This town was really not the place for small children. Even if the child was a demon. Maybe if he got Rupert something to eat it would distract him. Actually, that was a bit weird, they’d seen plenty of bars, inns and restaurants, as well as food carts in the city. If demons didn’t need to eat, then why the thriving business? Thinking of business, Tom suddenly realized the difficulty in distracting Rupert with food. He had no money! He also had no idea of what demons used for money in the Abyss.
“Mmmm...” Antefalken moaned as he rolled over. Lilith seemed to be almost purring in contentment. It had been pretty good this time. Surprisingly, she’d seemed happy with only seven times in the last half-hour. Either she was getting older; he was getting better, or she was having some incredibly interesting business meetings. He doubted the first; he hoped the second, but he suspected the latter. Actually, he’d been quite lucky, apparently his knock on the door had caught her just as she was returning from some meeting.
He got up from her bed and wandered over to the bar in front of the drapes blocking out the red abyssal light. He poured both of them a couple large snifters of brandy. “So?” Lilith inquired lazily as he poured the drinks. “Anything new on your little puzzle?”
“A bit actually,” he smiled as returned to the bed with the drinks in hand. “I’ve made the acquaintance of Lenamare’s fourth order. And the Rod has surrounded Freehold trying to route a demon horde.”
“A demon horde?” Lilith arched one eyebrow as she propped herself up on her right arm. Her long black hair cascading down her shoulder to the silk pillow.
“Yes, a demon horde.” Antefalken handed her the snifter. “Freehold seems to be up to its turrets in invisible lesser demons. We don’t know who they belong to, but some of my allies are suspecting Ramses.”
“Ramses?” Lilith sniffed, but not at her brandy. “I don’t care for the man.”
Antefalken smiled. “As I recall you swore eternal vengeance on him after that incident in Oorstemoth?”
“Oh, that was a thousand years ago, you don’t think I’d still carry a grudge after that long do you?” She smiled coyly at him.
Antefalken just looked at her for a moment. “A sweet and innocent creature like you? No, not at all.” Antefalken said with a smile, amused sarcasm running heavy in his voice.
Lilith shrugged and smiled. “Well, maybe just the teensiest.” She took a long sip of the brandy, their eyes locked on each other’s. “So,” she changed the subject, “what did you find out about this big demon of Lenamare’s?”
“Conflicting information.” Antefalken said.
“Conflicting information?”
“Yes, after leaving you last time I ran into Boggy at a bar here in the Courts. He knew the demon.”
Lilith shook her head, slightly puzzled. “Should I know this Boggy?”
Antefalken smiled. “He’s Tizzy’s partner,” he reminded her.
“Tisdale!” she sat up in bed and took a bigger swig of brandy. “That little pest. Damn. I keep meaning to talk to ‘Smody about having him eternally euthanized.” Antefalken winced at Lilith’s casual use of her pet name for her sometime lover. It seemed almost too close to blasphemy to refer to one of the Triumvirate as ‘Smody.’ “Unfortunately,” she continued in consternation. Of course, being Lilith did had its prerogatives. “I never seem to remember to bring it up when I’m around him.” Antefalken was just as glad; he rather liked Tizzy, even if none of the upper echelon could stand the demon. Lilith remained quiet for a moment then gestured for Antefalken to continue.
“Well, Boggy claimed the demon was a newbie, but I’ve since met him.”
“And?”
“Well, he is a bit strange, some things he knows, and some he doesn’t. If he is a newbie, then he’s a damn impressive newbie. Especially since he has a son.”
“A son?” Lilith asked puzzled.
“Apparently, the kid looks identical to his ‘father.’ Tom, that’s the newbie’s name, is rather inexact on the whole issue, but Tizzy reports that they’re father and son. Boggy claims however, that this Tom is a kid from one of the midtech Earths.”
“Puzzling.” Lilith said, interested, but obviously not too intrigued. “Well, you know better than to trust anything this Tizzy says. He’s one of the most deceitful little pests I can think of. I still don’t know why his accursed master only kept him imprisoned for a few decades in the Cenobite trap. I’d have left him there for all eternity.”
“That’s a rather cruel fate, even by your standards.” Antefalken pointed out; Lilith just shrugged.
Lilith took another sip of brandy and continued, “So, what do you and your illustrious Master Damien intend to do about this horde of demons and the Rod of Tiernon?”
Antefalken shrugged, “there isn’t much we can do at the moment. Lenamare and Exador seem to have most of the cards. If Ramses is involved, then whomever he’s allied with does also. I just don’t know if it’s Exador, Lenamare or someone else, or if he’s really there. The Rod also insists there are at least two to three other archdemon’s running around.”
