“Well…” Az started, and Gabe just knew he was going to bring up the pet demon frog, so Gabe shot him a glary eyed don’t-you-tell-him look. He wasnotlosing Mr. Frog.
Az got the hint and changed gears. “The reasonnorevocation spell will work is because of who I am.”
Mike huffed. “You think we haven’t dealt with lords of hell? You guys are like a dime a dozen.”
Az just smirked.
Gabe gave Mike an apologetic wince. “Did I say ‘lord of hell’? I don’t think that’sexactlywhat I said.”
Mike pulled out his phone, scrolled, and read off, “You typed ‘prince or something.’ I mean, I assumed you meant one of the lords.”
“Err, no. I think I actually didn’t include his whole title?” Gabe said apologetically.
Mike frowned, Az smirked, and Gabe just shrunk down in his seat a bit. Shit. This was not gonna go over well.
“Whatexactlyis the full title?” Mike asked between clenched teeth.
“I am Asmodeus, Lord of the Nines, Prince of Lust, Infernal King of the Underworld.” Az looked quite proud of himself when he said it.
Mike, however, got really pale, pushed his chair back, and stood up.
“Not possible. You can’t be summoned,” Mike whispered.
Gabe looked at his brother, more than a little troubled. “Why do you look so freaked out? It isn’t like Grams hasn’t summoned loads of demons before. I swear some of them were kings or whatever.”
“Yeah, but they were notInfernal Kings of the Underworldnor were theyLord of the Nines, for fuck’s sake,” Mike bit out.
Mike never cursed, so Gabe figured he was pretty freaked out. He took something out of his shirt—a leather corded necklace with something on the end of it that Gabe couldn’t make out, and held it in his fist.
Whatever it was, Az saw it, and his face got very serious, his body very still. “I swear that I bear no ill will toward you and yours. I would perish into the ether before committing crime against Gabe, and that is my solemn oath,” Az intoned.
In a less serious voice he added, “Gabe will come to no harm under my watch.”
Michael seemed to relax the tiniest bit. He slid whatever was in his fist back into this shirt and sat back down at the table.
“Since when do you wear a necklace?” Gabe asked. This whole thing was just… weird.
“Always,” Mike pronounced. Then he sighed. “This is still a problem, you know.”
“Is it really, though?” Az asked. “I mean your family no harm. I have a very specific task. And, let’s be honest here, I could come here of my own free will if I so desired. I’m enjoying staying with Gabe and visiting topside, and when my role is fulfilled the summoning will also be fulfilled.”
“But you shouldn’t be able to be summoned,” Mike repeated.
“Sometimes I go, sometimes I don’t,” Az shrugged. Gabe thought he looked slightly… guilty, or sly, or something. He didn’t think Az was giving Mike the full story. Not that he blamed Az.
Mike always meant well, but he was a pain in the ass. Wasn’t that usually the truth with big brothers?
Gabe sighed. “Listen, this is fun and all, but do we have to do this now? I’m tired. I had a crappy day at work yesterday, summoned a demon, dealt with the demon, then worked again today. The weekend feels like it’s light years away, and I just wanna relax. Can we please yellow legal pad the situation some other day? Because I can’t do it today. It’s only Tuesday, for fuck’s sake.”
Michael pushed his chair up and got up. “Yes. Yes, that’s perhaps a good idea. I’ll do some more research.” He mumbled the last part to himself, and Gabe just rolled his eyes.
He got up with Michael to walk him to the door, and Az headed to the bedroom—probably to greet Mr. Frog. Err, Beel. Whoever.
As they reached the door, Mike stopped and grabbed his arm, looking him in the eyes and getting all serious.
“Listen, just… be careful, okay? He’s a really, really powerful demon. He isn’t some trifling like Grams usually summons. She never, ever should have attempted this. If Grandfather knew…” he trailed off, looking troubled.
“Yeah, well, Grandfather doesn’t know, and he won’t, because by the time he pops around next for a visit I’m sure Az will be long gone. So chill out.”
