As Enoch, Lamashtu, Alecto, and Svadilfari shuffled out of the study, they were surprised when no fewer than thirty damned Iron Knight souls pounced on them, armed with blessed cold iron knives, machetes, spears, and even guns loaded with blessed cold iron bullets. One soul shot Lamashtu in the thigh, dropping her to her knees. Enoch, Alecto, and Svadilfari all shifted into their demonic forms and made ready to do battle.
Svadilfari trampled many Iron Knight skulls beneath his hooves, while Enoch savaged them with his claws. Alecto drew raised her spear amd began mercilessly running the assassins through. They fought bravely, but they were outnumbered three to one (Lamashtu hardly counting as a combatant with her injury).
The fight turned against the demons. Enoch was knocked prone by a pair of Iron Knights, who raised their cold iron Heavenly blades over their heads in preparation for the killing blow.
Suddenly, the pair of assassins dropped to the ground with crossbow bolts in their backs, revealing a crossbow-wielding Nergal. Fifty secret police agents rushed into the fray, making mincemeat of the remaining Iron Knights.
Nergal glanced at the corpses. "Get those damned souls into jail cells before they can regenerate and try to kill us again!" he snapped to his agents, who set about dragging the bleeding bodies off. Nergal helped Enoch up. "Your Highness, are you alright?"
"Just stunned and confused," Enoch said. Nergal had just saved his life! He'd been so sure that Nergal was an enemy, but this didn't fit. Sure, those Iron Knights could be Nergal's plants, but why not just let them kill him? Nergal would be much better off with him dead, after all. Could it be that Nergal had been opposed to this conspiracy theory the whole time. "I... I honestly didn't expect you to help me."
"Have I truly made such an unfortunate impression?" Nergal asked. "I really have been doing my best to help you, you know. Cruciata might be facing trial right now if not for me."
"Then why did you arrest her so swiftly?" asked Enoch.
"I had no reason not to think she was anything but a dangerous criminal at the time," Nergal answered. "However, I reviewed the evidence and came to the conclusion that I had been too hasty. Being responsible for the security of the citizens of Hell can make you paranoid over the millennia."
"I... suppose..." Enoch mused. "But why did you aides say you were busy with me when Alecto and Svadilfari wished to speak with you about a missing person case?"
"Did they?!" Nergal thundered with masterfully feigned surprise and outrage. "Well, they won't be my aides much longer. I imagine they must be spies of the conspiracy!"
"That... that actually makes sense..." Enoch mused, stroking his chin. Could he have been too quick to judge Nergal. It was being too quick to judge based on emotion and bias that had inspired Enoch to retire from politics so many eons ago, He didn't want to repeat his mistakes by assuming Nergal was guilty of something.
"How the fuck did these Iron Knight souls get in here?!" Alecto bellowed. "This is the heart of the palace!"
"Very advanced portal magic, I think," Lamashtu theorized as she struggled to get back on her feet. "That's how the thieves stole my harem right out of my palace. Whoever's plotting against us, they've got skilled sorcerers on their side."
"I'll set the secret police to investigating that," Nergal said before leaving.
"Good thing he was there to save us, brother," said Lamashtu.
"I never would have thought it," Enoch said, still in shock. "I'd always taken him for a conspirator, and yet he just saved our lives when he didn't have to. He had good answers to all of my misgivings as well."
"Does that mean you trust him?" Svadilfari asked.
"It means I'm beyond confused," Enoch sighed.