“I presume you’re here because you’re on my side.”
“Of course, Father. But I think I know some of Stark’s argument, and for once it’s not entirely dismissible.”
“Fine. Then let’s hear what he has to say for himself.”
I say, “I’m not giving you back Father Traven.”
Muninn looks at Samael.
“That’s not an argument. That’s a statement. Where’s the argument in that?”
“Stark, would you mind elaborating a bit for Father?” says Samael.
“I don’t know what else to say. I’m sorry I had to do what I did the way I did it, but I’m not letting Traven go back to Hell.”
“And you think that’s your decision?” says Mr. Muninn.
“As long as he’s in the Room it is.”
Mr. Muninn crosses his legs. Laces his fingers together.
“What I meant,” say Samael, “is that perhaps you’d state your reasons why you took Father Traven in the first place.”
I try to put the whole thing together in my head before saying anything.
“It’s not fair,” I say. “The father published a book. Big deal. Your book’s gotten a lot of people in trouble over the years. Do you deserve to be damned for that?”
“You forget, Stark. I am in Hell. You sent me there.”
“And you agreed to it.”
“More fool me. I thought I could trust you. You’re a great disappointment.”
“What do you want? I’m an Abomination.”
Mr. Muninn dismisses the comment with a wave.
“Please. That’s no excuse.”
“You don’t care that I’m an Abomination, do you? You’ve never cared.”
Samael smiles. Mr. Muninn nods.
“I see where you’re going with this. You’ve trapped me into saying that I reject the technicality that you, a nephilim, are Abomination. And if I can do that, why can’t I reject the technicality that your friend the father wrote an offensive book?”
“Well? Why can’t you?”
“Because it’s not that simple, is it? You made it complicated by stealing him right from under my, Lucifer’s, nose. Do you know how that makes me look?”
“Of course. The three of us know all about how shitty it is to be Lucifer.”
“And yet you did it anyway.”
“I got a little rash maybe. Okay. Sorry. Smite me with a lightning bolt.”
Samael says, “It’s God that does lightning bolts. There’s just us little Devils here.”
“Then stick me with a pitchfork. Look, if I’d come to you and asked for Traven’s soul, would you have given it to me?”