With a sigh Gabriel glanced over at her, and his eyes were still sharp, but this time old. Very old. Ancient. "It doesn't matter, okay? Just suffice to say that there's no damned comparison and my being able to paint a feet or so of sand is pathetic. And if they think my not having access to all my powers means I'm going to keep playing their game when they send us out alone, they're stupid."

They weren't stupid. Probably they knew full well that any power regain would come with abuses. Unless they weren't expecting a regain at all, in which case it would be more prudent to keep them under wraps, but Gabriel had had enough of prudence.