‘‘Fine!’’ I bellowed, my voice echoing off the walls. ‘‘You want to verify I am a naiad? You wish for me to summon water to prove to you, a mage, one who knows nothing of the ways of the elements, my worth? You want me to prove it?’’ I pushed up my sleeves and spread my hands out, palms down. ‘‘Fine! I’ll summon water. I’ll summon enough water to flood this ridiculous room, and you with it! And when your head is pressed up against the ceiling with two inches of air left, then perhaps you’ll believe me!’’

‘‘Wait!’’ Monish interrupted, looking nervously from me to Kostich. ‘‘Er . . . with all due respect, sir, I believe such an extreme act might have repercussions. This room has not been warded to contain the contents.’’

Kostich’s eyes narrowed, but before he could reply, the doors behind me slammed open. My stomach did an odd little flip-flop at the sight of Gabriel storming into the room, accompanied by Drake and his two bodyguards.

‘‘I demand the release of my mate,’’ Gabriel snarled, his gaze impassive as it passed over me. For a moment, I thought he didn’t recognize me, but I shook that thought away.

‘‘It’s about time you got here,’’ I told him, tossing my head again.

‘‘Be quiet, woman,’’ he snapped at me, not moving his gaze from where it bore into Dr. Kostich.

I was shocked for a moment by the anger in his voice, trying to keep a step ahead of him. What role was I supposed to take as Cyrene? Submissive? Should I leave all the talking to him? No, that wasn’t Cyrene. When she was outraged about something, she let the world know about it.

I snatched up the stack of papers on the table in front of me and threw them at Gabriel. ‘‘Be quiet? Be quiet? I’m the only one here who cares enough about May to get her released, you big . . . big . . . dragon! Don’t you ‘be quiet’ me! I demand that you listen to me and not him,’’ I said, turning to Monish.

He made a tching sound, gesturing to a clerk, who scurried over to pick up the papers that had fluttered all over the floor.

‘‘You will not speak to me that way!’’ Gabriel roared, grabbing my arm and jerking me back, his eyes blazing.

I grabbed another handful of papers and threw them at his head. ‘‘I’ll speak to you any way I want to! You’re not my mate, thank the gods! You’re nothing but trouble! I blame you for letting poor May be arrested in the first place!’’

‘‘And you’re a danger to yourself and others! You are hereby banned from seeing May unless in my company!’’

‘‘Oh!’’ I screamed, and grabbed for the pitcher of water in front of Dr. Kostich.