Chapter 41 #2
She inhaled thoughtfully and glanced at Magnus. “I’m happy to look over any proposals, but as the only one currently tending our forge, my time and energy is limited, as are the resources needed for that kind of weapon.”
“Fully understood. We’ll gratefully accept whatever you can provide, and I’m happy to negotiate for materials in the contracts.”
Imogen nodded. “Alright. I can agree to look over your proposition.”
“Fantastic. Rune, I’ll be sending an official requisition over shortly for approval.”
“Make sure it’s form 17-WR, not 14,” she grumbled. “Fourteen is exclusive to punishment tools.”
“I will.”
The squatty demon just slowly blinked back, clearly not believing she’d be getting the right one. The red demon next to her, Meg, just smiled.
“I’m happy to report that the paperwork has been put through for amendments in the accord agreements between the planes.
” He looked up, making solid eye contact with everyone.
“I personally am very grateful to be forming such a friendly alliance with you all, and I look forward to working with you. Rune? Any estimates as to when we can expect that to be approved?”
“My apprentice and I are working to clean up old documentation to be sure we have every loophole examined. We don’t have an archivist currently, so we have to go through it by ourselves. It’s a big project to tackle.”
“Aren’t they all,” I sighed, not meaning to speak aloud. Meg nodded enthusiastically and my mother gave me a wink, noticing my discomfort at having drawn attention to myself.
“Where is our archivist?” Keplar asked, lowering the paperwork he’d picked up to examine.
“Retired. Meg is training but can’t yet do it by herself. She came from the scheduling desk and I’m trying to make sure she doesn’t quit on me.”
“I wouldn’t do that, Rune.” Meg looked at the little demon with affection.
“Wait, so what’s happening to all the stuff I’m bringing down?” Seir asked, sneaking a look at Tap and then me. “Merry worked through the familiars contracts, and now she’s working on deals.” He gestured to me.
“They’re going to storage for now.”
Tap’s eye twitched, just a tiny tic, but I noticed. I inhaled through my nose, forcing myself to be brave.
“Maybe between us we can work out a better way so that it’s not so cumbersome on either side?” I suggested. “There seems to be a lot of doubled or pointless paperwork.”
The studious little demon looked at me over the top of her glasses. “Meg?”
“Yes please!” The relief in her face was palpable.
“There’s so much right now. And most of it just needless filing that will never be looked at ever again.
” Her words confirmed my suspicions and also made Tap twitch.
I had a feeling that a conversation about simply asking a question was in my future.
Rune grunted and looked at my parents. “She’s yours?”
“Indeed,” my father said proudly.
“You’re an archivist?”
“Yes ma’am, and she accompanied me as often as possible. I wanted her as my own apprentice, but that wasn’t meant to be.”
“Who was your mother?” she asked my mom.
“Toreen,” Mom said with a fond smile.
“I thought so. She did a tour with my mentor the same time I was coming up.” She gave a solemn nod and looked back to me. “You’d be welcome to the position, if you’re interested. We can work out the fine points in a contract.”
Seir leaned forward and looked at me with excitement, and Tap squeezed my fingers encouragingly.
“Okay.”
Meg clapped her hands. “I’m so happy! Thank you, Phin, I’m excited to talk with you.”
“Perfect. Next order of business …” Keplar spoke about a few more things, most to do with the new distribution of management for the portals and other agreements between demons, angels, mages, and stone kin, but I couldn’t hear a word. Blood rushed in my ears as I processed what had just happened.
“Thank you all for coming,” Keplar said finally. “We’ll set something up in a few weeks to check in.” Goodbyes were said, and he tapped the orb, closing all the windows of light. “Good to meet you,” he said, raising his hand to Tap and I. “Seir, come see me tomorrow, yes?”
“Yes sir.”
“Good. I’m off to fill out Rune’s forms.” He sighed and wasted no time leaving and we were not far behind him.
“Come on, I’ll take you to Rune,” Seir said. “Meg’s really nice, you’ll like working with her.”
“Am I accepting?” I said, heart pounding out of nervousness.
“Why wouldn’t you?” Tap asked. “It sounds perfect for you.”
“Don’t I already have a job?”
He smiled and kissed my forehead. “No, beloved. You have a project. One that will wait until you streamline everything that’s wrong with the rest of the system. Everything I should have questioned this entire time.” He smiled. “A wise woman once suggested it might have been simpler if I had.”
I just chuckled, pleased I didn’t have to be the one to mention it.
“Storage, she said. I’ve brought down so. Many. Crates.” Seir groaned. “They could have told me!”
As we turned the third corner in the labyrinthine halls, both Tap and Seir stopped, staring at another man who was walking toward us. Part of Seir’s cookie even fell out of his mouth, landing on the floor in a pile of crumbs.
“I’ll be double damned,” Tap swore.
“Triple for me,” Seir muttered.
The man was built larger than either Tap or Seir and wore leather armor that covered his shoulders and torso as well as wrist bracers.
He carried two large swords, both slung across his back in a scabbard that had seen better days.
The sides of his head were shaved almost to the skin up to the tops of his ears, but the rest of his dark-blond hair was long and wound up in a messy knot atop his head.
There were at least as many rings in his ears as in Tap’s, and small letter tattoos ran in a thin line down the side of his neck.
“What in Hell’s pits are you doing here?” Seir chuckled as he threw his arms around the newcomer, their hands thumping along one another’s shoulders heavily. “It’s been an age, brother.”
“Only since Rylan’s wedding, but I agree, it’s always too long between visits. Though I’m nearly done with my contract, finally, so perhaps that will change.” He turned to Tap. “I didn’t know you ever left the crossroads. You’re as tied to that place as I’m beholden to the training grounds.”
“Things change, Ipos.” Tap smiled, and the pair embraced.
“And thank the Fates they do.”
“Cookie?” Seir offered the nearly empty plate.
“Don’t mind if I do,” he said, eyes closing as he savored the first bite.
“Hellfire. There’s very little flavor in anything served at the grounds.
These are fantastic.” The two battled for the last cookies on the plate, but in the end Seir lost. Though it might have been fairer to say the cookies lost, as they were little more than a pile of dust by the end.
Ipos didn’t seem to mind, though, he just dumped the contents of the plate into his mouth. “My compliments.”
“I can’t take credit; Phin made them.”
Ipos turned his eyes to me as Tap threaded his fingers through mine and squeezed. His dark eyebrows raised, golden gaze curious. “I assume that’s you?”
“Yes, hello. I’m glad you like them.”
“Beloved, this is our brother, Ipos. Ipos, this is my mate, Phin. ”
“Pleasure to meet you, Phin.” He stepped forward to shake my hand. I was surprised to find that his grip was gentle despite how thoroughly his hand enveloped mine.
“And you.”
Ipos laughed. “Even Tap’s found himself a mate? And one from the celestial plane, unless I’m mistaken?” He looked at me, eyebrows raised.
“Nephilim,” I corrected him. “My father is an angel, but I’m demon on my mother’s side.”
“She’s bonded to a hound,” Tap added proudly, making me blush. “Ramsey.”
“Truly? Well, I’m already impressed. Chosen by a hound and you can tolerate him?” He smirked and tilted his head. “You’re clearly either mad or brilliant.”
“Perhaps both,” I said quietly, which only made him throw back his head and laugh.
“What are you doing here?” Seir asked.
“Picking up my exit documents. I’ve only got a few weeks left at the grounds, and then …” He shrugged. “My contract is up. I’m not sure I want to retire altogether, but I’m not taking another assignment for a while.”
“Reach out when you’re done! There are lots of places for you to stay earth-side if you don’t want to bunk here.” Seir shifted on the balls of his feet like he was anxious to sweep his brother up to the glade.
Ipos grinned, and his own extra sets of sharp canines were revealed.
Unlike Seir, he had them on the bottom as well.
“Will do. It would be nice to see everyone for longer than an afternoon party.” Ipos sighed and glanced over his shoulder.
“I should be going, Raxos still holds my leash. For now.” His mouth flattened.
The brothers embraced again, and he lifted a hand to me. “Very pleased to meet you Phin.”
“You too.”
“See you soon,” he promised before disappearing down the hall.
Seir sighed. “I worry about him.”
Tap chuckled and laced his fingers through mine again, then kissed the top of my hand. “You worry about all of us.”
He nodded. “I do.”
“Come on, Feather, let’s go find this administration office so you can get your paperwork.”
Seir led the way, explaining how he was only too familiar with Rune’s office from his time awaiting release back to Earth when he and Hailon had been separated.
“Always paperwork,” I teased.
“But now there’ll be less.” He squeezed my hand. “Thanks to you.”
As we maneuvered the halls, getting several wide-eyed stares as we passed other demons, I couldn’t help but wonder what other changes were coming. A Nephilim was being hired as the new archivist, and the stone kin had been contracted to supply the armory for Hell’s legions.
It was a whole new world, and I, for the first time in ages, wasn’t afraid to be an active part in it.