Persephone snapped her fingers.
‘That’s it!’
‘What’s “it”?’ asked Nergal.
‘Food,’ replied Persephone. ‘An army marches on its stomach and the common folk riot when theirs are empty. We’ll make the powerful “haves” trade places with the developing “have nots” and sit back and watch the fun. One side will have all the guns and the other will have all the food. Mortals will sin to fill their bellies and die in droves soon after.’
‘A fine plan,’ said Mastema. ‘A veritable recipe for disaster, if you’ll pardon the pun. If we do this right, people will be beating their neighbours to death over a loaf of bread and countries will be fighting wars over fields of wheat.’
‘Pestilence, Famine, War then Death,’ said Persephone, her pointed teeth glinting as she smirked. ‘Someone was even kind enough to name the Horsemen after the steps. You two can take a break, Nergal needs to cool off and I want you to send Deumos in here. When you get back we’ll figure out how to make this happen.’
‘What does my wife have to do with anything?’ asked Mastema, ‘and who will make my sandwich if she’s in here?’
‘You don’t question my father’s orders,’ replied Persephone, her black eyes narrowing. ‘If you want to keep breathing I suggest you extend me that same courtesy. Now go.’
While Mastema walked off to find something to eat and his better half, Nergal wavered in the doorway.
‘What is it now?’ asked Persephone, taking a seat at Kaarl’s desk.
‘Your brother made it his mission to make the traitors suffer,’ Nergal told her. ‘He ignored the bigger picture and it proved to be his undoing. If he had he focused on the task at hand he might still be alive.’
‘And I would still be stuck down here in my room.’ said Persephone. ‘Instead Damon is ash and I get to go to the Mortal realm and fight on the front lines. I can find a way to use Kaarl for our purposes and break him when I’m done, the twins too. I’m not my brother.’
You’re just worried about being outclassed by a girl, thought Persephone, leaning back in the chair as Nergal drifted out of the room.
Kaarl had proven himself too much for even the best of Lucifer’s forces to handle and it was a realm-wide embarrassment. Using him to further Perdition’s goals would be a master stroke and hurting him in the process would be icing on the cake. Because the trio had been accepted into Paradise killing either Kaarl or the twins was impossible, at least with any permanence, but there were other ways to do damage.
It was common knowledge that Kaarl had never been in a relationship; although not much could be learnt from his old room it was clear that the boy was no romantic. To most this would have signified another dead end but to Persephone it was an opportunity. If she could find a way to make him want her, to lift him up before breaking him down, it would leave a mark in a place not easily healed. The idea of Kaarl’s first taste of true love turning sour and choking him sent a chill down Persephone’s spine.
Deumos knocked on the doorway. With her long black hair, delicate features and svelte red figure she was proof to all young Demonettes that ageing could be accomplished gracefully.
‘You asked to see me?’
‘I did,’ replied Persephone with her warmest smile. ‘Please come in, sit.’
And while you’re at it, give me an opening so I can get inside your son and tear him apart.
***
A week after Persephone had unveiled her plan Lucifer looked down on the body of his daughter. The other Lords in the dimly lit chamber kept their distance, unsure of what their Master would make of the scene. The sheets around Persephone were drenched in her golden blood and the runes and symbols used in the rites were still glowing on her flesh.
‘And you say she didn’t scream?’ Lucifer asked Uphir.
The skeletal Demon physician finished drying his hands and removed his mask.
‘Not once, Master; she didn’t make a sound. You would have been proud.’
The Light Bearer and Son of Morning brushed a stray strand of hair from his daughter’s face.
‘How long will she be out for?’
‘An hour or two,’ Uphir replied, washing his tools. ‘No more. Recovery will take a few days though.’
‘And you’re sure these runes will work against Laylah?’
Asmoday the Deceiver stepped forward. A serpent in human form, his fangs dripped with venom and his tongue flickered as he spoke.
‘Persephone’s memories will match her story, Master,’ he said. ‘If the Hated One’s seer goes looking she will find nothing but what we want her to. The sigils will keep the rest hidden from her powers; pushing down anything we want to hide.’
Mastema managed to suppress a snigger. Asmoday’s lisp was a constant source of amusement to the Cursed Accuser.
‘Will Laylah be able to tell that the girl’s mind has been tampered with?’ asked Lucifer.
‘Some of the larger lies will be…fuzzy when she views them, Master. That is unavoidable.’
‘It was a tremendous undertaking,’ added Uphir. ‘Keeping the “old” Persephone but building entirely new memories in case she is examined in depth; nothing like this has been attempted before. There was a very real chance she could have died in the process.’
‘Then count yourselves lucky that wasn’t the case,’ replied Lucifer. ‘Clear this mess up and get my daughter back to her chambers. We begin as soon as she is ready to travel.’
Chapter Four: All work and no play (#ulink_d95368ba-3220-52f9-b07c-bf54690cc31b)
Gabriel, God’s Champion and the Bane of Demons, grimaced as he struggled with the portal. He was a giant etched from white granite and the work was better suited to smaller, more delicate hands. His eyes, balls of golden fire, flared briefly in frustration as the portal shimmered and closed for a fourth time. Most Angels would have been able to perform the weave on their first attempt but he had honed himself for battle rather than such mundane tasks.
The sound of young Angels laughing and fooling around drifted in as the door opened behind Gabriel.
‘How is it going?’ asked Kaarl, dropping his bag on the coffee table.
‘I’ve moved my stuff in,’ replied Gabriel, ‘not that there was much to move. Now there is just this to sort out.’
Gabriel pointed at the blank space in front of the sofas.
The student accommodations were plain but comfortable enough. Like the campus they were carved from sandstone and they had a magnificent view of the ocean. Normally the students were mixed; taken from their old social groups and housed with strangers so new bonds could be formed and new experiences had. The trio had been kept together, again because of their unique past. The last bed in their apartment had remained empty for almost week.
Verin and Vetis had hoped it would stay that way. They had assumed the Hall was waiting until another social outcast popped up to round out their quartet. Kaarl had taken offence at being put in that category; unlike the girls he was actually making a few friends. When the trio found it would be Gabriel taking the bed the twins relaxed. Not only did they know him but it would make things easier. He was their assigned observer in the Mortal realm so it saved time. Having to hunt him down whenever they needed to get to work would have been added hassle.
‘What’s it like being back here?’ asked Kaarl.
‘Strange,’ replied Gabriel. ‘It’s been centuries but the place hasn’t changed. It also makes me feel old, being around all these kids.’
Gabriel tried the weave again and again it shimmered and closed.
‘Is that a viewing portal?’ asked Kaarl. ‘We’ve just started learning about those.’
‘Supposed to be, it’s been so long since I’ve made one.’
Kaarl watched in silence as the massive Angel went through the motions. On the next attempt the portal held; a perfect rectangle. The image on the other side of it began to come into focus.
‘Hey, that’s our penthouse.’
