LXXVIII: Payment

There was every kind of food she could think of, and it all drifted in on clouds of red and blue lights. It was very pretty. Lucifer sat in a shiny chair next to her, it was a really long table, but they occupied only one little corner of it while the food drifted by them. Lucifer himself put bits and pieces of food on her plate, suggesting that she try something. 

“This is delicious,” she told him politely.

“You should have some of this fruit juice, it’s made in the Elysium Fields.”

“Where’s that?”

“It’s here.”

Amy looked around, trying to see what he was talking about.

“Where? I don’t see it.”

“You can only see it if you live here, and only then if you’re allowed to.”

“Who says you’re allowed to?” Amy asked him.

Lucifer leaned in closer to her to tell her a secret.

“I’m the boss,” he told her.

Amy nodded, she knew that. 

“You’re trying to distract me,” she said to him, putting on what she called Daddy’s Business Look, “it’s not going to work.” 

Lucifer leaned back again.

“It isn’t?”

“No, it isn’t,” she replied, “I want you to give my friends back now please.”

“Are you sure you don’t want some of the fruit juice?”

“I’m sure,” Amy told him.

“Then we shall begin the negotiations,” he replied.

He clapped his hands and everything except the cups and jug of juice disappeared. 

“You want your friends back, but they are mine,” Lucifer said, “so what will you give me in return?”

“They shouldn’t be yours, they were free!” Amy countered, “you took them away.”

“Actually,” Lucifer said, “they were given to me in payment by a witch who was looking for more power.”

“How can you give people in payment? That’s wrong!”