"Oh, really? I hadn't noticed." Mentally Solomon tallied up a point for himself, but didn't try to restrain the smirk of victory either. It would only encourage her, of course, but that was the point. It had been a very long time since Solomon had been able to play a mostly-harmless game like this one.
There wasn't such a thing as marriage at the Temple. Nor was there such a thing as long-term relationships, although it did occasionally happen--Pandemona and Adrian sprang to mind. Sex was for breeding, something which Solomon had always declined in spite of numerous offers and encouragement by his masters. He'd always had excuses. He didn't want the responsibility (even though the Temple crèches took care of that). He wasn't interested in the extra benefits (even though some of them were quite compelling). He'd rather not have a loose end running around of which anyone could take advantage (even though no one ever knew whose children were whose, because for the purposes of the Temple, it didn't matter).
Except that it did. Solomon knew what it felt like to have a father. He didn't want the Temple life for any child of his. Eventually, his numerous excuses and dismissals had been chalked up as another one of his eccentricities.
Which meant that for him sex had always been about the pleasure. Except that even the sex had power-plays. The women who approached him were usually out to prove something. Which was perfectly fine, because he had more than enough skill, canniness and clout to extricate himself from any plots which might turn out to be a pain in his neck. It just meant he could never actually relax.
It probably said something that he felt he could relax more while flirting with China Sorrows than with any one of the Necromancers.
It also took him by surprise when China and Erskine's exchange made him have to fix the smile on a little more firmly. He wasn't entirely sure why; it certainly wasn't jealousy. China was not a woman one became jealous over, and she was the one who'd taken a step onward to begin with. Maybe he just wasn't as over being annoyed at Skulduggery as he thought.
"I thought they might add to the décor," he said blandly, and then added more seriously, "we're trying to figure out how to add a metaphysical dimension to them. When Lucifer arrives, we want to be able to fend him off. Or at least be warned if he tries to enter."
"Ah," Merlin said, and slid in behind Skulduggery. "That's my cue. It's been a long time since I've seen anything like this. Or even read a version of Irish this old."
"It's going to be hard to block him completely," Gabe said. The ripples of his light bent in over Skulduggery and Merlin, though Solomon couldn't actually see him until Skulduggery had moved further into the room. "He's not just an invader. The Sanctuary has open doors for its employees, and for ambassadors, and anyone else who needs to get in. He won't need to invade."
"That's what the Administrator is for," Dexter pointed out, but Solomon shook his head.
"And then have Lucifer target Tipstaff with the intent of impersonating him--or worse? It wouldn't be fair to him to put him in that position. Can't we place some kind of security screening? Something that will mark an angel, friend or foe?"
"Maybe," Gabe said after a moment. "Let's take a look."
no subject
There wasn't such a thing as marriage at the Temple. Nor was there such a thing as long-term relationships, although it did occasionally happen--Pandemona and Adrian sprang to mind. Sex was for breeding, something which Solomon had always declined in spite of numerous offers and encouragement by his masters. He'd always had excuses. He didn't want the responsibility (even though the Temple crèches took care of that). He wasn't interested in the extra benefits (even though some of them were quite compelling). He'd rather not have a loose end running around of which anyone could take advantage (even though no one ever knew whose children were whose, because for the purposes of the Temple, it didn't matter).
Except that it did. Solomon knew what it felt like to have a father. He didn't want the Temple life for any child of his. Eventually, his numerous excuses and dismissals had been chalked up as another one of his eccentricities.
Which meant that for him sex had always been about the pleasure. Except that even the sex had power-plays. The women who approached him were usually out to prove something. Which was perfectly fine, because he had more than enough skill, canniness and clout to extricate himself from any plots which might turn out to be a pain in his neck. It just meant he could never actually relax.
It probably said something that he felt he could relax more while flirting with China Sorrows than with any one of the Necromancers.
It also took him by surprise when China and Erskine's exchange made him have to fix the smile on a little more firmly. He wasn't entirely sure why; it certainly wasn't jealousy. China was not a woman one became jealous over, and she was the one who'd taken a step onward to begin with. Maybe he just wasn't as over being annoyed at Skulduggery as he thought.
"I thought they might add to the décor," he said blandly, and then added more seriously, "we're trying to figure out how to add a metaphysical dimension to them. When Lucifer arrives, we want to be able to fend him off. Or at least be warned if he tries to enter."
"Ah," Merlin said, and slid in behind Skulduggery. "That's my cue. It's been a long time since I've seen anything like this. Or even read a version of Irish this old."
"It's going to be hard to block him completely," Gabe said. The ripples of his light bent in over Skulduggery and Merlin, though Solomon couldn't actually see him until Skulduggery had moved further into the room. "He's not just an invader. The Sanctuary has open doors for its employees, and for ambassadors, and anyone else who needs to get in. He won't need to invade."
"That's what the Administrator is for," Dexter pointed out, but Solomon shook his head.
"And then have Lucifer target Tipstaff with the intent of impersonating him--or worse? It wouldn't be fair to him to put him in that position. Can't we place some kind of security screening? Something that will mark an angel, friend or foe?"
"Maybe," Gabe said after a moment. "Let's take a look."