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.I wanted to look him in the eye, to at least see the man who had conceived me and left me with a giant target on my back.“You are his daughter, yes, but.” Gabriel looked more uncertain than I had ever seen him.“You cannot demand to see him.He is a lord, and if you do not follow the correct protocol, you could endanger my life and your own.”I felt a little tremble at the thought that Gabriel might be hurt.I didn’t want to subject him to any more harm than he had already obviously suffered at Azazel’s hands, but at the same time I didn’t want to back off.I wasn’t going to wait for Azazel to decide he felt like being a father.By the time that happened, I might be carved into tiny, bite-sized pieces by Ramuell.“Then tell me the protocol.I want to see him.”“But.”“Make it happen, Gabriel,” I said.I was uncomfortably aware of the fact that I had just given him an order, and that he must follow it.I was Lord Azazel’s daughter, and he was a thrall.The gap between us loomed up, dark and sudden, and I realized that even without his unfortunate bloodline it would be nearly impossible for us be together.His body stiffened.He hadn’t missed the command in my voice, either.“As you wish, my lady,” he said, and I shivered at the coldness in his voice.He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and went into the kitchen.I heard the murmur of his voice, too low for me to make out the words.I went to the front window and looked out.The black field of night was turning blue, and some early risers were already out walking their dogs.It was another day, the fourth since I had stood at this window and waved good-bye to Patrick for the last time.It was hard to remember that he was gone.So much had happened in the last few days that the girl who lost Patrick was like a dream.We had sat in this room and gorged on pizza and bitched about J.B.’s predilection for paperwork and that had seemed like the most important thing in the world.Would Patrick even know the person who stood here now, the person who had just behaved not like Madeline Black, but like the daughter of Lord Azazel?I heard Gabriel reenter the room behind me and I carefully wiped my face of tears before I turned.His face was like stone.“Lord Azazel would be happy to receive you in his court later this morning, my lady,” Gabriel said.“Not that crap, again,” I said.“Listen, I’m sorry I acted so high-handed before.”He lowered his eyes from mine.“But you were correct.In Lord Azazel’s realm you are akin to a princess, and I no better than a peasant.I should not show undue familiarity with my betters.”“I had no right to talk to you that way, no matter what I am in Lord Azazel’s realm.”He looked up at me again, and some of the ice had melted.“The court is a very different place, and we must get into the practice of behaving correctly.”“I hope you won’t let me make some stupid blunder that will get us both killed,” I said.“That all depends on if you will actually listen to my advice,” he murmured.“Are you trying to imply that I don’t listen well?” I asked.His lips quirked, but he wisely chose not to respond to my question.“Since you are akin to a princess, perhaps you should change into something a little more presentable?”I looked down at myself and realized I was still wearing my baggy sweats over my nightgown.My feet had been bare when I ran outside after J.B., and now they were covered with dirt and grass.“And when I looked like this, you couldn’t resist me?” I asked incredulously.“My lady, I would find you irresistible in any costume,” he said.“Watch out, buddy, or some might think that you are getting familiar with your betters,” I said, my cheeks reddening.I headed to my room to change into something “more presentable.”“I would like to be a great deal more familiar with you,” he murmured.I gave him no sign that I heard him, but I could not stop the smile that spread across my face.14TWENTY MINUTES LATER I STOOD NERVOUSLY NEXT TO Gabriel in my postage stamp of a backyard.Beezle perched on the railing of the back porch, arms crossed and looking desperately unhappy.He had spent several minutes telling me that my father was, essentially, an untrustworthy scumbag.I’d patted and comforted him as best I could and assured him that I was too smart to be fooled by Azazel.But he was still distressed and most definitely did not want me in Azazel’s territory.Beezle’s attitude had done nothing to reduce my worry.For all of my bravado, I was scared stiff at the prospect of meeting my father.I had no idea what kind of reception I’d get.Gabriel spoke.“When I open the portal, we will have but a few moments to take advantage.It requires a great deal of magical energy to open and direct the portal to our location, so it is urgent that you step into the portal immediately.I will follow once I am certain you are safely inside, and then I will close the door behind me.”“What’s going to happen once I’m in the portal?” I asked.“It will not be comfortable,” Gabriel averred.Beezle let out a little caw of laughter.“That’s the understatement of the century.You’re going to feel like your head is being squeezed between two cast-iron pans wielded by a sumo wrestler.”“Beezle, I don’t know where you get your similes but that is definitely conjuring up some weird imagery,” I said.“It is not quite that bad,” Gabriel said.“It will be for her,” Beezle snapped [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]