"Sorry!" he calls out, looking a little embarra.s.sed at being caught. "I was just celebrating a little. You don't know what it took to hack into all the communication satellites needed to transmit this video simultaneously to every cloud city."

"I appreciate all your hard work," I tell Travis as we walk over to the holographic display he's standing in front of. "What do I need to do to get this started?"

Travis turns around to face the controls.

"I have everything set up," he tells me. "All you have to do is. .h.i.t this b.u.t.ton."

Travis points to a red b.u.t.ton on the display, and I wonder if he made it red so I couldn't possibly miss it.

I place my hand over the b.u.t.ton and hesitate.

Once this door is opened, there's no going back. The citizens of every cloud city will see the price their life of luxury cost the down-worlders. They'll no longer be able to turn a blind eye on what's going on around them. It's what I want, but it's also like throwing cold water on a person who's been asleep for hundreds of years. The people living in the clouds have literally ignored what was happening to the humans who lived below them. Now, they will have to come to terms with their own complacency. No one likes being forced to face his or her shortcomings, least of all people of privilege.

"Here we go," I say to those around me, pressing the b.u.t.ton.

The display goes completely black.

"Did I break something?" I ask in worry.

"No," Gladson says, coming to stand beside me. "Just watch."

"Citizens of Cirrus, Cirro, Stratus, Nimbo, Alto, Virga, and Nacreous," a voice says, one I immediately recognize as belonging to Gladson. "For far too long you have lived a life of luxury and excess," he says as the video flashes images of parties where food is plentiful and wine flows freely. More pictures of citizens within each cloud city flashes on the screen. Some of them are enjoying lunch at sidewalk cafes. Some are playing with their children in parks. While others shop for the latest fashions in the posh stores available to them.

"How many of you know exactly where the things you take for granted come from? Do you know the man, woman, or child who provides them for you?"

The video on the screen shows the poor seaside town I visited with Desmond. It's of a woman sitting inside a ramshackle dwelling, rocking herself back and forth, as she cries and holds a dead child in her arms.

"Do you know whose blood was spilt just so you could have bread on your tables?"

Another video plays showing a man being whipped by an overlord from Nimbo as he harvests wheat from a field. Snippets of videos showing similar abuse by overlords in the other down-worlds, including Cirrus, also play.

"Do you know the price that was paid just so your clothes can be made of the finest silks?"

A factory filled with children working several looms is shown. Some of the kids aren't much older than Lucas.

"Did you know that those who grow the grapes for the wine you drink and for the food you eat aren't even able to feed their own families?"

A video of a family sitting in a lean-to shack appears. The mother is giving her children small portions of bread but sits down and takes none for herself because there simply isn't enough to spare.

The screen turns black again, but you can see Gladson's shadowy figure in the background.

"We've all been guilty of forgetting the mult.i.tude of less fortunate who live below us," Gladson's voice says. "But now is the time to raise your voice and make the rulers of our cities and the overlords who control the down-world listen. We must no longer cower in the complacency of our lives, in the shadows of our wealth, and allow the atrocities occurring in the down-world to continue. Join me," Gladson says as his figure emerges out of the dark to be plainly seen, "and maybe together we can bring an end to the price being paid by the down-worlders just so we can continue to live in decadence. Rise up...be heard...help me bring forth a new beginning for all of us."

The screen goes black and I turn to Gladson.

"Well, if you didn't have a target on your back before you certainly do now," I tell him, surprised he showed his face in the video so directly.

"Everyone knows my political views anyway," Gladson says with a nonchalant shrug. "Our movement needed a spokesperson, and I was the best choice."

"As soon as I've completed my mission," I tell him. "I'll be standing right beside you."

"No," Gladson says with a small shake of his head. "It will be I who stands beside you as your supporter. You're the real leader of this movement, Anna. When the time comes, you'll take the reins and lead us where we need to go. I'm simply your placeholder for now."

"It won't be too much longer," I promise him. "But as it is, I don't think you should go back to Cirrus anytime soon."

"Agreed," Gladson says. "Even if Levi doesn't try to kill me, some of the overlords in the video might. No one wants their dirty laundry made public."

"Where will you stay?" I ask.

"He'll be bunking down with my people for a while," Barlow says. "He has a place with us for as long as he wants."

I look at Gladson's right hand. "What about your personal transporter? They'll be able to track you with it."

"Which is where our brilliant engineer here comes in," Gladson says, looking over at Travis. "He'll be removing it from me today so I can go into exile. But, I have people stationed in all the cloud cities to watch for any new supporters. Hopefully, people will demand change, and I won't have to stay hidden for very long."

"I think we should run this video at noon every day until something positive is done," I tell them. "People have short memories. We might even need to make more videos and let them hear from real down-worlders about the conditions they live in."

"It might be hard to find down-worlders who would come out and speak directly against their overlords," Gladson says.

"If we have to," Barlow says, "we can just use my people in their place. They can act out the parts. It's only a small lie to protect those who can't protect themselves."

"It sounds like you have it all figured out then," I say, wishing I could do more to help bring about reform in the way the down-worlders are treated. "As soon as I gain complete control over Cirrus, we can show the other cloud cities what they should be doing to change things. It will take some time to bring them up to speed with our technology, but I think most of them are up for the challenge. In the end, it should help production of almost everything down here. The more we prosper, the more likely the other cloud cities will follow our lead."

Malcolm and I soon return back home with Lucas and Vala, leaving Gladson and the Stokes to handle what needs to be done for the beginning of our restructuring of the down-world.

Since it's lunchtime, we all head to the kitchen. We find Jered sitting at the table with Luna in his arms. Since Lucifer gave her to me, Luna has grown to almost twice her size. I knew it wouldn't be too much longer before she was a full-grown h.e.l.lhound and wondered what people would think of me having such a pet. As soon as I returned to Cirrus to take back control, I planned to change the law that forbade people from having real animals as pets. Such a disconnect with nature simply wasn't healthy.

"I saw the video while I was in Cirro," Jered tells us. "It caused quite an uproar."

"Good," I say sitting down at the table with him while Malcolm goes to see if Millie needs help preparing lunch. "That's the sort of reaction we wanted to provoke."

"I guess we'll see what happens," Jered says absently as he strokes Luna's fur.

"What's on your mind?" I ask him, sensing he's not here just to have lunch with us or chitchat about the uprising I hope the video instigates.

"I think I might have a way for you to take care of Botis and still get what you need from Belphagor," Jered says unexpectedly.

I sit up straighter in my chair at this news.

"How?" I ask eagerly.

"I think we should exploit Belphagor's weakness," he says, as Malcolm comes to stand near the table to listen to Jered's proposal. "He's always been the most cowardly of the princes and not particularly smart. Since we know they can give you the seals voluntarily, I say we make a deal with him."

"What kind of deal?" Malcolm asks stiffly, already sounding skeptical about such a plan before Jered can even explain his intentions.

"Botis obviously knows that you want to do away with him," Jered tells me, glancing in Lucas' direction. It's obvious he didn't want to say 'kill' in front of my son. We hadn't really told Lucas what was going on. We didn't want to frighten him, and he was simply too young to fully understand the ramifications of the situation. "Botis has surrounded himself with so many guards that it's almost impossible to get to him. Even if you did, you would end up having witnesses. Belphagor is the only one who can get him alone and have it not look suspicious."

"Why would he help us?" I ask.

"Because he wants to be sole ruler of Cirro. It's why he took over Empress Zhin's body. Rui was practically dead, and the people of Cirro wanted Zhin to a.s.sume power. It was a perfect situation for him. He would have had sole rule over Cirro and not have to deal with a spouse or a child. Now, with Botis inhabiting Rui's body, he has to relinquish power to someone he considers lower in rank than him. I have a feeling if we go to him with this offer he'll accept."

"And what if he double crosses us?" Malcolm asks. "What if Anna gets rid of Botis, but Belphagor doesn't live up to his end of the bargain and decides to keep the seal?"

"Then I'll take it from him," I say.

"I think Belphagor will agree," Jered says more to Malcolm than me. "You know he's always been the weakest link among the princes. If he can save his own skin and gain more power without much effort, I don't see any reason why he would refuse."

"What about Lucifer?" I ask. "He won't be happy with Belphagor if he helps us."

"I suppose that's a risk Belphagor will have to take. It's either face Lucifer or you. If he has any sense at all, he won't choose to go against you."

I look up at Malcolm. "I think we should at least try it. We won't be losing much and could possibly gain everything. I would like to be able to keep my promise to Olivia and take care of the person who harmed her husband."

Malcolm sighs heavily. "I don't like making deals with someone who isn't trustworthy. But, it does sound like our best way to deal with both of them."

"So, should I set up a meeting between Anna and Belphagor?" Jered asks.

Malcolm nods. "Yes. Set it up for tomorrow in the desert. I don't want that thing in my home, and we're not going to step foot inside Cirro until a firm deal is made."

Jered sets Luna on the floor and stands from his chair.

"I'll go make the arrangements. Any particular time tomorrow?"

"In the morning," Malcolm says. "The sooner we get this done the better."

"I'll come back after I talk to him," Jered tells us just before he phases.

Malcolm walks behind my chair and rests his hands on my shoulders, ma.s.saging the tenseness that's suddenly developed there.

"Well I don't know about any of you," Millie says, turning to the table with a platter full of thinly cut meat, "but I'll be glad when this whole mess is over with."

"Amen," I say, closing my eyes as I enjoy Malcolm's touch.

"How come I can't know what's going on?" Lucas asks. "I'm a big kid now, you know. I can take it."

"Not just yet," Malcolm says to him. "We'll tell you when the time is right. I promise."

Lucas doesn't look pacified by Malcolm's promise, but it just isn't in his nature to argue with his father.

Just then, Kyna waltzes into the room on the arm of her beau. Brutus looks so happy it brings a smile to my face. Their love for one another is naked for anyone near them to see.

"Well I guess we don't need to ask how the two of you are doing today," Malcolm says to them knowingly.

Kyna smiles shyly, glancing over at Brutus out of the corner of her eyes.

"We're doing quite well, thank you very much," she replies. "But I'm starving. What's for lunch?"

"You sure do eat a lot for someone so small," Lucas comments innocently.

Kyna laughs. "I've always had a high metabolism. My father used to say I was lucky he had so much money, otherwise I would starve to death."

"Well there's plenty here to eat," Millie says, setting down a loaf of freshly baked and sliced bread.

We soon have plenty on the table to make sandwiches for our meal. While we eat, Kyna tells us about Brutus trying to teach her how to be a blacksmith. Something she's obviously not adept at, at least not yet.

Honestly, I was only listening to half the conversation. For the past few days, my thoughts kept returning to the last of Lucifer's memories. By the end of the meal, I know what I have to do. I lean over to whisper in Malcolm's ear.

"Do you know where my parents lived?" I ask him.

Malcolm immediately looks troubled by my question but nods slowly. He seems to already know what my next question will be.

"Would you take me there?" I ask.

"Are you sure you want to go?"

I nod. "Yes."

Malcolm sighs in resignation.

"Then finish up your lunch," he says to me. "And I'll take you."

I place one hand on Malcolm's thigh closest to me and squeeze it gently.

"Thank you."

Malcolm nods, accepting my thanks and continues to finish his meal.

I'm not really sure what I expect to find at my parents' home, except for a sense of who they were when they were together. All I know is that I need to feel closer to them, and there isn't any place better than the home they built together...

Chapter 18.

After lunch, Brutus and Kyna volunteer to take care of Lucas while Malcolm and I are gone. I don't want to take him with us because I'm not sure what effect being in my parents' home will have on me. If it made me emotional, I didn't want him to see me breakdown.

"Are you sure about this?" Malcolm asks me, looking worried about taking me where I want to go.

I grab a purple wool coat with a fur collar and shoulder cape out of the walk-in closet in our room, knowing that anywhere we go in the down-world will be cold this time of year.

"I saw a little bit of the home while I watched Lucifer's memory," I tell him, pulling my hair out of the back of the coat to let it fall freely around my shoulders. "I just want to see it for myself."

"I haven't been there since before you were born. The last time I went there was to get your mother after Lucifer abandoned her. I didn't want Amalie to be all alone while she was pregnant with you," Malcolm says. "I'm not sure what sort of shape the house will be in after all these years."