Four Dominions by Eric van Lustbader

Author:Eric van Lustbader [Lustbader, Eric Van]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788541084
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Published: 2018-07-16T16:00:00+00:00

Part 3

The Four Thrones

32

Eight Miles High, En Route to Paris: Present Day

A CURIOUS SILENCE ENGULFED THEM AS IT HAD ON THE bridge in Istanbul.

“What is going on?” Beleth ventured. Neither of the women answered. “Ah,” it said. “A human thing. Between the two of you.”

They sat side by side on the right side of the commercial jet. Feeding time, such as it was. Salads were served, wilted leaves with a sealed plastic container of dressing. Tiny paper packets of salt and pepper. A precise square of brown-gray pâté. Lilith cut off a triangle of pâté with her fork. Beleth’s essence reasserted itself; in the realm of humans its patience was limited. Eyes black as moonless night, it took up Emma’s knife, turned it over and over in her hand, as if preparing to use it in a way the flight attendant would surely not approve of.

Lilith stared into those fathomless eyes, glimmering like stones underwater. Holding the knife in her peripheral vision, she said, “Who d’you propose to kill with that?”

“This Obarton. That is what you both desire.”

‘With that butter knife?”

“This is all a joke to you, isn’t it?” Beleth growled under its breath.

“I only wish it was.”

“You have an odd way about you.”

“That’s because you lack a sense of humor. Poor thing.”

“There you go again.”

“You know your problem, Beleth?”

“As if I have just one.”

“Are they all like you?”

“Who?”

“The Fallen. The Legion who are coming for us.”

The Power watched her warily. “It is your friend who has been captured, not mine.”

“You have no friends,” Lilith said dismissively. She waited in vain for him to reply. “You’re like a child, Beleth.” She twirled some greens on the tines of her fork, then set it down. She had no appetite; the pâté was sitting in her stomach like a fistful of lead shot. “You have no experience in the real world.”

“Who decides what is real and what is not?” Beleth said somberly. “You?”

“Why not me?”

“Because,” it said, “what you know I can fit inside a thimble.”

“Okay. Enlighten me then.”

Beleth sighed. “You speak about the Fallen. You speak about the Legion. But you do not know the one from the other.”

“The Legion is the advance guard,” Lilith said. “Right?”

“As far as it goes, yes.”

“And I know you’re terrified of Leviathan.”

“As far as it goes, yes.”

“Then tell me what I’m missing.”

“Everything. You’re missing everything.” Emma leaned forward, the thunder-rumble of Beleth’s voice subsiding, as if it was worried about who—or what?—might be listening. “Leviathan has found a way into the world of humans—your world.”

“Hey, buster, you’re in our world.”

Beleth looked at her with its implacable stare. “I do not understand you making light of the situation.”

Lilith shook her head, ran her fingers through her hair. “It’s how I deal.”

“Deal?”

“With being scared out of my wits.”

“Ah.” Beleth’s expression changed from readable to unreadable. “Well, then.”

For a moment, it seemed at a loss for words, or maybe it was simply lost in thought. The flight attendant came, possibly to collect their plates, but Lilith waved her off.

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