C5 Chapter 5

Dida, who had been near the dais all the time, said: “Just a moment. I’ve listened with such interest to Rune’s narrative that I completely forgot to add something where it belonged. It’s about the flute – the original one, the one Shama gave our unpleasant ancestor.”

“Yes, what about it?” Tula wanted to know.

“All the time I was in the Valley of the Ice People, I knew that I possessed some knowledge about it, but I couldn’t recall what it was. Last night I suddenly understood that the flute could awaken somebody from death. Just imagine what we could have done with it if we had known that then. Perhaps I might have had my dear children back, and all the rest of you, who over the years have lost dear relatives, might have played that flute ...”

Tengel the Good stood up. “That sounds all right, Dida. However, there are a number of drawbacks to the idea. First, it was Tengel the Evil’s flute and he had to remain asleep – for as long as possible. Playing it would have woken him up before anyone else. Second, the flute had already disappeared to Eldafjord before you, Dida, were old enough to do anything about it. And third, it isn’t always such a good idea to wake the dead. No, I think that it was for the best that Shira destroyed it on her way back from Eldafjord.”

Heike interrupted: “Also, we don’t know how many the flute would have been able to wake up at the same time. It could have caused a lot of misery.”

Sol laughed and rubbed her hands. “Just imagine what a lot of fun we could have had with that flute.”

“I’m glad that you didn’t get hold of it,” said Tengel the Good bluntly.

Sol defended herself: “The thought is certainly captivating.”

After this brief exchange, silence fell in the hall. Then they heard Tula’s voice: “As you know, the Ice People have many guests and allies here tonight. They’ve had to wait for a long time ...”

Has it been long? Gabriel thought. He hadn’t felt time passing. He felt as if he had spent only an hour or so in the Demon’s Mountain.

Tula shouted: “The Highest Council calls forth Tamlin of the night demons and the storm demons, now Paladin of the black halls.”

Gabriel was excited. Wow. Well, well, well.

A man walked onto the dais. Gabriel stared at him.

He was extremely fascinating. He was more human than demon now, but Gabriel knew that at first he had been greenish, with a tail and talons and wings and a snake’s tongue and ...

You could still discern traces of green in his hair and skin. And his facial features, with the elongated eyes that reached right up to his temples, showed clearly that this wasn’t an ordinary human being. The fact that pointed ears protruded through his hair made his appearance even more confusing. Gabriel noticed that Tova hurriedly checked her hair. People tended to forget that she had troll’s ears, because her hair was always a mass of curls that hid them. But, of course, all the Ice People knew about them.

Christa walked up to the dais like a sleepwalker. She couldn’t let Tamlin out of her sight.

“I’ve dreamed of this moment for a long time,” she said quietly. “Yearned, pictured it ...”

Tamlin took a hesitant step towards her. In the background, someone else was coming down to the dais. Vanja, who had already appeared there once before.

“You look much better than I could have imagined,” said Christa. “You know who I am, don’t you?”

“Yes.” Tamlin smiled. “I’ve also longed for this moment. And your mother ...”

He stretched out his hand towards Vanja, who took it. Together, they embraced their only child. The child who seemed older than them. But they were immortal, both of them.

Christa sobbed loudly. “Father. Finally, I can call somebody that and mean it.”

Tamlin said: “We haven’t been able to follow your life, Christa. But you’ve been in our thoughts all the time. Marco has reassured us that you are well. Would you please ask your son to come up here?”

Nataniel came up immediately. “We’ve met one another once before, Grandfather,” he told Tamlin wryly. “Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, over Dan-no-ura,” said Tamlin with a smile. “You were really in trouble then. So you realized that it was me sitting behind you? How were you able to guess?”

“I saw your hands. They shone green. Then I simply guessed. Thank you for your help!”

Tamlin gave his grandson a big hug. “Vanja and I are so proud of you.”

Nataniel said: “How can you be? I haven’t done anything yet.”

“Oh, well, you don’t know that.”

Tula stepped forward once more. “After this brief family interlude, perhaps we can continue? Tamlin, we count you as a member of the Ice People, equal with all those who have married into our clan. What have you been doing since you and Vanja left the earth?”

Then Tamlin smiled broadly, and everybody was struck by how handsome he was.

“Waiting for this moment,” he said. “And preparing myself for the struggle. Tengel the Evil must pay for the harm he has done to you, to the demons of the night and to me. He made me his slave and tried to kill me once on the outskirts of the Valley of the Ice People. My long exile in the great void was his doing. You have a fuming and fierce ally in me.”

“We’ll need that!”

“Otherwise I’ve been happy in the black halls with Vanja. Marco has been like a brother to me.”

“Good. Now I think we should stick to the family. Your family, Tamlin.”

Tula addressed the hall. “I don’t know whether you’ve counted the black angels? They were ten, and another ten changed into wolves. The Highest Council has also invited twenty storm demons to take part in this meeting and later in the struggle against the world’s enemy. The Council summons Tamlin’s father, Typhoon of the storm demons, along with his nineteen chosen companions!”

Gabriel’s heart was beating so much that he could hardly breathe. He looked up and saw a strange sight. Towards the dais came something he was at first unable to identify. There were low gusts of wind around some creatures that resembled half-translucent columns. Then they came down into the light and Gabriel was able to see them better. Their consistency was denser than he had first thought, their bodily frames were clear and so were their faces. Nevertheless, they seemed to be in whirring, spiralling movement, as if their bodies were enveloped in rotating winds. They themselves stood quietly inside this perpetual maelstrom of air.

They looked pretty scary, with wild eyes and hair blowing in the wind. They were big and probably selected from the worst storms. There were no mild spring breezes in that gathering!

Typhoon was their leader, and he was the one who spoke. His voice sounded like howling wind in a well.

“We thank you for summoning us. I am also extremely happy to see my well-travelled son and to hear that he has gone to the black halls. A greater honour can hardly be bestowed upon a demon!”

Father and son smiled at one another. No orgies of emotion for them! Typhoon went on: “It’s a matter of honour for the storm demons always to fight the evil human creep who visited the source of evil. As opposed to ...”

Tula admonished quietly: “Oh, oh!”

Typhoon picked up the warning and changed what he was about to say to: “As opposed to the hordes of demons that surround him.”

Many in the hall heaved a sigh of relief. The legend of the Ice People recorded that the demons of the night hadn’t always taken the right side.

Tengel the Good got up from his seat. “Yes, Typhoon of the storm demons, perhaps you can solve the riddle we’ve all been pondering: who are Tengel the Evil’s allies?”

Typhoon seemed flattered at being asked for advice. “Some of them I know, but not all. I’ll give an account of them to the Highest Council. There’s no point in frightening this entire audience, as only very few of you will be taking part in the struggle.”

Tengel the Good said: “That makes sense. We thank you, Typhoon. You, who move across the world more swiftly than the eye can follow you, I’m sure you know a lot about many things ...?”

Typhoon didn’t wish to deny it. Actually, he seemed quite pleased.

Tengel went on: “Please tell us then. Is anyone in this hall able to resist Tengel the Evil’s power? How many could he kill?”

The storm demon let his eyes glide over the audience. “The living, of course. And the young Prince Marco of the black halls has a weakness, in that he’s half-human and alive. Ancestors of the Ice People, all you who are present here tonight, you aren’t completely protected either. He might be able to drive you back to the dimension where you truly belong, which is in the realm of the dead. Perhaps he can also subject you to his power – I don’t know. On the other hand, if he used all his power, he could very well have all kinds of demons under his sway. The black angels are stronger, but whether they are strong enough is difficult to say. You must remember that evil, pure evil, is shockingly effective in itself, perhaps the strongest in the world. The immensely powerful mandrake called Rune can withstand him but might not be able to accomplish much that can hurt him. The only one who is completely safe, and the only one he truly fears, is Shira. But she can’t attack him directly; she needs to act through a living member of the Ice People and, as you know, they’re vulnerable. Anyway, you must remember the following: Tan-ghil’s allies, the evil forces, also act through living people. Most of them, certainly. There may be exceptions.”

Targenor said: “That’s useful to know. We’ll remember your wise words, Typhoon.”

The storm demon didn’t try to conceal his pleasure at this. His large group returned to their seats.

Tula stepped forward. She prepared herself by taking a deep breath and shouted into the darkness: “The Highest Council summons ...”

Gabriel was surprised. He had never thought that Tula, who was so cool, could get nervous.

She pulled herself together. “The Highest Council calls forth Lilith of the night demons. Provided Lilith has pardoned her son enough to want to meet him.”

A deep and expressive contralto from the top rows answered in the darkness: “This is a night marked by harmony. Lilith of the night demons wishes to come to the dais.”

She walked down slowly, a magnificent, non-human kind of woman. Her eyes sparkled in all the colours of the rainbow, her body moved adroitly and sensually. She was dressed in a velvety gown, which hung loosely from her shoulders but which nevertheless highlighted all the curves of her body.

Lilith, the first wife of Adam. The ancestral mother of all legendary creatures. The most supreme representative of the demons of the night.

With a movement of her hand, she waved the crowd back a bit. At first, she wanted the stage to herself as the queen she was.

With cold eyes, she walked over to Tamlin, who bowed deeply before her. To everybody’s surprise, she greeted him equally politely.

“If Lucifer, the angel of light himself, has acknowledged you, my dirty so-and-so of a son, then you have my respect!”

She added, more quietly, something that was a mixture of a caress and a box on the ear: “I’m proud of you, you crazy creature!”

She turned towards Rune, who sat near the dais. He got up immediately.

With a lofty, sardonic smile, Lilith said: “It seems as if the Ice People have gathered half of the Garden of Eden around themselves. The son of the angel of light – and I – and here we certainly have the first attempt at a human creature. I remember you, mandrake, but it’s not at all certain that you remember me?”

“My eyesight wasn’t so good at the time,” said Rune diplomatically. He didn’t want to say that he had witnessed Lilith being replaced by the lovely Eve. A legend stated that Lilith had asked to stand in for the snake so that she could single-handedly cause the Fall of Man and thus take her revenge on Eve. But, then, there are so many legends.

Lilith laughed, and it didn’t sound very kind. “It’s conspicuous that only those banished from the Garden of Eden are here. For instance, all the black angels. Anyway, allow me to introduce the nineteen demons of the night it has pleased me to select. All of them are fully worthy in the struggle, each in their own way.”

Gabriel held onto the armrests of his chair. He could feel how everybody shrank back slightly. It was a hardly audible movement – but it was there. A gloomy, cold feeling permeated the air, damp and foggy ...

Creatures so incredible that Gabriel had to pinch his arm poured down from the top rows. This is a nightmare, he thought, and then it struck him that this was precisely what it was. Were the demons of the night anything else but evil dreams?

Gabriel was slightly wrong here, because, as Vanja had once discovered, the creatures of nightmare – who weren’t here now – were ruled by the demons of the night. However, you couldn’t deny that they resembled one another.

Gabriel thought that it would have been impossible to dream up something so shocking as the snakelike creatures half walked and half wriggled down the steps. Some were as tall as trees and so horrible to look at that he had to close his eyes. There were others with animal heads and human bodies, or the other way around. Wings of leather, talons, hoofs, horns, fangs, forked tongues, tails – he saw everything in many varieties. All were equally naked, either hairy like goats or smooth like lizards.

A spectrum of the most macabre visions a human brain could invent.

These were real demons. The Ice People’s own demons were beauties, although not exactly Sunday school children, when compared with these.

Lilith made a proud gesture. “They’ll do anything you want them to in a very efficient manner and without demanding anything in return. Their only aim is the fall of the enemy.”

Heike was concerned: “Mightn’t they advance too harshly?”

“Against Tengel the Evil and his henchmen?”

“No, they can to do that, but innocent human beings shouldn’t suffer.”

“It has been said tonight that the rest of mankind mustn’t know anything about the struggle that is to take place.”

“That’s true; forgive me, Lilith. We’re immensely grateful for the support of the demons of the night.”

“Please don’t forget to summon us!”

“Don’t worry! Besides, Nataniel is of their blood so he’ll probably seek assistance from his relatives.”

Nataniel’s relatives. Those creatures there! Gabriel had great trouble letting it sink in.

Lilith nodded. “Of course, I’ll help my great-grandchild in every way. I’m very proud of him. A handsome young man, who’s worthy of my family.”

Gabriel thought that it was beyond any doubt whatsoever that Lilith and Tamlin were a thousand million times better-looking than the other night demons.

Since the demons of the night had made their shocking appearance, the area behind Gabriel’s seat had gone very quiet. He turned around and saw eight pairs of glaring eyes and eight dropped chins. His eight cousins, of his own age – but Aunt Mari was no better and even his mother, Karine, was looking pretty stupid.

Gabriel thought Mari looked as if she was about to faint. The demons of the night were certainly a sight! Here was the source of the snorting, grunting and growling sounds, the quiet movements of the creatures that hadn’t been visible behind the rows of benches, the glimpses of shining eyes and white vampire teeth in the dark shadows.

No two of the demons were alike. Gabriel believed that they had been picked so that each of them had distinctive characteristics, which probably covered his specific field or area of excellence.

When he saw these nightmarish creatures, he was increasingly convinced that it was all a dream. From the moment his mother had woken him up, when he had seen Ulvhedin standing there like a shocking figure from another world, to this, the absolute height of madness, everything felt like one long fantasy dream, sometimes pleasant, sometimes exciting but then ... Now there was no doubt that he was asleep, dreaming. Perhaps he had taken a drug by mistake?

Everybody returned to their seats, but Dida asked Lilith to stay by her side. Gabriel could see that Lilith appreciated this gesture.

Two queens, Gabriel thought. Not so different in colouring and bearing. Both incredibly beautiful. One was a sophisticated, warm-hearted woman and the other a ... devil!

Now that must be the end of the allies, he thought. But no!

Tula called forth the demons of the Ice People.

Her own four demons had already been presented, the ones that had puzzled the Ice People by their presence at Gråstensholm: Astarot, the green-haired duke of the abyss. His name was confusing because many believed that Astarot was a female Babylonian goddess. That was true but her name wasn’t spelt in the same way. She was called Ashtarot or Astarte. The male demon, Astarot, was also said to be a prince of the fallen thrones, but nobody dared to ask him whether this was true. Then there was Rebo with the big, curved ox horns; and Lupus, the demon of sickness, with the extremely long, backward-lying ears. And finally Apollyon, the prince of the demons from the bottomless abyss, with deer antlers and a face so abominable that those who saw it would die of fright. Now, however, it was unfathomable – and unbearable to witness.

These four had promised Tula that they would collaborate with her when the struggle against Tengel the Evil began.

Everybody in the hall knew that, in general, demons were the most vulnerable if Tengel the Evil tried to exert power over them. This was because by nature, they sided with evil.

Most of the Ice People’s allies were demons, which was worrying. They would certainly need the assistance of good forces, but where were they? It was no wonder that demons sought refuge with the Ice People because who other than the lonely, condemned tribe would have the courage to defy the terrible Tan-ghil?

The four stepped back, and Tula called forth eight new demons.

Silje shrank back in her chair, trying to make herself as small as possible.

Tula smiled. “Here come the creatures from the western abyss. The ones you saw hovering over the Udgård Mountains.”

You could hear a stir as eight sets of flapping wings glided past. Silje’s demons didn’t walk quietly down to the dais. They circled up under the roof and sailed down with flapping wings as they had done over the Shadowland. Of course, they had fixed their eyes on the extremely embarrassed Silje. With sharp eyes, they aimed at her, brushing her gently with the edges of their wings before it finally pleased them to land on the stage. This was when Silje realized that the flypast had been merely a greeting, a tribute to her. All she was able to think about was their immense organs and all those who were witnessing her shame.

The audience applauded the eight demons and showed that they appreciated their flight manoeuvres. Silje wondered if she was the only one whose modesty was offended? When all the other faces were smiling – especially among the Taran-gai but also among the Norwegian members of the Ice People. Sol, Ingrid and Tula were thrilled, and Tula let out a sharp whistle, showing how delighted she was. Was everybody just shameless?

No. Mari hid her face in her hands (but wasn’t she smiling behind them?) and Gabriel seemed embarrassed.

But that was all really.

Silje looked towards the dais once more. Her demons weren’t all that different from Tula’s. They were fully grown, fascinating in their ugliness, and they had twisted horns of varying sizes, like those of antelope, gazelle, deer or goats. There was also one with horns like a water buffalo. Tula called them by their names. Like most demons, they had once been angels of a lower rank before they had turned their backs on the paradisiacal life and had been banished.

They all served the moon, and their names were Azariel, Aziel, Azaradel, Cabariel, Dabriel, Kiriel and Ergodiel.

Gabriel tried to write down the names but couldn’t work out the correct spelling and gave up. He forgot them immediately.

Silje probably just wanted to disappear, but Tengel the Good took her by the hand and led her up to them. She had to greet them properly and look at them. The eight moon demons treated her very politely and everything went well. Then Silje and Tengel went back to their seats and the grotesque creatures flew off again, circled the hall once and landed back in their seats.

But Tula wasn’t satisfied. She shouted: “Ingrid! Now it’s your turn. Come up here and say hello to someone you know!”

At the same time, she gestured towards the top rows and five creatures came quietly out of the darkness and down to the stage, walking on soft paws.

Ingrid had none of Silje’s shyness. She was up on the stage in a few bounds and gave the five creatures big hugs.

She was overwhelmed. “I thought you were just hallucinations. I took a strong drug and in my imagination, I saw the birch trees change to demons.”

“The reason why you were able to see who we were was because you took that drug,” said one of them. “We stood by the edge of the cliff, pretending to be birch trees, just to see you and your friend Dan copulating.”

What a word, Gabriel thought, and blushed.

“We enjoyed watching you,” said the demon with a smile. “It’s something we like to do because we’re nature’s demons of fertility. That was why we could easily appear as birch trees. Everything that sprouts and grows and spreads is our sphere. Our names are Tabris, Tacritan, Tarab, Zahun and Zaren.”

Tova, who knew quite a lot about demons, knew that these names also represented free will, Gothic power, blackmail, scandals and revenge. As Ingrid had said, the five creatures had strangely fox-like faces, with narrow, extremely long features. Actually, they weren’t so horrible to look at. But you would have to watch out for their sly glances and swift hands.

Nataniel, who was sitting next to Gabriel, muttered: “Useful creatures. They’ll be able to surprise our enemies.”

Gabriel could well imagine that. If they could transform themselves into birch trees, they were bound to be capable of more than that.

He was a bit shocked when he saw how their long, paw-like hands caressed Ingrid’s shoulders and that she seemed to relish it.

That was quite evident. Everybody could see, but it didn’t seem to bother them.

This was a very strange night!

When the dais was empty once more, Tula appeared. “Now we’re getting close to the end of the long presentation. We’ve only three items left on the programme. First: the abandoned ones. Come down now! Flying or on foot, whichever you prefer!”

What’s this? Gabriel thought.

Then the penny dropped.

Now appeared the demons that had been circling around the top of the mountain outside when the Ice People arrived. The abandoned ones ...? He could certainly well imagine that.

A host of various creatures milled forward and filled the dais.

Tula explained: “These are the abandoned ones, those that have been left in some way through the ages. They have sought refuge by the Demon’s Mountain. They’re a wild crowd that it may be difficult to discipline, but many of the Ice People who are here tonight have been soldiers, even army commanders. Their duty will be to lead ...”

Gabriel had a clear feeling that Tula intended to say “the rabble” but she changed it to “our splendid accomplices”.

She shouted: “Targenor, Dominic and Mar! You are to lead this squadron ...”

“Platoon, dear Tula, platoon!” Jonathan said, and Alexander Paladin nodded.

“Right, this platoon,” said Tula quickly. “You can divide them as you wish, but first of all, I think you should have a meeting of the general staff, where others who will not take part in the actual struggle help each other. Such a meeting can be held in another hall in this castle and we shan’t interfere in it. The following have been summoned to it: Alexander, Tancred and Tristan Paladin, Dan Lind of the Ice People, Vendel Grip, Jonathan Volden and Rikard Brink. In addition: Sarmik the Wolf and his two sons, Orin and Vassar of the Taran-gai. Our hosts, the horse demons, will show you all where to go.

“But now we will return to the presentation ...”

The large crowd of grotesque demons disappeared to their seats in the background.

“Before we come to the last group, I just want to say that Tun-sij has asked for permission to speak afterwards. It will be interesting to hear what our honoured shaman has to say.”

So these were the last ones ...

Tula didn’t say anything for a moment. She seemed strangely nervous, and her lips were tight and white.

“Isn’t there something you’ve missed here?”

Nobody said a word so Tula had to answer her own question. “The female demons! So far, we’ve only met one, Lilith. True, she’s one of the greatest, but ...”

Tula thought better of it. She obviously felt very ill at ease. She tried once more: “The struggle won’t just be one of physical, male strength. And ... now, dear Ice People, I ask you to be cautious! Those who follow now are deadly dangerous. These are not just empty words, believe me!”

Although nobody had touched the lights, the hall suddenly seemed darker. An ice-cold gloom seemed to settle over everything, especially around the dais. Tula almost disappeared, as when black tulle curtains are drawn in front of a stage. The hall seemed to be smaller, more intimate, more eerie. And nobody had done anything. Everything was merely an illusion.

Seven creatures walked down to the dais, calmly, alarmingly quietly.

Gabriel didn’t quite understand why he was so terribly frightened. He felt that everybody around him stiffened with the same terror.

Nevertheless, the seven women weren’t frightening to look at, certainly at a superficial glance. First, three extremely beautiful, tall women appeared, draped in black shawls. Their faces were fascinating, gentle and super feminine, and they came forward in a strange, floating movement as if their feet didn’t touch the floor properly. They seemed to be air spirits or phantoms or something. Even Gabriel, the child, realized that men could fall madly in love with these beautiful creatures.

The four that followed were stranger. They were also wrapped in black, but they seemed strangely without any substance. With a faint moan, they crept along the inner wall of the dais as if they would much prefer to hide themselves and for no one to see their faces. They were tall shadows, like sea grass next to a mountain wall under the water.

Tula greeted them with a slight stutter: “You’ve shown us great honour by accepting our invitation. I hope you didn’t consider us too immodest, you seven demons of forfeiture. We gather that you don’t like Tengel the Evil – or Tan-ghil, as you may prefer to call him?”

There was a helpless moan from the four in the background. They twisted and turned, wringing their hands in despair.

One of the first three women smiled sarcastically at Tula’s question. “We share the same objective,” she replied in a soft, purring voice. “However, for your own sake, I hope that you haven’t placed us under anyone’s command?”

Tula stuttered: “We would never dream of doing that.”

“Splendid! We act according to our own whims, which is our habit. You can summon us if you’re stuck,” she said finally.

Tula said: “Thanks a lot. Do you prefer to introduce yourselves or do you want me to do so?”

The entire dais was in this peculiar darkness, which only seemed to become denser, and the seven demons moved about like tall, floating shadows. Tula faded out of sight like a tiny, black spot between them. The incessant moaning, which rose and sank, was testing Gabriel’s nerves; the four moaning demons creeping along the walls with long, narrow hands, which were searching for a place of refuge, seemed immensely nerve-wracking.

With a movement of the hand, the demon who had spoken made it clear that they wanted Tula to introduce them.

Gabriel saw Tula, his ancestress on the dais, swallowing. She pointed at the first woman. “This female demon represents seduction. Anyone who falls for her will suffer eternal damnation.”

Many in the hall shuddered. Now they realized how dangerous these allies were.

“The second, who is just as beautiful as the first, is the demon of false hope. Her other side is death.”

The demon turned around and showed a frightening spectre.

“The third demon stands for the temptation of love. The person who is struck by genuine love for her will be punished by complete eradication. Do you now understand how dangerous they can be for our opponents?”

Yes, everybody certainly did.

The three divinely beautiful ones stepped back and made room for the four others, who let out shrill, melancholy yells, but they didn’t dare to let go of the wall. As if they didn’t know where they belonged.

Tula gave up trying to get them to appear on the dais and just pointed at them one at a time. “This is the demon of loneliness, the demon of yearning. The second is the demon of perpetual sorrow. The third stands for hopelessness. And the fourth is despair, the very deepest resignation.”

Was that so dangerous? Gabriel wondered – he hadn’t yet been struck by any real grief. Was there so much to complain and sigh about?

Tula soon made him believe otherwise: “All of you in this hall must know that these women can destroy you so completely that you won’t even be a memory in the ether. They can strike with a depression so violent that you sink into an incurable mental illness and give up everything, absolutely everything. So don’t think of anything that can hurt or wound them. This is my advice to you all!”

Gabriel wondered why on earth the Highest Council had invited such creatures, and in the very next second he felt a very sharp glance from the demon of seduction directed at him.

Sorry, sorry! he thought in horror. What I meant is that you stand in such high esteem above us ...

The icy look in the demon’s eyes ceased. She smiled sarcastically at Gabriel. Her smile said: “You’re only a child. You know no better.”

Oh, dear! He had better watch his thoughts. Tula didn’t even dare to ask the seven demons to leave the stage because she was scared of offending them.

One of the three beautiful demons smiled to the audience and that smile terrified not only Gabriel. In a silky voice, she said: “Tonight, we’ve been watching you who have spoken. We agree that seldom have we seen such a gathering of charming men!”

This was followed by paralysed silence. The handsome men didn’t dare to move.

Finally, something had to be done. Marco stood up, and Tova metaphorically hung on his coat, which he wasn’t wearing, and asked him not to.

But Marco didn’t want to pick up her signals.

“Nor have we seen such beautiful women until now.”

This was a very diplomatic answer. “Now ...” could mean the seven demons but also the entire assembly.

Because Gabriel realized that they shouldn’t offend any of the others, such as Lilith.

At Marco’s remark (which embarrassed Tova), the female demons bowed their heads and left the dais.

Everybody heaved a discreet sigh of relief.

Tula shouted: “These were all our allies. And now ... Tun-sij!”