Evenstar (73 page)

Andy, Belial, Furcas, and Paimon stood off to the side near the King and Queen.
 
Behind them, the Grand Promenade was covered in Lilliam, princes and their partners first, and the rest of their generation divided by family line.
 

Lucifer and Dahlia stood in front of Nodin and Tracy.
 
Dahlia’s dress was more or less in one piece, though it was shorter than it was originally.
 
Her feet were bare.
 
Lucifer was bruised and cut up.
 
He still had glass in his hair.
 

Everyone in the wedding party kept their wounds unhealed for show.
 
The Lilliam loved a spectacle.
 
Lucifer joined the hands of Nodin and Tracy.
 
He smiled.
 
“You have my blessing, and if it is your wish then you are joined in marriage.”

The pair looked at each other.
 
“It is.”

Lucifer nodded his head.
 
“Then you are married.”

Dahlia put her hand on Lucifer’s.
 
She looked at the pair.
 
“May you continue to have healthy babies, lots of them and if you want, new types of Lilliam!”

The pair shimmered and Dahlia pulled her hand back.
 
Tracy grew a second set of horns.
 
Nodin’s eyes shifted from amber to orange.
 

Lucifer looked at Dahlia with a smirk on his face.
 
“At least you added the caveat ‘if they want.’”

Dahlia blushed and whispered, “What did I do?”

“I think we shall see with their next round of children.”
 
Lucifer let go of their hands and the pair turned to face the rest of the Lilliam.
 
Nodin kissed Tracy and the Promenade erupted into applause.
 

Fireworks went off over their heads.
 
Paimon grinned as the bombs he’d rigged earlier exploded in the air, no doubt sending minor shockwaves through the rock to the surface of the planet.
 

Food laden tables materialized on the Promenade.
 
Lilliam volunteers served as wait staff and passed out drinks.
 
The party spilled off the Promenade into the City.
 
Streamers and decorations hung between houses.
 
The Lilliam needed a celebration after the trials they had suffered the last week.
 

A table had been reserved near the palace for the Fallen and their dates.
 
Lucifer escorted Dahlia over.
 
The pair eyed each other and walked stiffly.
 

Dahlia spoke out the side of her mouth, “I cannot believe you
broke
my
legs
.”

“You broke my arms and my neck.
 
You should have come when I asked.”

“I never come when asked.”
 

Lucifer snickered.
 

Dahlia elbowed him.
 
“Stop thinking dirty thoughts.”

Lucifer shrugged.
 
“You make it so easy for me.”

Dahlia pulled out of his grip and smiled.
 
“Then maybe I should not.”
 
She took a seat next to Paimon.
 
She pulled Furcas down on her other side.
 
The pair looked between her and Lucifer and then to their food.
 
Lucifer sighed and took a seat next to Belial.

Belial looked between Dahlia and Lucifer.
 
“Uh-oh, someone got in a fight?”

Lucifer snapped his teeth at her.
 
“Commentary is not needed.”

Andy laughed.
 
“Satan angry!”
 
He ducked as Lucifer tossed a knife at his head.

Furcas leaned over to Dahlia.
 
“So in your opinion which one of us would be the girl if we had to do that ceremony, Paimon, or myself?”

Dahlia stabbed at a steak, meat unidentified.
 
“Huh?”

Paimon leaned in.
 
“Don’t listen to him, Dahlia.
 
He lies!”

Furcas pointed his fork at Paimon’s face.
 
“You don’t even know what I said.”

“Doesn’t matter, it is lies!”

Furcas rolled his eyes.
 
“So which one of us?”

Dahlia rubbed her temples.
 
“This is what you were fighting about in the cellar?”

“Yes.”

She laughed.
 
“Is this what happens to couples when they spend eternity together?”
 
She cut into her steak.
 
“What am I about to eat?”

Paimon squinted.
 
“Dragon.
 
Now which one of us is the guy?
 
It’s me of course; in fact it is so clearly me that you really don’t even need to answer.”

Dahlia chewed and swallowed.
 
“You two, despite being weird fucks, are both men.
 
You realize that right?”

Furcas leaned on the table.
 
“Yes, Dahlia, obviously.”

Dahlia stuck her fork in his face.
 
“Then shut up.”

***

Gabriel flew in a tight circle above Ladriam’s shield.
 
He ran through calculations in his head.
 
Behind him, the other Archangels moved the contraption he had built from the moon to the Earth’s orbit.
 
He ignored them and focused on his numbers.
 
His eyes flicked down to the surface of the planet from time to time.
 
He rubbed his hands.
 
Something nagged at him, but he could not remember what.

Michael grabbed his foot.
 
“Stop circling.”

Gabriel looked at him.
 
“Why?”

“It is annoying, start setting your machine up.”

Gabriel nodded then frowned.
 
“Michael?”

Michael glared.
 
“Yes?”

Gabriel chewed on a finger.
 
“Is there something of me down there?”

Michael scowled.
 
“Gabriel, what does that even mean?”

Gabriel scratched his fingers through his messy red hair.
 
“I do not know.
 
I just feel there is something of me down there.
 
Is there?”

Michael fingered the spear.
 
He looked at the planet then back to Gabriel.
 
“No, nothing, now get to work.”

Gabriel nodded.
 
“All right.”
 
He flew to his machine and pulled out tools.

***

Music floated along the Promenade.
 
Dahlia felt her desire to dance growing.
 
She had lost her self-conscious attitude about it.
 
Paimon watched her wiggle in the seat.
 
“Dahl-face, do you want to dance?”

Dahlia grinned at him.
 
“Who is asking?
 
Patience, Paimon, Uncle Pai, or Paul the prom date?”

Paimon drummed his fingers along the table.
 
He shook out his shoulders and wrinkles appeared around his eyes, his hair turned silver and he sported a goatee.
 
“Your loving and most awesome uncle.”

Dahlia gawked.
 
He stood and offered her his hand.
 
She took it and followed him out to the dance floor.
 
He pulled her close as the music changed to a waltz.
 
Dahlia looked back to Lucifer who in turn tried not to look at her in an obvious way.
 

Paimon grinned.
 
“You and Lucifer okay?”

She blinked.
 
“Hmm?”

“You two, fighting?”

“Oh, not really, I am pouting.
 
I forgot that we roughhouse in a serious way.”

Paimon nodded.
 
The dance floor filled up.
 
He moved her effortlessly around the other couples.
 
“How about in general?
 
We were worried you were going to take his head off.”

“I think he wishes I did.
 
He cannot stand my forgiveness and he refuses to forgive himself.
 
I am worried he will not get better.”

“It may just take time, Dahlia.”

“I know.”
 
Dahlia sighed.
 
“How did you forgive yourself for Furcas?
 
How long did that take?”

Paimon winced.
 
“I think it would be fair to say that I have not, but time and good memories help to overwrite the bad.”

“But you stay together, you are happy.”

“I
try
and keep him happy.
 
I irritate him with the small things simply so I can make it up to him, like a game.”
 
Paimon smirked.
 
“I think we have made a fetish out of makeup sex, it’s really the only kind we have.”

Dahlia blushed.
 
“Okay, turn back to Paimon, if we are going to talk about sex it is not going to be with my uncle, though I love you dearly.”

Paimon shifted to his regular self.
 
“Your lingering human values are so endearing.”

She rolled her eyes.
 
“Whatever.”
 
She looked away.
 
“I tried the sex thing, but he is still guilt-ridden.”

“It may take a few thousand more times.”
 
Paimon’s expression grew serious.
 
“He needs to feel as though he has atoned and made it up to you.
 
Trust me when I say that he
wants
to make it up to you.
 
So let him, just don’t allow him to sulk.
 
He will feel better when he sees you happy.
 
Your happiness will infect him like a plague.
 
He can’t possibly give you a good time if he is a mopey bitch now can he?”

Dahlia nodded.
 
“True.”

Paimon swept her across the Promenade.
 
“I will have Furcas make some suggestions to him for gifts, just act surprised and accept any gifts, favors, sexual or otherwise, that he gives you.”

“Will do.”
 
Dahlia smiled.
 
“Thanks for the sagely advice.”

“Anytime.”
 
Paimon looked at their table.
 
He watched Furcas accept a misty hug from Whitney.
 
The pair got up and went to the dance floor.
 
Paimon’s face fell a little.

She looked past him.
 
“What is wrong?”

He looked embarrassed.
 
“Nothing.”

“Liar.”

Paimon’s eyes narrowed.
 
“Why is it that you are the only person that can tell when I’m lying, even as a human girl?
 
It was infuriating in high-school.”

Dahlia smiled.
 
“I think having a hand in twisting your mind has given me an unfair advantage.
 
So what is wrong?
 
Are you worried about Furcas?”

“Worried, no, he will live.”

Dahlia looked him over.
 
“Then you are sad.
 
Why?
 
You should be joyful!
 
He is healed!”

He scowled.
 
“
Again
with the knowing too much.”
 
He made a face to hide his discomfort.
 
He eyed her and let the façade drop.
 
“He never dances with me.”

“Ever?”

“Not once.
 
He…”
 
Paimon ground his teeth and let it all slip out, “I cannot touch him unless I am hitting him, fucking him, or saving his life, the exception being when he was sick and delirious.
 
Just once, I want to—he’s punishing me.
 
I know it.”

She frowned.
 
“Why would he do that?”

“I…you saw what I did to him.”
 
Paimon looked at his feet.
 
“I hurt him when he was his most open and vulnerable.”
 
His mouth screwed into a grimace.
 
“I ate his goddamn flowers because I was an emotional retard.
 
Who does that?
 
Besides
me
, apparently.”

Dahlia squeezed him.
 
“You learned from that.
 
He cannot possibly still hold that against you.”

“He didn’t at first, but maybe thinking back later he…I…”
 
Paimon shook his head.
 
“As time has passed, he has become more and more closed off.
 
On the surface, he’s fine, but he doesn’t let me in, not really.
 
When I try to do anything that might hint at
real
affection he repels it, refuses it, shrugs it off with a witticism or he thinks I am making fun of him!
 
I mean, I
do
make fun of him, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care for him.
 
I say nice things from time to time.”