The angel’s expression turns sardonic. “Gone native, have you? Alas, we both know that is a lie.”
“I see it will shock you to learn that I prefer different company,” Nariel murmurs.
Koshiel casts a speaking, haughty glance around the rest of us gathered here. “I suppose you fit them.”
The grand magus stiffens at that, knowing he has been included among the lower lifeforms Koshiel insults.
“But while you may rule your base domain of bottom feeders,” Koshiel says, “you will not expand into this world.”
So that’s the angels’ concern: Not what Nariel is doing in Dark Earth—they won’t believe he can do anything that matters there—but that through this world, he might reach Bright Earth by going the long way around the diamond, through this world and thence through High Earth.
Which puts Nariel in a difficult position, because he won’t want to make his fight mine, but he won’t want to abandon me to an angel.
So this time beforehespeaks, it’s my turn again.
Not dropping the titles, because while I’d love to snub her, it will be easier for her to back down later if I’ve still been polite. “Scepter Koshiel, if the Prince of Makora—“ Her face tightens at the use of Nariel’s title, but I plow onward ”—leaves this world without any trouble, will you also return to your world with the gifts you’ve granted my former colleagues from High Earth?”
The angel looks at me again, and this time her disdain leaks through. “I do not bargain.”
“With respect, the wand the grand magus carries did not appear spontaneously in his hand.”
Her eyes narrow. “A gift, in appreciation for the service of bringing news of Nariel’s treachery to me.”
Motherfucker brought in the angels to make sure I was all alone with no one to help me.
“Completelydifferent from a bargain, you understand,“ Nariel murmurs.
“Oh, indeed,” I say dryly.
The angel’s jaw hardens.
Unfortunate, but she’s done me the favor of clarifying where we all stand, and Nariel and I are clearly in accord.
If the angels are going to feed weapons to the mages who are trying to keep me down, there is nothing to be gained by deferring to them.
That said, I don’t want themactivelyworking against us, either, but Koshiel has provided me the perfect narrative.
“Scepter of Bright Earth, you understand that this world is in a new position,” I say. “There are unlimited opportunities to choose in what direction we will grow. But we cannot do that if our new our chance is snuffed out before it can begin. With this in mind, I hope you will also understand that if the angels ally themselves with those who would destroy us, I must make alternative arrangements to defend our newfound autonomy.”
Personally, I’d much rather say ‘fuck you, I’m with Nariel’, but I have a whole world full of people to protect. I can’t be that selfish.
Still, that’s as clear of a “last chance” as I’m going to give.
The angel says, “It would be unwise to tie your fate to one such as this, human.”
Huh, honestly more polite than I was expecting.
Still.
Evram finally speaks up and says, “They are two of a kind.”
The angel doesn’t even look at him. Ha!
Then Nariel purrs, “Such a compliment, grand magus, I may blush.”
Wow.Imay blush, but it’ll have to wait.
I tell Koshiel, “So long as High Earth is free to interfere here with the power of angels, Scepter of Bright Earth, I will not revoke the Prince of Makora’s welcome in Low Earth. He is free to operate as he pleases.”
