on this one,” Daniel says from his chair situated between the other two. “We need to take care of the situation in a way that doesn’t turn Anna into a murderer in the eyes of the other cities.”
“ What did you guys find out?” I ask them as Malcolm and I go to sit with Jered on the sofa. I turn to Jered first and ask, “What’s happening in Alto?”
“ Baal has taken over Emperor Rafael Rossi’s body,” he tells me. “From what I gather, his wife, Bianca, suspects something is wrong with her husband.”
“ Why?” I ask. “How is he acting differently?”
“ Apparently, he’s been clamoring to share her bed,” Jered says with a small chuckle. “I guess the real Rafael didn’t appreciate what a beauty Bianca is while he was still alive, but Baal certainly does. From the information I was able to gather, he’s even gone to the extraordinary measures of trying to romance her.”
“ Baal’s romancing a human?” Malcolm asks, sounding certain Jered is talking about someone else. “I didn't think he could love anyone more than he does himself. Are there any ulterior motives on his part besides the obvious?”
“ Not that I can tell,” Jered says.
“ Well, at least mine doesn’t have a wife to be concerned about,” Brutus says. “Mammon has taken over Callum Ellis in Virga.”
“ I met him a few times at parties Auggie had,” I say, fondly remembering the young, handsome prince of Virga. “Why take over the son and not the emperor himself though?”
“ Probably because the emperor is so old,” Malcolm reasons. “Mammon's always had a healthy appetite for the ladies. If I were him, I would certainly rather be inside the body of a virile young man in his prime than an old man who could kick the bucket at any minute.”
“ I’m afraid my news won’t make you very happy, Anna,” Daniel warns. “Botis found his way to Cirro.”
“ Who is he now?”
“ The emperor.”
“ But I thought the emperor was on his death bed?”
“ With Botis in control, the Emperor of Cirro has made a miraculous recovery.”
“ And how does Empress Zhin feel about that?” I ask.
Daniel clears his throat as if he really doesn’t want to tell me the next part of his report.
“ The empress has been taken over by Belphagor.”
“ Great,” I say, massaging my temples with the fingers of my free hand because I suddenly feel a painful headache forming. “How am I supposed to kill the emperor and the empress of the same cloud city?”
“ I don’t know yet,” Daniel admits. “It does present something of a problem.”
“ Well, I have some good news and some bad news,” Malcolm tells me. “The emperor of Nimbo isn’t a Prince of Hell.”
“ Was that the good news or the bad news?” I ask.
“ The good news. The bad news is he’s still a powerful demon by the name of Agaliarept.”
“ And what about Stratus?” I ask, knowing Lucifer wouldn’t leave it unscathed by his plans. “Who did Lucifer plant there?”
“ Abaddon,” Brutus says in disgust. “He’s another one of Lucifer’s high ranking generals, like Botis and Agaliarept.”
“ I assume he’s taken Lorcan over?” I ask, knowing Brutus wouldn’t be so calm if this Abaddon had taken possession of Kyna.
Brutus nods, confirming my assumption.
“Honestly,” Malcolm says, “I doubt Abaddon will be any worse of a ruler than Lorcan was. In fact, it seems as though he’s treating the down-worlders of Stratus better than Lorcan ever dreamed of doing.”
Malcolm's statement brings to mind what Desmond told us the night before about Lorcan sending supplies to the down-worlders of Stratus. I guess that should have been our first clue that something might be going on with the leaders in the other cities.
“ I think he’s up to something,” Brutus says confidently, not willing to give Abaddon the benefit of the doubt. “He’s purposely trying to gain support from the down-worlders and the cloud city citizens. Abaddon
“ What did you guys find out?” I ask them as Malcolm and I go to sit with Jered on the sofa. I turn to Jered first and ask, “What’s happening in Alto?”
“ Baal has taken over Emperor Rafael Rossi’s body,” he tells me. “From what I gather, his wife, Bianca, suspects something is wrong with her husband.”
“ Why?” I ask. “How is he acting differently?”
“ Apparently, he’s been clamoring to share her bed,” Jered says with a small chuckle. “I guess the real Rafael didn’t appreciate what a beauty Bianca is while he was still alive, but Baal certainly does. From the information I was able to gather, he’s even gone to the extraordinary measures of trying to romance her.”
“ Baal’s romancing a human?” Malcolm asks, sounding certain Jered is talking about someone else. “I didn't think he could love anyone more than he does himself. Are there any ulterior motives on his part besides the obvious?”
“ Not that I can tell,” Jered says.
“ Well, at least mine doesn’t have a wife to be concerned about,” Brutus says. “Mammon has taken over Callum Ellis in Virga.”
“ I met him a few times at parties Auggie had,” I say, fondly remembering the young, handsome prince of Virga. “Why take over the son and not the emperor himself though?”
“ Probably because the emperor is so old,” Malcolm reasons. “Mammon's always had a healthy appetite for the ladies. If I were him, I would certainly rather be inside the body of a virile young man in his prime than an old man who could kick the bucket at any minute.”
“ I’m afraid my news won’t make you very happy, Anna,” Daniel warns. “Botis found his way to Cirro.”
“ Who is he now?”
“ The emperor.”
“ But I thought the emperor was on his death bed?”
“ With Botis in control, the Emperor of Cirro has made a miraculous recovery.”
“ And how does Empress Zhin feel about that?” I ask.
Daniel clears his throat as if he really doesn’t want to tell me the next part of his report.
“ The empress has been taken over by Belphagor.”
“ Great,” I say, massaging my temples with the fingers of my free hand because I suddenly feel a painful headache forming. “How am I supposed to kill the emperor and the empress of the same cloud city?”
“ I don’t know yet,” Daniel admits. “It does present something of a problem.”
“ Well, I have some good news and some bad news,” Malcolm tells me. “The emperor of Nimbo isn’t a Prince of Hell.”
“ Was that the good news or the bad news?” I ask.
“ The good news. The bad news is he’s still a powerful demon by the name of Agaliarept.”
“ And what about Stratus?” I ask, knowing Lucifer wouldn’t leave it unscathed by his plans. “Who did Lucifer plant there?”
“ Abaddon,” Brutus says in disgust. “He’s another one of Lucifer’s high ranking generals, like Botis and Agaliarept.”
“ I assume he’s taken Lorcan over?” I ask, knowing Brutus wouldn’t be so calm if this Abaddon had taken possession of Kyna.
Brutus nods, confirming my assumption.
“Honestly,” Malcolm says, “I doubt Abaddon will be any worse of a ruler than Lorcan was. In fact, it seems as though he’s treating the down-worlders of Stratus better than Lorcan ever dreamed of doing.”
Malcolm's statement brings to mind what Desmond told us the night before about Lorcan sending supplies to the down-worlders of Stratus. I guess that should have been our first clue that something might be going on with the leaders in the other cities.
“ I think he’s up to something,” Brutus says confidently, not willing to give Abaddon the benefit of the doubt. “He’s purposely trying to gain support from the down-worlders and the cloud city citizens. Abaddon
Similar Books
