Episode Twenty-Three: Politics: Scene 21

Father Will’s church had the same feeling as it always did. Peaceful but never, to me, quite welcoming.

Rivalry. No sign of any angels, at least. Only Father Will, crouched behind the altar.

“Problem?”

He jumped so much he nearly got tangled in the cloth. “Mouse problem.”

“Maybe you need a church cat.”

“Maybe,” he mused. “But knowing my luck, if I got one, she’d be more interested in doing the rounds of everyone’s laps during services than actually killing mice.”

“She only has to get the mice to go somewhere else. Thruor filled you in, right?”

“Powerful succubus.”

“She got outed at a party. Killed a fairly powerful witch, summoned a small hoard of imps. I’m reading her as at Tyz’vel’s level.”

“In power or in rank?”

“There’s a difference.”

“Tyz’vel was…is…a prince.”

“He’s not a prince any more. I believe he got demoted.”

“Right. If this one is a prince, then we have a problem. If she isn’t, then she won’t be able to command as much of the power of Hell.”

“You up for attempting an exorcism? I suppose we can try and get her name the same way we got Tyz’vel’s.”

Will nods. “I’m already looking. Do you have a demon magnet?”

“Nah. This one has nothing to do with me. She’s collecting Senators.”

“Thruor mentioned.” Will sighed. “So, nothing to do with you other than you being in the middle of things as always.”

For a moment I thought that was unfair, then I pushed it to one side. “I put myself there. Better I get roughed up than most people.”

He paused, then he grinned. “Good point. But you do attract trouble.”

“And you don’t?” I challenged.

“Point. I’ll see what I can do about finding her name. Failing that, if she’s not a prince, there are other ways of dealing with her.”

“And if I see her again I’ll send her back the hard way and hope it at least slows her down.” With that grim promise, I glanced at the altar again. “Cat.”

He grinned. “I’ll get one.” Beat. “And it’ll probably like you.”

“Freya’s the one who does cats.”

Another grin and he went back to inspecting the altar. I left in better spirits.

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