He stopped outside the two huge onyx doors of his palace library. Eight Luciferean guards bowed prostrate in reverence. ‘Zadkiel!’Zadkiel stepped out, as though from nowhere, and bowed deeply.‘You have it?’ Lucifer inquired.Zadkiel spoke in his usual refined tones. ‘From the inner sanctum of the Tower of Winds itself, Your Excellency.’Lucifer grasped Zadkiel’s arm, drawing him down the library corridors and past the magnificent frescos. ‘You have been discreet?’ Lucifer’s eyes were searching.‘The curators will not miss the codices, Your Excellency, and by dawn they will be returned.’Lucifer stopped in mid-stride. He nodded. ‘Of course . . . ’ He hesitated. ‘You know . . . that Yehovah would have given me access . . . ’Zadkiel nodded, his gaze troubled. ‘Of course, sire. You are Yehovah’s prince of the highest order.’‘Nothing is withheld from me by my Father.’‘Of course, Your Excellency. Your throne is second only to His.’Lucifer continued again through the corridors without breaking his stride.‘It is more expedient this way, Zadkiel.’Zadkiel nodded.
