“He gets that from me,” Kaawa told me with obvious pride. “His good looks come from his father—have you met him? Horrible personality, but such a good lover, it made you forget about the former for a while. But it gives me great pleasure to know that Gabriel’s finer points come from me.”

“I can see that they do,” I agreed politely.

“You don’t yet, but you will,” she said complacently before returning to the subject at hand. “I know that you wish to consult me about May becoming the phylactery—what are you going to call yourself, child?”

I was a bit surprised. “What am I going to call myself?”

“Yes. All of the phylactery are named. That is to identify the shards within. You must bear an official name since you are now the vessel.”

“I don’t know,” I said, looking in openmouthed surprise at Gabriel. “I have to change my name?”

“Not change your name, but it is tradition to name each phylactery.” He thought for a moment. “You could use your surname, unless you think your twin would object.”

“I don’t see why she would. So now I’m May Northcott, doppelganger, wyvern’s mate, consort to Magoth, and also the Northcott Phylactery?” I blew out a breath. “Why am I suddenly feeling overwhelmed?”

Gabriel’s dimples flashed. “The wyvern’s mate is the most important part, and you handle that extremely well.”

The look in his eyes brought the fire within me to roaring life, sudden pinpricks of pain causing me to leap to my feet as I pulled my hands out from where I had them tucked under my thighs to keep the flames from sprouting.

My fingers were back to being silver scaled, and scarlet tipped.

“Fascinating, simply fascinating,” Kaawa said, taking one of my hands to examine it closely. “I’ve read of Ysolde de Bouchier, of course. She detailed her experiences in becoming the Avignon Phylactery quite well, but it’s not the same thing as seeing it in person. My dear, I hate to be a nagging mother, but would you put out the fire in my tent? It’s the only one I have, and I don’t have plans to go back to town for another fortnight.”

Two of the rangers had risen at the same time I twirled around to see one of the tents on fire. I closed my eyes, instinctively shadowing as I concentrated on putting out the fire. By the time it was out and I had deshadowed, the two younger rangers were backing away from the camp. Pari, the older man, simply examined me with interested eyes.

“You have made a good choice,” Kaawa told Gabriel, giving him a smile. “She will keep you from being bored.”

He laughed. “Boredom was never an issue, but I disagree that May is a good choice—she is the only choice.”