“Shouldn’t you?”
“Where would free will come into this scenario? The ability to make choices, good or bad.”
“You never gave the angels free will. That’s why this one rebelled,” I say, pointing at Samael. “Maybe that’s another rule you should have broken.”
Samael looks away. He doesn’t want to get dragged into this particular argument.
“As I said to you once before, you don’t know what it is to be a ruler and you certainly have no idea what a deity is.”
“Do you? Are you really a deity, or were the Gnostics right and you’re just the Demiurge, a caretaker who’s gotten in over his head and can’t keep the plumbing working?”
“That’s an offensive question.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
“Who are you talking to? Stark or the Abomination?”
“Both, I suspect.”
“You know that both Deumos and Merihim are against you, right? They’re as bad as Aelita. Just more subtle.”
He looks at me hard.
“What makes you think that?”
“Things I’ve seen and things I’ve been thinking about. Hey, here’s one good bit of news. Aelita is dead.”
Mr. Muninn sits back in the chair. Rests his elbows on the arms.
“I’m sorry to hear that. She was a troubled child, but at one time she was one of the ones closest to me.”
“You could say we rebel angels had troubled childhoods, but I blame video games,” says Samael.
Mr. Muninn says, “Quiet, you. Why don’t you go home and check on things at the palace.” He looks at me. “It’s getting crowded down there.”
Samael looks disappointed.
“You said I could come along. This is Stark we’re talking to. Not Mary Magdalen.”
“Well, you’re not helping, so please keep your contributions on topic.”
“Yes, sir.”
“So, Aelita is still one of your kids,” I say.
“Of course. Even at his worst, so was Samael. So are you. So is all humankind.”
“Let’s just keep this focused. Aelita is your kid. Samael is your kid. Merihim and Deumos are your kids.”
“Yes. All the rebel angels are my children.”
“Then you are one child-abusing motherfucker.”
“Excuse me?” says Muninn. Thunder rumbles outside.
“I’m an Abomination. A little outside everyone, right? I’m both sides and neither side of the argument. And I have your solution.”