Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
He pounced.
Chapter Nine
Standing in the foyer of his Keep a few days later, Cain sighed at Azazel. “I won’t get her to change her mind, no matter what I say or do. She’s ten times more tenacious than I could ever be.”
Azazel chuckled. “I doubt that. From what I’ve seen, you’re both as stubborn as each other.”
Cain grunted. He hadn’t intended to complain to others about Wynter’s insistence on being part of the upcoming battle. But the other Ancient had sensed that something was bugging him, and Cain had found himself spilling out his concerns.
Azazel slapped his arm in commiseration. “I understand why you’d rather she wasn’t there, but she’ll be an asset.”
“That’s what she said,” Cain grumbled. His creature still agreed with her on that and fully supported her decision.
“And she’s right. There are more Aeons than there are Ancients. It won’t be easy for us to overpower them. Your consort will give us an edge. We need that.”
“We’ll have an edge.” Cain gave him a meaningful look, not wanting to say Abaddon’s name aloud. They hadn’t yet revealed to the residents as a whole that another Ancient lived here. There weren’t many people currently nearby and it didn’t seem as if any were attempting to eavesdrop on the conversation, but some creatures had more sensitive hearing than others.
“Only if we manage to do what we’ve so far successfully failed to do,” Azazel pointed out.
“If we don’t succeed, we’ll need to make some changes to our game plan.” In other words, they likely wouldn’t damage their prison without Abaddon’s aid and so they wouldn’t be able to storm Aeon. “Wynter doesn’t believe it will come to that.”
“Neither do I. And I stand by what I said before—she’ll be an asset.”
Cain frowned. “You couldn’t have just agreed with me so I could complain?”
Azazel’s mouth kicked up. “Nah, I’m not that good a friend.”
Just then, Maxim hurried through the Keep’s entrance and rushed over to them. “Sire, I have news from Inanna. A conduit is here from Aeon. She has shown him into the blue parlor at the manor. He says that Adam wishes to have a meeting with all seven Ancients.”
“I see,” said Cain, veiling his surprise. “Thank you. Let Inanna know that we’ll be there shortly, and have someone pass on the message to the other Ancients.”
“Yes, Sire.” With that, Maxim left.
Cain looked at Azazel. “We’ll take the quick way to the manor.” Most people weren’t aware of it, but the Ancients had other ways of arriving at the surface that didn’t involve using the communal elevator.
“What do you think Adam wants?” asked Azazel as they walked down the hallway, heading for Cain’s chamber.
“If he merely wished to speak to me, I’d say he wants to express his fury over Abel’s death,” replied Cain. “It could be that he’s hoping to strike some sort of deal.”
“And that he believes that the blizzard one of his people caused will spur us into agreeing?”
“Probably.”
The blizzard hadn’t left too much destruction in its wake. If the residents were frightened by the Aeons’ display of power, it hadn’t lasted long, judging by what Maxim had reported a few hours after the incident.
“Once people got over their shock and anger, they started having snowball fights, making snow angels, building skeletal snowmen, and sliding down the hills on makeshift sleds,” Maxim had told Cain. “They seem disappointed that the snow has already started to melt.”
Although Cain found himself oddly uneasy about bringing another Ancient into the chamber he shared with Wynter, he shook off the feeling and waved Azazel inside.
“Your consort has made many touches to the space,” Azazel noted as he spotted the witchy items lying around.
“She has,” said Cain. He always felt a flash of pleasure each time he noticed something new she’d brought from the cottage.
Reaching his tall mirror, he placed his hand on the glass, which swiftly turned to rippling black water. He stepped through the mirror and out of an identical one that was kept in a bedroom at the manor. Azazel joined him, and then they both made their way downstairs. They halted outside the door to the blue parlor to wait for the other Ancients. It wasn’t long before all seven were gathered together.
“I doubt I am the only one who suspects that Adam is about to make us some kind of offer,” said Ishtar, sounding particularly disinterested.
“That would be my guess,” said Inanna. “I find it odd that he does not wish to communicate his message through Cain.”
Dantalion nodded, rubbing at his bristly jaw. “Requesting to speak with all of us isn’t Adam’s usual style.”
“True,” agreed Cain, “but talking with me—or even with both me and Seth—never got him what he wanted. Perhaps he thinks he will have better luck with the rest of you.”
“Perhaps.” Lilith pursed her lips. “It could be that, in the event that you refuse to agree to his terms, he hopes the rest of us will propose a vote and overrule you.”