Cameron blinked at Selena then groaned. “Not Ukko. Again.”
“Ukko?” Anita breathed.
“Except you already owe him a favor,” Selena told Cameron. “And outside of my servitude, we don’t really have anything else we can offer him.”
Cameron’s dark brown eyes shifted from Selena and settled on Anita. Selena took a deep breath and prepared to beg the woman for a favor no one wanted her to do, but they were running out of options and they were running out of time.
But Anita shook her head quickly before Selena could even ask. “No. I can’t just call him and ask him to do us a favor! First of all, why would he? And secondly, I’m lucky I got out. I don’t want anything to do with him anymore!”
“I’ll stay with you,” Cameron promised her. “He can’t hurt you, but something tells me he wouldn’t anyway.”
Anita crossed her arms and shook her head again. “I said no.”
“I’m kinda new at this god conjuring thing, but I’m pretty sure I could have him over here in like… two seconds,” Cameron told her.
“Why two?” Selena asked.
“I need the extra second in case I get lost.”
“Ah,” Selena teased, “and God forbid you ask for directions.”
“Which god?” Cameron teased back.
“Enough!” Anita shouted at them. “Give Doug some more time. He’ll come through.”
“Anita,” Selena said gently, “we don’t have more time. Odin is reunited with the Norse, and they’re most likely planning their war against the Tuatha Dé as we sit around this motel room arguing. That’s Cameron’s home now. It’s supposed to be mine. That’s our family.”
“Oh,” Anita groaned. “There has to be another way we can find help.”
“If you have any other ideas, I’m game,” Cameron assured her. “Unless it involves snakes. Or spiders.”
“Anita, please,” Selena begged. “Let Cameron get him over here then just ask him if he can at least give us a hint as to where the Norse live now.”
Anita groaned and buried her face in her hands. Cameron inhaled a sharp breath and quickly apologized, “Sorry, Anita.”
The Irish psychic didn’t have time to look up and ask him why he was sorry. The proof stood in the motel room, staring dumbstruck at the fifty-seven-year-old woman who gasped and shrank back against the headboard. “Ukko.”
Ukko’s gaze shifted to Cameron and his pale blue eyes burned with an intense anger. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Now’s a good time for you to talk, Anita,” Cameron said.
Anita grunted at him and kept her eyes on Cameron as well. “These two thought it would be a good idea to have me beg for your help in finding the Norse.”
“I’m not involved in this war. You know that,” Ukko responded.
Anita nodded but still wouldn’t look at him. “I care about these kids, Ukko. A great deal. And I want to help them.”
Selena glanced at the Finnish god who finally stopped glaring at Cameron to look at Anita. The anger in his pale blue eyes faded, replaced by an emotion she’d never seen from the thunder god before. She wasn’t quite sure what he was feeling: regret, maybe?
“And if I help you now,” Ukko said, his voice quieter, gentler, “it involves me. I can’t do that.”
“I know,” Anita whispered. “This wasn’t my idea, Ukko.”
“They’ll kill her, too,” Cameron said. “Tyr and Thor would have killed her at her house in Larken if I hadn’t injured Thor and Badb hadn’t shown up. And they would have killed her in Nebraska if Jasper hadn’t been armed with his .357. If we don’t find the Unbreakable Sword and put an end to this, it’s not just my life and Selena’s that will be lost.”
Ukko returned his gaze to the young sun god and shook his head. “This doesn’t concern me. Whatever delusions you entertained because of my past are just that: delusions. I told you I’d contact you when I found Alan. But you’re on your own with the Norse.”
“Delusions,” Anita repeated. “It was all a delusion, wasn’t it? Mine, I mean. I fooled myself into believing you loved me and I allowed myself to believe the lies you told me.”
“I never lied to you,” Ukko interrupted. “You chose to leave.”
“You gave me no choice!” Anita shouted.
Ukko flinched and inhaled slowly. “Cameron, you’ll hear from me when I’ve found Alan. In the meantime, leave me out of your fight with the Norse. And I’d think for someone who’s so worried about people getting killed, you’d want to get out of this city as soon as possible.”
“What…” Cameron began but Ukko disappeared. He closed his mouth and scowled at the empty spot where the Finnish god had stood. “I really hate that guy.”
Selena met Anita’s eyes and breathed, “A clue. He gave us a clue. We’re close.”
Anita nodded and took off her glasses so she could wipe her eyes. Selena wanted to hug her and apologize again and again for dragging Ukko in front of her in the first place, but she had been right: his love for Anita had triumphed over his usual indifference and callousness.
“So we’re staying in Waco,” Jasper confirmed. “This city is surrounded by farmland and wide open spaces. We may be close but without more information, this still seems impossible.”
Selena sat next to Anita and put her arms around her, murmuring softly to her that she’d never suggest dragging Ukko into their affairs again. Anita laughed through a sob and relaxed into Selena’s embrace. “But he told us,” she said. “He told us the Norse were nearby, and he did it because of me. All these years…”
“You thought he never really loved you,” Selena finished.
Anita nodded.
Cameron sighed and added his own apology. “Sorry I had to do that. For what it’s worth, I don’t think he was terribly happy about the whole situation either, and I certainly didn’t want to hurt you. But we just found out we’re close to the Norse, which means we’re close to the Unbreakable Sword. And I have an idea.”
Selena lifted her head and raised an eyebrow at him.
Cameron flashed that mischievous grin at her. “Let’s get out there and let the Norse know we’re here. They’ll come find us.”
“That’s… about as stupid an idea as I’d expect from you,” Jasper responded.
“Good,” Cameron retorted, that mischievous grin never faltering, “because you’re going to be our bait.”
Chapter Eight
Jasper glared across the surface of Lake Waco then turned to Cameron and reminded him, “We haven’t exactly had good luck with water sources. Why would you insist we come here?”
Cameron waved his arm toward the lake. “That’s why we’re here. I figured something might be living in there and it would at least attract attention to us.”
Selena zipped up her jacket and shivered as an early November breeze blew past her. “Should I jump in or throw a car in the middle of the lake?” she joked.
Cameron put an arm around her and smiled. “If you somehow conjure another snake creature, I’m leaving you.”
Selena snickered and stared out over the calm surface of the reservoir. “Don’t blame you.”
Anita backed away from the water and shuddered. “Try getting eaten by a huge snake. I’m pretty sure there’s nothing in this lake that could…” Anita trailed off as she squinted at the lake.
Selena followed her gaze and blinked at an odd shape rising from the water. “Is that a… horse?”
“Water horse,” Anita whispered. “Cameron… let’s get out of here. Now!”
“Why?” Cameron asked, watching the large shape of the horse as it settled on top of the lake and began to gallop toward the group on the shore. “It’s just a horse. That’s way less scary than a huge snake.”
“No!” Anita yelled, pulling on his arm, but Cameron didn’t move. “You don’t understand! They’re almost impossible to kill!”
Selena gasped and grabbed Cameron’s other hand and tried to pull hi
m away from Lake Waco as well. “She’s right. Even your Spear will be useless. Please, Cameron…”
But Selena couldn’t finish. The extraordinary speed of the water horse had brought it across Lake Waco and it reared its head at the god who had dared to challenge it. Selena looked away from the large, black horse when a bright blue flame in her peripheral vision caught her attention. Cameron’s Spear had appeared in his hand, the flames leaping from its tip.
“Get back,” he ordered the others. Jasper and Anita immediately backed away but Selena was reluctant to leave his side. Cameron didn’t look away from the water horse that had placed its hooves onto dry land. “Selena, go!”
Selena joined the other demigods but desperately searched the shore of the lake for anything she could use to build a fire.
“A fire,” she breathed.
Cameron’s arm retracted then his Spear arced through the air, a bright blue streak trailing behind it. The Spear landed in the neck of the water horse, but it didn’t slow down in its advance toward the sun god.
“Cameron, only fire can kill a water horse!” Selena screamed.
A wall of fire erupted in front of the horse and its hooves planted in the ground, causing a mixture of sand and dirt to funnel into the air. Through the flames, Selena could see the water horse pacing as it tried to figure out how to reach the sun god now. Cameron reached through the wall of fire and pulled his spear from the neck of the horse. As soon as it touched his hand, it disappeared again, hidden wherever gods hid their weapons when they weren’t needed. Selena made a mental note to ask Cameron what the hell he did with his Spear when he wasn’t using it… assuming they lived through their encounter with the water horse of Lake Waco.
A splash to her right surprised everyone, and above the top of the wall of fire, she glimpsed the head of another giant water horse. A quick succession of splashes across the lake alerted them that the original water horse had company – and lots of it. Cameron backed away from the wall of fire now, too, and stopped when his hand brushed against Selena’s.
“How many?” he asked her.
“I don’t know,” she answered. “A dozen? I lost count.”
Cameron nodded. “Me, too. I think we’re out of options.”
Selena whimpered and shook her head. “You’re not allowed to give up!” she protested, but her protest was short-lived. The fire and the lake and the water horses that guarded it disappeared, and the long green and gold banners, the intricately woven tapestries on the wall, the magnificent oaken table, all told her she was no longer on Earth.
She let go of Cameron’s hand and twisted around to search for Anita and Jasper, who stood behind her, wide-eyed and mouths agape as they took in their surroundings.
“Where are we?” Anita breathed.
“The Dagda’s palace,” Selena told her. “In the Otherworld.”
“Oh, my God,” Anita whispered.
“Which god?” a familiar voice asked, the teasing tone light-hearted but betraying her concern that Cameron and the demigods had appeared here.
Selena smiled at Badb and nodded toward her boyfriend. “Pretty sure it’s this god this time, considering he’s the one who brought us all here.”
Badb snickered and entered the great hall, looking over each demigod quickly to make sure they were unhurt. Her eyes lingered on Selena the longest. She finally took a deep breath and her gray eyes moved to Cameron. “What happened?”
“Uh… water horses. At least a dozen of them.”
Badb wrinkled her nose and muttered, “I hate water horses.”
Cameron nodded in agreement. “They’re a pain in the ass to kill.”
“Only fire will kill them,” Badb said. “Not a problem for you, but the trick is getting them on the fire. They’re some of the fastest creatures in either world, and you can’t wound them.”
“And that’s why we’re here,” Cameron sighed. “I couldn’t fight them, and I needed advice. So far, you’re not helping.”
Badb lifted a shoulder at him. “I could go back to Earth, but I’m as useless against them as anyone else. The only thing you can do is outsmart them then get them on a fire somehow.”
“Great,” Cameron mumbled. “We’re back to a battle of the wits. How smart are these horses?”
“They’re horses,” Jasper said. “How smart can they be?”
Anita grunted at him and folded her arms over her chest. “Did you ever study any mythology other than your own?”
“No, what’s the point?”
Anita threw her hands up and shot Badb an imploring look, but Selena wasn’t sure if it meant, “Please explain why water horses aren’t ordinary horses,” or “Smite this obnoxious asshole already.” By the way Cameron was looking at Jasper, Selena thought he was hoping for the latter.
“They’re not exactly animals,” Selena explained. “More like… changelings. They appear as both horses and blue men. In Scottish myth, they were known as kelpies. What that means for us is we’re not dealing with a dozen horses but a dozen men who have been charged with protecting that lake.”
Anita nodded then stood up a little a straighter. “They were protecting the lake,” she whispered.
“Yeah, that’s what Selena just said,” Cameron agreed.
“No, I mean they were protecting it. There’s something special about that particular lake, that location.”
Cameron and Selena glanced at each other then Cameron sighed heavily. “How the hell is the secret entrance to Asgard in the middle of a lake?”
Badb leaned against the table and folded her arms. “How did you figure out their new Asgard was in Waco, of all places?”
“Um…” Selena stammered.
Anita arched an eyebrow at her and shot her a look that dared her to explain to the guardian of the Tuatha Dé how they’d dragged one of her greatest enemies into their quest for the Unbreakable Sword. Selena was still trying to figure out how to tell Badb about Ukko when Cameron saved her the trouble.
“I got Ukko to tell us,” he answered flippantly.
Badb stood up and anger flashed quickly through her gray eyes. “You what?”
“Ukko,” Cameron repeated. “The Finnish thunder god, head of the New Pantheon. Pretty sure you know him.”
Badb rubbed her temples and moaned, “No. Cameron, what is wrong with you?”
“Still not sure. But what’s wrong with you? It worked.”
“But he knows now Selena won’t be leaving Waco! He’s the last god you can trust!” Badb protested.
Cameron waved her off. “I don’t trust any of you.”
Badb glared at him and reminded him, “You’re a god now.”
“Then I don’t trust myself either.”
“Cameron,” Badb groaned. “This is serious! If Ukko told you where the Norse were hiding, it’s because he’s planning something… he’ll ambush you and try to kidnap Selena, and…”
“I don’t think he will,” Selena interrupted. “Not right now anyway. Not as long as Anita is with us.”
Badb shook her head, sending long rivulets of blonde hair over her shoulders. “His past relationship with Anita won’t protect you now.”
“No,” Selena interrupted again. “I’m counting on the fact he’s still in love with her to keep him from trying anything as long as she’s around.”
Anita inhaled sharply but Selena wouldn’t look at her. She couldn’t meet the woman’s soft green eyes and see the sense of hurt and betrayal that always emerged whenever her past with Ukko was mentioned; convincing Badb that Ukko still loved her was far worse because she suspected Anita had never gotten over the thunder god either, as disturbing as the thought was.
Badb’s soft gray eyes roved over Anita with a mixture of curiosity and incredulity then she inhaled slowly and forced a smile at Selena. “Why don’t you show Jasper and Anita around? This is their first time in the Otherworld and there’s obviously no danger in going near the glass castle now.”
Selena snickered and looke
d over her shoulder toward the door in the rear of the Dagda’s palace. “And if any Norse or Slavic gods show up?”
“They won’t,” Badb assured her. “You’ll be safe here for now. But if you’re worried, Nemain can accompany you.”
Badb’s sister appeared in the doorway to the great hall and smiled at the demigods. “Let’s call me a bodyguard and not a tour guide.”
Anita’s eyes sparkled and she breathed, “If only Macha were here, we’d have the entire Mòrrìgna with us.”
Nemain pulled her long blonde hair back into a ponytail and laughed at the Irish demigoddess. “Maybe we’ll find her out there. She’s apparently hell bent on starting another cattle raid.”
“Wait, what?” Jasper asked.
“Cattle raid,” Anita repeated. “Some of the greatest battles in Irish myth began as cattle raids… although I have no idea why Macha is trying to steal a cow or who she’s stealing it from.”
Badb rolled her eyes and gestured toward the door. “Go see for yourself. Apparently, we have very little to do in our spare time here.”
Cameron eyed the door for a few seconds then glared at Badb. “I want to go find out why Macha is stealing cattle.”
“You are staying here with me so we can figure out what to do about these water horses.”
Cameron folded his arms across his chest and pouted. “For the record, being a god sucks.”
“For the record, you complain more as a god than you did as a demigod,” Badb retorted.
Selena grabbed Anita’s hand and pulled her toward the door. “Come on. Those two are like siblings who only know how to interact by tormenting each other. If we wait for Badb to explain what the hell the Great Otherworld Cattle Raid is all about, we’ll be waiting until Ragnarok.”
“That word is forbidden here!” Badb shouted after Selena’s back.
Selena ignored her and tugged on the heavy wooden door, stepping into the soft green grass and warm sunshine of the Otherworld. She remembered the feel of the cool grass beneath her feet the day she and Badb had gone for a walk after Cameron stormed out of the Dagda’s hall so she bent down to take off her shoes. Nemain followed her out with Jasper and the war goddess tossed her sandals by Selena’s shoes then nodded toward the largest hill in the distance.
Treasures of the Gods (The Unbreakable Sword Series Book 3) Page 7
