Of Light And Shadows

Chapter Thirty Nine...

"Cheer up. At least he isn't getting himself into trouble for breaking the stuff on the shelves," Sellik grinned. "If he can keep Desiree happy then that's one less hostile Witch to worry about."

"Indeed." Another voice from the doorway to their right made them all turn. A tall woman with chestnut hair in a tight bun stood at the entrance to the kitchen, her hands clasped in front of her.

"Lanthia, it's been a long time," Lucifer said, nodding respectfully.

"Indeed it has, Lucifer Morningstar." She strode forwards, seeming to glide across the space rather than walk. She took his face in her hands and stared deep into his eyes. Jia squeaked in shock, but he just looked back as calmly as ever. Lanthia cocked her head to the side and glanced at Jia.

"It hasn't happened yet," she said softly. "It will."

"What will happen?" she asked.

"This is for you only, Demon Prince," the Witch replied. His eyes widened fractionally as he saw something nobody else could, but he nodded. "To tell is to change. What is will not be and what is not will come to pass if you reveal the truth."

"I understand." She let go of his face and stepped back. "We're here in answer to our scried conversation yesterday." He still looked shaken but his voice was steady. Mammon folded his arms across his chest, watching the exchange silently.

"The Demon politicians, yes." Lanthia's eyes clouded. "We will have a great deal of trouble without your help."

"Why are they here?"

"To build an army."

"An army of what?" Jia asked in alarm. Lanthia turned to her and gripped her shoulders.

"You can stop it," she whispered. Her eyes were steel grey and suddenly fiercely intense as they bored into Jia's teal hues. "You of the dark and the light. You can stop it."

"Stop what? What are you talking about?" Her heart thundered in her throat as the Witch continued to stare intently at her.

"The war." Lanthia let go of her and blinked a few times as though clearing a fog in her head. When she straightened up her whole demeanor changed. "Lucifer my dear, how good to see you!"

"Do you remember anything of what you just saw?" he asked urgently.

"No," Lanthia frowned. "I'm afraid a Seer Witch never remembers her visions of the future. If we did we'd all be driven mad by infinite possibilities."

"You talked about a war," Mammon insisted.

"I'm afraid that whatever I said while gripped by the Sight was all I can say. I don't remember what I saw." She smiled apologetically. "My visions are not always the most clear cut things."

"If you see anything more would you be able to write it down?" Lucifer asked.

"Of course. I can scry to tell you what I write down, though I can't vouch for the accuracy of what I write."

"That would be useful, thank you." Lucifer folded his arms across his chest, a serious frown on his face. "Can you tell me what you know about the Demons in power here?"

"I can't speak for the rest of the world but I can say that Abaddon was the first one here. Once he began to rise through the political ranks the other Demons in the area began to follow. There aren't many but the ones that are here are powerful. Some of them are soul eaters."

"Do you have names other than Abaddon?"

"Yes." She crossed to a cabinet nearby and pulled out a small black notebook, pressing it into Lucifer's palm. "All the names and locations we know are in here. You will need to verify the information as correct but I hope it can be of some help." Her eyes darkened.