Chapter Sixteen
The palace of Izumo was empty. We didn't intend to scare the humans, but that's what happened when we came out of the tracing hut and ran through the palace.
No one tried to stop us. These were humans who knew that gods were real and knew better than to stand in the way of one.
They had run for the doors as we ran for the shrine.
We had to bring Vero with us. There's no telling what kind of trouble a magical child could get into in a magical hall. It was dangerous to bring him, but more so to leave him behind. So he ran beside Trevor, who was trying to hold back Wolf.
At last, we entered the back room. It was empty of life. No sign or trace of Ty or the trickster. I went to stand before the altar and stared at the empty spot the mirror had occupied. The only object left on the shrine was the crystal ball.
“We'll find them.” I took Trevor's hand.
“We'll go back and try Hlidskjalf again,” Odin added.
“Godhunter, what a surprise.”
The four of us spun around to see Amaterasu standing in the doorway.
Her long, black hair hung in a braid over her shoulder, stark against her white skirt suit.
Her dark eyes shifted from me to the shrine and then narrowed.
Her grip tightened on a white Hermes Birkin.
There was a glow about the sun goddess that had nothing to do with her outfit.
Behind her stood Hachiman, the Japanese God of War and a favorite god of the Yakuza.
A black, tailored suit enhanced his thick body, with the top two buttons of his shirt undone.
He had long black hair as well, but not as long as Amy's.
It hung to mid-back on him, tied in a ponytail.
“Amy.” I shook my head. “I'm so sorry. We've been tracking a trickster god who ran off with my brother-in-law. We saw them come here, but we got here too late to stop them.”
Hachiman bowed to us. “Godhunter, Allfather, Prince Trevor.”
“Hello, Hachiman.” Odin bowed back along with the rest of us. Even Vero bowed.
With propriety seen to, Hachiman asked, “A trickster?”
Odin answered, “Yes, this trickster has played games with us before, but this game is different.”
“My brother is in love with them,” Trevor added. “He may have gone willingly, but I have to find them.”
Amaterasu looked from the altar to me. “A trickster took my mirror? Why?”
“We don't know,” I said. “They've built something with god relics before. But after they did, they gave me their creation so I could return the relics after I had used it. It turned out to be the only thing that brought Azrael out of stasis.”
“Azrael was in stasis?” Hachiman asked.
“There was an accident. He wouldn't wake up. The trickster seemed to know it was going to happen. They began collecting items before Azrael went into stasis.”
She frowned. “A trickster with good intentions?”
“We don't know what his intentions are this time,” Trevor growled.
Amaterasu nodded and looked down at Vero. “And are you a wolf prince too?”
“I'm Vero, God of the Moon.” Vero lifted his chin. “My father is a Froekn Prince.”
Amaterasu grinned. “I see. And Vervain is your mother?”
Vero nodded.
“You are a lucky child.” She looked up at Trevor. “He is your exact image.”
“Close.” Trevor nodded. “I'm very proud of him.”
“As you should be.” Hachiman inclined his head.
“Froekn are the best trackers in the god world,” Amaterasu drawled. “And Vervain is even better. So, why can't you find this trickster?”
“They don't leave a trail,” I explained. “They stole the magic of Unseen from the god, Katila. It erases all traces of them and makes them invisible. They've used it to cover Ty's tracks too.”
“This is one competent trickster.”
“Indeed,” Odin muttered.
“Now, the mirror.” Amaterasu strode to the altar. “Ninigi has failed me again. And it seems it falls to you to help us once more.” She picked up the crystal ball. “I want that mirror back, Vervain. It is a symbol of my soul.”
“What does it do?” I asked.
“It holds the magic of Transformation.”
“Transformation.” I looked at Odin. “Interesting.”
“How so?” Amaterasu ran her elegant, pale fingers over the crystal in soothing circles.
“They've taken a power source, the magic condenser, the keys to the Sumerian Underworld, and now your mirror. The first two would be necessary for a large construct—power and something to unite god magic. But keys and transformation. What are they making?”
“I'm sorry, but why do you keep calling the trickster 'they'? Don't you know their sex?”
“They are a god who can also be a goddess. We believe they are an Igbo god named Agwu, but we're not sure.”
“Fascinating.” She tossed the ball into her other hand. “What power do the keys hold?”
“They unlock the gates of the underworld.”
“Transformation and access to the afterlife. They may hold the power of judgment too. Interesting.” She lifted the ball and then slammed it onto the floor.
As it shattered, we jumped back, my son making a yip of surprise. But nothing terrible happened. Amaterasu just bent down and retrieved the glowing green comma-shaped stone that had been hidden within the crystal’s mist.
She handed it to me. “This is the Yasakani no magatama—my jewel.
It possesses the magic of Benevolence and Prosperity.
But what makes it important to your search is its connection to the mirror.
They were born together, you see. One will call to the other.
It's why I hid the jewel in a crystal ball. If I hadn’t hidden the jewel, the mirror would have pulled them together, making them inseparable.
My jewel will lead you to my mirror and your brother.
Just don't allow it to meld with the mirror.”
“Thank you, Amy!” I hugged her, then straightened and looked down at the jewel. “I can feel its pull already.”
Amaterasu smiled, her glow brightening. “You're welcome. Just bring me back my treasures.” She grimaced. “I don't know why I left them here.”
“It wouldn't have mattered where you hid them. The trickster has gotten into many god territories and found relics hidden in secret compartments.”
Amaterasu frowned. “How?”
“We don't know.”
“Will this lead us through wards?” Odin motioned to the jewel.
“It cannot take you through a ward. If it could, the crystal wouldn't have been able to contain it. But it can lead you up to the ward.”
“That will do.” I bowed to Amaterasu. “I'll look after your jewel until I can return it.”
“I know you will.” She kissed my cheek. “Good luck, Godhunter. May you catch your quarry soon.”