Page 71 of Hellfire & Tinsel

“We can work something out,” Peter said grudgingly.

Beau beamed, looking up at Kassel and finding a phantom smile painting his lips too. He hopped up and placed a kiss onhis chin, feeling so unbelievably loved and happy his soul was surely about to explode.

“Well…” Azoth said, dusting his hands off.

“… seems like it all worked out perfectly,” Tarik finished.

“You’re welcome,” they chorused together.

Peter went sprinting for them.

The twins hissed like cats and hid behind Zorun.

“Get back here, you hellspawns!”

“That’s not an insult!” Azoth yelled.

“That’s just a fact!” Tarik finished for him, both peeking their heads out from cover to poke their tongues out.

Peter summoned something bright and gold in his hands, enraged beyond comprehension.

“Oh dear,” Beau said to Kassel.

“Now, now!” Zorun said, holding his hands up. “There’s no need for holy vengeance.”

“They show no repentance for their wrongdoings! Sins must be punished!”

“Surely we can work out another punishment.” Zorun continued to use his massive body to protect the troublemakers. “Something with less chance of turning them into ashes.”

“Protect us, Zorun.”

“We’re scared, Zorun.”

Beau didn’t think itsoundedlike they were scared particularly, but Beau didn’t know the twins that well. Maybe snickering and tickling fingers up Zorun’s muscles was how they relieved anxiety.

Everyone was different.

“There are multiple ways to skin a human, you know,” Zorun said sagely. “You don’t just have to go with the most obvious one.”

Peter tensed in place before he took a visible deep breath in, the glow dissipating from his hands. He straightened his robes. “Fine. I accept your proposal.”

Zorun blinked. “My what?”

“You offered to work out another punishment. So I’ll putyouin charge of regulating it.”

“Me?!”

“Punishments are part of your job down here, are they not?” Peter asked.

“Well… yes, but—”

“Then it’s settled.” Peter cut him off. “You will be in charge of rehabilitating these two to put them on a better and more righteous path.”

“How terrible,” the twins yelled dramatically, tails over their foreheads, hanging on to Zorun’s wings. “How will we survive such a cruel punishment?”

Zorun stumbled for a second, trying to balance the limpets attached to him and understand what had just happened. “Wait a minute—”

“The next eon should suffice,” Peter said.