“Pleasure and pain have similar linkages in the soul. That taste, the nectar of divinity, burns as ambrosia or as ichor. It is not only the sensations of the mortal body that the seductors would entice, but those of the immortal,” the Shadow King said, turning around to me. “There are seductions of pain, of despair, of wrath, of greed, all those you note as sins.”

I wanted to tell him that of course I was familiar with pop gaming culture, but dropping the name Gaiman to a god was one of those lose-lose situations. Either he knew him and I was stating the obvious, or he didn’t know him and all of my illusions were shattered.

“I see from your expression that you have some kind of way of noting the obviousness of this. There are seductions in humility, chastity, and altruism, those virtues, too. Sacrifice is perhaps the sweetest temptation of heroes.”

I nodded. I may not have actually known this, but it made a kind of sense.

“You think of will as a power, do you not?”

I shrugged. I mean, duh. It’s right up with the manipulation of coincidence and the laws of similarity.

“It is a common conceit of wizards that what they desire is always within their grasps. If only the power was there, the wanting strong enough, the conjunction right, the prayer heard.” He was suddenly next to me – I hadn’t seen him really move, but it was like he took some sort of shortcut between the window and where I sat. “Perhaps you’d like a more familiar creed, that if only I worked harder, exercised more, did what it took… and what does it deliver?”

“Materialism?” I asked, a tad sarcastically.

“Power, control, is it not the same thing?” He waved it away. “What cannot be seduced is hard to control.”

“Which makes it dangerous in potential,” I said, slowly. I think I was understanding. “A threat. Who seduces the seductors?” I asked, wryly. Hadn’t Matana suggested something about controllers? Maybe she meant it more literally than that. Where were the Overseers?

“There are shifting currents that have been manipulated.”

“By witches?” I played a hunch.

He smiled. “There are deep games and shallow ones, Closer. How often do you go in over your head?”

“I prefer to call in the troops,” I admitted.

“There’s a price, isn’t there?” he asked. “The big favors you owe, big things will call them in, won’t they?”

I didn’t agree. “Why are you here?”

“You’re happy being a little fish in the big pond, but as smart and aware as you are, it doesn’t stop you from being very tasty. Your guardian and guide is gone, isn’t she?”

I didn’t say anything. He just smiled a little wider. On my features, it looked disturbing. No wonder I didn’t have a steady girlfriend if I ever smiled like that at them.

“She had a patron.”

“Peredur.” The word burned my lips and tongue. I wanted to stop listening.

“You dealt in Dragons. Your fate blew wide open,” he said. “Should have stuck to closing doors.”

“You’re like the salesman who pushes a foot in, aren’t you?” I almost smiled.

“What do they want to make you?” he asked.

“A wizard.” I spat out the word. “What’s your offer?” I asked him. I didn’t dare look at the Shadow King.

“I thought that was your line.” He hung out right in my face, way too much in my personal space. “I bring conflict. I am a wraith, a lord of the barrows, a Shadow King. Why would I offer you a gift? Did I arrange this all for your benefit?”

“I had a question pending,” I reminded him.

“I am not a trickster spirit. I am a creator of chaos, not a opportunist.” He leaned back. I hadn’t been able to smell his breath – maybe he didn’t breathe.

“You don’t care who wins, as long as there’s battle?”

“I need my name shouted in the heat of battle. I need to feed on the rent flesh of war. I want to open the gates and let loose carnage and her sisters.”

“You need the seductors of wrath?”

“Oh, any of them will do. Avarice, wrath, lust – I am not moved by those. But I do not want seduction.”

“Liar.” I didn’t believe the word had popped out of my mouth. “You’re a Shadow King. A Power, but not one that exists in full. Seduction is an illusion, a shadow. If you took control, you’d be opening more trouble for yourself when bigger Powers suddenly wanted a piece of you and your scheme.”

“I have maybe changed my mind. I may not like that you are smart,” he decided.

“So you’re creating a witch war. Dude, that’s none of my business.” I stood up and got some distance between us, holding my hands out in front of me. “I mean, I’m kind of curious now to see if you dropped my name in someone’s ear, but I only date the witches, I’m not one.” I shook my head. “I don’t get involved in supernatural politics. I really am happy as a little fish.”

“Little fish come out to try the bait, too. It’s up to the fisherman to be honest and throw them back.”

“I’m a one trick hack, mister. You have the wrong fish. I’m like spackled trout and never in season. Doesn’t something come along to check the licenses of you folk?” I may have sounded a little desperate.

“I thought you didn’t do politics,” he pointed out.

“You squatted on the Gillikins lawn just long enough for something bigger to pass you by, didn’t you?” I accused.

“Ignorance is bliss, little fish.” He moved a step closer.

“Was it the Dragon?” I didn’t want to repeat the name.

“Which one?” he mocked. “There are so many.”

“Stay away from my witches,” I said. “All of them. The -cubi wouldn’t have cared if you hadn’t rigged this group up as bait. I think you’re after someone in particular.”

“You’re right, E. He’s after me,” Sylvia entered the conversation. “He suspects I’ve made a deal.” She walked through the room. “And unfortunately, he’s right.”