"She is as mortal as you are," Sintorax said. "She is not a thrall of any Infernal."
"Nor is she an acolyte of the Celestial," Noraek added.
"So if I were to aid her, that would not violate the Laws of . . . um . . . Hospitality and, er . . . Manners?"
"No, Shawn Argabrite," the devil replied. "As long as you remain unaligned and make no move against either the Infernal or the Celestial, you may deal with mortals and natives of this plane as you see fit."
"What is she?" Shawn asked, bewildered.
Following an awkward conversation after the wedding, Tabby left and went back to the hotel where she was staying with the rest of the wedding party. Shawn went to the summoning circle wondering how he could contact any of the other extraplanar beings. He never needed to; they always came to him. Without any actual plan, he flashed the lamp the devil left for him a couple of times and waited.
A few minutes later, Sintorax appeared, worried that there might be a problem. Fortunately, there was no emergency, and he cast a spell of sending to Noraek, who promptly appeared, similarly expecting something to be wrong.
"Tablita Naha is human, just the same as you," Sintorax waved his hand and an image of the woman appeared. "She comes from a long line of spiritually-aware shamans. You call it 'extra-sensory perception' or 'second sight'. It's a form of latent psychic ability. From her perspective, she is attuned to the spiritual world."
"She also has a fair level of natural magical talent," his angelic counterpart added. "If the more powerful shamans of her people hadn't been essentially eradicated by the Spanish and later the Americans, she could have been a very powerful sorceress if she were properly trained."
"The vineyard we have given you is a Sanctuary Zone. It was a gift to you as required by the Arbiter. You are the unconditional owner of the land," Sintorax saw where Shawn's anxiety lay. "Neither side in the War wants to see the current equilibrium altered. You offer aid and friendship to all who call upon you, and for that we are grateful."
"I agree," the blind angel added. "The people she is aiding have not taken sides in the War and are essentially refugees, not combatants. As long as they do not alter the status quo, the Celestial have no objections."
"Nor do the Infernal," Sintorax nodded.
"What would alter the status quo?" Shawn asked, trying to cover his bases. "No one wants to upset things less than me."
Both Sintorax and Noraek exchanged a knowing nod.
"If Tablita or one of her allies were to act against either side, she would expose herself to retribution," Noraek said flatly. "If she were to do so within the Sanctuary Zone, an appropriate reprisal could be made without violating the terms of the Arbiter. You are not obligated to intervene under the Laws of Hospitality and Manners, but if you are an active participant in a plot, your status as unaligned would be revoked."
Shawn fell silent, contemplating his options.
"We cannot influence your decision, nor can we tell you what to do," Sintorax said as kindly as he could manage. "We can only tell you what your options are, and allow you to decide what to do on your own."
"What if I buy more land for the vineyard?" Shawn asked. "Would the Sanctuary Zone extend there?"
"Not necessarily," Noraek shrugged. "We may need to consult an Arbiter."
"The Infernal would not object to a reasonable extension of the Sanctuary Zone," Sintorax offered. "And as long as they remained unaligned, any of Tablita's friends would be left to their own devices."
"The Celestial have no objections under those conditions," the angel agreed. "If you wish to accommodate her people, keep them neutral."
"I will see what I can do," Shawn promised.
Both Noraek and Sintorax bowed, then disappeared through the portal, but not before gathering up the plates Shawn prepared for them.
Shawn sighed, trying to figure out how tight to walk the line.
***********
Shawn and Tablita sat at a table overlooking the vineyard from the patio of the restaurant. Both fidgeted while waiting for their food. It was a bright sunny morning.
"I'm sorry for killing the mood last night," Tablita finally said. "But I needed you to know that I have more than just a passing interest in you."
"Beyond the hopscotch?"
"More than that, Shawn." Her eyes darkened. "My people have been taken off their land again and again. They are now confined to reservations out in the desert. There is space there, but it is barren and desolate. Your land is fertile and full of life. And my friends: the dryads, the sprites, the sasquatch . . . they have been chased and hunted. We need spaces which are safe. You have that."
"Not a lot," Shawn frowned. "I have some land, but not enough space for everyone you're talking about."
"We will help you acquire more," Tablita pressed. "I am offering myself in return."
Shawn shook his head. "I am not taking you in trade. That would be no better than raping you."
The Hopi smiled slightly. "You are a good man, Shawn. That is why both the Celestials and the Infernals come to you. You treat them all as equals."
"What do you need from me?" he asked.
"Space. Freedom. Privacy."
"I can give you all three," Shawn waved up towards the back of his property. "They tell me the vineyard can only go so far up into the hills before it becomes unusable for agriculture. If I had enough money, I could buy more land."
"We can help you make money. Grow your grapes. Or other crops," she said with a mischievous wink. "If left alone, the woodland spirits will use their magic to make you the most famous vineyard in the valley. And we can find ways to conceal ourselves in the hills and the mountains. What you might consider 'inhospitable' would be welcome to us."
"I don't need that kind of notoriety," he chuckled. "And I don't really need the money, either. This place is really just a front for the Devils and the Angels to stop by for midnight snacks at a neutral site without arousing attention."
"You tread dangerously close to both sides," Tablita observed.
"And anyone who comes here will have to maintain that balance, too," Shawn frowned. "They can't take a side. If there is a plot against either faction, I have to turn them in. If there is fighting, I can't be involved. Everyone will be left alone. The Infernal will not hunt them, and the Celestial won't grant any favors. That is the only condition I have on any of them. I cannot be drawn into the War."
"And all this started with a sandwich?"
***********
"Your friend . . . the shaman . . . she's been spending a lot of time here," the winged giant said conversationally. Her great clawed hands ended in sharp talons. Glowing red eyes smoldered with brimstone even in the well-lit room.
Shawn shrugged and went back to the plate he was fixing from his fridge.
"You would make a cute couple," the devil observed with a smirk.
"Why are you always trying to fix me up?" he feigned exasperation.
"I got you a date with that one girl . . . Patsy . . . Peggy . . . whatever her name was," she pointed out. "And you are a better cook when you're happy."
At that, Shawn could only snort. "Patricia."
"What was wrong with her?" the devil pouted. "You didn't have any problems getting her into bed."
"Her laugh was like Janice from
Friends
." Both of them snickered. "And she tried to sing along with every song on the radio, even though she has no business singing anywhere but in her own shower."
"I'm sorry for setting you up with someone who is incompatible."
"Don't be," Shawn waved off the apology. "She has big boobs and that makes up for a lot of her annoying habits."
He handed the plate to the giant along with a sealed container of soup. "My mom gave me the recipe for her chili. You get to be the first one to try it."
The devil beamed and smiled with a toothy grin, trying to look pleased rather than predatory. "Thank you, Shawn Argabrite. I'm sure it will be wonderful. I hope things between you and the shaman work out."
With a graceful bow, the lumbering giant returned to the portal room and teleported out.
Shawn sighed and started to clean up the kitchen. His phone lay on the counter. Every few minutes, he looked over at it, wondering what to do next.
He had no shortage of companions willing to share his bed. He didn't know if some of his trysts were with women who owed someone a favour. Or if they were due to the magical influence of the rings given to him by General Zaela.
Or if he was actually that charming.
His ruminations were cut short when a gate opened.
Iioe stepped through the portal. She bowed. "Good evening, Shawn Argabrite."
"What can I get you tonight?"
"I would like anything you can easily make, if you're offering," Iioe smiled from behind her milky eyes.
"Of course," Shawn went back to the fridge. "I made some chili. I'd like to know what you think."
"That sounds great." The normally aloof Seraphim relaxed a little, knowing none of the Infernal were nearby. "I heard you are in negotiations for some of the woodland folk to live on your land."
"Word seems to get around quickly."
"It would be a good thing if you could come to an agreement with them."
"Would that violate the terms of the Sanctuary?" Shawn asked the powerful Angel.
"Unless you were to incite them to join either side, no." Even though she was blind, she sensed the source of his apprehension. "You cannot be held responsible for any choices another being makes. If one of them were to reach out to the Celestial, we would answer. But none of us would approach them so long as they observe the truce."
"Do you trust the Devils?" he asked curiously.
"I don't know that 'trust' is the right word." Iioe paused for a moment, as if searching for the correct terms in a tongue to which she was not native. "The Infernal have a code. They will always fulfil their obligations to the exact letter. Nothing more. Nothing less. They will abide by the terms of the Arbiter. And not just because they are required to. They truly enjoy your company. As do we. You walk between worlds with ease."
Shawn frowned. It certainly wasn't easy to stay out of their War. The microwave dinged and Shawn went to get a spoon, some crackers, cheese and sour cream for the chili.
"Do you think Tablita's people will violate the Sanctuary."
"Some of them may want to. They have suffered at the hands of the Infernal as well as the humans of your land," the Angel said. "Mostly they want to be left alone and allowed to live in peace. A few of them will beseech us to smite the Infernal, but we will not break the terms laid down by the Arbiter."
"Is the Arbiter really that powerful?"
"On its own, no." Iioe waved her hand and a dense constellation of stars appeared in the room. "The universe is divided into many planes. Yours is one of many. There is Darkness and Light which compete, and everything strives towards balance. The Infernal and the Celestial both seek the same thing: Order. We just have different approaches to how that Order is achieved. Above our planes are another set of beings. Just as we use humans and mortals as our proxies, the Infernal and Celestial are used by the Others in their own War. I suspect there is another layer above them, and another layer beyond that, and so on."
Shawn stared in awe at the swirling stars in his living room.
"The Arbiters were put in place by the Others to oversee the rules of the universe. Their judgment is impartial and even though we may not always agree, they are fair," Iioe continued. "It has been eons since anyone has violated the terms laid down by an Arbiter, and the stories tell us that the price was steep. Both the Infernal and the Celestial fear the consequences of breaking the Armistice."
The pair sat in silence for a moment. The constellations faded away. Shawn got up only to re-heat the chili in the microwave, as it had gone cold.
"Tablita Naha asks for little," the Angel said quietly. "You are kind and patient and compassionate. You would make a good match. She wants what is best for her mortal friends. And for what it's worth, I think she truly likes you."
Iioe's unsolicited comments made Shawn blink.
