Page 38 of The Misfit Mage and His Devilish Desires

“Seems more like you lot aimed to look like us.” I puffed my chest and strutted with some extra swagger so my tails and wings swung wide. “The best-looking bunch, at the very least.”

The added span in my steps afforded us more space from those who’d already cleared a path for our entrance.

“Hmmm.” Wally strummed his fingers against his thighs, thinking. “Right, because so many Diabolics predate human existence. Predate a lot of the animals you’re guised as—not guised because skin isn’t a disguise. Well, it is when possessing a body, but no one is doing that here. Well, notherehere, anyway. The point is”—he released an exasperated breath not meant for the lack of air in his lungs but the crowded words in his brain—“this all begs the question of how much of the mortal realm’s development is happenstance and how much was influenced by Diabolics?”

The room quieted, and Wally’s question echoed loudly in the silence offered. He swallowed the lump in his throat and bit his lower lip to silence the need for clarification resting on the tip of his tongue.

This whole ordeal might have me in a stranglehold of anxiety, but I couldn’t help but smile at Wally’s quirky excitement and curiosity.

“It reminds me of a paper I read about the influence of Mythic magics on biological evolution and the symbiotic connection between the pair. After all, magical entities often replicate themselves to share some distinction with nature,” Wally whispered, shrinking in on himself because he still struggled to accept everyone’s eyes resting on him. This was the type of thing he did when he worked in the archives. I had witnessed him bury his thoughts because those who outranked him treated his every musing as prattling drivel. “Or um…oooooooh. Maybe Diabolic features evolve and change to replicate the realities of others. I mean, your bodies differ from every other species in existence, magical or not, basically being nothing more than goopy energy that willed itself into a preferred aesthetic.”

“I’m so much more than goopy energy.”

“A fascinating theory,” Orias said, joining in our conversation as we approached the room’s center stage. “It reminds me of findings by Alloces in Belphegor’s Hell. Oh, you must be quite close with Belphegor’s demons.”

Wally raised a questioning brow.

“Not particularly,” I said. “Walter does not often make time for demons on a quaint pilgrimage.”

Much like Mora’s devil, Bael, let his demons come and go as they pleased, Belphegor had a notorious reputation for sending his demons to travel and chronicle every lesser world. Truthfully, an invitation from Belphegor would’ve been fortuitous since he was the only devil equivalent to a nerdy explorer like Wally. Unfortunately, devils with kind or aloof or lazy natures were few and far apart. And devils like Bael and Belphegor didn’t concern themselves with oddities like Wally.

“They researched the soul of your most popular planet and presented a hypothesis that she traveled various dimensions before settling on a realm with more malleable inhabitants.”

“You mean Nature?” Wally’s hazel eyes shimmered with excitement. “A demon talked with Nature herself? Kell’s gonna be so jealous. Wait, did you say Nature traveled interdimensionally?”

“As all higher beings, certainly,” Orias said. “It’s Alloces’ belief she presented her collection of perception to some of the earliest devils, and they offered the images to their demons.”

“Though, who really remembers after all this time?” Corson side-stepped in front of Orias. “And who would be brazen enough to ask a devil?”

“Only a fool would speak to a devil so cavalierly,” Bez said.

“And we are no fools, which is why my tongue only moves for you, Beelzebub.” Corson winked. “Bez. Bezzy. Phezy? That stands for Phony Bez, if you were curious.” Corson turned to speak to Orias and the other demons. “Composite names are quite popular in the mortal realm from what I’ve gleaned.”

“Bez is sufficient.” My nostrils flared, but I held back the need to snarl and shout and slap this fucker right across the face.

He wasn’t actually that bad, but I simply found his arrogant aloofness so irritating.

“I see.” Corson nodded playfully, letting his hair bounce dramatically. “It’s just so hard to know the name you go by. So very hard.”

Never mind. He was the fucking worst.

“Don’t do that,” Wally snapped, quick and sharp, so concise it carried a wave of silence.

Every demon took a pause, eyeing Wally, whose eyes had turned black. Hollow and haunting and fueled with Hellish power. It was unexpected and hot. So damn hot watching Wally exude his authority over the tiniest slight. Something I didn’t believe he’d ever do being so kindhearted. I supposed he didn’t like the false flattery thrown at me.

“Apologies.” Corson knelt to one knee and lowered his head to Wally’s feet. “I merely jested. Mother calls me her favorite jester. A foolish waste unworthy of your reprimand.”

The title might be insulting, but he meant to reveal his mother’s love for him, Lilith’s awareness of his existence. Not something the trillions upon trillions of demons in this Hell could lay claim to. Her favorite jester implied acknowledgment and likely a desire to change Corson’s ways so he’d be less of an embarrassment.

“I want space.” Wally waved at Orias and the demons who crowded by him.

“But Great Lord Walter, we planned on a proper introduction before the first course.”

“Space.” Wally’s voice deepened, and a spark of essence added an echoed layer to his demand.

Every demon backed away. Corson backed away on his hands and knees, seeking not to offend further. If I were a guessing demon, and I very much was, then I’d bet he’d been threatened with Oblivion for the slightest mishap. His trip to our world probably made him believe Wally a pushover—rightfully so, given his docile behavior—and he wanted to boast in front of his fellow lords with subtle jabs. Prove himself. And now, he crawled away, afraid of the ire he’d sparked.

Wally gripped my shoulder and pulled me close. His black eyes stared out at everyone, menacing and casting essence meant to sting anyone foolish enough to reach out with their own.

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