, Jadren nudged his own steed forward. Like most everything the house-poor wizard possessed, the horse was borrowed from House Phel. The gelding danced sideways, unhappy, and Jadren had difficulty regaining control. “House El-Adrel has nothing to do with this… collaboration between Elal and Sammael. I’m a spy in your house entirely to discover these things.”

“And report back,” Gabriel retorted, his rage growing.

“Yes, obviously—which does not mean I’m working to harm House Phel.” He laughed bitterly. “I’d be sabotaging my one opportunity to escape my mother’s grip. Why would I do that?”

“To ingratiate yourself with your mother.” Gabriel waited, but Jadren had no quick reply to that. He nodded, confirming his guess. “Tell me, Wizard Jadren, if there’s no collaboration between Elal and El-Adrel, why did Nic see Elal-tamed spirits animating your automatons?”

Alise caught her breath, head whipping around to Jadren. “Is that true?”

“No!” Jadren denied the accusation immediately, but his brows drew together.

It was Alise’s turn to nudge her horse forward, crowding Jadren. “Would you know?” she demanded coolly. “Your MP scorecard is a mystery, but I don’t sense any magic in you suitable for communicating with or manipulating the spirit world.”

Jadren glared at her—then relented as he thought through her words. “No,” he admitted in a softer tone. “I wouldn’t know. Are you sure of this?” he demanded of Gabriel.