"It's absolutely relevant," he snaps back. "It's the tāmāde point--"

Gabriel looks as if he wants to continue, but is forced to break off there, coughing wetly and gasping for breath between each tearing spasm.

When it finally subsides, he wipes the back of his hand across his mouth and lets it fall to his side. There's a tiny smear of red on his skin, quickly hidden when he shoves his hand into his pocket.

"... just how much trouble are you going to be in? I'd thought you'd managed--"