“I know you never met him, but what did you hear about Lucifer?”
“Are you asking if I think he’s reasonable and won’t have us killed for walking up and knocking on his front door?”
Kensington lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. “I mean, yeah?”
“That’s madness!” Tremblay objected.
The urco growled at him, and Tremblay flinched back. Zach gave him a pat on the head but refrained from praising him for it, as he considered Kensington’s suggestion. “Maybe not.”
“You can’t be serious!” Tremblay looked between Zach and the Grand Master. “That would be suicide!”
“The chances of us being caught if we try to sneak in are high,” Zach told him. “Then we’d have to deal with an angry Lucifer. If we approach the gates and ask nicely to speak to him, he may be more willing to listen to us.”
“What would we even say?” Tremblay demanded.
It was Zach’s turn to shrug. “The truth?”
“I believe it will be our best bet,” Kensington said. “This is voluntary, Marcus. If you don’t wish to accompany us, you are welcome to remain here, and we can collect you on the way out.”
“You could always stay with the urco,” Zach suggested, a little meanly.
“And be eaten before you return? No, thank you!”
Zach shrugged. “We can take him with us, and you can remain behind alone, then.”
“And if you’re killed on the spot?” Tremblay hissed. “What will become of me then? I don’t have the power to return to Earth by myself. I’ll be trapped in Hell forever!”
There wasn’t even a molecule in Zach that felt sorry for Tremblay, and he knew Kensington felt the same. He’d bullied his way into coming with them, and now that things weren’t going smoothly, he was complaining about being here. He would never take responsibility for his own actions, preferring to blame and guilt others.
Somehow, Cavendish was still a good enough person to have some compassion. “Marcus, that’s why you need to come with us. We’re stronger when we stick together. If something goes wrong, I’m sure between the four of us, plus the hound, we’ll be able to escape.”
“So, my choices are to die immediately by going with you or to die slowly when I’m stuck here and at the mercy of demons?”
Zach rolled his eyes and forced himself not to quote Suzie Izzard’s “cake or death” skit. He had a feeling Tremblay wouldn’t see the humour in it, and the scene he’d make might draw attention to them.
Kensington was out of patience. “You can either come with us or stay here, Marcus. Those are your options. The day isn’t getting any younger, so let’s go.”
They crawled back down the hill, and Zach brushed the dust off his clothes. Cavendish fixed his hair, and Kensington straightened his robes, making themselves somewhat presentable. Tremblay hesitated, weighing up his options, but when Kensington gestured for them to move out, he scurried after them, not wanting to be left behind.
There was a well-worn road beaten into the red dirt that led to the palace gates. They intersected it, then turned and started towards the grounds. Zach saw the exact moment their presence was noted, and a flurry of movement erupted as guards jumped to attention and took up positions. He had to wonder how much of the haste was due to them or the hulking hellhound at his side.
When they were finally close enough, one of the demons standing guard outside the gates called to them. “State your business.”
They stopped, and Kensington stepped forward as their representative. “My name is Grand Master Bartholemew Kensington of the Nightingale Collective of Earth. I have reason to believe my protégé has been taken into the custody of your prince, and I wish to negotiate his release.”
“And how do you explain the urco?” the guard demanded. “How can I take your word in good faith if you have a deadly beast with you?”
“It’s a pet,” Zach told them.
The guard scoffed. “No one has ever tamed an urco!”
Zach dropped to his knees and ruffled the coarse fur on the urco’s shoulders. “Who’s a good boy?” he asked, imitating the cutesy voice Drew used with animals. “Are you a good boy? Yes you are!”
The urco whuffed happily and placed its massive paws on Zach’s shoulders, before licking all over his face. Then he dropped to the ground and showed his belly, waiting for Zach to give it a rub.
“Huh,” the demon said, stunned. “Um. A moment, please.” Then they turned and spoke to another demon beyond the gates. Several minutes passed before the guard got a signal, and he turned back to them. “You have been granted an audience. Come with me.”
The fact that they weren’t even questioned about weapons or searched and could bring the urco with them was a warning in itself. Lucifer’s guards were not at all concerned about their ability to crush these visitors if the need arose. Zach had to admit, psychologically, it was very effective. He just had to hope it wouldn’t come down to a fight to see who would come out victorious.
