"Maybe I am acting my age and I just don't look it," Gabriel suggested with a trace if impishness. It was the truth, but it also implied enough for Skulduggery to draw his own conclusions. Gabe didn't want to have to lie if he could help it. (Michael was so much better at this.)

That didn't mean the Archangel wasn't going to take the opportunity to change the subject--sort of, at least, given that the other topic revolved around Skulduggery's not being precisely human. Gabriel nodded to himself for a moment, turning that problem over, and then finally stood and pulled his chair around to the other side of the table, next to Skulduggery's.

"It's a rather strange muscle reflex," he said. "It might be easier if you tried not to think about it, and let your instincts take over. But here--feel me swallow, okay? It might help if you knew what you were trying to do. If I may ...?" He touched Skulduggery's hand, looking up at Skul with all the earnestness of someone who wanted nothing more than to help.