by Robin Roseau
There was no sun, and the sky was gloomy, a rusty red. And the land appeared barren. But we stood near a modest lake of still water. It was the second most obvious feature we could see.
The most obvious feature was the soaring, stone wall, rising high above us. It was not a vertical wall but sloped away from us at a severe angle. I thought the top of the wall was 50 feet above our heads. Directly opposite us was a very large pair of doors, ascending as high as the walls, and shortly I would see they were exceedingly thick.
“Patterned after Troy before its fall to Agamemnon,” Nifili said. “And unchanged for three thousand years.”
Someone whistled. I wasn’t sure who. But that was when, with a grinding sound, the doors began to open away from us. We held our ground as they moved ponderously, raising a little dust before they grew still.
Nifili began walking forward. We followed.
The demon was waiting for us. We reached the gates, and Nifili looked over her shoulder. “Use no pronouns for now.”
“Right,” I said.
The demon was huge, absolutely huge. Call it ten feet, not counting the prominent horns. They added at least another two feet, lifting from his head, smooth, and curved slightly forward with sharp tips.
Like the other demons I’d known, he was covered in scales, black but each one etched in red. His eyes were bright, shining in silver, but with large, black pupils.
And he was dressed, looking quite out of place for the setting in a modern, western business suit. Imagine a scaled, black and red version of The Hulk in a suit.
Nifili was right, though. I was using ‘he’, because that was the pronoun she had used previously. But I couldn’t have said whether it was the right pronoun. He? She? I couldn’t tell. For now, I’ll use he, but that could change.
Nifili brought us to a stop, and she spoke to Tienbellart. Her tone was respectful, but then she clearly stepped well to one side, symbolic of her neutral role in the events.
She provided introductions, speaking in the demonic language, and then finally in English, quite simply, “This is Tienbellart.”
I stepped forward, closing most of the distance, and looking way up into his eyes. I couldn’t read his expression. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with us.”
He rumbled something. Nifili replied. He rumbled again, and Nifili translated. “Tienbellart states you are no angel.”
I cocked my head. “Every other demon I have met has spoken English as fluently as I do.” Then I switched to Latin. “Perhaps you prefer the language of Cicero and Caesar.” Then I changed languages. “Or if not, maybe the words of Socrates and Aristotle.”
He took a step towards me, closing the distance that would have taken me three steps. I held my ground, and he poked me in the chest. He rumbled something.
I sighed. “Kate?” I used my ears to track her. She stepped to my side. She was holding a wooden case. “We brought a gift of good will.” Then I turned to the fae. She held the case while I opened it.
I withdrew the protective packaging and then stepped out of the way. Naomi stepped up and took the packaging material from me.
The demon leaned down and looked at the sculpture. It was bronze, a woman, naked, chasing butterflies. I thought it was amazingly beautiful. Kate said it had been hers for some time, and I thought she ached a little to part with it, but she had insisted, and so here we were.
Tienbellart reached for the case, but then he spoke, and it wasn’t the language of demons.
Kate answered.
The two spoke back and forth, and then, with a certain amount of gentle reverence, Tienbellart took the case, lifting it so he could more readily see the sculpture.
And then before us, his appearance shifted, taking a few moments, and ‘he’ was quite clearly no longer the right pronoun. She still wore a modern business suit, but she put on curves, and her face became thinner, her lips fuller.
And then she looked down at herself and grunted.
She spoke to Kate, a simple sentence, and then turned her gaze to me. “I accept this gift. It is lovely, and I have the perfect place to display it, a place of honor in my home. Did you come in honor, angel who is no angel?”
“I keep telling them I’m not an angel.”
“The wings suggest she’s mistaken,” Kate pointed out.
“Do you suggest I am mistaken?” Tienbellart asked.
“No,” Kate said. “I would suggest one explanation seemed obvious.”
“It would seem.” She turned her gaze back to me. “Do you come in honor, Teigan St. Claire?”
“Yes,” I said. “I certainly hope so.”
Tienbellart studied me. “It has been six hundred years since I last faced a messenger from the one we don’t name. You are very puzzling. What does he want?”
I paused and then said, slowly and carefully, “Evaline.”
She actually took a half step backwards from me. “Evaline.”
“Evaline,” I confirmed. “Although I admit I do not know if we have come to the right place.”
She pursed her lips for a moment. On her, it looked quite odd, but then she said, “Perhaps we should discuss it.” Then she surveyed the nine of us. “An angel who isn’t an angel, a fae, and seven humans, one somewhat young.” She cocked her head. “You all have stories. But your souls do not resemble the ones normally seen in this place.”
She turned. “Nifili, are you staying?”
“If I am invited.”
Tienbellart. “Carry my gift, please.”
“I would be delighted,” Nifili said. She stepped forward and took the case. Naomi returned, and she helped Nifili pack and close the case.
Tienbellart observed all this then stepped up to Naomi. The woman turned and looked at the demon. Tienbellart reached down and fingered the hilt of the short sword. “Do you know how to use this?” She spoke in Japanese.
“Not well, but well enough,” Naomi replied in the same language.
“It has been some time since I have visited your homeland,” Teinbellart declared. “I would not have expected this clothing.”
“I dressed in a traditional fashion of honor,” Naomi replied. “No one else speaks this language.”
“Not true,” Tienbellart said. “Nifili does, and the not-angel is following every word.” She turned to me. “Who taught you this language?”
“Theophania.”
She froze, and then she spoke rapidly in the language of the demons. Nifili answered briefly. Tienbellart grunted and then asked in Greek, “Is this the one you displayed?”
“I am,” I answered. “You were not there.”
“No, but everyone heard. Very interesting. Well, we have things to discuss. Come.”
She turned without further ceremony, and she would have easily left us behind as we hurried after her, but she looked over her shoulder then waited. “My apologies. I do not often have human visitors.” After that, we still had to scramble, but she moved at a pace we could maintain.
* * * *
She led us to what was clearly some sort of palace, sized to her dimensions as Nifili had warned us. Once we arrived, she said, “Please remove that, and place it there.” She pointed to a table. “That is not where I will keep it, but it will do for now.”
Naomi and Nifili saw to the sculpture. It really was quite exquisite. They moved it to the table, and then Naomi adjusted it for a moment.
Kate eyed it, but then she took one of the oversize seats. We all took seats, with me closest to Tienbellart, sitting at an angle to each other.
“Do you require refreshment?”
“Not just now,” I said.
“Well. Evaline. Did you come to take?”
“I came to offer diplomacy.”
“That was not how I would have described the conversations with past messengers.”
“I am not a messenger,” I said. “I have been assigned a quest. I believe I could relieve you of a debt, and I thought in exchange, you could return Evaline to me.”
“I find that unlikely.”
“I believe you owe a significant debt to Quentaslart.”
Tienbellart didn’t react to the name but said, “You believe.”
“I could relieve you of that debt.”
“Could you? And in exchange of a minor debt, I should give you Evaline. Are you even sure I have her?”
“No,” I said. “I am not. But I do believe you are the next step in my quest, and I hope you are the final step. Furthermore, while perhaps you view the debt as minor, I am fairly certain Quentaslart doesn’t see it the same way. I do not believe Evaline does, either. Tell me, Tienbellart: what were you to pay Quentaslart for killing me?”
She leaned back in her seat, saying nothing, then smiling. “Death becomes you.”
“Thank you.”
“I was given to believe Quentaslart was successful.”
“Quite so,” I said. From my clutch, I withdrew my badge and opened it, setting it on the arm of my charm. “I got better.”
“Please put that away,” Tienbellart said tightly.
“Of course.” I folded and returned it to my clutch. “I meant no offense.”
She paused then said, “You do not sound angry.”
“I’m not. I will relieve you of your entire debt to Quentaslart. You will give Evaline to me. We can part as friends.”
“I find that unlikely,” she replied. “And what makes you think a minor debt to Quentaslart is worth what Evaline owes me.”
“You have had years of Evaline paying her debt, but you haven’t paid a thing to Quentaslart. You’re ahead.” I smiled. “You can, of course, deny me. But then you will owe me, not Quentaslart. Is that what you want?”
She said nothing for a while until she asked, “Do you have Quentaslart?”
“Theophania gave her to me.”
“Did you destroy Theophania?”
“Not at all,” I said. “She seemed quite well when we parted. I believe she felt bittersweet over our visit.”
“Do you?”
“I believe she would rather have kept me. Again. But I don’t think she liked the way I kept freeing some of her souls.”
Tienbellart smiled. “I imagine not. What did you do with them?”
“I was rather choosy,” I said. I tapped my clutch, making a half point. “I forgave them and sent them home.”
Tienbellart shifted in her seat. “You did.”
“I did,” I confirmed. “As I said, I was choosy. Do you blame me?”
“Not at all.” She paused. “Are you sure you do not require refreshment?”
She gestured, and someone entered the great hall, pushing a cart. “Evaline,” I whispered.
“Serve our guests,” Tienbellart ordered.
She performed mechanically. Most of us stared at her, as she didn’t appear to recognize any of us until she got to me. She looked up into my face, and that was when she whispered, “Teigan.”
Then her gaze shifted. “Poppy. All of you.” She turned back to me. “You shouldn’t be here! Quentaslart lied?”
“Come here,” Tienbellart ordered.
Without a pause, Evaline turned and knelt before the larger demon.
“Teigan,” Poppy said.
I gestured. I don’t know what I would have told her. But I stared at Evaline until I looked up. Tienbellart was watching me. “Well, that answers those questions. I wasn’t sure how you would be using her, but I assumed a pit.”
“She has many duties for me,” Tienbellart replied.
“Are you going to make this easy?”
“Probably not,” she replied. “Where is the fun in that?”
“You shouldn’t be here,” Evaline said from her place on the floor.
“You be quiet,” Tienbellart told her, giving her a nudge with a foot. “Teigan St. Claire, did Quentaslart lie?”
“Not that I am aware,” I said. “But I have no idea what she may have said. She killed me, if that’s what you’re wondering. It took some time, but when I came to awareness, I was no longer in Hell.”
“Where were you?”
“I couldn’t really say,” I replied. “But I met an ancient ancestor.”
From the floor, Evaline looked over her shoulder at me, but then she dropped her gaze again, staring at Tienbellart’s feet. It made me uncomfortable to see her abase herself, but there was little I could do about it. Coming to an agreement was far better than any other choice available.
“I will free you from any debt to Quentaslart, and in exchange, you will give Evaline to me. We can depart as friends. You will have received these years of service from her, plus a very fine sculpture and an interesting story or two. You are well ahead.”
“And if I decline?”
“Then you would owe me,” I said. “And I would return to collect. I don’t imagine it would be as cordial a visit.”
“I would destroy you.”
“Do you truly think so?” I asked. “That is not the path I prefer. And I am told you do not renege on your debts. Do you have an alternate suggestion?”
She considered me. “My agreement with Quentaslart-”
“To be paid after she suffered Theophania’s wrath. I am here to collect.”
“Evaline has not paid her debt.”
“While I do not know the details of the agreements, I wouldn’t argue that point. I would pay for Evaline’s lingering debt with the entirety of your debt to me.”
She didn’t say ‘no’, and I was sure she was trying to find a way to avoid paying me while keeping Evaline. Then she smiled. “I do not believe you can use the payment Quentaslart is owed.”
“Quentaslart is no longer owed anything. I am.”
“That may be, although I see no evidence. However, my debt is quite specific.”
“We can play games with each other,” I replied. “You could, for instance, pay me what I am owed, to the terms already agreed. I will then take that payment and use it to obtain help to retrieve Evaline.”
“You wouldn’t dare, and no one would dare help you.”
“Are you sure? I wonder what else I might be able to offer to sweeten the agreement.” I leaned forward. “Do you really want the attention you’re going to garner if you send me away? Someone wants a conversation with Evaline. I don’t think ‘no’ is really a choice. I could be wrong. I’m fairly ignorant in these matters. You can say ‘no’ to me, but I’m not really the one you’re denying.”
“I don’t have a problem denying that one.”
“Oh, please,” I said. “Seriously?”
“I might enjoy it.”
“We can play that game if you like. I came here with a legitimate offer, a good offer to you.”
She paused, looking down at Evaline.
“Look,” I said. “No one here doubts your power, especially in your home. Everyone here would prefer a diplomatic solution. I imagine you could, if you chose, destroy our bodies. Our souls would ascend. If I can come back once, I can come back twice, but I wonder how much my strength and forces would be bolstered. I imagine someone you don’t care to mention would be unhappy, especially as I am trying to reach a civil resolution. But Evaline will be mine in the end.”
She looked up. “I am unsure I believe a word you’ve said.”
“Oh, please,” I said. Again. “I haven’t lied.”
“I would like to hear directly from Quentaslart.”
“That is problematic,” I replied. “But you could ask Theophania if I’ve been by to visit. I don’t know if she’d answer you. I doubt she can cause any trouble for you, but I imagine if she knew you were the one to thank for my departure from her control, she’d be quite vexed. She may be more forthcoming with Nifili.”
Tienbellart paused then slowly turned to Nifili. “It would be quite unlike you to come unprepared.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” Nifili agreed. “Perhaps you could negotiate as if Teigan has not lied. I do not believe she is foolish enough to attempt to deceive you. I do not be
lieve she would gamble with the lives of her friends.”
“I am curious,” Tienbellart said. “Why did you bring so many with you? Do you think you can overcome me with numbers such as these?”
“I believe they helped when I talked to Theophania,” I said. “That would have been much harder without them. Once we began this quest together, it seemed right to finish it together.” I gestured. “These people all have their reasons to care what becomes of Evaline.”
She looked out at us. “You came to Hell for her. Why would you do that?”
“Because we love her,” Sue Ellen said without hesitation.
“Even you, young human?”
“She was my second mom,” Sue Ellen said. She started to cry. “Please, may I hug her?”
The demon paused, and then she nodded. Sue Ellen flew from her seat. Evaline stood to greet her, sweeping the girl from her feet and giving her a twirl. The two hugged tightly, Sue Ellen crying. And then, with a glance to the demon, the others were there, clustering around Evaline.
I stayed in my chair, watching not them, but Tienbellart. “They weren’t really taking ‘no’ for an answer.”
“I’m not sure I entirely understand,” she said. “Oh, with some, perhaps.” She eyed me. “You were hers, weren’t you?”
“I was,” I said. “But I loved her first. It’s a long story.”
“But the others?”
“They each have their reasons,” I said.
Finally, hugs and kisses exchanged, Evaline glanced at me, then at Tienbellart. The large demon offered a single nod, and so Evaline stepped to me. I slipped from the chair, and then she cupped my cheek. “I’m so sorry.”
“I know,” I said.
“Are you all right?”
“Not entirely, but I’m a lot better than I was.”
“I’m sorry,” she said again.
“I know,” I repeated. “We can talk about all of that later.”
“Of course.”
“Sit here,” Tienballart said. A new chair had arrived, and so Evaline retreated to it. The rest of us returned to our own seats, although Sue Ellen climbed up with Poppy, cuddling against her.
“I want proof,” Tienballart demanded.
“Perhaps we can come to an agreement,” I countered. “And I will present my proof once we have done so.”