Deumos lets go of the mirror and it falls, shattering into a million little pieces.
“Looks like we’re married. Mazel tov,” I say.
She squints and walks away from me.
“Don’t even joke about that.”
“Can you get your people together by tonight? I want to get this thing rolling.”
“I’ll need to start right away.”
“Brimborion will get you whatever you need.”
She looks at me when we get to the library doors.
“You agreed to the compact but don’t believe in oaths, do you?”
“No. People do what they’re going to do.”
“Yet you’re trusting me with your life.”
“Believe me, if there was any other way to do it, I would. But you’re smart enough to see an opportunity when it takes a dump on your lawn.”
“For a chance to have our own tabernacle I’d make a deal with the Devil himself.”
“You’re a regular Phyllis goddamn Diller.”
She doesn’t look at me but I can tell she’s pleased with herself.
Brimborion knocks a minute later.
I yell, “Hold on a minute,” and look at Deumos.
“You’re wrong. You know that? I don’t think you mean to sell snake oil but your church is a New Age wet dream. There’s no Hellion fairy godmother who’s going to overthrow big bad Daddy and fix this mess.”
When she smiles it’s like she feels sorry for me.
“How is it you’re so sure? Because you’re the great and powerful Lucifer?”
“Because I’ve had drinks with God. The real one. He’s broken into so many pieces He couldn’t lead a high school field trip. And trust me, lady, He doesn’t have a backup plan. We’re on our own.”
She pats me on the arm and angles around to get to the door.
“You let me worry about Hellion souls and you worry about your impending death. I have one more stipulation, by the way.”
“What?”
“I want to be there tonight. I can supply you with fighters and medical help but I want to be there so that whatever happens there are no misunderstandings between the two of us.”
“You got it.”
I open the door and she steps out into the hall.
“Is there anything else?” Brimborion asks.
“Take her back downstairs and get her anything she wants. And keep a low profile yourself. Things are going to get weird in a little while.”
“How weird?”