5. LUCI #2
“Alright,” I started. “But before I ‘state my case’, there’s something you need to understand. Whatever Gabriel has told you about the Underworld, as he insists on calling it, and about me, the one thing you can be sure of is that he’s skewed the truth to suit his own agenda.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt that. I also don’t doubt you’re about to do the exact same thing. So forgive me if I reserve the right to dismiss everything you tell me as total bullshit.”
I couldn’t help feeling a flash of pride at the way he was standing up to me, even if his attitude was going to make winning him over to my cause harder.
“It’s good that you’re sceptical,” I said. “In fact, I’d be disappointed if you weren’t. All I ask is that you keep an open mind and hear me out.” I’d hoped to disarm him by saying that, but all I got in return was silence and an impatient glance at his watch, so I ploughed on.
“It’s true that I’d like to be relieved of my gatekeeping duties. I could deny it, but what would be the point? You wouldn’t believe me if I did. And besides, why should I deny it? Three millennia is a long time to sacrifice yourself for the greater good, so it’s not unreasonable of me to want out.
“But what I’m about to tell you is… well, let’s just say if my brothers got wind of it, they’d be less than impressed.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they dragged me, and probably you too, straight back to my realm and sealed the gateway once and for all.
I need your word that what we speak of here won’t be repeated to any of them. ”
“So let me get this straight,” again I was unsure if he was amused or irritated, “you need my word that I won’t repeat to your brothers something that I have absolutely no wish to hear in the first place?
You’ve certainly got some nerve, I’ll give you that.
” He huffed a sigh when I didn’t answer him.
“Oh, what the fuck, alright, you have my word.”
“Thank you. I think it’s fair to say that my kin have evolved considerably over the last millennia or so.
And while my brothers remain adamant that our descendants are a danger to humanity and need to be contained, I disagree.
Quite strongly, in fact. Three thousand years of evolution have brought about some major changes for the better, but as none of my brothers have bothered to visit my realm for as long as I can remember, it’s not really any surprise that they think the way they do. ”
I paused to see if he had anything to say to that, but all I got was a grunt and ‘go on’.
“When I first became the Guardian of the Gateway the demons were undeniably a feral bunch. Now though, under my rule and with a firm but fair system of justice, we have developed a society that’s at least as civilised as the one that exists in the mortal realm.
In fact, most of my demons wouldn’t want to live in this realm if you paid them to.
It’s been well over three hundred years since anyone even tried to escape through the gate. ”
He frowned. “So are you saying that the gateway doesn’t need a guardian? If that’s the case, why are you here?”
“I’m here to ask for your help. I want you to come to my realm under the guise of being my heir and see what my people have become.
My brothers won’t take my word for it that things have changed, and they stubbornly refuse to come and see for themselves.
They think I’ll say anything to secure my own freedom.
And they’re probably worried that if one of them set foot in my realm I’d find a way to trap them there and make them take my place the way they were supposed to do.
“But it’s not just my own freedom I’m fighting for now.
While most of my demons are happy in my realm, there are those who long for more.
They want adventure, to be able to explore the mortal realm, maybe even to build lives for themselves here just like the other magical races have been able to.
If you – a sworn guardian of the mortal realm – tell my brothers that they’re no longer a risk, they’ll have to listen.
“I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity, not because I want you to take my place, but because I want to prove that you don’t need to.
Every century that has passed while we waited for the Prophecy to come to fruition, my realm has only become more stable.
I’ve given three thousand years of my existence to my people.
Is it really so much to ask that you come and see for yourself what I’ve achieved?
I’m asking this of you not just as my son and heir, but as a guardian. ”
“That was quite an impressive speech. But what makes you think that your brothers would listen to me when they won’t listen to you?
The brutal truth is that they’re probably very happy with the way things are.
Out of sight, out of mind. And in all honesty, even if I agreed to your request, and even if your brothers accepted that the gate is no longer needed, I can’t see the other guardians being willing to leave this realm unprotected from a horde of demons. ”
“Horde?” How rude. “That’s rather offensive when you haven’t even met them. I expected better manners from you if nothing else.”
“I’m sorry if you don’t like it,” he didn’t sound the least bit sorry, “but I’m not about to sugar coat anything to spare your feelings. My loyalty is to the mortal realm, not my absentee father.”
“Absentee?” The nerve of this whelp. “Did you miss the part where I’ve been locked away in another realm for the sole purpose of protecting your precious mortals since before you were even conceived?”
“No, and I didn’t miss the part where I was conceived to be your ticket to freedom either,” he shot back. Touché. Damned if I wasn’t starting to like the boy.
“If it helps,” I ventured, “I have the greatest respect for your mother. She’s quite a woman and she’s obviously done an excellent job of raising you. How is Sara?”
“If you’re going to ask me to play Cupid, don’t both— is that what she told you her name was? Sara?”
“Yes.” Ah, that had piqued his interest. “Curious that she picked a name that’s a variation of your own Kaderi’s don’t you think? The universe is just full of coincidences isn’t it? If you believe in them that is.”
“In this instance, I do choose to believe in them.” I watched in fascination as he ran his hands through his hair exactly the same way I did when I was frustrated.
“Now can you please just get to the point and tell me what it is you expect of me? Because I’m assuming you want more from me than a one-off health and safety assessment and a sitrep. ”
This was it. Make or break time. “I’ve already told you what I want. Come and get to know my realm. Get to know me and my people. Then help me to convince my brothers and the other guardians that we deserve a place among the other magical races.
“And if you agree to help me, you won’t need to give up your life in the mortal realm which, by the way, is exactly where this is heading under the terms of the Prophecy.
I’m offering you the chance to avoid that outcome.
Come and spend just one year with me in my realm. Find out what it’s really like there.”
“And what happens if I don’t agree that you’re ready to join the other magical races?”
“I’m confident that you will, because we are. But if you don’t, you have my word that when you’ve fulfilled your side of the bargain, you can return to your own life and forget any of this ever happened.”
“And the coronation?”
“On hold indefinitely. Do we have a deal?” I held out my hand for him to shake, fully expecting him to take it. Instead he had the audacity to laugh.
“Of course we don’t have a fucking deal.
What kind of idiot do you take me for? I’m not agreeing to anything until I’ve had a chance to consider it properly.
” He reached over and pressed a button on the intercom sitting on his desk.
“Val, I need you to pencil my current appointment in for a follow up same time next week. Yes, thirty minutes will be more than enough. Thank you.”
I bristled inwardly at the disrespect, but managed to keep a grip on my temper, instead giving him the urbane smile I usually saved for people I was about to destroy.
“Until next week then, son,” I said amiably. There’d be plenty of time to teach him some manners once I had him in my own realm.