“I think I’m going to be sick,” I murmured, turning away from the sight of Chuan Ren slowly getting to her feet.

“As amusing as this is, I do not have time for these games,” Bael said. “You abuse my patience. Either pay the price I demand for the dragon, or leave.”

“Your patience is going to be one sad panda if you don’t release Chuan Ren to us,” someone said, and with horror I realized it was me.

I clapped a hand over my mouth again as Gabriel shot me a startled look. I wanted to cringe before Bael and beg his forgiveness at the same time I had an almost overwhelming urge to punch him in the nose and set his hair on fire.

Bael looked at me with blatant surprise. “Does Magoth condone his consort acting in such a manner?”

I took a deep breath, got a firm grip on the horrible, out-of-control mess that was my emotions, and lifted my chin. “Magoth knows full well I’m here, and yes, he told me I had his approval to release Chuan Ren.”

“Indeed.” Bael’s expression turned calculating. “I believe I underestimated him. He is smarter than I gave him credit for, inducing you to have him expelled from Abaddon so that he might regain his powers.”

“What?” I shrieked, horror swamping me.

Gabriel frowned. “My mate does not seek excommunication of Magoth, only the return of the wyvern Chuan Ren.”

“I beg to differ,” Bael said mildly, still fiddling with the bone letter opener. “She has made a demand that I release a minion to her. Such an act consists of insurrection, and since she is Magoth’s consort, it will be he who suffers the penalty. As any consort knows, that price is removal from Abaddon.”

“Agathos daimon,” I swore, a horrible vision before me, my skin crawling as the full extent of what Bael was saying was made clear. “Magoth would be expelled from Abaddon and released on the mortal world.”

Gabriel’s frown tightened a smidgen. “He’s already in the mortal world. How could a permanent expulsion be any worse?”

Bael pressed a button on his phone, and immediately two demons appeared. He waved toward Chuan Ren. “Take her back to her accommodations.”

“No!” she snarled, her eyes spitting fire as the demons approached her. “I will not stay here! You will have me released no matter what it takes!”

Gabriel and I watched silently as she was hauled away, screaming and fighting every step.

He turned to me and cocked an inquisitive eyebrow.

I swallowed down a painful lump in my throat. “According to the Doctrine of Unending Conscious, if a prince is permanently expulsed from Abaddon, he loses control of his legions, his seat on the council, and his right to call on the ruling prince for help in times of need.”

Gabriel’s second eyebrow rose to join the first.

Bael smiled.