Infernal Concerns
The heavy door closed with a thud, and the incubus glared over his narrow spectacles. Tapping his pen on the clipboard he held, the demon strode further into the office, glaring at the man behind the desk.
"I cannot believe you’re doing this," the incubus began, his smooth-as-silk voice pitched much higher than he ever used for seduction. Adjusting his rather boring tie, the incubus flopped into a metal folding chair, looking every inch the annoyed middle management.
"Doing what? Something God won’t?" The man speaking was the perfect picture of the devil. Ironic really, considering it was Lucifer the Morningstar himself speaking. Pushing at a lock of shining golden hair, he rested his chin on one hand, eyeing the incubus.
"I…um…not that exactly, but you realize the kind of repercussions this could have? Especially if Marius disregards your advice?"
Lucifer laughed. "Marius and I have been friends for quite some time now, and one thing he won’t do is disregard something I tell him. He knows he can always get revenge on me if what I say is false, and I don’t screw him the way God does."
The incubus frowned, looking at the clipboard in his hands. "The range of effects for this is extremely wide, Lucifer. Demons, magi, vampires, werewolves…everything gets hit. Especially changelings, and if something happens to Coriline Grimm…" He left the end of the sentence hanging. Nothing more was needed. The entire universe knew very well what could happen if some horrible fate should befall Coriline Grimm.
The devil sighed, shifting forward to rest his bearded chin in his hands. "I am very aware of the effects this will have on everything. Including the changelings. This is something I can’t really control, and we both know God won’t do anything. Marius has a responsibility to his city, students and wife, and I know he won’t let them down." Lucifer flopped back into his chair. "I’d hoped we’d never have to deal with this again," he murmured, more to himself than to the anxious demon.
"But we are having to deal with it. That’s the point! In this reality, it’s not supposed to happen!"
Lucifer looked at the demon, frowning darkly. "And since when have you known everything about the way the world works? Need I remind you of the patch job Wrinkle had to do on this reality? What do you think came with some of those patches?"
The incubus began to protest, paused, then turned very pale. "Oh heaven, that’s just not good. Marius is going to be very angry."
"What’s to be done about it?" Lucifer threw up his hands. "Do you think he’d want Wrinkle to not repair reality? To switch again and hope this time he doesn’t lose his wife one more time? No one can change what’s happened, so we have to make do with what we have. The patches changed this reality, and now we have new situations to deal with. So shut up, do your job and deal with it."
The incubus flushed, and rose slowly. He moved stiffly, as if Lucifer’s words had physically hurt him, and closed the door with more motion than was necessary. When the heavy door clicked shut, Lucifer Morningstar sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"I hope I’m doing everything right, Marius. For your sake, I really do."