Silver sat on a bench in the park. Spring was coming. It wasn’t here yet, but today was above freezing and the snow was starting to melt.
She’d been wanting to talk to Sunset. Really talk to her. A conversation, not just an exchange of Sunset’s orders and Silver’s acknowledgements. Sunset often came here to the park, and so Silver had come, on the small chance of an encounter.
Silver bit her lip. Would Sunset grant her that? Had she earned it? Her relationship with Sunset had improved by leaps and bounds in the last few weeks, even as magic had taken Sunset further and further.
Magic. It was still hard for Silver to get her mind around it. But if anyone could, it was Sunset, she was sure. Was there anything Sunset couldn’t do?
The battle with the Dazzlings, Silver had been there and seen it with her own eyes, but still had trouble believing it. Sunset had become...something else. Some higher being. Powerful.
Silver had helped her. She was proud to say that she was a part of this. But there was always more she could do.
Silver’s grounding for fighting was over, so she could leave the house now and have her phone back. It was nice to get some fresh air. Thinking about Sunset was better when she wasn't cooped up in her room.
Just then, she got a text message. Silver yanked her phone out.
Twilight is with me. I’m taking her to get a Spring Fling dress. Did you get the mud ready?
Sunset! Silver quickly replied. I have everything you told me for the plan. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do.
Sunset did not reply. Silver didn’t expect her to, but did wistfully dream that it might be nice. The Spring Fling was tomorrow. The daylight today was already fading. Sunset’s next plan would happen soon, and Silver would help once more.
She’d helped Sunset so much. How much more could she do?
Startling her, a man sat down beside Silver on the bench. His half-grey hair was brushed back carelessly. He wore slacks and a jacket, and also an ascot. He looked tired, despite his clothes being neat as a pin.
“Are you looking for something?” he said, just as suddenly as his appearance.
“Huh?” Silver replied, surprised. “What are you talking about?”
“I want to offer you a deal,” he said. “You look like someone who could use one.”
It hit her, then. A deal. How all of this had started. How Sunset had changed, and gotten stronger, with the power to realize her dreams. “Are...are you the Devil?”
“I prefer to be called Lucifer. But yes, you know who I am.”
Silver sat very stiffly, hands balled on her thighs. Lucifer met her eyes, but did not press. He simply waited.
A long moment passed. Silver swallowed hard. “What kind of deal?”
In response, Lucifer took out a thin scroll of parchment. He held it up, and Silver reached out.
“Ah wouldn’t rush into nothin’ if Ah were you.”
Silver jerked. She and Lucifer both looked up at who had spoken. Silver recognized Mac; she’d seen his picture before.
“Y’ may want to talk to Sunset first,” Mac suggested.
A long moment passed as Silver looked at him, at the scroll her hand had almost touched, and then she got up without a word and walked away, hurrying, shoulders hunched.
Mac dropped onto the spot on the bench she had just vacated. Lucifer stowed the scroll. “I shouldn’t need to say it, but this is none of your business.”
“Kind’ve a low blow, hedgin’ against Sunset like that, buildin’ up a contingency, another Rider just in case,” Mac said, arms spread on the back of the bench and not looking at Lucifer. “Did Sunset ever figure out who ya meant when ya said ‘A storm is comin’?”
“I’m sure she has her own interpretation,” Lucifer replied.
Mac glanced at him. “We both know she’s got an attitude, an’ she might become a problem. She’s headed that way. But she ain’t there yet. There’s no need to be draggin’ in teenagers. Her friends.”
“She doesn’t have friends. That’s part of how she got into this.”
“Ya know what Ah meant. Ya’d destroy that girl, just to get at Sunset.”
Lucifer turned slightly on the bench to face Mac. “I punish sinners. That includes Sunset. That includes you.”
“Ya ever thought that maybe you and your system are part ‘o the problem?”
“If you had a better solution, I’m sure you would tell me.”
“If Sunset goes too deep, then Ah’ll handle it,” Mac said. “Not anyone else.”
“When she does.”
Mac tilted his head. After a moment, he got up and turned to go. “Guess we’ll see.”