Chapter 4 Gabe
Gabe
“Harald, what do you think?” I held a gaudy, bright red shirt over my head that looked like it had been stripped right off a bullfighter with the amount of golden tassels covering the arms and collar. “Did Rufus send clothing to Malach like this?”
Harald dipped his head, but not before I saw the small grin. “No, Your Majesty.”
“Truly, he did not get the point last night that I won’t be dressed up and trotted out while he rules from behind the curtain.” I sighed and looked at the missives on the table.
One from Raven on behalf of Diana. One from Will. One from Rabia.
And, of course, nothing from Cleona, the Fae Queen.
She was going to be a problem. I chose to focus on the positives, though.
For the first time in a very long time, most all of the leaders of the various territories were working together.
Mind you, everyone’s lives were on the line, as well as the entire world.
They were certain that there was a key in each of the remaining kingdoms—Fallen, Angel, and Fae.
And—
A loud crunch from the other side of the room turned my head. Myrr sat at the table, a full spread laid out in front of her. But it was the nut, chocolate, and caramel bark that she bit through, one loud, opened-mouthed chew at a time.
She pointed a pepperoni stick at me. “What do you think of the letters? Any help there? You,” she pointed her pepperoni at Harald, “get me something bubbly to drink.”
“Bubbly?” He looked startled. “I…”
I waved him off. “Just go, Harald. She’s crazy, but she is the Oracle.”
He dipped his head and ran from the room.
Before the door could shut, Rufus pushed his way in.
He wore a long black and white robe, the pattern swirled so that as he moved it made my eyes water.
He didn’t stop moving, but paced in front of me, back and forth, his staff slamming into the ground with each step.
“Gabriel, you have a meeting in five minutes with Lord and Lady of the—”
“I have other meetings that take precedence, Rufus.” I lowered myself into the overstuffed leather chair, facing him. I really didn’t want to kill him if I didn’t have to.
His nostrils flared. “You do not know how this kingdom works—”
A flash of red and then there was a tomato stuck to the side of his face, the splatter going into his hair, down onto his collar and across the other side of his face.
My eyebrows shot up as I turned to Myrr.
She stood leaning across the table, another tomato in her hand, reloaded and ready to throw.
I had not spent much time with the Oracle, but in that moment, I would have made her my queen if she’d been any younger.
And not batshit crazy.
“Listen you pinch-faced noodlehead—” Myrr pointed her pepperoni at Rufus.
“Whatever magic you’ve got stuffed up that too-tight arse hole of yours doesn’t really matter, because you don’t wear a crown, do you?
And for some reason, you aren’t afraid of young Gabby here, like you should be.
This kingdom works how he says it works. Understood?”
The tomato slid off his face and plopped to the ground, splattering the bottom edge of his robe, spraying the white sections with fleck as if he’d exploded a package of ketchup by accident.
He spun and lifted his staff toward the Oracle, the tip of the staff lighting up, a curl of mist spinning out of it.
Toward her.
There was no time for hesitation. I flicked my hand toward Rufus, calling the metal around me, bending it to my will until every sword in the room, every sharp implement rose and shot toward Rufus, stopping just short of pin-cushioning him.
And I held them there while I stood and walked toward the mage. “I think we need to have a better understanding, Rufus. First, if I have a guest, you will treat them as you would treat royalty. Even one who throws tomatoes at you.”
Rufus barely moved his pale lips as he ground out a reply. “I-I see.”
“Second. If you insist on trying me every day, dressing me in garbage like this,” I picked the ridiculous shirt up by one finger, fighting the ache in my back.
Expending my magic like this for two days in a row was not smart, but I had to make an impression.
“Then I am not sure I will be able to maintain the kind of control,” I breathed out and the weapons all pressed into Rufus enough that every tip pierced skin, “that I have now.”
Harald took that moment to hurry back into the room. “I found some bubbly cans, Lady Oracle, I—oh shit.”
Even better.
“Rufus.” I smiled. “Do you understand your position better now? Are we…clear? I’d really hoped to not have to hammer it home, if you will. But here we are.” I dropped the gaudy shirt, locking eyes with the mage.
He stared at me, and I was surprised by what I saw there. Not anger.
Satisfaction.
“Excellent. I was concerned that you cared not. That you only returned because you were obligated by blood, but it appears I was wrong.” Rufus shrugged and then frowned. “Remove the weapons, if you please young sire. I am in your service. I had to be sure there was some strength in you.”
I brought my hands together then swept them apart. The weapons all flipped away from Rufus. It had been too easy, and I did not doubt that he was playing a longer game than I could see at the moment.
“Oh, is that Sprite?” Myrr took the drinks from Harald. “I love this, my third favorite bubbly drink!”
Rufus tapped his staff, softer this time, and his robe expelled the tomato, as did his face, and every pin prick from the weapons that I could see, disappeared.
“Call on me, if you have need, Your Majesty.” He did a slow sweeping bow.
Proper even. “I look forward to seeing you carve this new path you have chosen for the Fallen.” He straightened and then paused for a long moment.
“One thing I wanted to mention, Your Majesty. Izekiel and his wife were notably absent from the coronation ball. He…claimed to be unwell, but I’ve heard whispers. ”
Izekiel.
It took a second, but then it came to me. His father Ramses had been the head of the second most powerful family in Seventhell.
“And what of his father?”
“Dead, more’s the pity. His son has a taste for power, and rumor has it that he feels now is the time to make a move. It might be in your best interest to schedule a meeting with him and see if this can be…nipped in the bud, so to speak.”
Without waiting for my reply, he spun on the spot, and fucking disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Harald let out a low whistle. “Amazing! Wait till I tell Jeff what you just did! Oh I…I’m sorry Your Majesty, I-I won’t say a word.”
Before I could speak, Myrr did.
“You should tell everyone,” she said, slurped her drink and continued, “and make sure the number of weapons that Gabby pulled on Doofus is accurately large.”
Harald looked at me, bowed. “Your Majesty?”
I sighed. I knew this game. Harald would spread the word of my skill set, of my strength and it would put the right amount of fear into the hearts of my subjects.
“She’s the soothsayer. Do as she says.”
Sliding the missives into a single envelope, I tucked them under my shirt. There was no one I trusted here, and if Lilis had eyes in this kingdom, my kingdom, I needed to keep what I was doing as close to the chest as I could.
“Myrr, I do have other meetings. Think you can refrain from throwing vegetables at anyone while I’m gone?”
She huffed and settled herself deeper into her chair. “Fruit. Tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable. So, no more fruit, fine.”
I grabbed my sword and strapped it to my hip, despite knowing that it was unlikely I’d be attacked this deep in the kingdom.
The deeper into the earth you found yourself, the stronger the Fallen, and I couldn’t take a chance.
Not with Malach’s death so fresh in people’s minds.
And not after what Rufus had just shared.
I let out a low grunt. Interesting that he hadn’t mentioned Izekiel before now.
My guess was that he hadn’t decided whether he was for or against me until just this moment, when I’d shown strength.
I’d do well to remember this moment. And also remember that, unless a binding pact was made, no one here in Seventhell could be trusted, demon or mage.
There were many knives sharpened and at the ready for the moment I turned my back.
I palmed the hilt of my sword with a grim smile. Let them come.
But until then, I’d play the political games if it gave me some peace and a chance to find the key.
It wouldn’t matter if my kingdom rose or fell, if the world was destroyed.
On that note, I needed to conclude some business on the third level where there had been some dissent.
Eventually, I’d have to travel to all the layers, even those closer to the surface.
They needed to see their king to give them hope.
Most of the land above that belonged to the Fallen, it was a fucking desert.
With the exception of the main port, we left the rest to those who wished to try and survive it.
In other words, the poorest of the poor, those who could not afford a home out of the sun’s rays.
Assuming the sun was even shining anymore.
Raven’s letter had been a stark reminder of just how dire this mission was, that I had to move as fast as I could.
Gabe,
Apologies. Shortly after you left, Myrr insisted she needed to follow you, and she does as she wishes, as we all know. The weather continues to hold after the last blow to Lilis, but we are unsure how long this will last. Maybe a week. Less, more, we have no idea.
We have asked Rabia and Cleona to continue the search.
Cleona claims she will, but we’ve seen little evidence of that.
Will plans to handle her. Myrr still seems certain that there is one key in each Territory.
Diana and I have gone to the Angels to help Rabia search.
We should be there by the time this letter reaches you.
Good luck old friend, I know how much you must love dressing up and playing royalty. Savor it. Because there is a good chance this really is the end of the world. So, while you’re at it, enjoy the food, the wine, and the women. Because we could all be dead tomorrow.
Raven
His letter had been light on details, of course, but as he was my friend, the meaning behind his words hit their mark. Enjoy what I could, do what I could to stop what was coming, but we could all be dead soon.
The elevator waiting to take me to the upper levels was an import from the wolves and their love of tech. Of course, Rufus had made some amendments, blending tech and magic to improve on the design, to make it quieter, safer for the king.
That did not, in fact, make me feel safer stepping into the metal box.
Through the lavish etched and carved designs in the walls, I could see out of every side, but none could see in. At least that was the idea behind it, according to Jeff when he’d ridden down with me.
I moved to press the button for the third level, and paused with a finger hovering over level zero, the Human Realm, as a wave of homesickness rolled over me—for the place I’d made my home, as far from here as I could get, and now…I was back.
“Like a fucking nightmare,” I muttered and pressed the button. The doors slid shut silently, as quiet as the motor that even I couldn’t hear.
A cold shiver caught at the back of my neck as I rose through the levels.
Eyes watched me from every direction, watched and many would hope I would fail.
Or fall.
My jaw ticked and I fought not to think about the difficulty I’d had sleeping since I’d returned. The torture I’d survived before I’d escaped so many years ago…
By the time the metal box opened, I nearly bolted out of it, sweat trickling down my face.
But I made myself walk slower, as if my heart wasn’t a jackhammer in my chest.
To take my mind off the past, I took in the space around me.
The third level was a sprawling city that rose up on cliffs to the left and right, a castle on each side and a town spilling out of the cliffs in tiered levels.
The river split and flowed down either side of the third level, merging before it dropped into the second.
The lower tiers of the third level were clean and looked to be almost all lower caste lords and wealthy merchants. Servants scurried this way and that. Most had no idea who I was, so they bowed but not overly much as I made my way along to the castle on the top right, where Luc had taken residence.
A flash of gold to my right and I froze, thinking of the Dove from the night before.
Innia. Of all the Doves, she’d drawn me in like no other, which was exactly why I’d avoided her. Just a glimpse of her bare shoulders had gotten my mouth watering and my cock rumbling, a reminder that it been a rather long dry spell.
Savor it. Perhaps I should be savoring her…
What in the hell had she been up to when she’d caught me staring?
Not nothing, that was for sure. She’d nearly jumped out of her skin when I caught her eye.
Whatever the case, she was a perceptive one to be sure. Something told me she was trouble, and not just for the strain in my britches.
I couldn’t help but wonder if she’d gone home with one of the other Lords the night before.
My jaw tightened and I continued my climb.
By the time I reached the main doors, I was sweating and cursing my old friend for his choice in residence.