We made it to the front door before we heard the sound of a raised voice, followed shortly by that of porcelain crashing against a hard surface.

“I did warn him,” Gabriel said, shaking his head.

“You’re a healer,” I said as he tried to pull me out the door and into the Parisian sunshine. “Shouldn’t you go and see if Drake’s all right?”

“There is no treasure that could tempt me into the same room as Aisling right now,” he answered, kissing the tip of my nose before trotting down the front stairs to where Tipene was leaning against a car.

I followed him, wondering what it was Aisling could do to instill such respect . . . and whether someday I would be able to command the same.

Chapter Six

Shopping with Gabriel was a slightly stressful experience—not because it was an activity we hadn’t done together before, but because he was footing the bill, which meant for the first time in my life I was able to shop without considering a budget, a fact that seemed to amuse him.

“I realize that you have been forced to rely on Magoth for your source of income in the mortal world,” he said as he sent the upscale Parisian store saleswoman staggering off to the cash register with her arms piled high with clothing, “but surely your twin has had centuries to build her personal resources. Did she not share them with you?”

“Cyrene may be more than a thousand years old, but that doesn’t mean she’s managed to save anything. In fact, it’s usually the opposite—she hits me up for spending money. I’m lucky that she lives rent-free in an apartment owned by a fellow naiad; otherwise, I’d probably have her living with me in my little flat,” I answered, touching with reverent fingers a lovely silky, nearly transparent midnight gauze blouse embedded with tiny little glittering crystals that sparkled like stars on an ebony sky. The price tag was that of a small used car. I moved on.

Gabriel picked up the blouse, pursed his lips as he eyed his fingers, visible through the sheer material, glanced briefly but speculatively at my breasts, then tossed the blouse onto the mound of clothing at the register. “I am not wealthy by dragon standards, but I can say in all sincerity that I can support both you and your twin without too much of a strain.”

I took the blouse back and put it on the rack, giving Gabriel a level look as I did so. “I appreciate the fact that you’re willing to help out Cyrene, but that’s not necessary. Magoth does pay me, even if it’s just barely a living wage. I may have been created some eighty-odd years ago, but I am modern enough to take pride in the fact that I can support myself and Cy, if I have to.”

“But you do not have to,” Gabriel said, reclaiming the blouse and shoving it into the saleswoman’s hands.