Coldfire re-read: Black Sun Rising - chapters 45 & 46

[trobadora]

We're rapidly approaching the end. Nearly there now! Of course, that means we're in for another almost-death and some more slashiness. :D

Plot summary

Chapter 45
When last we saw our conquering hero, he was in the process of suffocating under the earth. Tarrant, of course, rescues him - and Damien once again muses on how comforting he finds Tarrant's inhuman chill. (This is getting to be a habit.) When they rejoin Ciani and Hesseth, the remaining Dark Ones attack them, and there's much running through collapsing tunnels and fighting evil creatures. They end up in a blocked tunnel, with nowhere to go but up - but unfortunately it's day outside, so there's no safety for Tarrant there either. Nonetheless, Tarrant saves everyone again by blasting a way out, even though he knows he'll be fried by the sunlight. Damien, Hesseth and Ciani make it safely to the surface, and Ciani's attacker finally dies.

Chapter 46
Damien and Ciani are back with the rakh, and Damien is becoming restless. He finds it hard to deal with the real Ciani, and simply wants to move on. Alone outside the camp one evening, who should he run into but Tarrant? (Surprise, surprise.) They assure each other they're quite ready to kill each other, no really, but then Damien decides to invite Tarrant for a voyage instead. He's going to where the Master came from. In death, the Dark Ones turned out not to be demons after all, but modified rakh, and Damien wants to know who's responsible for that mutation. Tarrant says thank you, but no, thank you - he's had quite enough of the kind of trouble Damien attracts. He wishes him good luck and takes his leave.

Quotes

• “She fed on me,” he answered quietly. “A channel like that works both ways, you know. Did you think I wouldn’t drink in her terror when she died? She owed me that much.”
  He struggled to get his feet firmly beneath him. “Good meal, I hope.”
  “Damned good meal,” the Hunter assured him.


• “He hasn’t died yet,” Ciani whispered. “I would know that . . . wouldn’t I?”
  My God, will you know it. The memories will smash into you like a tidal wave - like the surge of fae that killed your enemy. The experience of an entire lifetime, reabsorbed in an instant. He hated himself for dreading that moment. Hated himself for wondering, with steel-edged calculation, whether that moment might not be the most dangerous of all.


• I won’t let him do it alone, Damien thought darkly. Remembering the hands that had pulled him from the earth, which might just as easily have left him there. Feeling a loyalty which might have shamed him, in an­other time and place, but which now felt as natural as breathing.


• “And you?” Damien asked. “Could you survive it?”
  He hesitated. “Probably not. Sunlight is relative, of course; I’ve stood in the light of three moons, and be­neath a galaxy of stars ... but this is different.” A tremor seemed to pass through his flesh. Damien recalled the fire underground, and what it had done to him. If a mere earthly blaze could wreak that kind of damage, what chance would the Hunter have when facing the sun itself?
  Then: “I see no other way,” he said grimly. And he drew the coldfire sword from its sheath.


• He tried not to think of what that burning must have been like, as he knelt in the soft earth to pray. Tried not to remember the Hunter’s charred flesh as it had been in his hands, as he softly intoned the Prayer for the Dead. Pleading mercy for a soul that had never earned mercy, for a man who had so committed himself to hell that a thousand prayers a day, offered up for a thousand years, would not negate one instant of his suffering.
  “Rest in peace, Prophet,” he whispered.
  He hoped that someday it would be possible.


• Relief surged up inside him - and moral revulsion also, as fresh within him as the day on which he’d learned the Hunter’s name. The force of the admixture was stunning, and it rendered him utterly speechless. He was grateful that he had no weapon on him - glad that he was thus spared the trauma of having to sort out his feelings, hav­ing to decide whether or not this was an appropriate moment to remind the Hunter of their natural enmity.


• “I thought you would want to know that I lived. I thought you had that right.”
  “Thank you. I’m ... glad.”
  “That I survived?” he asked dryly.
  “That you didn’t die ... like that.” He meant it sincerely and knew that could be heard in his voice. “I intended ... something cleaner.”
  “So you’ll still be coming after me when you leave the rakhlands. I regret that, priest. There’s a quality in you that I would hate to destroy. A certain ... recklessness?”
  “But you’ll manage it anyway.”
  “If you try to kill me? With relish.”


• “In the past few weeks,” Tarrant said darkly, “I have been bound, humiliated, starved, burned, blasted with sunlight, tortured in ways I will not describe, and nearly killed on several occasions. I, who have spent the last five hundred years building myself a safe refuge from such threats! Are you suggesting that I should court such disasters again? Truly, I shouldn’t have taken so much of your blood,” the dark figure mused. “The shortage clearly affected your brain.”


• “I know who you were,” Damien answered. “I know what that man stood for. And I’m willing to bet that somewhere in the heart of that malignant thing you call a soul is a spark of what that man was - and the boundless curiosity that drove him. I think your hunger to know is every bit as great as your hunger for life, Neocount. I’m offering you knowledge - as well as vengeance. Are you telling me that combination has no appeal?”
  The figure lifted one arm, so that the folds of his cloak fell free of it. “Appeal or no,” he whispered. “The price is too high.”
  Moonlight shimmered on the wetness of bloody flesh, on muscle and veins stripped bare by the force of the sun’s assault. Sharp bone edges poked through strands of shrunken flesh, their tips charred black by fire and crusted with dried blood. The fingers were no more than seared bits of meat, strung together along the slender phalanges like some macabre shish kebob. If a scrap of silk or wool adhered to that flesh, or any other bit of clothing, it had been so torn and so bloodied that it was now indistinguishable from the man’s own tissue.
  “Enough is enough,” the Hunter whispered.

Thoughts

• Do you think Tarrant expected to die in the sunlight? Or was he reasonably sure he could survive it after all? I'm never quite sure about that.


• Adept senses again: Tarrant claims to be able to hear the solar fae strike the earth. Makes you wonder what else he can see and hear.


• When you read the book for the first time, did you believe for one moment that Tarrant might truly be dead? I was too thoroughly spoiled, so I'm of no use there. *g*


• I know it's been said before, but I really wish we'd seen somewhat more of the real Ciani than this brief glance. I want to know more about her, who she is, what drives her, what she's like. And we never even see her in full - all we ever see of her is in a diminished state. Shame. :-(


• Is anyone surprised that Damien's glad to see Tarrant again? No? Thought so. *g*


• They're never more slashy than when they're talking about killing each other.


• The Dark Ones: If you remember, was it a shock to discover they weren't demons after all? They've lost so much of their initial horror by this point, I'm honestly not sure this has much of an impact at all - I don't think I even cared about them any more when I reached the end. You?


• Does it come as a surprise that Tarrant refuses Damien's offer? It's a great scene, and exactly what I keep wishing we'd see more in other books: people who turn down the great adventure because they're not that fond of getting themselves maimed and killed, thank you very much. *g*

On Thursday, we'll be continuing with the epilogue. After that, we'll be looking back at the whole book, and then ... wow, then we'll be through BSR. Seems like yesterday that we started. Where did the time go?!

Comments

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

Do you think Tarrant expected to die in the sunlight? Or was he reasonably sure he could survive it after all? I'm never quite sure about that.

I think he expected to come out of it alive, and maybe didn't think it would get him quite as badly as it did. He's got such a different attitude in CoS when he really is looking at certain death - there he believes it (twice, even!). Here, I don't think so.

When you read the book for the first time, did you believe for one moment that Tarrant might truly be dead? I was too thoroughly spoiled, so I'm of no use there. *g*

I'm too much of a fantasy reader to have believed it. *g* No corpse, no death. Besides, it was the first book of a trilogy, there's no way that kind of character gets killed off at this point!

I know it's been said before, but I really wish we'd seen somewhat more of the real Ciani than this brief glance. I want to know more about her, who she is, what drives her, what she's like. And we never even see her in full - all we ever see of her is in a diminished state. Shame. :-(

Damien would join us in that sentiment, I'm sure. It must have been odd for him to find out that the woman he loved (or at least liked a lot) is someone completely different now that she's fully herself again.

Is anyone surprised that Damien's glad to see Tarrant again? No? Thought so. *g*

No need to ask. *g*

They're never more slashy than when they're talking about killing each other.

Their little conversation about it here reads disturbingly like flirting.

The Dark Ones: If you remember, was it a shock to discover they weren't demons after all? They've lost so much of their initial horror by this point, I'm honestly not sure this has much of an impact at all - I don't think I even cared about them any more when I reached the end. You?

I was never really interested in either the Dark ones or the Master of Lema, so I simply couldn't be bothered to be shocked by the revelations. That I'm not particularly interested in the rakh didn't help with that, of course. So the evil things are rakh? Yeah, well, can we move on now and see what happened to Tarrant please?

Does it come as a surprise that Tarrant refuses Damien's offer? It's a great scene, and exactly what I keep wishing we'd see more in other books: people who turn down the great adventure because they're not that fond of getting themselves maimed and killed, thank you very much. *g*

That he turned it down didn't come as much of a surprise - he's sensible that way. *G* But what did surprise me was that Damien made the offer. He's so uncomfortable with having Gerald around and with needing him around that I didn't expect this of him. With Ciani, Gerald essentially invited himself along and had a reason to be there. But for this expedition, there is nothing similar that justifies/demands his presence. So Damien really took a big step away from his initial reactions to invite him along just because he thinks Gerald could be useful. And that when he knows what it means to take the Hunter into a new area. It's a huge shift in Damien, and I don't think he'd have issued this invitation just a few chapters ago.

Btw, the Damien/Gerald mutual rescuing tally stands at 4:3 for Gerald after this chapter, for those who are keeping count. ;-)

[trobadora]

I think he expected to come out of it alive, and maybe didn't think it would get him quite as badly as it did. He's got such a different attitude in CoS when he really is looking at certain death - there he believes it (twice, even!). Here, I don't think so.

You're right, there's a huge difference. But I wonder how much of that is that we simply see more of what's going on inside him in CoS - remember, at this point we don't even fully know yet just what he risks by risking death.

No need to ask. *g*

Thought so. *g*

Their little conversation about it here reads disturbingly like flirting.

Doesn't it? It's one of those conversations that's actually about something completely different than what the words say. I think you can translate it into: "I like you!" - "I like you too!" ;-)

I was never really interested in either the Dark ones or the Master of Lema, so I simply couldn't be bothered to be shocked by the revelations. That I'm not particularly interested in the rakh didn't help with that, of course. So the evil things are rakh? Yeah, well, can we move on now and see what happened to Tarrant please?

I like the rakh, and the Dark Ones were thoroughly creepy at the beginning of the book, but something was just lost along the way, and so this revelation didn't mean very much to me either. *shrugs*

But what did surprise me was that Damien made the offer. He's so uncomfortable with having Gerald around and with needing him around that I didn't expect this of him. With Ciani, Gerald essentially invited himself along and had a reason to be there. But for this expedition, there is nothing similar that justifies/demands his presence. So Damien really took a big step away from his initial reactions to invite him along just because he thinks Gerald could be useful. And that when he knows what it means to take the Hunter into a new area. It's a huge shift in Damien, and I don't think he'd have issued this invitation just a few chapters ago.

You're right, he only gets to that point by the very end - after he's, what was the phrase, taken the Hunter's essence into himself, given himself over to the man completely and come out safe and sound on the other side. Getting rescued a couple of times didn't hurt either, I'm sure. *g*

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

You're right, there's a huge difference. But I wonder how much of that is that we simply see more of what's going on inside him in CoS - remember, at this point we don't even fully know yet just what he risks by risking death.

I think he'd have looked harder for alternatives if he'd been sure he'd die at this point. The Dark ones were getting closer, but they had a little more time to plan and think.

I think you can translate it into: "I like you!" - "I like you too!" ;-)

Either that or "Fancy meeting up again once this is over?"

You're right, he only gets to that point by the very end - after he's, what was the phrase, taken the Hunter's essence into himself, given himself over to the man completely and come out safe and sound on the other side. Getting rescued a couple of times didn't hurt either, I'm sure. *g*

And he does owe Gerald a rescue at this point. Stands to reason he's got to find a way to get him into danger for that. ;-)
I like the idea that he's doing it because he put himself so absolutely into Gerald's hands and didn't have his trust betrayed. Of course, it might also have been the happiness of the moment - he finds out that Gerald is actually still alive, so he doesn't want to let him out of sight so soon. *g*

[trobadora]

I think he'd have looked harder for alternatives if he'd been sure he'd die at this point. The Dark ones were getting closer, but they had a little more time to plan and think.

Yes, but he's obviously afraid of dying that way - being eaten by the Dark Ones. He might have preferred burning to death.

I like the idea that he's doing it because he put himself so absolutely into Gerald's hands and didn't have his trust betrayed. Of course, it might also have been the happiness of the moment - he finds out that Gerald is actually still alive, so he doesn't want to let him out of sight so soon. *g*

LOL, of course. *g* Seriously, I do think that kind of gesture would make a big difference - it's very hard to go back from that kind of trust. There's a loyalty there that wasn't before.

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

Yes, but he's obviously afraid of dying that way - being eaten by the Dark Ones. He might have preferred burning to death.

Hm. Do you think there would have been an option of the Dark Ones not killing him, but eating his memories like Ciani's? I wonder whether he'd have chosen death over that one. It actually feels more convincing to me than a pure choice over manner of death.

[trobadora]

That's a great point - yes, I can absolutely imagine that. Certainly he'd rather die as himself, and face whatever's after as himself, than lose himself like that.

[eveningfire.livejournal.com]

Do you think Tarrant expected to die in the sunlight?

I actually think he probably did. He sounds sincere when he says he doesn't think he could survive it, and he has no reason to lie -- he's not the kind of person to exaggerate his weaknesses.

When you read the book for the first time, did you believe for one moment that Tarrant might truly be dead?

I was almost sure that he would survive, but there was a moment when I was a bit worried. The whole grand self-sacrifice thing would have been exactly the right way to kill him off if the author wanted to create a sad but moving ending. So that's what had me worried for a moment.

Btw, the Damien/Gerald mutual rescuing tally stands at 4:3 for Gerald after this chapter, for those who are keeping count. ;-)

What's Damien's 3rd? Killing the Master of Lema/getting GT's honor restored in the process? So far I have:

Damien rescues Gerald:
1. feeding him after they cross the Canopy
2. gets him out of the fire

Gerald rescues Damien:
1. drags him out of the water right before the rahk catch them
2. heals him in the rahk camp
3. pulls him out of the earth when the tunnels collapse
4. brings down the tunnel to save everyone from the Dark Ones

[trobadora]

Thanks for keeping count, btw! :D

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

*g* Apologies - you're correct, I miscounted. 2:4 - Damien really needs to pay his debts on this!

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

I was spoiled on Tarrant because I had the second book by then and had read the blurb on the back cover, so I can't help you on that one either. I think he was honestly uncertain whether he'd be able to survive or not...but on the other hand, he's so used to finding a way that I believe he probably went into it with a very practical hope of finding a way out.

The Dark Ones, however...honestly, the revelation lacked impact because I was still too confused on what's what with the fae for it to mean much to me. I don't know if that's common, or if I was just paying so much attention to Damien and Tarrant that I was kind of skimming everything else.

What did surprise me was Tarrant refusing Damien's offer. It just wasn't done in fantasy novels, and besides: if he refused Damien, how was he supposed to be in the next book? I agree that it's a magnificent scene--even Damien seems to be a little thrown by Tarrant turning him down--and it was one of the first times I'd come across that sort of common sense in the face of adventure.

I love the sensory immersion of the adept Sight. Early on, Ciani mentioned something like this, about how fascinating even rocks or carrion are, how they have their own lives, their own music. I imagine there might even be scent and taste associated with various sorts of fae. Doesn't Tarrant sort of sniff around a couple of times when he's reading the fae?

Ohhhh, so slashy. How does this happen? In one book, we progress from Damien's *hiss hiss spit evil* attitude about Tarrant, to "Come with me on a journey across the sea in a little ship where we'll be forced into proximity 90% of the time for a whole year! And after that we can face untold dangers together, with no guarantee of ever getting home in one piece!" Damien clearly has a soft spot for self-endangerment for the sake of others, even when he knows it's for ulterior motives, but when does he go soft on Tarrant? Was it when he warned the Lost Ones to evacuate? I think I remember Damien wibbling over that just a little. And the fact that Tarrant tells him point-blank, "This is in return for you saving my life"--is that the turning point, the seed of Damien starting to think about redeeming Gerald instead of killing him?

Tarrant, meanwhile, says repeatedly that being around people too much is bad for him--exposure to too much humanity threatens him somehow. How does that work? Is it just that deep deep DEEP down, he's still essentially a good guy, and being around others starts to rekindle his conscience?

[fragorl.livejournal.com]

Tarrant, meanwhile, says repeatedly that being around people too much is bad for him--exposure to too much humanity threatens him somehow. How does that work? Is it just that deep deep DEEP down, he's still essentially a good guy, and being around others starts to rekindle his conscience?

Is that how you read it? I always took it to mean because he is so irredeemably evil, and must be to survive, that any contact with humanity is bound to expose him to a more humane influence. I mean hear his good deed is refraining from killing a lot of people. OK given the circumstance it was a powerful gesture, but what would you think in real life if someone u knew announced that their good deed for the year was not committing murder....

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the thing I said was just an example. You're probably closer to right. I just...I dunno, maybe I'm overthinking it? But I was never clear on how just being around people was supposed to pose a threat to someone as insistent on his sovereignty of self as Tarrant.

[fragorl.livejournal.com]

hmmm. ur right it isnt clear, i just never really thought about it much... I guess maybe its because he was never entirely a psychopath - i mean not a good guy, obviously, but he wasnt insane - he was acting with a coldly logical reason, that actually made a scary amount of sense of the reader. I guess anyone sane who starts viewing people as friends, or even not as prey is going to have trouble mindlessly killing them in future... always risky when ur in that profession ;)

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, now that is an excellent point.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

No, no. I think I read it more like you do.

I think that he still retains vestiges of his humanity that he can tamp down unless otherwise provoked. I think that contact with other people, particularly people of conscience like Damien, inflames the part of himself that Tarrant attempted to sacrifice.

[trobadora]

I think he was honestly uncertain whether he'd be able to survive or not...but on the other hand, he's so used to finding a way that I believe he probably went into it with a very practical hope of finding a way out.

Yes, that makes the most sense, I guess - he's not really, seriously preparing to die here, but on the other hand I don't think he's really expecting to survive either.

The Dark Ones, however...honestly, the revelation lacked impact because I was still too confused on what's what with the fae for it to mean much to me.

You know, that does make sense. I don't think we fully get to understand the difference until the shock over the Iezu being born, not created (ahem) ...

and it was one of the first times I'd come across that sort of common sense in the face of adventure.

Yes, same here. I didn't expect it either - it's that kind of suspension of disbelief where you know any sensible person would say no, but the laws of the genre demand a yes anyway. And then we get the no! I was really quite happy about that.

Doesn't Tarrant sort of sniff around a couple of times when he's reading the fae?

Yes, he does! No wonder young adepts have trouble processing all the input.

but when does he go soft on Tarrant? Was it when he warned the Lost Ones to evacuate? I think I remember Damien wibbling over that just a little. And the fact that Tarrant tells him point-blank, "This is in return for you saving my life"--is that the turning point, the seed of Damien starting to think about redeeming Gerald instead of killing him?

That's a great thought! I think that must have given him pause, but as I said above in reply to alighiera, I think the true turning point is when he lets Gerald take him over in order to trick the Master - he (I have to repeat it again) takes the Hunter's essence into himself, gives himself completely into Tarrant's power - and comes out of it safe. Once you've crossed that kind of line, given that kind of trust, I don't think you can go back again.

Tarrant, meanwhile, says repeatedly that being around people too much is bad for him--exposure to too much humanity threatens him somehow. How does that work? Is it just that deep deep DEEP down, he's still essentially a good guy, and being around others starts to rekindle his conscience?

I don't think it's about conscience at all - just human interaction, negotiation, compromise. By interacting with real people he's forced to move away from the absolutes of his role as Hunter. He may not be fully human, but interacting as a person among other persons doesn't lend itself well to remaining pure, in good or in evil. At least, that's how I see it.

edited to fix html

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

I didn't expect it either - it's that kind of suspension of disbelief where you know any sensible person would say no, but the laws of the genre demand a yes anyway. And then we get the no!

Excellent way of putting it! Exactly that!

(I have to repeat it again) takes the Hunter's essence into himself,

It bears repeating. Over and over and over. :D And I agree there, too. Damien knows he can't leave Tarrant to just wander around eating people, but he also knows he can trust Tarrant with Damien as far as he can possibly go. And that's hard to shake, even when you want to.

So, interaction with people makes him behave too much like a person? Actually, your explanation makes sense. Looking at it that way, we see him running into such compromising situations from the first time he appears in the book.

[trobadora]

but he also knows he can trust Tarrant with Damien as far as he can possibly go. And that's hard to shake, even when you want to.

In WTNF, Damien never manages to truly doubt Gerald, even when he has reason for suspicion. The betrayal hits him all the harder for it, of course - but notice how quickly he is reconciled to the truth when he figures out what Gerald was really doing? He immediately swings back to full-on trust, and even though he doesn't understand why Gerald didn't sell them out he completely believes him nonetheless.

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Damien's easy acceptance there was almost strange.

But...remember back in the Forest, when Damien wanted nothing to do with Tarrant, and Tarrant Worked him with a command to trust him? I started wondering how long that actually lasts for, and how deep it goes. Damien doesn't seem especially affected by it even then, though probably it's the reason he's able to put his back to Tarrant at all at the beginning.

[trobadora]

and Tarrant Worked him with a command to trust him?

Did you really read that scene as a command? Damien certainly doesn't respond that way, as you say. I read it more as Tarrant impressing on Damien just how serious he was.

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

I dunno. It always read like a command to me, but Damien so spectacularly fails to respond to it like one that I doubt my interpretation. Tarrant definitely pulled a fae-whammy of some kind there, but as you say, maybe it was more of impressing Damien with the need to get the hell out of his way.

[trobadora]

Tarrant definitely pulled a fae-whammy of some kind there

Yes, the description is pretty unambiguous about that, but not so much about what exactly he's doing. *sighs* Actual mental manipulation seems unlikely, not just because Damien doesn't respond that way but also because I can't imagine Damien taking it well once it wears off, and Tarrant must have known that. So it's probably more a "don't mess with me" message ...

[fragorl.livejournal.com]

Interesting that he can interact with Karril and not with humans... I mean the first concession we see him make is over Ciani and it is because of his friendship to Karril that he makes it. Is it because he sees Karril as entirely a demon, albiet one with slightly less objectionable appetites...? I mean for all that he is 'evil guy' when we look at the alliances he in fact makes with demonic powers in the series, other than the unnamed he remains pretty loyal to Karril while rejecting the prince who is far more similar to him in nature...

[eveningfire.livejournal.com]

Karril is not entirely a good guy, so he might not be "human" enough to be a threat to Tarrant. In the chapter where Karril is introduced we are told that he doesn't care about the safety of his worshipers; he'd let vampires feed in his temple so long as he could feed on their pleasure. And he also sometimes feeds on Gerald during the Hunt. So I'd say Karril is indifferent enough to evil that he wouldn't try to make Gerald more human, and hence is not a threat to him.

[fragorl.livejournal.com]

oooh I thought it said he only protected his worshipers so outsiders and those who just came out of curiousity were not under his protection *feels slightly stupid* I really do keep missing all this stuff! Karill does sort of try to reform him though doesnt he - he fed on the hunters pleasure not the hunt and that he would be delighted if the hunter changed his appetitites...

[eveningfire.livejournal.com]

oooh I thought it said he only protected his worshipers so outsiders and those who just came out of curiousity were not under his protection

You may be right. There's an ambiguous sentence there and I wasn't sure how to read it either. (I wish I had the book with me!)

Karill does sort of try to reform him though doesnt he

Yeah, I think he prefers to be a nice guy but doesn't go out of his way to do good. He'd prefer that Hunter stop hunting, but until then he'll gladly continue feeding on him. He's not actively evil, just selfish enough to let bad things happen and not intervene.

[trobadora]

I think he sees Karril not only as a demon, but also one he can fully control if necessary. He doesn't even let himself acknowledge him as a friend. And on top of that, Karril isn't a nice guy - he does feed on the Hunter, after all. In Gerald's mind, Karril is a predator as well, so interacting with him doesn't put him on the same level as interacting with his prey.

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

I think you're dead on about Tarrant being comfortable around Karril because he thinks he can control him. Remember how shaken he is in WTNF when he learns he can't summon Karril?

[trobadora]

Yes! He doesn't (let himself) think of Karril as a real person until he learns he can't control him.

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

And then he's all *grumble grumble side-eyes* at him for a bit when he does start thinking of Karril as a person.

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

All the other demons were threatening one of Gerald's projects. The Dark Ones were intruding on his territory, so that meant he had to go after the Master of Lema - Ciani as a reason came only afterwards. The Undying Prince is directly threatening the Church, and Gerald can't let that stand. And Calesta... that one threatens the planet as a whole, and since Gerald keeps his toys on this planet, he can't let that happen. He's only been loyal to the Unnamed because that demon had him on a leash.

Karril is the only one who is no actual threat to Gerald's interests, and he's been feeding him information on the Iezu for centuries. Which probably is enough for civilized behaviour and staying loyal.