by Sumida, Amy
“But the farms are facing drought, not rain,” Mrs. E added. “We don't have to stop the rain, we need to bring it forth and I can do that.”
“Is that what you do?” I just realized that I'd never actually seen a clear example of Mrs. E's magic.
“One of the things I can do,” she laughed. “My magic is rejuvenation, gentle rains, and warm winds. Tlaloc isn't the only rain deity there is.”
“But bringing the rain will only put a bandage on the situation,” Blue cleared his throat. “If you're even able to overcome his magic. Tlaloc's power is not just bringing rain, he has the ability to bring a good harvest, rot the fruits on the trees, dry out the land, or freeze it all. He used to gift these powers to his priests by filling four pitchers with them. When water was poured from these pitchers, they'd carry the magic straight to the crops.”
“Wait,” I sat up as a thought occurred to me. “Mrs. E may not be able to stop him but what about using his own magic against him? Could we use one of those pitchers to repair the damage he's done?”
“Technically, yes,” Blue cocked his head, “but I don't know if they even exist anymore.”
“Do you know where they used to be kept?” I prompted. “Back when Tlaloc was worshiped beside you.”
“Tlaloc had a special altar for him alone on Mt. Tlaloc, 44 miles away from our pyramid,” Blue looked like he was remembering something that hurt. “It was connected to the pyramid by a road which is long gone. I could trace us to the cave he used, that should still be there.”
“Okay,” I nodded, feeling better with something to do. “I don't think we all need to go, just a couple of us to watch Blue's back. If there's no pitchers, we'll come up with another plan. Also... he had a mountain named after him? What the hell?”
“I'll go with him,” Vali offered and Vidar nodded, ignoring my outrage over the naming of geological formations after evil bastards.
“Be careful,” my heart did a sharp clench. I didn't like the idea of sending my sons out to hunt a child killer. I knew they weren't children but they were still my children and it's hard for a mother to look on her babies as anything but.
“We will,” Vali kissed my cheek and Vidar smiled reassuringly. He knew exactly what I was thinking.
“Let's go then,” Blue led them out towards the tracing point.
“So if we do get these pitchers,” Odin started the conversation again. “What's the plan? We visit all the farms he's destroyed and sprinkle them with good harvest water?”
“No,” I finally joined everyone at the table, pulling my chair away from the fire. “We have to stop him first, that's priority.”
“So we stop him how?” Brahma shoved his hands into the pockets of his slick suit.
Fire, I instantly thought, but no, that would only wreck more havoc on those poor farmers. I had to tamp down the urge to burn, to release the heat that curled inside me. I needed to think about rain. That was Tlaloc's main power, the base of his magic, and once you knew the foundation of magic, you could figure out how to topple it. So rain, what could stop the rain? Wind could direct it but we needed more than that. We needed a magic that was Tlaloc's antithesis.
“Does anyone know of a spell to absorb water?” I mused. “If we can attack Tlaloc with some kind of absorption or dehydration spell, we may be able to dry up his magic, at least temporarily. Long enough to stun him so we can go in for the kill.”
“An absorption spell,” Persephone repeated thoughtfully. “I may know of one. I've used it to help soil retain moisture but I think we can alter it for our purpose.”
“Persephone, I could kiss you,” I exclaimed. “That's perfect. Does it need a focus object or just a chant?”
“It's a chant but we could probably condense it into an object, making the object absorbent, so that when it touches Tlaloc, it will suck him dry.”
“Could we put it in an arrowhead?” I finally had a plan forming.
“I think we could,” she grinned back at me. “In fact, I'm sure we could.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
By the time Blue, Vidar, and Vali returned from their escapade, we'd infused twenty arrows with the power of absorption. Straight from the Intare weapon room, they were brand new, aluminum shafts and steel tips. The steel was the only part infused with magic, so the archer would be able to hold the arrow without accidentally releasing the power. They were laid out on the table, on top of the map, just waiting for someone to pick them up and shoot them. I knew just the man for the job.
“We found them,” Vali put two earthenware jugs down on the table, looking at the arrows with interest. “What are these for?”
“In a moment,” I smiled at his eagerness. “First, let's take a look at those pitchers.”
Vidar silently put the other two down and stepped back, he wasn't much of a talker, but then Vidar did mean The Silent One. I looked over the pitchers, one was pristine, the water in it, fresh and clear. The next was black with mold, the only clear spot on it was the handle, and inside, the water was murky with filth. Then there was a dusty pitcher, filled with liquid in which sediment swirled endlessly. The last one had frost on it, the frigid water inside, sealed with a layer of ice.
“I'm amazed,” I looked up at Blue. “After all these years, not only were they still there but they're still full.”
“The fact that they're full doesn't surprise me,” Blue said grimly. “They're magic, empowered to never go empty. You could turn one of them over and it would flow endlessly. Do not do that,” his hand shot out to stop Roarke from reaching for one of the pitchers. “They are not toys.”
“I was just looking,” Roarke shrugged and backed away.
“Look with your eyes,” Blue said in a parental tone and I giggled. “Now, as I was saying, I was shocked that they were there at all but I was even more shocked to find that the temple had been in use. There was fresh wax on the altar, implements, and a bloody plate.”
“Not good,” I frowned. “Okay, we have to act now. Everyone, get ready for battle. We'll leave as soon as you're all prepared.” The God Squad started to file out but when Vali passed me, I grabbed his arm. “Except you, I need to talk to you.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
“I can't go with you,” Trevor walked in on me dressing.
“What?” I stopped buckling my glove, to gape at him.
“There's been another incident at the club,” he sighed. “They need me to go and speak to the police.”
“Oh, fuck,” I'd forgotten all about our trouble with Phonoi. “Did you make the changes we talked about?”
“I did,” he grimaced, “for all the good it's done. We opened a door next to the original entrance, leading to the oathing room, and put bouncers outside to insure no deities entered the building without oathing first. It was useless, they didn't even come into the building this time. We had a fight in the parking lot over a dinged car, that turned into a riot. The police have nothing to pin on us but they're getting suspicious of all the recent activity. I have to go talk to them.”
“I don't want you going there alone.”
“I'll be fine,” he started to brush off my concern but I stopped him.
“They're waiting for us to fuck up, Trevor, and putting you within their reach would be a fuck up. I know there are other Froekn there but I'd feel safer if you took Kirill.”
“Minn Elska,” he sat down next to me on the bed. “I can trace directly into the club and back again. There will never be a moment when I'm alone, I promise you.”
“Okay,” I grumbled, “but if I have to come and save your fine ass again, you're not getting any for a month.”
“A month?” He gave me his charming look. “Isn't that a little excessive?”
“Just come back safe,” I gave him a quick kiss and pushed him away.
“Yes, Rouva,” he saluted and left the room, chuckling.
I finished dressing and met everyone back in the library. It was always interesting to see what my friends wo
re into battle. Usually it was something traditional but some of them had been adding more modern pieces to their outfits. Pan especially, had been fascinated by one of my plate-reinforced designs. He'd made himself something similar, a black leather jacket with metal plates sewn into the lining.
I'd had trouble with that one. The plates worked well for general protection but if a god decided to squeeze them, they could end up harming more than helping, cutting and digging into my flesh. So I opted for a collar instead, two thick leather bands with a spelled steel strip inside. It buckled at the back and was more comfortable than it looked. It was really the only place I was worried about getting cut, everything else would heal but losing my head, I wouldn't recover from.
The rest of my get-up was black leather; pants, vest, and jacket. My wolverine gloves were strapped on, my Japanese short sword was at my hip, and the hooks were attached to the heels of my boots. My hair was braided close to my head in a crown, preventing anyone from using it as an easy handhold, and my pockets were filled with little packets of herbs, prepared protection spells.
“Shall we?” I gestured to the door.
“Why not?” Pan shrugged. “Let's go ShamWow a rain god.”
Chapter Forty
“Corn,” I groaned. “Why'd it have to be corn?”
“What's wrong with corn?” Roarke headed toward the field spread out before us. “It's great cover.”
“Yes, and it'll be great cover for Tlaloc too,” I griped. “Also...”
“Ow,” he snapped his hand away from a stalk.
“The leaves can be sharp,” I shook my head.
“Get out of there, cat,” Vali spoke in a low tone. “We're for the trees. We need elevation to spot the prey.”
Vali's quiver was full of the charged arrows and he was twitchy with the desire to shoot one. We'd tested one of them back at the Palace, shooting it into a plastic bag filled with water and hung off a tree branch. The arrow had absorbed the water so quickly, not a single drop had made it to the ground. I couldn't wait to see what it did to ol' four eyes. Yeah, maybe I was getting a little bloodthirsty.
We climbed up into the branches of some old sycamores lining the edges of the crops. One to a tree, so that we were able to cover the entire area. We'd chosen to make our stand at that particular farm because it was on the edge of town and Tlaloc had been so methodical, he'd either begin or end with it. We were hoping to get lucky and pull the begin with card.
Lucky or not, waiting was never fun and waiting up in a tree, your butt going numb from straddling rough wood, was even worse. I laid out on my stomach to try to ease my stiffening legs, and folded my hands beneath my chin. If Tlaloc ever got there, my muscles might be too cramped to fight him. I hoped Vali could make one of those arrows count, so I'd have the time to fall out of the tree and waddle over to behead the bastard.
Then I felt a disturbance in the force. I sat up and scanned the area. There, across the field from us, under a tree that Ull was in, Tlaloc was walking toward the corn field. I looked over to Vali and found him with an arrow notched and already sighted on our quarry. I smiled to myself, that's my boy.
Just as Tlaloc reached the edge of the field, Vali loosed the arrow and it shot straight at Tlaloc's chest. At the last second, Tlaloc looked up and caught it, throwing the arrow to the ground with a smile. He raised his arms and turned his attention skyward, as if we weren't even there. A shimmering haze appeared around his fingers and lifted into the sky.
“Stop him!” I shouted as I jumped from the tree and nearly broke my neck. “He's putting up a ward against rain.”
Vali released another arrow but once again, Tlaloc brushed it aside. We'd have to do something to distract him long enough for Vali to get a shot in.
I needed Blue. I looked around at my friends as they jumped down from the trees and finally found the man I sought. I swerved my course to intersect with his and caught his arm as we ran.
“Distract him if you can,” I whispered. “It might be the only way Vali will be able to shoot him.”
“I'll try my best,” Blue grimaced and sprinted ahead.
I waved to the rest of the squad back to circle Tlaloc and let Blue do his work. This guy was fast and I didn't want to spook him and drive him away before we got close enough to kill him. The squad slowed down and spread out, moving stealthily through the corn. I slid between some stalks, quietly padding forward over the rich soil, as I kept my ears peeled for Tlaloc and Blue. Overhead, the clouds were being pushed away and the sun began to beat down on us.
“I'm here,” I heard Blue say. “Isn't this what you wanted?”
The clouds stopped moving.
“I wanted more than your presence,” Tlaloc answered.
Beside me, I felt a presence and I whipped to the left to face it. It was only Vali, he gave me a quick grin and then crouched low and scurried forward, arrow notched and waiting. I grinned and followed. I knew I'd put those arrows into capable hands.
“What exactly do you want from me?” Blue continued.
“I want what we had,” Tlaloc's voice became a thin whine. “I want our pyramid restored, the road cleared to my mountain, and I want to be worshiped again. I want us to be worshiped again.”
“Our time is done,” Blue said calmly. “Let the past go, cousin. We can make a new life.”
I reached the edge of the field and was finally able to see the two of them. One row down, Vali crouched near the ground, taking aim.
“I see it all so clearly,” Tlaloc waved to his goggles.
“It's the glasses,” I whispered to Vali. “They're some sort of far-seeing device. You need to get behind him.”
Vali glanced at me and nodded. Where we were, Tlaloc's side was facing us and any shot Vali took would be seen by Tlaloc and those damn goggles. So Vali slunk to the left, disappearing silently through the corn and I turned back to the drama in front of me, hoping Blue could keep Tlaloc distracted long enough for Vali to get in position.
“You and me standing at the top of the pyramid, hands clasped while our people cheer,” Tlaloc continued whatever nonsense he'd been speaking while I was talking to Vali.
“I can't, Tlaloc,” Blue gestured weakly. “Things are different for me now. I can't be a part of your vision, I have my own. I wish you'd reconsider and join me instead.”
“You're a fool,” Tlaloc sneered, “brought to heel by a woman who isn't even a woman anymore.”
“That woman saved me from the bitterness and hatred I'd been drowning in,” Blue snarled, finally showing some passion. “She's been a good friend to me and I won't stand for you insulting her.”
“Oh, cousin,” Tlaloc laughed. “A friend? Can you honestly not see her misshapen soul? Maybe once, she was a woman and maybe even your friend but she has been infected with too many magics. She's on the edge of the abyss, one little push will send her reeling into darkness, into a pit so deep she will never...”
Vali's arrow struck the back of Tlaloc's neck, lodging into his vertebrae. I jumped to my feet and ran forward with the rest of the squad as Tlaloc's face fell into loose lines of shock. His hand started to reach back for the arrow but by the time it closed around the shaft, it was shriveled and claw-like. He fell to his knees and then onto his face, still clutching the arrow.
“If you need to leave, I understand,” I patted Blue's shoulder. This wasn't easy for him, insane or not, Tlaloc was his cousin. “We can finish this without you.”
“No,” he swallowed hard. “I will be here for his last moments. I owe him that much.”
“Blue,” I started to argue but stopped and nodded instead. “Okay.”
Vali pulled the arrow from Tlaloc's neck and nudged him over with the toe of his boot. The Aztec was mummified, every drop of water had been pulled from his body. Even his eyes were dried up raisins but they still stared at us with awareness. He was still alive in that horrible husk and I felt a brief moment of guilt which was promptly overcome with satisfaction. I looked over every sunken
inch of his flesh, every hollow of his face, and then reached down and tore the goggles off of him. He made a small, rasping sound, while one of his withered hands tried to reach for the glasses.
“You won't need these anymore,” I said as I pulled my sword free. I set my legs wide and lifted the sword up.
“Wait!” Azrael was descending from the sky, his inky wings spread out at least ten feet to either side of him. I stared at him in awe, the sword slowly descending in time with my gorgeous lover. “You can't kill him,” he ran up to me and put his hand on mine.
“Whatchu talkin' bout, Willis?” I blinked up at him, coming out of my angel daze.
“I've had the hardest time finding you,” he panted. “I finally found Trevor at Moonshine and he told me where you'd be. I was thinking about this,” he waved his hand to encompass Tlaloc, “and I realized that you can't kill him.”
“Oh, yes I can,” I huffed, “I'm about to right now.”
“No,” he spent a second catching his breath. “Think about it, Vervain. He holds a place in the God Realm considered to be a Heaven by the Aztecs. There are the souls of children there.”
“And others,” Blue had walked up to join the conversation. “The souls of those who died through drowning were also sent to Tlaloc.” His face shifted with an understanding that I still hadn't acquired.
“So what?” I frowned at them both and then at those around me when I saw their shoulders slump.
“If we kill him,” Azrael explained, “the children will truly die. The Heaven that he rules is fed by his magic, without him, it will disappear, become open space for some other god to claim, and with it, the spirits that reside there.”
“Oh fuck me,” I snarled.
“Not the time, Carus,” Az gave me the briefest flicker of a smile.
“So what do we do with him?” I looked down at Tlaloc. Was his skin plumping already? I shoved his goggles into my jacket and put the tip of my sword to his neck, just in case. “Keep him pumped full of these arrows all the time and leave him a mummy for eternity? That seems rather harsh, even for a child killer.”
