“All right, if that’s all, I’ll tell you what Hecate said.” I laid out the discussion we had had. “She suggests coming into the city via UnderBarrow. She also said the Elder Gods are debating what to do.”
“How far do UnderBarrow’s tunnels range? Can we slip in without having to cross the borders of the city?” Jason asked.
Tam nodded. “Yes. Our tunnels border the edge of the Pacific Sound, as you know, but they also stretch out to the edge of Glass Lake. We can sneak in without a problem. It’s what comes next that we have to figure out.”
“Getting in isn’t going to be the problem. It’s stopping the Regent from using the populace as a method of zombie birth control. I think we may have to infiltrate the Regent’s home, take him prisoner, somehow gain control of the Devani, and then…kill off the zombies.”
Jason let out a sputter. “That sounds ridiculous. How on earth are we supposed to do that?”
Tam tapped his fingers on the table. “The Tunnels burrow far deeper into Seattle than most people realize. Those of us who have that knowledge keep it under wraps. We can travel through the secret passages to North Shore where the Regent lives.”
The Tunnels were part of what was—centuries ago—the underground sector of Seattle. The city had, in its infancy, burned to the ground in some neighborhoods. When they rebuilt, the planners raised the level of the streets above sea level, leaving the remnants of an entire region of the city belowground. For a while, the shops had stayed open, but over time they closed and the entire underground level had been paved over. But the tunnels remained. At first they were a tourist attraction, then after the World Shift, they became a labyrinth—a city beneath the city.
“So, from the end of the Tunnels, how far is it to North Shore? And won’t the upper-crust sectors have closed off their borders?”
“Not far, but you have a point. We would still have obstacles to manage aboveground.”
I paused. “Could we go in through the Tremble and the NW Quarters?”
Going through the Tremble was a daunting thought. Mind-bending effects altered the very reality of the magic-crazed district and drove men mad. But I doubted if the Devani would be fighting in there. “There’s also a bridge that leads into the NW Quarters from Briarwood, across the Locks, and one that leads to North Shore as well.”
“The bridges will be heavily guarded,” Jason said. “What about traveling from the Arbortariam? We can take a ferry across to North Shore from there.”
“But that would cut out stopping in Verdanya,” Elan said.
“I doubt if the ferries are working. I wouldn’t mind talking to Jerako about this, though. The Greenlings will probably have quite a bit to say about what’s going on.” The thought of seeing Jerako again made me feel oddly safe.
The Greenlings were Gaia’s henchmen. When she first reawoke, she roused an army of trees and plant devas to do her bidding. They waged war against the cities during the World Shift, tearing them to shreds. Attended by their loyal servants, the hedgemites, the Greenlings kept to their own kind and seldom interacted with humans. They stood ready to rise to action should Gaia summon them again, and they kept careful watch over the world.
“I like that plan. They may have advice for us as well. To be honest, I don’t think we can plan out anything in detail right now. We don’t know what’s really going on back in Seattle, and even what we do know can change on a dime,” Tam said.
“Well, then, we make for the Arbortariam.” I was actually relieved that we weren’t heading straight for Seattle. We couldn’t go in expecting to take down a city without backup. Even I knew we were no match for the hundreds of Devani and the Regent.
He chewed on his lip. “I’ve never met a Greenling. In fact, the stories about them scare the shit out of me.”
I tried to suppress a snicker. That was the first time I had ever heard Tymbur use the word “shit.” The priests of Hades weren’t merely proper—they were stodgy.
“The Greenlings are intimidating, but I enjoyed meeting Jerako. Just be polite and don’t go messing up the plants there.” I glanced at the clock. “I suppose we should get moving. We’re not that far from the road that leads down through the Wild Wood and the Edge.”
“How far from here to the Edge?” Tymbur asked.
“A full day’s walking, perhaps, to the north crossing that leads over to the Arbortariam,” I said. “Actually, I think there’s a bridge at that juncture, but I could be wrong.”
“No, you’re correct,” Elan said. “The north crossing over to the Arbortariam is across a bridge. South crossing is by ferry.”
The Edge was a strip of land that bordered the Wild Wood and Idyll Inlet, separating the two. The inlet divided the city proper from the inland. The Arbortariam was an island in the middle of the inlet.
Belonging to no one, the Edge was heavily wooded. While a road ran through it, the land was mostly overgrown tangle with small villages here and there. Every now and then, ruins from bigger cities pre-World Shift would peek out—twisted structures of metal and stone, but the forest had reclaimed them, hiding them beneath centuries of forest detritus.
“We can travel faster if we ask for horses,” Greta said.
“True, but there are eleven of us. That’s a lot of horses to ask for in a village this size.” Elan shook her head. “I’d rather not put them out.”
“Don’t forget to include Kendall and Tyrell. Which reminds me, let’s hope Odin takes care of Dorn before we leave. We can’t allow him to travel with us.” My stomach rumbled, and I peeked in the pie tin to see if there was any more, but we had eaten it all.
“There’s another question we need to answer,” Tam said. “We know he’s a spy, but how is he feeding the Devani information? He could be chipped with a camera.”
Crap. I hadn’t even thought of that. I turned to Jason.
“Can you distract Dorn while I—” I stopped as a swirl of energy wove around me. Queet was back.
Fury, Hecate needs to talk to you. She’s coming behind me, in a few minutes. She wants to talk to all of you in private, so shut the door.
I looked at the others. “I don’t know if you heard his whisper-speak, but Queet just showed up. Hecate’s coming. Shut the door and get ready.”
As Hans shut and locked the door, Hecate appeared. She didn’t wait, but immediately swung a chair around to sit on, and started to talk.
“More news and I’m afraid it’s grim. Seattle is in chaos. The Order of the Black Mist has broken through the borders into Uptown and North Shore. They’re controlling the zombies. The city is now a war zone and Lyon is on the verge of controlling it.”
And, once again, the game board changed beneath our feet.
Chapter 7
“What the hell happened? I thought the Devani were out in force.” I couldn’t imagine the zombies overpowering the Devani. Then I cringed as the thought of what would happen if the zombies could turn the Devani flashed through my mind.
“Apparently, the Devani’s weapons can’t affect the zombies. They have to be torn to bits. The Regent’s ‘cure’ hasn’t taken hold, not in any significant numbers. Meanwhile, the Regent didn’t have the forethought to inject the Devani with the treatment that kills the zombies, so when they’re turned, they’re like zombies on steroids.”
Hecate looked tired. I seldom saw her frazzled, but right now, that was the only word that came to mind. I studied her for a moment.
“There’s something else you’re not telling us.”
She shrugged. “The Regent’s locked himself in his condo. The zombies are tearing down the gates that bar the way into Uptown and North Shore. Gangs from the NW Quarters are taking advantage and looting the richer districts. People are frantic, trying to escape any way they can. The city’s a time bomb.”
As the news settled, I asked, “What about the gods? Did you talk to the others?”
“Oh, yes. The Convocation of Gods has met and taken a vote.” She paused.
??
?And?”
“A group of us want to break the old bans and help. Another group holds tight to tradition. This is dividing us in a way nothing ever has. I cast my vote with you. With Earth.” She spoke softly but her words reverberated from every wall.
I glanced over at Hans and Tymbur.
Finally, Hans cleared his throat. “Do you know which way Thor voted?”
“He always votes on the side of humans. Thor loves humanity.”
“What about Hades?” Tymbur closed his eyes. He knew what the answer would be, and so did I. Hades was conservative, never willing to put himself or his servants on the line.
“Against action. He knew I was coming here and gave me a letter for you and Montran.” She held out a letter—an actual old-fashioned parchment scroll.
Tymbur broke the seal and unrolled it. Montran read over his shoulder. After a moment, they looked up. “We’re to return to the Peninsula of the Gods by whatever means we can and cloister ourselves in the temple,” Tymbur said.
My stomach lurched. “Then you can’t help us.”
“We must obey Hades. I am his Theosian, and Montran, his priest.”
I nodded. They had no choice.
“We’ll leave at once.” He stood, letting out a soft sigh. “I wish it was otherwise, but…you know, Fury.”
I did. Had Hecate bid me to stay out of the fight, I would have had to obey. There was no question of loyalty. When you wore the yoke of a god or goddess, you abided by their orders.
“Yeah, I know. Safe journeys. Do you think you can manage your way back?”
“Hades bade me to give you a token. It will take you through the Crossroads, back to the temple.” Hecate held out a small charm and Tymbur took it with a grateful smile.
“Thank you, my Lady.” He turned to me. “We won’t say a word about your plans unless Hades orders us to. I promise that much.”
Hecate patted him gently on the arm. “Oh, Tymbur, don’t worry yourself. Hades is no fan of the Devani, nor of the current human government. He would prefer a theocracy over any other form of governance. No, I believe he means to take you back to Olympus with him, to serve in his temple there.”
We all watched silently as they gathered their gear and left. I wondered if they had already known about this when they returned from talking to Hades. Whatever the case, we were two men down.
“Oh, about the other Theosians I told you about?” I filled her in on what Tymbur and Montran had told us. “Odin will deal with Dorn, but Kendall and Tyrell are safe. Can you tell us the way Dagda voted, and Odin?”
She frowned. “Odin voted to remain out of the battle. He was angry with Thor, Sif, and Freya, all of whom chose to act. Loki has joined our side as well, which I have to say is more of a curse than a blessing. As far as the Celts go, they’re all pretty much staying. The Romans chose as a pantheon to remain isolationist. The Germanic gods were mixed. The Finns are batshit crazy and they tossed their hats in humanity’s side of the ring, along with an invitation to party. I could continue, but it’s not necessary.”
“This is going to change your entire world, isn’t it? The world of the Elder Gods?” I felt terribly sad. “What happens next?”
“The face of the world will change yet again, yes. We aren’t sure how Gaia will react. I guarantee, whatever she chooses to do, it will supersede all of our decisions. The Elder Gods aren’t omnipotent and neither are we omniscient. There’s no sentient power in the universe that can claim those qualities. But we’ll do what we can.” She sat back, allowing us to assimilate what she had told us. It was a lot of information to take in at once.
“We had decided to head toward the Arbortariam, to talk to the Greenlings. Then to Verdanya to talk to Elan and Laren’s people. What do you recommend? Your news changes so many factors that I think our plans have to shift, too.”
I couldn’t stop thinking about how the Order of the Black Mist was changing the rules. What if they overthrew the Regent? That alone was a major game changer. And whatever the Elder Gods decided to do would affect our actions as well. I reached out for Tam’s hand. He had been through so many changes that he gave me hope.
He squeezed my fingers, smiling at me. “It will be all right. The world always goes on, even if our roles in it change.”
“Tam’s correct,” Hecate said. She paused then, and I could almost see the thoughts tumbling in her head. “All right. Here’s what I want you to do. Fury, return to Seattle. Go see Jerako like you had planned, but instead of then heading to Verdanya, ask him to help you sneak back into the city. Lyon will succeed in taking Seattle. Make no mistake about it, he’s strong and crafty. You must be ready in case we see an opening to take him out.”
“So we should skip Verdanya?”
“I suggest you send an envoy to fill them in on what’s going on, but yes, for the moment, time is of the essence. In the meanwhile, those of us—the Elder Gods, I mean—who are staying will make plans as best as we can. But first we must break the bonds that hold us tethered, and that’s not going to be easy.” Hecate looked frustrated. “I just wish…we had had more warning.”
“You said the rest of the Elder Gods are leaving? The ones who don’t approve of getting involved?” Greta’s voice was tight.
“Yes. They are taking their servants and leaving. They’ll go back through the World Tree to their homes. We’ve opened the Peninsula of the Gods, although we’re keeping guards on the gates. If we have to, we’ll close the borders again, especially if Lyon tries to push through.”
“Who’s defending the temples?” The thought of all the beautiful temples falling to Lyon’s hordes made me angry.
“The battle gods are out in force. Thor and Sif, Freyr and Freya. Lord Ukko and his entire pantheon of crazed Finns have taken up arms. The Morrigan and Macha, Oya and Artemis. Herne and Pan are protecting the animals. Brighid, Hestia, and Cerridwen have set up a refugee camp in the Trips to help those stranded, who cannot get away.”
She paused and my breath caught in my throat. The thought of the temples standing empty was numbing. “You said the Elder Gods who are leaving are taking their servants?”
“Yes, child.” Hecate hung her head. “Back to Olympus and Asgard and so on. The Elder Gods never leave their servants behind. Or rather, most of them don’t.” Her face clouded. “There are some among us who are ruthless and cruel, but most of us give them a wide berth. The balance calls for all sides, you know. But you—you’ll return to Seattle, and I’ll be there.”
“I have to return to UnderBarrow. I can’t leave my people in the lurch,” Tam said. “I’ll go with you, of course.”
“My family is still there—count me in, too.” Jason turned to Elan. “But I can’t take my sister and her son. If you think it will be all right, I’d like to send them to Verdanya.”
She nodded. “I foresee no problems. I’m sure that Tera will have someone who can escort them. Since I am Lord Tam’s bodyguard, I will, of course, return to UnderBarrow with him.”
Laren agreed to return to Seattle and send for his boat, which was up in Wild Wave Inlet. And Greta and Hans, of course, were headed back.
“Is there anything I should know before we ask Jerako for help?” While he had been friendly the last time I approached him, I wanted to make certain we were welcome there.
“He has closed the gates, but I’ll send word to him that you’re on the way. I’m not sure what they’re doing, but the Greenlings are up to something. Perhaps Gaia’s stirring.” Hecate shrugged. “There’s no use speculating. She keeps her will to herself until she’s made up her mind to act. We didn’t know the World Shift was coming until shortly before she went on her rampage.”
Hans frowned. “How much warning were you given before she turned the world upside down? What did the Elder Gods do?”
Hecate leaned back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other. She looked beautiful and pulled together and about as stressed as I’d ever seen her. But she smiled at Hans’s question and the worr
y lines on her forehead eased.
“Oh, it was quite a surprise. We were still in Olympus, and we were holding our annual games. I remember, it was early autumn, during Second Harvest. Demeter needed a pick-me-up because once again, Persephone had departed for the Underworld and you know how empty-nest syndrome goes. It didn’t help that Sephie had fallen in love with Hades and didn’t want her mother interfering. By the way,” she added. “Never bring up Hades around Demeter if you ever meet her. Especially if you have anything flattering to say about him. It just sets her off.”
Jason shifted in his chair. “I doubt most of us will get the chance. Did she stay? You said Hades is withdrawing.”
“Demeter stays. She loves humankind and routinely goes out in disguise to discover their true natures. She and Odin are alike that way.” Hecate leaned forward. “Anyway, we were having our autumn festival and everything was fine and dandy. Then Hera came rushing through with the news just as Hercules was about to take on Ares in a wrestling match. The moment she said Gaia had woken up, we all knew that the shit was about to hit the fan. The world rocked all the way through the realms, including Olympus. When the door to the World Tree opened, we realized just how heavy the hit had been.”
“When did you come through to Earth?” I asked. I hadn’t heard this story before.
“Right then. A handful of us knew humans would need us again. We chanced coming through the portal and found the world in ruins. You can’t imagine how Gaia lay waste to the land. Most of the big cities were in ruins. Millions of people were dead. The World Trees rose out of the ashes.”
“She’s right,” Tam said. “I was here for the World Shift. I was in UnderBarrow, so I was protected, but when we walked out into the aftermath, it was as though we were in a new world. A world of smoke and water, ruins and desolation. Tidal waves and volcanoes, earthquakes and hurricanes, every disaster you can imagine lashed out at once and twisted the landscape into an alien vista.” His voice cracked. “So many coastlines vanished under the inundation. Every map in the world changed.”