Chapter Twenty-Three

“Where's Re?” I asked.

Luke and Odin had left, and we'd gone downstairs to the dining hall where everyone could have a seat, we were close to the kitchen (where the Intare were cooking), and we could listen for the kids in case Sam needed help.

“Took you long enough to notice,” Viper drawled.

I stared at him.

“Sorry, starlight,” he said gently. “I was just trying to tease you.”

“Where is he?”

“He went to Duat,” Horus answered. “He's going to look through the scrolls to see if there's anything that might help Azrael.”

“Everyone is doing research,” I said. “I'd go look through our library, but I think the only book on god magic I have is the one Luke wrote on territory magic.”

“You took a tumble earlier today,” Trevor said. “And you've been going full-speed ever since. You need to eat and rest. Let the others do the research.”

“Yeah, and I'd better get back to my dad,” Pan said. “He's been texting me. A lot.”

“And we need to pick up our daughter,” Horus said .

“And you need to get back to Demetera too,” I said to Persephone and Hades.

“Cerberus is watching her,” Sephy said with a grin. “He's a surprisingly good babysitter. Ever since he was abducted with Princess, he's been extra vigilant about every task he's assigned.”

“That doesn't mean we shouldn't go home,” Hades said. “It's been a long day and there's nothing we can do here.”

“All of you are welcome to stay for dinner,” I said, waving at the kitchen. “It should be ready soon. But if you'd rather go home, I totally understand. Go get some rest and be with your children.”

Everyone but Morpheus, Finn, Torrent, and Artemis left. The four of them decided to stay the night. It was just easier, and we had plenty of room. Que was still with us too, and it was nice to have them all at the dinner table, eating with the pride. It kept my mind off Azrael. Until the kids asked about him.

“Is Uncle Az still sleeping?” Vero asked.

“Yes,” Trevor said. “He's hurt worse than we thought. But he's recovering. His mommy is here to look after him.”

“His mommy?”

“Grandma is here?” Lesya asked.

“Yes,” I said. “We'll take her up a dinner plate in a little while.”

“Grandma?” Dominic asked and clapped.

Everyone loved Holly. It was love for Holly that had started the war in Heaven. She was like the goddess version of Helen of Troy. Except she chose the right man (eventually), not a schmuck who ran off with another man's wife and then made his family fight for him .

But I digress.

We finished dinner, and then took a tray up to Holly. I fetched her from Azrael's room, luring her with the presence of her grandchildren more than the offer of food. She still left Azrael's bedside reluctantly, casting backward glances as she did. But then she saw the kids, and her face lit up.

“Grandma!” they shrieked together.

“There are my favorite children in all the realms!” Holly declared.

Holly was a good grandma. She didn't play favorites with her blood-grandchildren but instead treated them all as if they were related to her. She went around the table, giving out kisses and hugs before she sat down before the plate we had brought her. Even then, Holly kept talking to the kids as she ate.

She was in the middle of telling them a story about their Grandpa Luke when Re walked in. I looked over and smiled, but then I saw his expression. Slowly, as to not alarm the herd, I stood up and eased over to the doorway. Re hadn't come into the room. As I approached, he backed into the hallway.

I closed the suite door behind me and demanded, “What fresh hell is this?”

“My scepter is missing,” Re said.

“Your . . .” I blinked. “I'm sorry, but is that code for something?”

“No! My scepter , Vervain. It's gone.”

I knew it was bad when he used my given name. “I didn't know you had a scepter. You mean, like a faerie wand?”

“No, not like a faerie wand. Faeries don't have wands. And you didn't know about it because I don't go waving my scepter about like some gods do.” He grimaced. “Sorry. I'm really upset about this. I possess two magical items that manifested unto me when I was first made the Sun God of the Egyptians. One is the Ankh—the symbol of my mastery over life. The other is the scepter—the symbol of my mastery over Egypt and my pantheon.”

“Symbols? Just symbols?”

“That's what I thought.” Re ran a nervous hand through his dark hair. “But the loss of the scepter has weakened me. I hadn't noticed it amid all the drama that's been going on. But then I went to search the archives. As soon as I stepped into Duat, I felt the difference. The scepter must hold some of my power. It could even be the path through which human energy is filtered into me. I don't know, but it's important. And it's gone.”

“The trickster,” I said.

“I assume so.”

“Damn it all! I thought he was done messing with us. I thought he had moved on to other gods.”

“He sent us after the beaver god. He's still messing with us.”

“Yes, you're right. But what is he doing with all this stuff? The Caduceus, the Wind Jewel, and now your scepter.”

Re frowned. “The Caduceus, the Wind Jewel, and the Scepter of the Sun God.”

“What are you thinking?”

“Two of those are tied to elements.”

“Air and Fire.” I blinked. “The Caduceus is bound in snakes. Could its magic be considered Earth-based?”

“Possibly,” Re said. “Vervain, if the trickster is collecting elemental god treasures, he'll be after something associated with water next.”

“Who do we know with Water Magic?” I asked.

“There's Estsanatlehi.”

“And Tobadzistsini,” I whispered.

Re's eyes went wide.

“Oh, fudge,” I hissed. “Toby. He's a God of Water.”

“Does he have a weapon or an amulet of some sort?”

I frowned. “I should know this, but then I didn't know about your scepter.”

“So, you don't—”

“Oh, duh! His feather! That black feather he wears. The one I used to bring him back from the Void. It holds his magic.”

“His Water Magic?”

“Oh.” I frowned. “I don't know. Wait. No, I don't think so. I think its purpose is to subdue his enemies.”

“Perhaps it holds some of his Water Magic too. Or we could be barking up the wrong god.”

“Either way, I think we'd better warn him.”

“Call Estsanatlehi. She's his mother. She can warn him.”

“You're right. It will be better coming from her.” I looked over my shoulder at the suite door. “We have to tell the others.”

“I'll take them aside one by one. You text Estsanatlehi.”

“All right.”

Re and I headed into our suite with grim looks that quickly shifted into smiles for the children. Why is parenthood so full of subterfuge?