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“Artistic differences are part of the creative process,” Peter said from onstage.
She kept her eyes on the lying imp. “Why of course?”
“I have good news.” Yesterday’s mouth split in a huge grin and he looked like a frog about to zap a fly. It was more unsettling than comforting. “The hell gate is now closed.”
“Really?” She’d tried to reach Dee again after the incident in the basement. Apparently, Dee had been taking dancing lessons that morning. At least, that’s what she could decipher from another frustrating conversation with Jean-Claude. “Like you said it was yesterday?”
“No.” Yesterday scoffed. “This time it is truly closed.”
She’d believe that when nothing more came through it. “Who was the man in the basement?”
“There was a man in the basement?” Yesterday failed that round of lies.
Eddie stared him down. “Yes, I think his name is Shade.”
Yesterday muttered something she didn’t catch.
“I have more peanut butter.” She went with the carrot not the stick.
Yesterday’s entire face twisted like a wrung-out dishrag. “You do not know?”
“Crunchy peanut butter,” she said.
Taking a deep breath, Yesterday dropped the name in a rush. “Asmodeus.”
“Who?” The name rang a bell of the tolling, warning kind.
“Asmodeus.” Yesterday checked behind him as if waiting for the guy to appear behind him. When the dark catwalk remained empty, he looked relieved. “Asmodeus. The hell prince.”
“As in the prince of hell?” This was taking a disturbing turn. “Like Lucifer.”
“No.” Yesterday scoffed. “Lucifer is Lucifer. Asmodeus is Asmodeus.”
Eddie dug deep for her Christian theology. “So he works for Lucifer?”
A hissing cackle came out of Yesterday. “I would not say so to Asmodeus.”
“Why not?”
“One hell prince cannot work for another.” Yesterday nodded as if the matter was now clear.
Eddie rather thought not. “There is more than one prince of hell?”
“Of course.” Yesterday snorted. “How can a hell guardian not know this?”
It was an excellent question, and not one she intended to answer. “How many hell princes?”
“Seven.” Yesterday leaned forward as the clang of swords came from the stage.
“Seven?” Dee should have told her this stuff. Or maybe Dee didn’t even know.
“Indeed.” Yesterday glared at the stage. “They are not even good pretend warriors.”
Eddie agreed on that point. “Why seven?”
“Because there must be seven,” Yesterday said. “There are seven seals and seven hell princes who guard them.”
Yesterday must be making things up, because it was nothing like she’d heard. “When you say hell princes, you mean demons, right?”
