‘‘Do I see a little crack in the relationship?’’ Magoth asked, smiling. ‘‘You look surprised, wyvern. Did you not know that your mate was charged with retrieving the phylactery for me? Ah, I see by that surprised look that you did not. How deliciously naughty of sweet May. I gather she also failed to inform you of the deal we made, whereby I would grant her a temporary cessation of her duties to the tune of a hundred years in return for the safe delivery of the phylactery.’’

I couldn’t continue to look at Gabriel. The guilt was too much, my grief too overwhelming. My gaze dropped to my hands and stayed there until Gabriel put a finger under my chin and tilted my head back.

‘‘Is this true?’’ he asked softly, hurt and confusion starkly evident in his face.

‘‘Yes,’’ I said without hesitation. ‘‘I told you that Magoth found out about the phylactery.’’

He was still for a moment, his eyes searching mine. ‘‘This release Magoth offers you—a hundred years may seem like a lot to you, but our life together will span many such centuries. To barter the phylactery for a brief moment of freedom—’’

‘‘I didn’t barter it,’’ I interrupted him. The lump was back in my throat. How could Gabriel believe I would trade temporary freedom for something that meant so much to him? ‘‘Magoth offered me that as a reward. I did not accept it.’’

Magoth sucked in a hissing breath, the room suddenly growing dark as if the corona of dark power that surrounded him leached all brightness from the overhead lights. ‘‘You would not dare,’’ he said, little snakes of the power snapping around me.

Gabriel’s fingers tightened around mine. ‘‘I do not understand what it is you intend to do, but I do not like this situation. We will leave now.’’

I nodded, suddenly wearied by the world. There was, of course, the quick way out of things, but that would leave me without Gabriel, and I wasn’t willing to give him up. Not even for eternal peace. I just prayed that he felt the same way about me, because what I was about to ask him to do would go completely against the grain. ‘‘Yes. It is time to leave.’’

Magoth took a deep breath, his body growing in size until he stood a foot taller than Gabriel. ‘‘You would not dare!’’ he bellowed, and I knew that at that moment, he saw the true depth of feeling I had for Gabriel. ‘‘Think carefully, May Northcott. Do you know what the penalty is for a minion who goes dybbuk?’’

‘‘Dybbuk? What is this word? I am not familiar with it,’’ Gabriel said, his frown growing blacker.