“Don’t we know it was the Convocation?”Alise asked with some surprise.
“They arrived with House Sammael,” Gabriel replied.“So I want to be sure.Answer my question, hunter.”
“I do not anssswer to you, Lord Phel.”
Gabriel considered trying to bribe it, but that hadn’t worked on the others.Maybe torture, though the things seemed impervious to pain, nor did they appear to fear for their lives.He should probably just melt it like its unfortunate cohort and have done.
“Shall I try compulsion on it?”Alise asked.“I have some ability, though I’m naturally not supposed to use that magic outside of school without House Hanneil’s permission.”
“Go ahead,” Gabriel said with relief and more than a little curiosity.He’d tried some compulsion, without much success, and was interested to see how Alise performed it.“The Convocation can take it up with me.”
Sadly, there wasn’t much to see.He sensed her magic, and the hunter squirmed, but nothing he could readily emulate.
“Who sent you to recover these familiars?”Gabriel repeated as the thing fought the compulsion.
“We come on Convocation bussinesss,” it snarled.
Which didn’t answer the question.“At what person’s behest, specifically?”he pressed.
The thing panted, fighting the spell that held it.“Sabrina Sammael,” it finally confessed, eliciting a gasp from Alise.
Not a surprise to Gabriel, however.“Are you in the direct employ of House Sammael?”
“Yesss,” it hissed unhappily.
“Does Convocation Center know?”Alise asked, voice faint with shock.
“We are on loan, until the problem of House Phel is settled,” the hunter admitted wearily.
“Did Sergio Sammael intend to deliver Lady Phel to Convocation Center?”Gabriel asked on a hunch.
“No,” the hunter replied.“They took her to House Sammael.”