Page 57 (1/2)

I couldn’t tell if JB was playing it up so that I could getit up for his own sake, but as he’d pointed out, I’d no right to be jealous Even if I was A really tiny bit

I wasn’t sure what my plan of action was, but a few moments later Violet returned and indicated with a curt nod of her head that I was to enter

"The gargoyle, however, must stay"

"Beezle comes with me everywhere," I said, surprised Aoyle must stay," Violet repeated "Or youin, so I reluctantly let him fly off my shoulder to land on the fireplace , but his face had a scrunched-up, worried look

I entered the inner chaed a little display for ee that left zero to the iination and she had draped her centerfold body over a red velvet chaise Her left hand picked at a sht held a black satin leash attached to Gabriel’s neck

She had arranged hi at her feet He had been washed, and oiled, and the black feathers of his wings shone with gloss She had even put him in a loincloth He looked up at me when I entered but then looked away, like he was embarrassed to have me see him that way

The overall effect was so cheesy, so obvious, that I would have laughed had it not been Gabriel attached to the leash As it was, I had a hard ti look of satisfaction on A need to smack her six ways from Sunday

"Yes, Arape in her hter, as if assuring herself that Gabriel was still hers

I considered and discarded several plans of action, and then decided it was best to act like ame

"You knohy I’m here," I said "Gabriel is not yours to own, and I want him returned to the court of Azazel"

"I do not think you are in a position to make de a guest in my court with bodily harh Gabriel’s hair I was ht, and a little nauseated When I looked up again, I saw that she had been watching ht impress other people, but mostly I think it just sho little class you have It’s very difficult to take you seriously as royalty when you’re dressed like a stripper"