"No, to know," he retorts, and now irritated temper is clear. "I remember very clearly. A business matter, he said -- of course that was five hundred years ago, or however it works in that tāmāde bar, and when he mentioned it now, when they were taken, it was to threaten to leave them dead and floating, dŏng ma?"

The flare of anger exhausts his strength, and Gabriel looks bitter as he falls back against the mattress.

"As for why he'd send Raguel after me, I've no idea. I can only suppose that something I've done has annoyed him. Then again, I'm given to understand he might do things just because he thinks they're fun."