Chapter Ten
Torrent came alone. Usually, Artemis, his girlfriend, accompanied him. This time, he asked her to stay behind. That, above all, proved how dangerous this was. He became even more wary when we told him about the Inter Realm theory.
We didn't trace to Naraka. Instead, Torrent opened a vein of Inter Realm—yes, there was danger in that as well—and pushed it through the Aether to Naraka. Re, Viper, Odin, Trevor, and I waited behind Torrent in the vein as he worked his Unmaking Magic on Naraka's ward.
“What the hell?” Torrent lowered his hands.
“What is it?” I asked.
He looked at me. “There isn't a ward. The territory is open.”
“Oh, I don't like this,” Viper muttered.
“We go in.” Trevor motioned to Torrent. “Please.”
Torrent glanced at me and then nodded. He pushed the vein of Internet into Naraka and then released it.
The realm looked much the same as it had the last time we were there.
Naraka is a hell with levels—very Dante.
But instead of the levels lying atop each other, they extended horizontally with barriers between them.
In the first section was the palace of Naraka.
When I was there last, the palace had been very Indian in architecture, with golden domes and the like.
Now, it was like the original Pride Palace, with a single level spread across the top of a hill.
The white walls held a thatched roof, and open windows let in the breeze, unhindered by glass.
Around the home, grassland spread, spotted with trees.
Down the hill and across the grassland was the first layer of Naraka's hell—the Childless. The wails of childless women carried to us over the waving grass like the cries of ghosts. It was enough for me to know that it was the same. I didn't have to explore it. Instead, I headed for the palace.
“Remember,” I looked at my husbands, “we come in peace.”
Trevor nodded.
Torr raised his pale eyebrows.
“We just want to see Ty and make sure he's okay,” I explained.
“We're not here to rescue him?” Torrent's brilliant green eyes widened.
“Only if he wants to be rescued.”
“Or if he is being controlled and doesn't know what he wants,” Trevor added.
We climbed the slight rise and went to the front door. I knocked on the pale wood. The sound echoed, making me wince. We waited. I knocked again. Still nothing.
“Hello?” I shouted. “It's Vervain! I just want to talk. We need to make sure that Ty's okay.”
Nothing.
“Aw, fudge this.” Trevor gathered himself to bash the door down.
Odin reached between us and turned the handle. The door opened.
Torrent snickered as Trevor straightened and settled his shoulders.
“Hello?” I called through the open doorway. “We're coming in. Don't attack us.”
I went into an airy foyer; the white plaster walls surged up into an open, peaked, wood ceiling of crossed beams. Scanning the area, we walked down a corridor, past a living room done in white.
White walls, white furniture, and white curtains.
Pops of color came from woven baskets perched atop wooden tables, tribal masks on the walls, and woven blankets thrown over chairs.
At the end of the corridor, we turned left to search several rooms, all with a similar style.
It looked as if someone hadn't had the time to get creative.
“This feels like a setup.” Odin took a mask off the wall and inspected it. “They're not here, but they knew we'd come.”
“They want us to believe they're an African god.” I shook my head. “It's becoming such a theme that I'm wondering if it's true.” I looked at Torrent. “Are there any African gods who are both a woman and a man?”
Torrent's gaze went distant, and then his eyes moved as if he were reading a book. At last, he blinked and refocused on me with shock. “Their name is Agwu.”
“What?” Trevor growled. “They really are an African god?”
I held up a hand. “We don't know it for certain yet.”
“Uh.” Torrent made a wincing face. “Maybe you should hear about this god first, V. Their sex is unknown. When they are in goddess form, their name is Agwusi. They are the Igbo God or Goddess of Giddiness, Rascality, Confusion, and Forgetfulness.”
Odin groaned. “Forgetfulness. They wiped our memories.”
“And confused us,” Viper added.
“They're said to be a guiding god/goddess who wants to advance the human race,” Torrent said. “They are into science, philosophy, and mysticism. They're a god of diviners and healers who guides them.”
“They want to advance the human race?” I made a huffing sound. “Seriously? That's what they're known for? How did we miss them?”
Torrent shrugged. “There's so much information out there. You kind of have to know what you're looking for to find it.”
“Well, we found it,” Re said. “If they're a god of diviners, it also explains how they can see the future.”
“And know that we'd come here,” Trevor added.
“All right, this is great. We know who they are now. Let's finish searching the house, just to be thorough.” Odin looked out the window. “And then we can walk through Naraka.”
“Aw,” I whined. “Do we have to?”
Trevor glared at me.
“Okay, fine.” I strode off to search the house.