Capricorn's Midnight Clock: The Zodiac Book 10, page 12
In a way, I was thrilled. In a way, I was sad. Life on the island was moving on without me. It needed to, but that didn't mitigate the sting.
"I promised something similar to the harpies, based on their specific needs, of course."
"After they help, I hope?" I said, not ashamed to nudge if required.
"Wait," Bilba held up his hands, shaking his head. "The harpies? Help with what?"
"With the Clock components. We had a little run-in with them that put us on the wrong end of negotiations. Thankfully, their queen took to Capricorn. We worked out a deal of sorts."
"A deal? With the harpies?"
"Yep."
Sagittarius leaned closer to Bilba. "Are these the same harpies I know? The ones who want the island back?"
"The same. Which is why this is strange." Bilba frowned at me. "There's a story I don't know about."
"It wasn't a big deal." I briefed him in fewer than three sentences.
"Not a big deal? You could have been injured, or they could have held you captive. You know how they can be."
"I'm okay, bud."
"It could have been worse. Next time you might not be."
"Anyway," I said, being all sorts of dramatic, "the harpies agreed to help us acquire the materials Michael's gathering for the Clock."
If I wanted to steer Bilba away from worrying about me too much—or reminding me I was so important I couldn't take a crap without someone watching over me—I'd succeeded.
"Really?" was all he could ask.
"Really."
"That's great. I mean, we're still going to talk about your safety. But that's good news. I'll incorporate it into our planning. I'll have to talk to Libra. If I can ever pull him away from Ralrek."
"They're doing important work." He could use the reminder. Only Ralrek could pull off the rescue of the Forgotten Ones from the two realms.
He looked at me like I were stupid. Maybe I was. Lucifer—I—knew I was already missing much.
Dialphio's voice carried across the camp as she directed new housing assignments.
"More structures already?" I asked Bilba.
He nodded to Capricorn. "Thanks to him."
"You? How do you have the time?"
Capricorn looked somewhat reticent. "For me, the work is simple. I really only provide guidance. Others do all the work. They're the ones who should be celebrated."
"This is awesome," I said, wearing a broad smile that helped cover the sad reality of my new living accommodations. Surrounded by strangers when I needed friends more than ever.
"Dialphio came up with the idea after listening to Capricorn. You know how she is. She got everyone working. Marijon is helping. They're talking about terraced housing, community gardens, even a school for the implings."
"A school? Seriously? I haven't been gone that long."
"That's on Marijon. From her experiences in her Circle," Sagittarius said. "She's amazing. She sees the world completely differently than I've ever known anyone to."
I nodded, feeling my gut sink as my new reality took a firmer hold. Bless it, I was missing this.
The comfortable rhythm of life on the island was interrupted by murmurs that grew as demons' attention was drawn to someone running up the trail from the beach. Multiple someones. The sound of feet moving hurriedly grew. More demons joining.
My hand went to Creed, which lay still against my hip. No buzzed warning.
Ralrek broke the trailhead first, followed closely by Libra. Both gleamed with sweat. No Forgotten Ones accompanied them.
I pushed out my Sensing, feeling nothing in return. No one nearby was tapping into their Abilities.
Ralrek skidded to a stop, whipping his head across the camp. Scanning for something specific. He stopped when he saw Bilba. He smiled when he saw me. Smacking Libra, they hurried over.
"What's up? You good?" I asked as he neared. My skin prickled with the excitement coming from him.
Bilba looked just as confused.
"Guys, you've got to see this," he said after swallowing like he hadn't seen a drink in days. "Both of you!"
"See what?" I asked.
He snagged Bilba's wrist. He started for mine and pulled back, a sudden recognition swiping across his face. This wasn't anxiety or fear. This was Ralrek excited. And Ralrek never got excited about anything. Ever.
"Come on!" He started away, pulling Bilba off-balance.
This wasn't a joke.
"What's he about?" I asked Libra.
He practically bounced on feet. "Trust me. This changes everything."
Ralrek was down the trail, Bilba in tow. I wasn't about to be left behind when I was here. No way. Libra tipped his head, encouraging me to follow.
"Everything about what?" Sagittarius called out.
Behind me, Libra said, "We found something!"
I closed on Ralrek and Bilba. Not hard, considering how fast I am and how slow the pair were. "About the Clock?"
"Better!" came Ralrek's response. As if he sensed my hesitation, he stopped and turned. "Zeke, honestly. I'm not wasting your time. This is important. Enough to shift power our way."
13
UNDERWORLD, THIRD CIRCLE
Still confused and definitely interested, I plunged into Ralrek's Gateway right on his heels. The fresh air of the Isle of Dread was replaced with the smell of rotting fish and desperation.
I put my hand to my nose. Not that it helped. "Ugh. Tell me again what's going on."
Ralrek scoffed. "How can I tell you 'again' if I haven't told you anything yet?"
"How about changing course then?"
"You might be the ruler of the Underworld, but you're going to wait like everyone else."
"Can we at least go somewhere that doesn't smell like an unturned compost bin?"
Ralrek led us through a maze of back streets. "Where we're going isn't exactly advertised in the tourist guides."
"Does anyone tour the Third?"
Bilba looked around nervously. "Are we safe, Ralrek? We're in Seraph's Circle."
Libra chuckled.
Ralrek's gaze lingered on him for a breath longer than it should have. He almost smiled. Then he looked at Bilba and his almost-smile vanished. "That's exactly why we wanted you guys to see it."
"See what?" I said in a tone that was totally not a whine but which might have sounded like whining if I were anyone but who I was.
"The underground scene," Libra said conspiratorially.
I thought I remembered one of my endless briefings mentioning that the Third Circle's underground was more literal than metaphorical. A network of tunnels connected converted basements housing to everything the surface world pretended didn't exist.
My response was adequately pointed. "Sounds less safe."
We followed Ralrek through increasingly narrow passages until we reached a heavy wooden door guarded by two demons who looked like they bench-pressed boulders of bedrock for fun.
My tall friend walked straight up to the pair, stopping so close he wouldn't have been able to scratch his nose without whacking one in the chest. "We're here for the show."
The guards looked us over. They spent most of their assessment time on me. I knew so little about why we were here that I didn't know if I should be pissed or pleased. It was the kind of professional appraisal that meant they'd seen enough trouble to recognize it on sight. The incubus with the thicker of thick arms stepped to Ralrek.
I slid my hand over Creed. For our being here for a show, things had gotten suddenly tense.
"Invitation only. Where's yours?"
Ralrek smiled. It wasn't a nice smile. "I think you'll find we're expected."
For a moment, I thought we were about to have our first diplomatic incident of my time as Lucifer. At least none of us were dumb enough to intervene. Ralrek had a plan; that much was obvious. Even Bilba seemed to resist the urge to play peacemaker, and that's saying something.
The second guard, an incubus with a neck that was wider than my waist, whispered something to his partner. They analyzed Ralrek carefully before turning in what looked like a coordinated bit of timing at me.
The first guard's eyes widened slightly. "Right. Of course. Go through."
Ralrek strode right past the pair. Bilba paused to say 'thank you,' but neither guard seemed to hear. They stiffened when I neared, their mutual gazes extending to the distance.
We passed through a black curtain. The azure light here was dim. A narrow hallway, forty feet long, led us to a door. A slim attendant pulled it open as we approached.
Ralrek stepped through first, Bilba and me close on his heels. We quietly stepped into an intimate theater. Sixty seats arranged in a semicircle around a small stage. No one noticed our entrance. The air was stale.
Bilba pressed to Ralrek. "What are we doing here?"
Our tall friend didn't answer. He followed an usher dressed to the nines, who led us to our seats in the far corner. Almost as if Ralrek had set this up.
He sat in the middle of our small group. "Something interesting."
When she sat, Sagittarius looked excited. Capricorn had gone still, his eyes fixed on the empty stage. It was as if he recognized this place.
The lights dimmed as the theater fell dark. A lone figure emerged from offstage. A slender form, only visible because of the wisps of the outfit they wore. Their strides hinted at a grace common to those in this line of work.
When the azure light warmed, keeping seated patrons in the dark while illuminating the stage, I looked upon a beauty. Long brown hair with red highlights fell in a curtain around her face. Hints of narrow eyes and full lips. Every movement she made was deliberate, yet beautiful.
"Citizens of the circle," she began, her voice carrying easily through the intimate theater. "Welcome to tonight's performance of 'The Burning Crown.'"
Bilba shifted in his seat. The audience already gave off the impression they were already hanging on this succubus's every word.
The actress floated to one side. "In an age, there lived a ruler promising prosperity for all. Encouraging everyone to trust her, she promised to lift each constituent from the drudgery of their lives. Those who had, would keep. Those who didn't, what have. 'Give me your loyalty, and I will give you security and fulfill all your needs,' she vowed."
The actress's movements became more animated, her hands flowing away from her body as she extended her arms gracefully. In the pauses, I didn't even hear a patron's foot scuff across the floor.
"But prosperity was a select gift," the actress continued. She turned our way, and I saw the full beauty of her face. Enhanced by stage makeup, I often found overkill, she was stunning. "Security was reserved for those who ask no questions. And loyalty…" She paused, letting the word hang in the air as she looked over her shoulder toward the audience. I could almost feel demons leaning forward. "Loyalty was measured not by devotion, but by how much one was willing to sacrifice."
I had to admit I was enthralled—and that's not something I typically am in a theater.
"The golden-haired monarch smiled," the actor said, her voice dropping to barely above a whisper.
Demons leaned forward.
"Such a beautiful smile. Such perfect teeth. And elegance. But such empty promises hidden behind aqua-blue eyes, reflecting nothing but the desires of the powerful."
I risked a glance away from the mesmerizing actress to Capricorn. His hands were clenched in his lap. The intense look on his face meant something. Was the message resonating? Did he know the actress?
Granted, this performance wasn't just storytelling. Like a lot of art, there was meaning in the message. Was this why Ralrek wanted us to witness the play? That didn't make sense. There had to be more. Something I was missing.
During a more robust sequence in the actress's soliloquy, Bilba leaned closer. I found myself doing the same, not wanting to miss a word.
"But she seemed… Different?"
"How so?" The actress moved across the stage, further away.
She was a wizard with words. The way she wrapped her criticism in a masterful way. Subtle, but pointed. Not something I could do. But I suspected Ralrek hadn't suddenly developed a taste for the theater. He was more of a car chase-no plot kind of incubus.
I concentrated on pushing out my Sensing. If this actress were using magic, I'd find out soon enough.
But my Senses came back with something disturbing. Something I'd never felt before. A feel of the roughness of Fire Ability and the slickness of Water. Entirely new. Like the wind, made solid.
"What is it?" Bilba asked when I stiffened.
"Not sure. I feel something. Just don't know what it is."
On the other side of Bilba, Sagittarius leaned forward. "Everything okay?"
"Her magic. She's not using it, but it's… There."
"What kind?" Bilba asked.
"That's the problem. I can't tell. No clear signal."
He sat straight, eyes wide. Interest dialed to maximum.
On the stage, the actress built to her climax. "The people learned that freedom was not a gift to be received, the responsibility to be claimed. That loyalty should flow upward only when it first flows downward. And that the most dangerous tyrants are those who convince you they are saving you from someone else."
That last phrase hung in the air with resounding weight. The theater exploded with thunderous applause. You wouldn't think sixty demons could make such noise.
The actress stared intensely at a spot toward the back of the audience. I'd been to a few theater shows and noted how actors and actresses were grateful for audience appreciation. This succubus, however, looked almost disappointed that she hadn't gained herself sixty converts in the last half an hour. She bowed, her hair falling forward to hide her face. A quick spin later, and she soon was swallowed by the backstage area.
We stood as the lighting slowly warmed, revealing the audience.
Ralrek scanned our reactions. "What did you think?"
I shrugged. "I still don't understand why you brought us. I mean, the play was fine and all, but we're busy. Don't think that'll change for the next few millennia. Not sure what you are trying to accomplish."
"We need to talk to her. I know you felt something beyond performance art. But I wanted you to see the show before we made our pitch."
Bilba cocked his head. "Pitch? What kind of pitch?"
Ralrek scanned the departing crowd. Only a few stragglers remained. "The kind that might get us killed if we're wrong about her."
Sagittarius exhaled. Capricorn moaned.
"Do you have any thoughts or feedback for us?" I asked the older incubus.
"No."
His curt response was an anomaly. Something to be wary of.
"Come on," Ralrek said and turned. "Let's go see what she says about my proposal."
Bilba looked at me. I looked at him. We both shrugged.
We made our way backstage. The curtained-off area was as large as the theater and its seating. Stagehands noticed our arrival, but parted as Ralrek bee-lined for the actress.
She was in the middle of removing her stage makeup with efficient movements that were as fluid as her intentional ones on the stage. Her gaze held us as if seeing a small group traipsed through the backstage area was commonplace. Maybe it was. When her eyes fell on me, she cycled through confusion, recognition, and terror.
She scrambled to her feet, knocking her chair over before bowing. This time, the gesture wasn't practiced like those after her performance. Rushed and awkward. "Lucifer. I… I wasn't informed you'd be in attendance."
"That's okay," I said, feeling as awkward about her making a big deal out of me as she probably did about me standing in her dressing room. "I didn't know I'd be here either."
"Your performance was brilliant," Sagittarius said.
The actress didn't seem to hear. She clasped her hands. "Please, I beg of you, don't punish the producers and stagehands. They had nothing to do with this. I'm the one who wrote it and, as you saw, the only one who acts in it. If someone must be punished. Let it be me."
She grew sterner throughout her diatribe. My presence had given her the impression that we were here to deliver consequences for the political play.
"If not to punish me," she asked, her forehead wrinkled, "then why are you here?"
Ralrek grunted. "We're here because we need your help. And I think you might need ours."
"I… I don't understand."
Her prior confidence had been wiped away by our surprise visit.
"A dangerous performance," Ralrek said. "It takes a unique personality to do something like that. Especially in such a public way. Everyone, this is Aquarius Sunchoe. Aquarius, you already know Ze—Lucifer." He gestured at each of us as we were named. "Bilba. Sagittarius. Capricorn. And I'm Ralrek."
Aquarius went through as many variations of reactions as she had when she realized who I was.
"Why do you do it?" I asked once introductions were out of the way.
Credit to Aquarius, she didn't cave or cower. "Everything worth saying is dangerous these days, it seems."
No one spoke. I think my friends wanted to respect me and allow me to lead the way the conversation went. Aquarius's comment could have been taken as inflammatory. Less secure rulers might have taken it as such. I still didn't know my head from my ass, so she was safe in that respect. Sagittarius and Capricorn didn't look interested in stepping into that minefield. Aquarius didn't look interested in backing off.
Candor, I respected. "You're not wrong."
"Something we are trying to fix," Ralrek said, jumping on the heels of my lead.
"Things are broken. Days are becoming dark and dangerous. Darker and more dangerous than ever before," Capricorn said, almost in a grandfatherly way.
Aquarius's eyes narrowed. "I know you. Don't I?"
Capricorn bowed his head. "You may have seen me. Second Circle. From the ministry."
Realization dawned on her face. "We performed there many times on our 'Echoes of Tomorrow' tour."
"A long time ago. Many things have changed since."
"And none for the better," she said bravely.
