Page 9 of Higher Demon

“I’m sure you’ll manage,” she soothes. “What you’re doing is essential, Marc. We’ve already noticed a reduction in deaths and summonings. Building a friendly relationship with humans is making a difference to our people.”

“Friendly” might be overstating it a little. I don’t say that, though. “Given how essential my work is, perhaps you could share the secret to this exceedingly comfortable sofa.” I’ve been asking for eons, but she refuses to tell.

And yes, like always, she smiles secretively. “Now, now, Marc. If I give away that secret, you’d never come to visit me.”

I narrow my eyes. “I’d come once a month as required, just as I do now. You’re so cruel. I must have been mad when I backed your leadership bid.”

Her smile changes to something deeper. “Not so much mad as exhausted from a fight for your life and the lives of us all. And also desperate not to allow another despot to take power.” She meets my gaze dead-on. “I know how much you’ve given, Marc. You may prefer to stay in the background, but I don’t fool myself: if you’d wanted to be in charge, you would.”

This is not the direction I wanted today’s meeting—or any meeting, ever—to take. “No,” I declare, stifling the urge to shift uncomfortably, despite the sofa. “People don’t like me. They’d never have supported me. And, as you say, I don’t want it anyway. Your leadership was the best option, and you have my full support.” I pause. “Unless and until your intentions and motives change.” It’s not quite a threat. I don’t want to threaten her. She’s an excellent leader, and she genuinely cares about our world and people.

But if she becomes the kind of megalomaniac Cato was, I’ll take her down the same way I did him.

There’s a moment of silence as we both let that digest. Then Vestia smiles again.

“What do you have to report this month?”

“The cult that was summoning demons for farm work is being dealt with,” I say. “Although the latest update I got was that they’re proving stubborn about it. The hunter who was sent used a great deal of profanity when he checked in.”

Vestia shakes her head. “Farm work. Of all the things they could have negotiated for, they sacrificed their eternal souls to avoid having to harvest crops.”

I shrug. “I’ve been telling you that humans aren’t that intelligent. Let’s see, what else? There’s a compound in India that’s requested I spend some time with them. We’re negotiating terms at the moment.”

“What kind of terms?”

I pull a face. “The reason they want me there is because most of their members are struggling to accept the idea that demons can be allies. It’s unlikely they could get organized enough to pose a danger to me, but if they tried and I had to hurt some of them, that wouldn’t be good for diplomatic relations. So I’m requiring assurances about my safety before I’ll agree to more than a short visit.”

She nods. “Sounds reasonable to me. I can see things getting out of hand if you had to maim someone.”

Her choice of words reminds me of what I agreed to earlier. “Oh, and I’ll be helping to teach a class next week.”

Vestia’s eyebrows shoot up. “Really? You? Teach?”

I’d be offended, but I’m definitely not teacher material. Which is largely why Ian asked me to help him. “Not like that. The class is on the differences between here and Earth, and the students are… lacking focus.” There. That’s very diplomatic. I give myself a mental pat on the back. “The hunter teaching it is hopeful that if I come along and call them all stupid, they’ll be motivated to think.”

She doesn’t seem wholly convinced, but concedes, “You are good at calling people stupid. Remember that time you made nine wrlenshi demons weep blood?”

I smile fondly at the memory. “That was a good day. Sadly, while I might be able to make the little humans cry, there will be no blood involved. I had to promise no death or maiming.”

“The most diplomatic option,” she agrees. “I’m glad the humans have started thinking of you in these kinds of situations. It bodes well for our truce moving forward.”

Guilt stabs at me. It’s quite unpleasant and not an emotion I’m accustomed to feeling. “This is one of the hunters I knew before my ambassadorship,” I admit. “The others are still warming up to me.” Perhaps Ian is right, and I should put in more effort. If the humans were comfortable with me, it could only benefit everyone in the long run. Keeping them at arm’s length isn’t going to dispose them to friendly human-demon relations.

Ugh. My life just got worse.

“This one’s known you longer, and I’m guessing been in a high-pressure situation with you?” Vestia’s voice rises in question, and I nod. “Well, there you go. Of course he’s more inclined to trust you. The others will come to the same point in time.”

That seems rather like wishful thinking to me, but it reinforces the notion that I need to put in more effort.

We discuss a few more things that have happened over the past month, minor issues that were solved almost before anyone noticed them, and then move on to a conversation about the most recent fashion shows on Earth. Vestia is always impeccably dressed, of course, and has a keen sense of style.

By the time I leave, I have a list of clothing designers she wants pieces from and a new purpose: make friends with humans.

Ugh.

Chapter5

Ian

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