Skulduggery shrugged as he searched outside the car. "Funny, that. Because you weren't very manipulative when we first met." Granted, there was every single extenuating circumstance in existence, but Skulduggery liked to think he'd had something to do with Gabe's constant free will struggle. "It was worth a try, anyway, predictable or no. Driver. Darkness. Decklid. Dublin."
"Hey!" Fletcher objected. "Come on, you've got to let us have a go!"
"And where in the rules does it say that?" Skulduggery asked with overly-mock curiosity.
"It..." Fletcher's defiance deflated, if not quite his passion. "It doesn't, but seriously. You're better than us, and everyone knows that, and I think we should get a handicap. Just let us have a guess each."
Skulduggery cocked his head backwards to make it clear he was giving Fletcher a Look. "No."
"Dashboard?" the cabbie asked, apparently completely unaware of the conversation up to this point - at least until his tired face creased into a frown. "What the hell's a decklid?"
~~
It was, without a doubt, the most casual discussion of Lucifer Ghastly had ever had the unique pleasure of participating in. And yet, he couldn't help having to stifle another dry laugh, which made Guild turn to look at him with scathing confusion. Oh, if only the Grand Mage had any idea who Dad was really referring to. Forget God and Gabriel; Satan was on his way here.
It was difficult to remember, sometimes, that Satan had been an Archangel once himself. The most beautiful of all the angels in Heaven, if Ghastly remembered correctly. And not just an Archangel, either; one of God's children. Kids, as Dad so succinctly put it. Brothers with Gabe. There had probably been a time when they all joked around together, before Lucifer Fell. Now, with the way God had just been so brazenly free with information - because He could afford to be, obviously, and no one without the proper context could even begin to understand - and especially with the way He referred to Lucifer as a child? Ghastly didn't think he was ever going to be able to forget.
The casual discussion didn't help, though. Even Dad basically promising them He would be here to help... didn't really diminish the fear Ghastly felt at the prospect of having to deal with the Devil. Not one iota. Which probably meant he was actually adjusting extremely well.
Guild's eyes had narrowed. "As long as your family squabbles don't interfere with any of us, or with Ireland, in any way, shape, or form. Can I trust you, Bespoke, to come straight to me if they do?"
Ghastly nodded. He didn't speaking would be the best plan, at the moment. Guild had no idea. It was almost amusing, how much idea he didn't have. How he didn't know that it was those exact family 'squabbles' that made existence possible - if not in their own dimension, then at least in another one.
The Grand Mage sighed. "Of course I can't. Why do I even bother? Let me give you some fair warning: I will be keeping an eye on you. All of you."
no subject
"Hey!" Fletcher objected. "Come on, you've got to let us have a go!"
"And where in the rules does it say that?" Skulduggery asked with overly-mock curiosity.
"It..." Fletcher's defiance deflated, if not quite his passion. "It doesn't, but seriously. You're better than us, and everyone knows that, and I think we should get a handicap. Just let us have a guess each."
Skulduggery cocked his head backwards to make it clear he was giving Fletcher a Look. "No."
"Dashboard?" the cabbie asked, apparently completely unaware of the conversation up to this point - at least until his tired face creased into a frown. "What the hell's a decklid?"
~~
It was, without a doubt, the most casual discussion of Lucifer Ghastly had ever had the unique pleasure of participating in. And yet, he couldn't help having to stifle another dry laugh, which made Guild turn to look at him with scathing confusion. Oh, if only the Grand Mage had any idea who Dad was really referring to. Forget God and Gabriel; Satan was on his way here.
It was difficult to remember, sometimes, that Satan had been an Archangel once himself. The most beautiful of all the angels in Heaven, if Ghastly remembered correctly. And not just an Archangel, either; one of God's children. Kids, as Dad so succinctly put it. Brothers with Gabe. There had probably been a time when they all joked around together, before Lucifer Fell. Now, with the way God had just been so brazenly free with information - because He could afford to be, obviously, and no one without the proper context could even begin to understand - and especially with the way He referred to Lucifer as a child? Ghastly didn't think he was ever going to be able to forget.
The casual discussion didn't help, though. Even Dad basically promising them He would be here to help... didn't really diminish the fear Ghastly felt at the prospect of having to deal with the Devil. Not one iota. Which probably meant he was actually adjusting extremely well.
Guild's eyes had narrowed. "As long as your family squabbles don't interfere with any of us, or with Ireland, in any way, shape, or form. Can I trust you, Bespoke, to come straight to me if they do?"
Ghastly nodded. He didn't speaking would be the best plan, at the moment. Guild had no idea. It was almost amusing, how much idea he didn't have. How he didn't know that it was those exact family 'squabbles' that made existence possible - if not in their own dimension, then at least in another one.
The Grand Mage sighed. "Of course I can't. Why do I even bother? Let me give you some fair warning: I will be keeping an eye on you. All of you."