Another glance of disdain passed between me and Karina before we nodded in unison.
“On our way now.”
Chapter 16
The butler ushered us into an expensive private booth high above the main hall. The broad glass panes that doubled as walls allowed anyone within to comfortably observe the goings on below. The people looked like ants from up here.
“Ms. Karina Bonfoy, and a Mr. Charles Locke,” the butler announced, before closing the door behind us.
Despite the furnished niceties of the lavish place I caught sight of her immediately. Lis. She looked just as majestic in her shining dress as I recalled. Black night sky, twinkling with stars. Her frown however had been replaced with a massive shit eating grin. That’s more like it.
Begrudgingly I also noticed that across from her sat the jilted bride’s boyfriend.
“Welcome to my humble establishment. The Ikonoberets welcomes you with open arms, Charles Locke,” spoke the man named Tru, motioning for us to take a seat upon the twin couches.
He sounded about as sincere in his greeting as Lis does when she says she’ll try not to eat up more of my credit line. Not that Karina needed any prompting. As fast as her heels could carry her she rushed to Tru’s side and threw herself at him.
“Tru, who are these people?” she whined, clasping her hands around his neck. “I’ve got a bad feeling about them.”
“This coming from the lunatic that nearly liquefied my bones on a whim?” I retorted.
Turning to Lis I saw her patting the seat beside her suggestively. I frowned. Oh hell no. Not after she let that long limbed clown feel her up. I sat down on the opposite end of the couch, leaving ample space between us. Lis’ grin only widened.
“Karina,” Tru said, “These two are our honored guests. Please treat them appropriately.”
Despite the jilted bride being all over him, Tru sat cool as a cucumber. His arms were hooked behind the couch, and his legs spread wide apart. His snow white suit and black tie ensemble screamed sophistication, but his hair proved to be his most noticeable feature. Stark white, drawn up high and well combed, his fro matched his getup perfectly. Barely noticeable, the very base roots of his hair were black. Unlike me and Lis, Karina ensured that there was as little space between Tru and her as physically possible. She was practically sitting in his lap.
“So. You and Lis know each other?” I asked, broaching the subject.
“Wow Charlie. Cut right to the chase, why don’t you,” the she-devil said.
“Inquiring minds desire to know. It’s not every day I see someone with their hands all over you.”
“Yeah,” Karina perked up, turning to Tru. “Just who is this weird woman? You don’t like her more than me, do you?”
“Don’t make me laugh,” Tru scoffed, the barest hint of contempt in his voice.
It made me clench my teeth.
“I understand you’re some acquaintance of Lis, but between your loose cannon and your tone of voice, I can’t help but get the feeling that Lis used the term ‘co-worker’ ironically,” I said.
“Badmouth Tru one more time and I swear I’ll grease the windows with your guts,” Karina said.
“It’s alright, he doesn’t know what he’s saying,” the man said before turning to Lis. “You really kept this one in the dark haven’t you? And that’s not all.”
Tru looked me over the same way most people look over their tax forms. Mild disdain. “He seems fit enough, but really, there’s hardly an ounce of magical talent on him. You might as well have picked anyone off the streets.”
“Is that your interpretation?” Lis asked.
“There is no other interpretation to be had.”
“How odd then that a guy with so little talent proved more than a match for Ms. Bonfoy. Despite enough magic radiating off of her to give an archmage a run for their money she could do precious more than equal him during that little standoff in the closet,” Lis replied. “Charlie’s worth more than the sum of his parts.”
So they were watching us. I might have known. I might have commented too but Lis’ reply had left me speechless. It was a rare thing for her to openly compliment me in such uncertain terms. It was completely unheard of for her to do so in front of company.
“The more I hear you two talk, the more curious I get,” I said. “Who exactly are you?”
Karina’s colossal chest puffed with pride, “This is Trumann Fidel Abla. He’s so many leagues above you that--”
“I am Adevaratiel,” he said, cutting Karina off. “The heavenly High Seraph of Truth.”
Chapter 17
My stomach plummeted. My mind reeled. Eyes wide. Palms clammy. I was glad I wasn’t standing up, because otherwise the introduction might have literally knocked me off my feet.
“High… Seraph?” my mouth struggled to form the words.
I saw the ghost of a smile curve the Angel’s mouth skyward. “My name means Honesty of God. Indeed, judging by your reaction it seems Lisistrathiel has told you enough to at least recognize my office. I am the current ranking servant of heaven upon the Mortal Coil.”
“Is it my turn to do introductions now, Abla?” Lis asked.
“Don’t listen to a word she says,” the Angel said to Karina. The woman nodded like a child in Sunday school.
“Oh, you’re going to introduce me instead? How thoughtful,” Lis replied.
“Lisistrathiel is a Lesser Devil of Temptation,” Adevaratiel said, motioning towards her with his hand. “She may be low in rank, but don’t underestimate her ability to lie and deceive. She’s learned from the very best.”
“Hear that Charlie? ‘Don’t believe a thing I say’,” Lis said. “Charlie?”
Maybe it’s because I’m an idiot, or maybe it’s because my mind had conveniently avoided thinking about it too hard, but I’d always thought that I was a force of good in the world. Sure, I spent more time than most trading quips with a genuine Devil, but I always thought that I ended up saving more lives than ruining.
Who the hell was I kidding? Taking advice from Lisistrathiel? Of course she’d never mention the fact that she was a Devil specializing in temptation! I always knew I could never fully trust her, but deep down inside, I’d hoped that she wasn’t as evil as she seemed to be. How could I be so stupid?
“I’m fine,” I muttered.
“Is it really okay to tell them who you truly are, Tru?” Karina said.
The Angel nodded once. “They are enemies of heaven. But can be trusted for now. There are bigger fish to fry. Speaking of which, shall we enlighten them as to the conclusion we’ve reached? The shape of the troubles to come?”
“Of course,” Lis said.
I couldn’t honestly tell when it had happened, but Lis seemed much closer to me than when I first sat down. It was impossible to ignore the fiercely feminine shampoo that filled my nostrils. Apple with a hint of brimstone.
“While the two of you were wasting time bickering in the closet, I and Lisistrathiel put our heads together regarding the False Angel.”
“False Angel?” Karina asked.
“Venice. Managed to turn an American Carrier fleet into confetti. Big sword. Feathers like metal. Pretty spooky stuff,” Lisistrathiel said, itching at the scab on her cheek, “Between the powers I’ve seen the jerk throw around from a front row seat, plus Abla’s people skills, we’ve come up with some specifics about that trouble maker.”
“People skills?” I asked.
Adevaratiel turned to me, “There aren’t many Angels and Devils living as we do upon the Mortal Coil. Partly because of the restrictions placed upon us by the Pact, and partly because dying while here is generally as permanent for us as it is for you. I’ve kept tabs on all of them.”
“Abla’s been around the longest here in the Mundane world. And his great sense of self preservation has made him an expert hoarder of rumors, relations, and goings on,” Lis added.
The Seraph leaned his head back, “To be me is to know absol
ute truth, after all.”
Karina eagerly jumped right in, her chest puffed with pride. “That’s right. Tru is the only High Seraph that chose to come live among us Humans. He came because he couldn’t stand the injustices we face every day and wanted to help. Why’s Lisistrathiel here, huh?”
High and mighty. I guess when you’re the servant of someone like Adevaratiel you deserve to throw your weight around a little bit. I didn’t have the strength to get angry.
Lis answered for me, her eyes glued to Abla’s. “Oh, I probably just came here to live it up large. You know. Take advantage of Mortals, throw around a couple of carefully constructed fibs and then lord over whatever poor saps are dumb enough to actually believe me. I’d much rather be the best of the worst than hang out in Hell and be the worst of the best.”
“We’re straying from the main subject,” Tru said, the barest hint of annoyance in his voice. “Between my connections and Lisistrathiel’s experience, we’ve come to a troubling conclusion about the False Angel.”
“And that conclusion is?” I asked.
Abla’s dead fish eyes turned to me. “Saphariel’s power is without a doubt on the same level as that of a High Seraph. First class. Worse still his aspect, Death, pushes him beyond even my capabilities. After all, what does the truth matter in the face of total annihilation?”
A chill pierced through the cloud of numbness within me. Empty apathy was replaced with the base fear of a hunted animal. “Wait. What exactly are you trying to say?”
Lis turned to me and said, “We’re saying Saphariel is currently the most powerful being on the face of the planet. The world is his sand box, and there’s technically nothing anyone can do to stop him from smashing every last sand castle til there’s nothing left.”
Chapter 18
“I see,” I said. My voice sounded hollow even to my own ears.
“It only gets worse considering the effect the Pact has on those of us who came here legitimately,” Lis said.
Abla nodded. “You remember what I told you about the Pact, don’t you, Karina?”
She smiled weakly, “Refresh my memory.”
The High Seraph sighed. “Because of the Pact made to end the constant hostilities between Hell and Heaven, those of us upon the Mortal Coil are severely limited. We cannot directly cause harm to Humans, Mundane or otherwise--”
“And we cannot make use of the full extent of our powers either. Even in self defense. As a lamb; as a man,” Lis added. “This is what makes the situation with the False Angel even worse.”
“Indeed,” the Angel said, “Unlike myself and Lisistrathiel, he is not bound to these rules of engagement. Therefore while my magnificent powers are sealed tight, the Angel of Death can freely manifest his own without consequence. Infuriating.”
“So that’s it then,” I said. “Game over. We might as well pack up, go to a nice bar and drink the rest of our short lives away.”
“Well that’s certainly one way to deal with this situation,” Lis replied with a chuckle.
“I’m glad you find something funny in all of this. What’s the point of resisting if we don’t have even a ghost of a chance?”
Lisistrathiel’s hand came to rest upon my knee. Nails as black as sin dug into my pants as she leaned in and whispered, “Oh Charlie, the False Angel is only **technically** almighty.”
“Technically? So what then?” I asked, turning away from her.
Lis leaned in closer. “Remember now, Heaven and Hell are strongly stratified. Caste system style. When there’s a fight to be had, there’s very rarely a question of who will win. It’s like comparing who has more money in their bank account.”
“What’s that got to do with anything except arguably that credit card of mine that you maxed out?” I demanded.
“You forget that you have a High Seraph on your side, Locke,” Abla said. “Even if the False Angel cannot be defeated right now, our ranks are equal, and therefore there remains a chance at victory.”
My mind tried to wrap itself around the words, “So what exactly is the criteria for the winner if the ranks are equal?”
“Dunno. What do you think the criteria is?” Lis asked.
I took a deep breath and turned my thoughts inward. Angels and Devils; two sides to the same coin. Even though they were as different as night and day, I could only think of one thing that mattered when all else was equal and the gloves came off.
“Faith. Willpower. Whoever believes they will win the most will come out victorious.”
Lis turned to Adevaratiel with a look of supreme smugness on her face. “Worth. Much more than the sum of parts. It’s called being thrifty, Abla.”
It was probably meant as a compliment, but it felt more like Lis parading me in front of Tru. Like some prize stud at a dog show.
“All else is possibilities and probabilities right now. We don’t know where he is, how he came to be, who is sponsoring him, anything really.”
“So we need to wait for him to strike?” I demanded. “Wipe out an army? A city?”
“Doubt it,” Lis replied.
I glared at her.
“It’s true Charlie. Use your noggin. That jerk is obsessed with counting kills on his darn sword, right? His name even means ‘He who Counts for God’. But I think he got a new obsession after our last little schoolyard scuffle.”
I blinked. The False Angel remembered me from Xibalba, and worse still, due to Lis’ intervention I narrowly avoided death at his hands in Venice. That could only mean one thing: The most powerful being in the world wanted my head on a silver platter.
“There’s no way he’d let a double insult like the one he suffered in Venice stand. We’re priority number one with a couple asterisks beside it. Aren’t we?”
Lis grinned. Tru frowned.
Of course, that didn’t change anything for the better. In fact it made it worse. Not only was I more or less the pawn of a Lesser Devil, but I had a great big bullseye painted on my back now too. It was all too much.
“If that’s all there is to discuss then I’ll take my leave,” I said with as much politeness I could cram into my words.
“Indeed,” Abla said, sounding almost relieved. “Lisistrathiel, I’ll be in--”
“Need a trip to the boy’s room Charlie?” she asked, completely ignoring the High Seraph of Truth.
“Just need to relax for a bit,” I muttered. I reached the door and closed it behind me none too gently.
Down the stairs, I made my way back into the club. The smooth violins and orchestral score had the opposite of a calming effect upon me this time around. Dammit. It felt like someone spilled a bowl of boiling water on my brain, and there was nothing I could do about it except suffer through it.
The bar was the first thing that caught my eye, but I shook my head. No, that’s the first place that Lis would look to find me. I didn’t want to talk to that she-devil. I’d sooner sit down for tea with my damn mother.
I caught sight of a back room out of the corner of my eye. Right next to an out of order elevator I saw a stairwell going up. Perfect. The last thing Lis’d suspect me of doing is running to the rooftop for a breather. I could let off a bit of steam in the climb too.
Stairs rushed past me as I took them two at a time. Fourth, fifth, sixth floor rushed passed until the stairs suddenly ended.
Exhausted, sweat dripping, I finally reached the roof. The cold night air blew a few stray flakes of snow around as I leaned against the side of an iron block. Probably the air conditioning or heating if I had to guess.
I let out a sigh. Alone. Finally.
“You always take me to the most romantic places Charlie,” the last voice I wanted to hear said.
I turned my head to see Lisistrathiel sitting on a concrete ledge separating the roof from a ten story drop. The long black strands of her hair blew haphazardly in the night wind.
“So. Wanna talk about it?”
Chapter 19
I buried my head in my hands. “I
might have been a little subtle about it Lis, but believe it or not, I actually need some time alone.”
“Sure you don’t,” she replied.
“You know,” I said, anger and bitterness boiling to the top, “Despite having you constantly dogging and harassing me, I always held out hope that the work I’ve been doing for Nine Towers was making the world a better place.”
“And what makes you think that isn’t still the case?” Lis asked.
“Because you’re a Devil!” I practically roared. “Because you’re leading me astray. I can’t see exactly how, but the second I met Tru I knew beyond a doubt that you were steering me towards Hell. I’m a bad guy. I’m not some cutesy reluctant hero on a Fairy tale quest for salvation. Admit it Lis. There’s no chance I’ll ever be redeemed of my sins. There never was.”
Lis cast her gaze over her shoulder, “Would you have rather had Abla save you in your darkest moment? Would it have made you feel better if he was the one that showed you how to first manifest your powers instead of me? Charlie?”
I hesitated. She almost looked hurt. Wide intelligent eyes, utterly inhuman yet perfectly expressive, watched me. Questioned me. She patiently waited for a response, but no words would come to me.
The sudden clap of Lis’ hands jolted me out of my slump. A sharp grin had returned to her face as she rose to her feet. “Well, can’t really blame you for feeling that way. But just between you and me, I wouldn’t trust anyone who claims to know what ‘absolute truth’ is.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Let me guess. This the part where you convince me that the High Seraph of Truth is lying to me.”
Lis laughed. “Angels can’t lie, Charlie. But they can definitely deceive you. There’s a whole art to it. Some of the higher ups in Heaven are actually really quite good at it.”
“Bullshit. I refuse to believe it. You’re better off convincing me the sky is green.”
“Is that a challenge?” Lis asked.
“It’s a fact.”
Live and Let Lie Page 6
