The Heavenly Host

Bess simply stared at him.

Exador frowned and said, “You mean like a warlock?”

Ramses shrugged. “It might explain how Lenamare has been able to give you such a difficult time. We’ve often remarked on how unusually gifted the man is for a human.”

“So, you think he’s had help?” Bess nodded at the idea.

“It is a possibility. Isn’t it?” Ramses asked.

Exador was silent, thinking about it. “I suppose it’s possible. We just know so little about this demon. As we have discussed, he is clearly not newly bound as we had thought, nor is he simply a greater demon. He is at least an archdemon, if not a prince. Although how he could have remained hidden all this time is very odd.”

“Really?” Bess asked. “How long have you known me?”

“She has a point,” Ramses said around another giant piece of steak.

Bess shook her head. “The Abyss is huge; infinite, in fact. After I had my falling out with Orcus, I took my minions and we headed to the far side of the Abyss for six thousand years or so. I’m still rather pissed that none of my contacts bothered to tell me he’d been offed four thousand years ago and that I could have come back sooner.”

“What was it you did again that got you on his wrong side?” Ramses asked as he took another drink of blood wine.

Bess shrugged. “I messed with his wand.”

The other two archdemons started laughing. “Ahh, so you had an affair that ended badly.”

Bess threw her napkin on the table. “Not that wand, you lecherous old perverts.” She shook her head in disgust, although she was obviously not that mad. “His magic wand — you know, the legendary Wand of Orcus.’”

Exador swallowed a bit hard and asked, “Whatever happened to that?”

Ramses shrugged. “I assume that Tiernon’s people took it. I had not yet arrived at that point. Never met the man. I only know what they say in the Balladae Orcusae.” He paused for a moment, a puzzled frown coming over his face. “Of course! I knew I’d heard that bard’s name somewhere.”

Bess looked at him, puzzled. “You mean the one in the demon’s entourage that provides the link to Lilith?”

Ramses nodded. “Exactly. It had a familiar ring to it, and that is why. He has played before the Triumvirate and their guests on a number of occasions. The only time I’ve heard the entire Baladae Orcusae was from him.” Ramses closed his eyes and rolled his head. “Concordenax, did that thing go on and on. The Triumvirate insisted on having the entire ballad played. I think they like savoring their former compatriot’s defeat.”

Exador shrugged. “I am sure Mephistopheles does. If Orcus hadn’t bit the dust, he wouldn’t be in the Triumvirate today.”

“Well, apparently those Etonians have some use.” Bess shook her head. Her dislike of the Etonians was not unknown to Exador or Ramses. It was something of a hobby of hers, apparently.

“Would an avatar of Tiernon even be able to pick up the wand?” Exador asked hypothetically as he took another bite of steak.

Bess grimaced. “I’m sure, if he or she were properly shielded. Look what Lenamare’s demon did with that artifact the Paladin had.”

Exador shook his head. “He’s not a paladin, he is a Knight Rampant. If you call him a Paladin, which is a lower rank, he will get rather peeved. They all do. You don’t get to be a Knight Rampant without having hubris issues.”

Exador shook his head, smiling. “It is so nice to see weakness in such otherwise insufferable people.”

Bess rolled her eyes; Ramses noticed and smirked in agreement. Exador was not one to talk about being insufferable. Although to be fair, none of them were.

∼

Jenn watched Maelen and Elrose dancing with various denizens of the Grove around the large bonfire. Everyone was more than a little tipsy, including Jenn. Ugh, Jenn groaned to herself, she was so incredibly stuffed. She had no idea how those two could move, let alone dance. Furthermore, the world was spinning around her. Gastropé was reclining drunkenly in the embrace of two large-breasted nymphs, barely able to move himself.

Jenn was feeling so incredibly good and relaxed at the moment, she didn’t even mind Gastropé’s lascivious behavior. This afternoon, when he had gone off bathing with a bunch of nymphs and dryads, she had been quite peeved for some reason. She was not exactly sure why now, but she had been. She herself had turned down multiple invitations for carnal relations. She had to admit, now in her current state, that that might have been a mistake, but what was the point of staying chaste for that special someone, if you gave it up at the first real opportunity?

Oh, and what an opportunity. She glanced over to see the aetós sitting around in a group with various nymphs and dryads on their laps. She would not mind being the nymph on Danfaêr’s lap. Snuggled in his strong arms, his rock-hard chest pressed against her back, his rigid — Jenn shook her head, trying to clear it of such thoughts.