He sighs. "Stop struggling so much, shifter. You'll hurt yourself. I'll put you down if you promise not to flee, or attack, ok?" He looks at the little bird.
He tosses him against the wall, and picks up the book with his unlit hand, the other still blazing, and points it at the prince. A fiery pentagram glows underneath him, trapping him in a shield of burning red light. He studies the book.