“No trouble at all,” says Anthony with well-bred politeness, as though the room weren’t thick with tension and Gabriel wasn’t still shaking a little. Anthony sits on the edge of the bed, close to Gabriel but not reaching for him, and sips his tea.

“Bad dream?” Anthony doesn’t like messy emotions—not his own or anyone else’s. But he cannot help but wonder what has happened to Gabriel lately. Though tonight has been particularly dramatic, Gabriel has been on edge for a little while now. Something is wrong—he might as well use this as an opening to figure out what.