Chapter 10
Alastor had more important things to worry about than the added chaos of yet another Morningstar occupying the hotel. Although he’d been able to adequately conceal his remaining wounds from both the battle with Adam and that pathetic psychotic break his former acquaintance had, the fact was he was not at his best. Freeing himself from the restraints of his deal had allowed a rush of power to surge through him with the return of his soul, but power alone wasn’t enough.
During his unfortunate, but necessary imprisonment Alastor had endured additional irritation to his preexisting wounds. They hadn’t had the chance to heal before his skirmish with Vox and his pet robo-shark-dog thingy had left him a little less than immaculate. After the events of that whole debacle, he’d noticed Lucifer had also seemed rather worse or wear at the time. So apparently the immortal “aspect of the infinite” could be hurt.
Though, it was short lived. The obnoxious little dolt had been prancing about the hotel in all his regal splendour the very next day with nary a mark on him. It seemed his regenerative capabilities were quite the gift to be envied. Oh if Alastor has such a power as that, he might also be as carefree as the king.
No wonder lucifer cared so little about his reputation. For all his pride he seemed completely unbothered by his subjects’ opinions of him. Of course, why should he care about what those beneath him thought, especially when they couldn’t kill him? However, he could be harmed. Alastor wondered if Lucifer had even realized it until now.
One thing Alastor noticed during all the king’s postering and prancing about is that he seemed a bit more wary of sinners now. At first, he suspected Lucifer might be feeling a bit guilty, as it was, after all, his power that decimated the city, blew the gates off heaven, and completely irradicated who knows how many souls in the process. Sinners, Alastor had reminded himself, whose souls never mattered to the powers that be in the first place, including Lucifer. Why should he feel any guilt?
No, an arrogant being like him wasn’t behaving cautiously around the newly arriving sinners because he felt ashamed. He was merely concerned for his own wellbeing. Having actually been hurt by a sinner, Lucifer must have realized he wasn’t as impervious as he thought himself to be. Alastor had hoped this revelation might have shaken him enough to make him susceptible to a deal.
Alastor could offer him protection from the lowly sinners in exchange for some of his angelic healing. Alastor was sure that just a portion of Lucifer’s regenerative powers would be enough to make him not only the strongest sinner in hell, but also the most invulnerable.
For Alastor, the whole point of having power wasn’t to yield it carelessly over others, but to prevent others from getting the upper hand and subduing him. Power should equate to protection, security, and invulnerability, but here Alastor stood before his vanity as the strongest sinner in hell baring wounds that would suggest otherwise. A deal with the devil might have offered him some amount of invincibility, but with the queen’s return Lucifer was no longer alone, therefore, unlikely to be willing to make a deal.
Not to mention, there obvious dislike of one another already posed enough of a challenge for Alastor to ever find the opportunity to propose a deal in the first place. He’d considered finding a means through Charlie, but perhaps with Lilith’s arrival a new opportunity might present itself. One way or another Alastor needed to get access to Lucifer’s regenerative powers that had so quickly restored the little twerp such that he was right as rain again.
In the meantime, Alastor would have to continue his impressive façade, lest any other overlords or wannabes sought to take advantage of his current state. Alastor would not allow himself to lose everything, especially after finally releasing himself from his chains.
He would not become prey like some wounded animal. So, a bit of adjusting and back to being the host of the hotel all for the sake of appearances. Alastor needed to remind all of hell not to mess with the radio demon. Just as he emerged from his shadows atop the balcony overlooking the lobby, a familiar voice called to him.
“Oh, Alastor, there you are.” Lilith glided towards him gracefully.
He had expected the queen to be tied up with her family for some time. He certainly hadn’t considered the possibility that either Lucifer or Charlie would let her out of their sight now that she’d returned. “I must say I’m rather surprised you managed to slip away from your very devoted family. Though, I suppose you are rather good at that hmm?”
“Now don’t get sassy with me just because you’re a bit sore at Lucifer.”
“I assure you, Lilith, I’m not the least bit concerned with your husband or his opinions of me.”
Lilith could spot a blatant lie even when the one who spoke it was completely clueless to the falsehood and genuinely believed their words to be true. “Ex-husband I’ll have you know.” She leaned over the balcony next to him and stared down at Lucifer and Charlie still sitting at the bar talking fondly over the ring Lucifer had just gifted towards Charlie’s future proposal to Vaggi.
Alastor followed her gaze and also noticed that Lucifer no longer wore his ring. Instead Charlie held it between them occasionally waving it about excitedly as Lucifer nodded long with that idiotic daughter loving smile plastered on his face. Odd. One would think someone going through a divorce would be far less cheery, especially someone as wife obsessed as him. “Well, I suppose congratulations are in order. Tell me though, what exactly does that mean for the rest of us? You won’t be abandoning your position as queen, I hope?”
Lilith side-eyed him suspiciously. She liked Alastor and she’d always been quite adept at reading people and she’d never considered him a threat, or even a future potential problem, but that didn’t mean she trusted him. She knew better than that. People change, especially in this place. Hell has a way of putting everyone through some trials and Alastor was no exception, even if he did suddenly manifest with a great deal of might. He may be a force to recon with, but Lilith could sense that something had changed. “What’s it to you, Radio Demon?”
“Well, as a devoted citizen, one who need I remind you has no intention of leaving this place for holier accommodations, I feel it only prudent to stay informed of any potential changes in regal regime. If you are to step down from your duties, I do hope you’ll at least entrust them to capable hands.” Alastor huffed.
Lilith rolled her eyes as his obvious insinuation. “You mean Lucifer, I presume?”
“I mean almost anyone, but Lucifer.”
“Oh, come now, Alastor. He’s the king of hell!”
“Yes, and perhaps you aren’t aware, but many of hell’s residents, myself included, feel as though he hasn’t exactly lived up to his title of late. Perhaps it’s time to abdicate the throne to someone more worthy?”
“Are you suggesting we hold an election?” Lilith chided sarcastically. “Or I know, maybe we hold a contest? A tournament between overlords? With every match being to the death? Last overlord standing takes the crown and rules over all of hell? Is that what you’re suggesting?”
Ah now there’s the tone of the queen Alastor remembered. Stern yet not harsh. Merely a strong, respectable no-nonsense woman asserting herself and reminding him of who it was he was talking to. Much like a mother keeping an unruly child in check. Splendid. “Not at all, My Queen. I just thought you might consider elevating our Dear Charlie to take over your position.”
“What? So you and your delicate, but clever cohort can ‘guide’ her?” Lilith used air quotes on the word guide implying she understood exactly what Alastor and Rosie had in mind. “No. Charlie will take over her role of leadership only when she’s ready. If she ever decides it’s what SHE wants. Seeing as how she made Vaggi the manager of this hotel and not herself, choosing instead to take on role of counsellor, I would say she sees herself in more of a supportive role, wouldn’t you agree? Besides, this project is important to her, especially with so many sinners checking in and heaven cooperating. No I think this might be her calling. I mean, she did manage to get a sinner redeemed. Even I would have never thought it possible.”
What an astute woman! To have caught on to Rosie’s very carefully crafted agenda with only a few meetings having ever taken place between them. Also, it seems she quite accurately analysed Charlie and this hotel within mere hours of her return. Lilith was truly a formidable force. It might be dangerous for Alastor to proceed with his own plans for the time being.
Having such a perceptive overseer around Lucifer could be a problem for him. Lucifer may be her ex-husband now, but Alastor doubted he could get away with persuading him into any kind of deal with her around. While she made it sound like she considered Alastor harmless and that entering into a deal with the radio demon wasn’t anything to be worried about, he knew she had said all that to placate everyone. It was only no big deal for her to enter into a deal with him because she knew Alastor was no match for her, even if he was the strongest sinner.
Of course, he really did respect her and had no interest in making her an enemy. She did still owe him a favour. Perhaps he could make use of that instead. He would have to figure something out soon. It seemed he was finally reaching his limit with his blasted injuries and he couldn’t afford to be caught off guard. “So, you’ll be what, exactly? Acting queen?”
“I see no reason why I, or anyone else, needs to jump into titles and duties. I was away for eight years, Alastor, and in that time hell had no queen, to the best of my knowledge.”
“Hmm, yes, and one could argue that it had no kind for even longer, seeing as how Lucifer practically locked himself away for so long even from the rest of the elite royal snobs. If I may be so bold, hell had no real leadership in your absence.”
Lilith sighed. “So it would seem. And you know what? It would also seem that hell survived. It did just fine without me. Maybe even thrived.”
“Thrived?! If you mean losing countless citizens to exorcists once a year, having the gates blasted off of heaven, and nearly having half or more of the Pride ring completely obliterated by Lucifer’s power after he got himself captured by a sad pathetic excuse for an overlord wannabe, than, oh yes, hell thrived, my dear!”
Lilith was taken aback. Had things really been that bad? Alastor certainly seemed less composed than the well-mannered, charming, and strictly disciplined overlord she’d met before. And did he just say it was Lucifer’s power that blasted the gates off heaven? Someone ‘captured’ him? What all did she miss? And why didn’t Charlie mention any of that in her messages? “Alastor, it seems I still have a lot of catching up to do. I had intended to pay a visit to our mutual friend before leaving for the family home. Would you care to escort me there? Perhaps you could fill me in further along the way? Do spare no detail.”
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