‘‘She couldn’t have,’’ Aisling said, shaking her head.

‘‘Gabriel and May met last night for the first time,’’ Drake explained.

‘‘Bah! That was what they wanted you to think, in order to excite sympathy for their cause. But I am not so easily fooled as you are, brother. They are working together, and I will not allow them to succeed with their infamous plans.’’

The sudden calculating look he shot me sent cold chills down my spine. ‘‘Gabriel,’’ I whispered, leaning toward him, ‘‘I think we may have a problem.’’

‘‘I will not allow him to harm you,’’ he answered in a louder tone of voice than was strictly necessary. ‘‘Do not fear for your safety, mate. He will not touch you.’’

‘‘That’s not quite what I meant,’’ I said, intending on pointing out that as Dr. Kostich hadn’t lifted the price on my head, it was entirely possible Kostya might turn in information about me in order to gain the benefaction. I hated to think what he could do with a powerful archimage on his side.

Before I could mention all that, Kostya started ranting about the injustices done to him. ‘‘I swear to you that the black dragon sept will regain what we once held but was taken from us!’’

‘‘Oh, not that again,’’ Aisling said, whispering to her husband, ‘‘Can we hit a fast-forward button, do you think?’’

‘‘We will face death to restore to the sept the pride, the glory, the true essence, of what it once was,’’ Kostya declared with a dramatic sweep of his hand.

‘‘Enough!’’ Gabriel suddenly roared, taking everyone aback. ‘‘I have had enough of your games, Kostya! I can only assume you are trying to turn Drake against me with these outrageous claims, but I will not waste my time any longer defending myself. There is a more important matter at hand that must be attended to.’’

‘‘Drake—as a neutral party—got Kostya and Gabriel to agree to come here and talk about things,’’ Jim said softly as it ambled over and sat next to me, leaning its bulk against my leg. ‘‘That was before you tried to bash Kostya’s brains out all over the entryway, naturally. Things are probably a bit dicier now.’’

I shot the demon a look. It grinned back at me, pink tongue lolling.

‘‘I suppose now is as good a time as any to begin the talks between you two,’’ Aisling said, looking dubious.

‘‘I will not talk peace with Kostya until he returns Maata and Tipene,’’ Gabriel said, his fingers tightening again on my shoulder.

I could swear there was a momentary flash of surprise in Kostya’s eyes before they returned to their familiar belligerent cast. ‘‘I do not know what you’re talking about.’’

‘‘Maata and Tipene are gone?’’ Aisling asked. ‘‘I wondered where they were. Kostya—’’