“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.

14

TWENTY 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. “She’s half human; you’re not. Your body is designed to withstand this kind of rigor.”

For the first time Gabriel looked uncertain. “Surely my lord Azazel would have thought of this. He would not risk Madeline’s well-being.”

“I’m not certain that he wouldn’t,” Beezle said darkly.

I held both of my hands up in a “stop” motion. “All right, all right. Look, the more we stand here talking about it, the worse I feel. Let’s just get it over with. If my head gets squashed, then at least Ramuell won’t have a chance to eat me.”

“And that’s going to be a real comfort to me,” Beezle said, his face twisted up in unhappiness and anger.

“Beezle,” I said, and I crooked my finger at him. He flew to me and wrapped his little arms around my neck, and tears pricked in my eyes. He was the only creature in the world whom I had loved and who had loved me all those long years without my mother. “I will come back to you in one piece.”

“You’d better,” he sniffed. Then he pulled away and turned to Gabriel, pointing a claw in the half angel’s face. “If one hair of her head is harmed, I am holding you accountable.”

Gabriel swept into a bow. “I give you my word that I will keep her safe.”

Beezle looked as though he didn’t think too much of Gabriel’s word, but he nodded anyway and returned to his perch.

“My lady?” Gabriel said.

My heart was in my mouth so I just gave a frozen nod.

Gabriel said a few words in another language. It wasn’t the harsh syllables of the demons’ tongue, but something lovelier and more ethereal. As I listened, I felt that I could almost understand it, like the translation was just out of reach, tickling the back of my brain.

A moment later an opening appeared in the air before me, growing longer and wider quickly. The hole was filled with swirling white mist.

“Step inside,” Gabriel said.

Two cast-iron pans wielded by a sumo wrestler, I thought, and then said, “What the hell.”

I stepped inside.

Immediately my body was sucked forward as if into a vacuum tube. The skin of my face was pushed back until my teeth were bared. My lungs gasped for air. And yes, the pressure between my ears was so intense that it did feel like my head had been clamped between iron. All around me was wind and white mist, like I was caught inside a tornado.

All I wanted was for the pain to end. And abruptly it did. I tumbled out of the tornado and crashed onto a cold marble floor. Half a second later, Gabriel appeared beside me, stepping coolly out of the portal just before it closed.

“How come you didn’t crash?” I asked sulkily as he helped me to my feet.

“I have done this a few times,” he said, looking around as he spoke.

I followed suit. We had landed in some kind of antechamber, a small room with double doors at the east and west ends. The floor was black marble, the walls a stark white. There were no paintings, sculptures or decorations of any kind except on the doors. The doors were a heavy dark wood, polished to a high gloss. In the center of each set of doors was carved a large five-pointed star, and crossed over the star was a sword with a rose wrapped around its hilt. Outside the eastern set of doors was a small bench, with cherry legs and a red velvet cushion.

There was no one to greet us, and no movement from behind the doors. I felt a little tremor of nerves in my stomach. I was about to meet my father.

“I know it is not in your nature, but please hold your tongue and let me speak when we enter your father’s court,” Gabriel said as we approached the eastern set of doors.