Page 107 of A Deal in Darkness
“Pray, tell.”
He rounds on the aers demon and his demeanor is far from kind. The fire sparking from his fingers burns sulfur into the air and the infernos of Hell burn brighter. A demon is summoning their strength, and for once, it is not me.
“The rumors are…”
The tragic, odious creature shudders and its legs bend, prostrating itself before me.
“Others say Mordecai has found a way to circumvent death. That he has spent years in the wilderness between the planes of actuality, eking out an existence so abominable that even he could not bear it. They say he found just enough matter to haul his pitiful ass in front of our Master, and that he was so vile he disgusted even the Great One.”
The aers demon pauses and time beats on, working neither for me nor against me. The demon seeks reassurance that I am not angered and I can’t provide it. Yet it lives and that is proof enough that my wrath is tempered, although there is little comfort to be had in these hallowed halls.
“They say Mordecai has pledged his eternal devotion to Lucifer himself and, in return, Lucifer restored him. Temporarily, Lord. The rumor is that Mordecai was only restored in part and he must prove his worth for Lucifer to return his power to him permanently.”
The smoke gathering at Byron’s ankles rises and its grey-green cloud bellows as it spreads its vile venom across the ground.
If the rumor is true, and Lucifer himself helped Mordecai, then he will have demanded a heavy price. One too high for most to even consider paying, let alone considered able to meet its terms.
And Lucifer is not to be trifled with. His intentions are never clear, but he serves only himself and the other Princes of Hell prostrate themselves at his feet, afraid to cross him despite their power and prowess. You never reneg on a deal with him and you do not cross him.
Any deal Mordecai struck puts him at risk, but attacking him while he is under Lucifer’s protection risks a wrath no demon would survive. Even I could not withstand the onslaught that would be brought to bear if I interfered with Lucifer’s plans and there is no peaceful solution.
The moving parts and interdependent factors make this problem difficult to solve. The rules of the game are undefined and there are too many complexities in the murky waters, and we haven’t even begun unpicking Eva’s involvement in this. This problem is wicked in every sense of the word.
“What did Lucifer ask for?” Byron asks.
His voice is as sharp as a scythe and cuts through my reasoning. This is the lynchpin on which the enigma hangs, and unpicking it may solve the whole damn puzzle.
“I do not know.”
The aers demon lies and it will not save it.
“I will not ask again.” Byron snarls and the world shakes. “Tell us now and you will go free and be rewarded for your loyalty and service. Hesitate and your reward will be less pleasant.”
The threat laced in his tone is brutal and there’s no fucking way even a cretin could misunderstand it.
“I cannot be sure…” The aers demon looks petrified. More than petrified. It’s about to shit itself and if it doesn’t hurry the fuck up, I’ll gut it and save everyone the inconvenience. “I do not know the full details, Lord, but… the rumor is… that the deal he made with Lucifer is connected to the Altair.”
Demons fall to their knees and prostrate themselves, pleading for mercy as the inferno inside me ignites. I’ve spent more millennia than I care to remember chasing down the legendary angels who walk among the mortals—serving Lucifer as I pursued them without fear or favor.
I chased ghosts and stories, getting little in return but dead ends and squandered effort. In the end, Lucifer and I concurred they were a legend created to waste his time when it could be better spent on more enjoyable and effective abominations.
“The Altair does not exist.”
“Lucifer believes it does, Lord,” the aers demon says. “They say Mordecai promised to hunt the Altair down and bring them to the Great One for his pleasure. They say it is an impossible task and Lucifer will claim Mordecai’s powers for himself.”
The smoke billowing from Byron ignites into flames and the hall burns as his fury rages through it. Demons quake and their flesh burns as they endure a lashing that reminds them oftheir place. The smell of singed muscle and melting fat catch as Byron cools, turning his attention to the rancid demon quivering in front of us.
I’m far from calm, but I need to keep my composure.
There’s only one thing to do and it is far from ideal.
It’s the thing I should have done the last time I visited my domain.
Byron hauls the aers demon into the air and its feet scramble to find their footing, struggling against the hold of a demon far more powerful than it.
“Take the damn thing away,” I say, hissing with irritation. “Give it its reward. It’s earned it.”
I turn my back and leave Byron to interpret my words. All my underlings heard them and they know my mood and inclination. This isn’t the time for hesitation or moderation. It isn’t the time for leniency or feebleness, and it sure as fuck isn’t the time to wait for things to fall into place.
