“That’s a very good question, Fallen,” Lucifer purred, and now Zayne looked like he was about to throw Lucifer through a wall with the TV.

The image of Lucifer flying through a wall behind a flat-screen TV brought a rather disturbing smile to my face.

“God could always nullify all that bad stuff.” Lucifer wiggled his toes. “Stop it before all that nastiness could infect the little, pure and precious human souls.”

“How does God do that?” I asked, almost too afraid to be hopeful.

Lucifer lifted a shoulder. “God could snap His fingers and stop it.”

“That’s all?” Disbelief filled Roth’s tone.

“God is God.” Lucifer glanced at the crown prince. “You of all people know exactly what God can do. And you of all people know that just because God can do anything and everything doesn’t mean God will do anything other than sit back and let it work itself out. Free will and all.”

Roth tipped his head back and sighed after a moment. “Yeah, you have a point there. What is the likelihood of God stepping in?”

“About as likely as me no longer singing ‘Barbie Girl’ while I make my rounds through the Circles of Hell.”

Wait. What?

“Aw, Hell,” muttered Roth.

“You’re really suggesting that God wouldn’t do anything?” Layla asked.

“I’m suggesting what all of you should already know,” he responded. “Hate to say it, but Gabriel has a point. A dull one, but one nonetheless. Mankind isn’t the greatest. I’m not going to bore myself listing all the obvious reasons why, but I know I get more new arrivals than the Heavens do. Maybe God has checked out,” he said, and there was an unnerving softness to his tone. Each word wrapped in silk. “Maybe God just doesn’t care anymore, forsaking the most treasured creations. Look throughout history. There were many times God could’ve stepped in and ended countless horrific and senseless tragedies but chose not to. God acts like the rules can’t be broken when God is the one who created them.”

No one in the room spoke. Not even Cayman. Everyone, including Roth, was transfixed.

“Some say I’m the monster, the nightmare in the dark and the evil hiding in plain sight, but when a child dies needlessly, it is not a life I’ve taken. When a mother takes her last breath due to disease, it is not by my will. When a brother dies senselessly, it is not a part of my plan. Death and war and disease are not my creations. I cannot stop them. I’m not the creator. Right or wrong, at the end of the day, I’m just an opportunist,” Lucifer said. “But what is God? Because at the end of the day, God could take all that pain away. So, tell me, who is the real monster?”