To Reign in Hell: A Novel by Steven Brust Read Free Book Online Page A

Lucifer.”
    “Then why haven’t I heard about it?”
    “It’s my own idea, and, well, it isn’t complete yet.”
    “I see. Well, tell me what you have.”
    “I’d rather not, until it’s finished. I just want to find out if there is any chance of it working before I present it to Lord Yaweh. And you, of course.”
    “Of course,” echoed Lilith.
    Lucifer said, “Can you give me some idea, though? If I answer your questions, it’ll take a lot of time. I’d rather not—”
    “Of course, Lord Lucifer.” Abdiel swallowed, his mind racing furiously. “It involves . . . drawing on the illiaster of a large group of angels at once and uniting it in a particular way.”
    “I see.
What
particular way?”
    “To . . . ah . . . create something.”
    “To create
what,
Abdiel?”
    “Well, I want to see if tools, like Asmodai makes, can be made between waves. I have a few specific ideas, but I’d really rather not speak of them until I’ve done some experimenting.”
    “I see.”
    “Well, Lord Lucifer? Will you answer my questions?”
    Lucifer cocked his head and studied Abdiel for a moment, then shrugged. “I suppose. All right. Yes, it is possible to reach one’s il-liaster, even this far between Waves. It is difficult, especially for someone who is not of the Firstborn. For anyone of the Third Wave, it is very difficult, but not impossible. It is also, as we know, dangerous.
    “The very least you can expect is some amount of fatigue, until the natural level of illiaster rebuilds itself. This takes from minutes to days, depending on what you have done. Those angels damaged by the Waves have had their natural level damaged, which is why their forms are either physically smaller, as Beelzebub or Ariel, or have some normal ability missing, such as Leviathan or Belial.
    “Not only does this level differ depending on the Wave one is from, but it varies a great deal from angel to angel. Michael and Belial, for instance, have the highest levels of the Firstborn. Yaweh and I, while we have lower native levels, have more skill in using it.
    “Also, many angels have particular, natural talents. Yaweh, for instance, is able to conjure images of what is taking place throughout Heaven. Raphael is able to repair damaged angels, and so on.
    “As to how one uses it, go about it this way: Close your eyes. Now, try to imagine, in the middle of your belly, your free illiaster. Think of it as a ball of white fire. Get as clear an image of it as you can. . . .”
     
    “Lucifer?”
    “Yes, my love?”
    “Did you get the feeling that Abdiel was making up that plan as he went along?”
    “Huh. I’ll say. That’s why I kept asking him about it.”
    “Well then, why did you answer his questions?”
    “I couldn’t think of a good reason not to.”
    “Why do you think he wanted to know all that?”
    “I imagine that he wants to use his illiaster, for reasons of his own.”
    “Aren’t you worried about that?”
    “Not especially. What harm can he do? He’s a mischief-maker, but he would never do anything hurtful.”
    “No, I suppose he wouldn’t.”
    “And if we see signs of someone running around creating snowstorms, or giving us bad dreams, we’ll know where to look. He isn’t ever going to be able to stand up to one of the Firstborn.”
    “That’s a relief, anyway.”
     
    “Milord, word hath come to mine ears that doth cause me some measure of unease.”
    “What have you heard, Beelzebub?”
    “Rumors do fly about the land, milord. These have little truth in them. Whoso they light on taketh the worst o’ the lie and sends that forth; whoso that lights on them doth likewise. ’Tis a most potent distillation of falsehood; milord, it will fall like the dew and make every angel drunk unawares. Many hard words are spoken by those who fear to be sacrificed.”
    “Sacrificed?”
    “Verily, milord. And yet we dare not enlighten these ill-sayers, for our lips are sealed by Yaweh’s desires.”
    “True. Hmmm.