I brushed a tiny speck of dragon scale off my knee. ‘‘You had to have noticed the fact that I shifted into a dragon form.’’

‘‘I did.’’ His grin faded when I didn’t answer it with a smile of my own. ‘‘Is that what is concerning you, little bird? The fact that you shifted? You bear a shard of the dragon heart. As I explained before, it is that which caused you to shift.’’

Something about his expression, some glint in his eyes, confirmed what I had suspected. ‘‘You liked it when I shifted, didn’t you?’’

‘‘Very much so.’’ He leaned toward me, and even though he had no physical presence in the shadow world, goose bumps rippled down my arms at his nearness. ‘‘Shall I tell you a secret? Before I met you, I had never had sex with a human.’’

I gazed at him in surprise. ‘‘No humans? Not even immortals?’’

He shook his head. ‘‘Only dragon females. You were the first who was not. I found it a bit awkward to begin with, since you did not respond to any dragon signals, but now—yesterday morning will remain in my memory for a very long time.’’

My face froze in what I prayed was a blank expression; all the while my gut churned with misery.

‘‘That is why it pleased me so much a little bit ago when you initiated a mating dance. But I see now that the intensity of the experience frightened you. I promise that in the future, we will go slower, little bird. There is much I look forward to you learning about dragon ways, but you have an eternity to learn them. Do not fear I will rush you.’’

I dragged my gaze up to his, sick as it was driven home just how much he preferred a dragon version of me to the original. The question that remained was whether I was willing to allow the dragon shard to consume me. Gabriel certainly would have no complaints. Was it really such a big sacrifice? And wasn’t he worth it?

‘‘What is it?’’ he said suddenly in an annoyed voice. Immediately, he looked contrite. ‘‘My apologies if I startled you, Mayling. Tipene seeks my attention. I will return.’’

He faded away into nothing as he returned to his body.

I contemplated remaining where I was, but I’ve never been much for introspective moping, no matter how overwhelming my problems seemed. I reminded myself that I was not Cyrene and, mentally girding my loins, returned to Gabriel’s suite.

He was hanging up the phone just as I entered the living room, his face a study in resignation.

‘‘What’s wrong now?’’ I asked, quelling the need to rub my body against his.

‘‘It’s Magoth. We’ve found him at last.’’

‘‘Why do I suspect I should not break out the champagne and doves just yet?’’

A wry little smile twisted his lips. ‘‘Perhaps because you know him too well. Magoth is in jail.’’

‘‘Jail?’’ My eyebrows rose. ‘‘The watch nabbed Magoth? What on earth did he do to attract the attention of the L’au-dela?’’

‘‘He is not being held by the watch,’’ Gabriel said, watching me carefully. ‘‘He was arrested in Paris by the préfecture and is being held at a station on the rue de la Montagne-Sainte-Geneviève.’’

‘‘He’s been arrested by the mortal police?’’ I asked, aghast.

‘‘Yes. Apparently for indecent exposure.’’

I blinked a couple of times, unsure of what to say about that.

Gabriel held my coat out for me. ‘‘And he’s asking for you to get him released.’’

I took the coat and tossed it onto a chair. ‘‘Are you crazy? I’m not going to help him get out of jail. This might not be the ideal method of keeping tabs on him, but at least if he’s being held by the mortals, he won’t be able to stir up who knows what trouble.’’

Gabriel picked up the coat again and slung it over my shoulders. ‘‘Have you forgotten Jian?’’

‘‘Not in the least. Magoth probably won’t help us with the problem of finding Chuan Ren and getting her released.’’

‘‘You don’t know that for certain,’’ Gabriel argued.

He had a point, dammit.

‘‘I don’t like it,’’ I said, allowing him to push me toward the door. ‘‘There must be a way we can keep him in custody and still get assistance in the matter of Chuan Ren.’’

‘‘I doubt if he’d agree to lend any aid without some in return,’’ Gabriel pointed out.

‘‘Well, there you are!’’ Sally said, bustling into the room with a large carrying bag. ‘‘You picked a fine time to do a disappearing act! Did you hear? Magoth is in trouble, and the poor dear needs our help. We have to get out to him on the double. He’s probably being tortured even as we speak!’’

I thinned my lips as Gabriel escorted us out of the suite. ‘‘Let’s take the scenic route to the rue de la Montagne-Sainte-Geneviève. Maybe a few thumbscrews and bamboo under the nails will make him more agreeable.’’

‘‘May, for heaven’s sake,’’ Sally said, rolling her eyes as she hurried ahead of us to the elevator. ‘‘They don’t use thumbscrews and bamboo anymore. Now it’s all high-tech. They’ll probably attach a taser to his genitals or something.’’

She paused, looking thoughtful.

‘‘Somehow, I have a feeling Magoth wouldn’t consider that torture so much as foreplay,’’ I said, getting on the elevator, Gabriel and his two bodyguards following.

‘‘I admit, it does sound rather . . . intriguing . . . ,’’ she said, clearly lost in thought, only just managing to get into the elevator car before the doors closed.

Unfortunately, the ride to the fifth arrondissement didn’t take that long, Tipene being familiar with the area. Twenty minutes hadn’t passed before I found myself standing in the police station, reading with interest a notice about an attached crime museum. ‘‘It says they have a real guillotine blade,’’ I told Gabriel. ‘‘I’d like to see that.’’

‘‘A guillotine blade? Is there a torture section, as well?’’ Sally asked, pushing me aside to read the notice. ‘‘There’s nothing I love more than a good torture exhibit, unless, of course, it’s the actual practice itself.’’