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“You are mistaken if you think I need Saul’s help. I could most certainly make adjustments to your prison without aid. Never doubt it. But it does not have to come to that. If you surrender the witch, I will leave you be. I will not retaliate over the death of Lailah. But if you don’t do as I request, I can assure you that you will very much regret it.”
Pausing, Abel stood. “You have thirty days to make your choice. I will have my conduit return to Devil’s Cradle once that period is over. You and I will then talk once more. If you do not accept my terms, I will make good on my threat. And trust me, the life of one witch is not worth the suffering you would then forever more endure.” Abel winked out of sight.
Cain returned to his physical body, blinking hard as he “settled” back in his skin. “Thank you for your service, Griff.” Cain looked at his aide. “Show him out.”
David obediently did so.
Cain headed into the neighboring room, finding that all the other Ancients were sprawled around it.
“Well?” prompted Seth, sitting up straighter on the sofa.
Cain exhaled heavily. “Abel has given us an ultimatum.” He quickly elaborated, and silence briefly fell.
Pushing out of an armchair, Lilith frowned. “How on Earth could he possibly adjust the size of the prison?”
“Probably the same way he created it in the first place,” hedged Inanna, exchanging an uneasy look with her sister, who sat beside her on the loveseat.
“It wouldn’t be that simple, surely,” said Lilith. “I’m inclined to think that he’s bluffing.”
“Bluffing, or believing what he wishes to believe—one or the other,” said Azazel. “Abel always was a fan of fooling himself.”
Cain inclined his head. “That cannot be denied.” Personally, he didn’t see how Abel could live up to his threat. If the four people who’d created the prison worked together to minimize it, it might be possible. But no way could Abel do it alone, or even with Adam’s aid.
Such a feat would at least require three of the cage’s creators, and Saul was presently AWOL. As Cain had pointed out to Abel, the rogue Aeon would do neither Abel nor Adam any favors. Saul wouldn’t be content with doing something as simple as reduce the size of the prison—he wanted violence, blood, death, destruction.
“Whether he’s bluffing or not, this isn’t good.” Dantalion placed an empty tumbler on the small bar and then thrust a hand through his hair. “We need the little shit to come to us, not bark out threats to make our situation less comfortable.”
“He’ll come when he realizes his children are here,” said Cain.
Inanna cocked her head. “He did not mention them?”
“No.” Cain sat on the sofa beside his brother. “I would have mentioned them myself if he hadn’t vacated the psychic space so abruptly. It would seem that he hasn’t yet realized they’re missing.”
“He will not assume that Rima and Noah are here,” said Seth. “It won’t even cross his mind until he sees that Eve is also gone. Abel will know that, after the amount of punishments she’s endured at the hands of Adam, she wouldn’t leave without having somewhere she could go where he’d never get to her. Devil’s Cradle is one such place.”
Ishtar raised her hands. “Let’s not be so quick to believe that the brats and Eve are truly not part of some plot, Seth. How have they behaved?”
“They’re edgy, for the most part,” he replied. “They have reason to be. They know we don’t trust them and that they’re currently at our mercy.”
Ishtar began to slowly pace. “Have they asked to wander the city?”
Seth shook his head. “Nor have they acted in any way suspicious. They haven’t done any sneaking around, haven’t asked one too many questions, haven’t tried subtly testing if my loyalties just might be turned.”
“How Abel reacts when he learns they’re here will tell us a lot,” said Azazel. “If their presence turns out to be enough to lure him here, then they definitely aren’t here on his say-so. Or Adam’s, for that matter, since Abel would never go up against him.”
“But what if they are not enough?” asked Ishtar, her hands fisting. “I could not take it if our prison shrank. The walls might not be visible, but I feel them.” She placed her hands on her head, her breathing speeding up. “They badger the edges of my consciousness all the time.”
Inanna put a reassuring hand on her sister’s arm. “Abel has to be lying. He cannot possibly do as he threatens.”
“You don’t know that,” snapped Ishtar.
“Calm yourself,” coaxed Inanna. “Don’t let him do this to you, it is what he wants.”
Ishtar lowered her arms to her sides, balling up her hands once more. “What if we just give up the witch?”
Both Cain and his creature stiffened, anger tearing through them. “I’d advise you not to repeat that.” The warning was low. Dark. Menacing.
Ishtar sighed. “You assume I propose it because of my personal feelings—”
