by J. P. Rice
“We do have the Gallery under control.” Bruceras paused, seemingly choking down his anger. “Only the thirteen and our assistants can get in there. And everyone is accounted for. For good measure, why don’t you make some calls and see if any of the thirteen knows about this?”
Dweezil responded, “Yes, my lord.” A pair of feet shuffled across the stone floor.
Merlin said, “I don’t have to be a member of the thirteen to tell you how bad this is. If it fell into the wrong hands, it could be a disaster.”
“They still have to cast the spell,” Bruceras reminded him. “Unless you’ve been blabbing away to your stupid God friends, we should be fine.”
“Should be?” Merlin asked, flabbergasted. “How can you be so relaxed? You’d better start an investigation immediately.”
“Wait until Dweezil gets back before you lose your mind. I don’t whip myself into a frenzy until I know there’s a problem,” Bruceras said.
Merlin and Bruceras bickered for a few minutes, when a breathless Dweezil returned.
Huffing and puffing, he said, “Sir. My lord. No one seems to know why the Glove isn’t in the Gallery. Several threatened me with physical violence, I should say. Happy, they are not, my lord.”
“Stop looking at me with that stupid smirk, wizard. Are you happy about this?” Bruceras asked.
“Not at all,” said Merlin. I could hear the smugness attached to his words. The wizard continued, “I was sounding the alarm while you were ignoring it.”
“My lord. Sorry to interrupt. But how should you like us to proceed?” Dweezil asked.
“Get the investigators up here,” Bruceras instructed. “Gather fingerprints and any evidence they can from the Gallery. I want to know who has my Glove.”
Merlin mocked the devil, “I thought you had a protection spell set on the Glove, Bruceras.”
“There should have been one set,” Bruceras admitted.
A short paused ensued.
“If you can’t say that without absolute certainty, then we are already lost,” said an incredulous Merlin. “Anyone could have it.”
“I’ll get to the bottom of this immediately and the Glove will be back in no time,” Bruceras said, but I could hear the concern in his voice. “Why don’t you just take another one of our enchanted items?”
“Because I need the most powerful one, you fool,” Merlin exploded. “I want to be done with this bitch. Just when I start to forget about her, Brighid starts nagging me about it again.”
I’d always wondered if Merlin and my mother had an amorous relationship. I knew Merlin was in love with her and would jump at the chance. I also knew my mother was a vindictive she-bitch who would use his feelings to manipulate the ancient wizard.
Merlin said, “I’ll be back in five days. If the glove isn’t here, it will be open season on the Red Cavern. From all councils. From all pantheons.”
“Don’t start a war you cannot win, wizard,” Bruceras warned him.
“I have the backing of seven pantheons behind me,” Merlin roared. “Look around here at this mom and pop operation. All these years and this is what you have to show. Your only worth was in that Gallery. Besides, I could tell them all how to get here tomorrow. Your threats mean nothing. I’m the one doing you a favor. Never forget that.”
“Are you saying I shouldn’t let you leave alive?” Bruceras asked.
“Don’t be a fool,” Merlin countered, but I heard a touch of worry in his voice.
Bruceras said, “I’m not. Nobody knows you’re here. I’m being very generous, wizard. I cannot give you what I don’t have. You’ve been chasing that bitch for over a century. Five days, the Glove will be back.”
“It best be,” Merlin screeched. “We are in this situation because of your failures. Not wearing the glove at Machu Picchu. Then, after we told you about Junipher, you couldn’t even kill her. You and your stupid lava attack. Find the Glove, Bres.”
Angry footsteps hustled away as the wizard muttered to himself under his breath. So my mother and Merlin were behind the lava bath. I should have known. My mother had known I was here. She’d told Merlin, who had relayed the message to Bres. Who else could it have been? That still didn’t excuse Bres from ordering the attempt.
Skittering footsteps drew near, and an out-of-breath Dweezil said, “My lord, I’ve alerted the investigators. They are gathering supplies now and will inspect the Gallery soon.”
“Good. Damn that Merlin. He’s lucky I didn’t kill him on the spot. You know that, Dweezil?” Bruceras asked rhetorically.
“I hate to sound stupid, and I would never question your judgment, but why did you allow him to leave, my lord?” Dweezil questioned.
Bruceras sighed. “As much as I hate to admit it, he does protect us. If the Gods appointed a new leader to the Supreme Magic Council, we would fall under heavy scrutiny as their main targets. I hate to put up with that curmudgeony wizard, but he does serve a valuable purpose.”
There went any opportunity I had to get into the Gallery and snag the Harp. Now the room would be swarming with demons for days. It meant my trip had been extended and that I’d have to go through with the wild hunt.
Fook me. This put the entire mission in jeopardy. What kind of excuse could I use to get out of the wild hunt?
I went to leave but my limbs failed me. I sank down behind the statue, my back scraping against the stone wall. I landed on my ass. The weight of everything caused my body to panic, sending fear through me and paralyzing my movement.
My breathing and heartbeat raced, sending a thrumming sensation through my chest. Oh, no. I felt it coming on as everything slowed down and my vision swirled.
There was a loud knock at the door. The sound shocked me awake. I was sitting in the interrogation room in my mind. As I went to jump up, malleable metal constraints curved over my wrists on both armrests, then it hardened into unbreakable steel, locking me to the silver chair.
The bright light above hurt my eyes. The spirit entered the tiny room that comprised my chair, three walls and a fourth wall that doubled as a chalkboard. As soon as the door closed, the wide movie screen lowered from the ceiling in front of me.
Agramon was in his dark snakeman form with the extra spider legs stemming from his sides. He approached and leaned in close, his fuzzy spider appendage rubbing against my neck. I gagged and the hair on the back of my neck stood at attention.
“Long time no see,” he whispered in husky tones, “Let’s not do that again. I missed you.” He backed away and laughed, but it came out more like a grunt.
“I haven’t missed you.”
“That saddens me to the depths of my heart.” His forked tongue poked through his long mouth, a sign he was enjoying himself, the bastard. “I know you came here to watch the greatest hits.”
The crackle of empty sound filled the room and my stomach rolled. No. Not again. Why did this keep happening?
I tried to look away but the muscles in my neck wouldn’t allow it. Something had a hold of me, forcing me to watch these hideous films. A beam of projected light sprang from behind me, widening as it traveled to the white screen.
There he was in all his magnificence. My one. My only. My Darabond. Dressed in his white enameled battle gear, his sword dangling by his side, occupying the bronze scabbard that scraped the summer grass beneath his black boots.
His shaggy blond locks ruffled in the uneven wind. He stared at me, his blue eyes burning a hole in my soul. Tears rushed to my eyes. Then, he smiled. But he wasn’t smiling at me. Standing next to his wife, he leaned down and hugged two children, a boy and a girl.
As the silent film went on breaking my heart into pieces, Agramon spoke, “Sure looks happy. I can’t recall, did you two have children together?”
“You son of a bitch. Stop this right now.”
“Oh, I think we both know you can end this any time you want,” he stressed every syllable. “But you don’t. You need me. You want me.”
“How do I get
rid of you?” I asked plainly.
He laughed. “Oh, why would a stupid demon know something like that?”
“Just tell me already.”
“Would you like to make another deal?” he asked, for what must have been the thousandth time.
“How many times do I have to tell you no?” I asked rhetorically. “I’m not falling further into this rabbit hole. I’m already in way too deep.”
“Then you haven’t much to lose.” He stood in front of the screen and leaned closer to my face. “It should appear to me.”
“No way.” I tried to look away, but couldn’t.
“You haven’t even heard my offer.” He backed away and softened his tone, “Only a fool would reject something without hearing a proposal.”
“Let’s hear it, then.” I pretty much knew what he was about to ask.
“You’ve allowed me residence in your mind. A scary place, I must say.” He paced in front of me. “I could lighten your burden if you know of anyone else who will grant me space. Someone who scares easier than you.”
“Forget it,” I said immediately. “I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. Not even my enemies.”
“As you wish. Shall we continue,” he said and gestured with his spider legs toward the screen.
Agramon stepped aside and the screen faded to black as tears streamed down my cheeks. I was helpless to wipe them away. Bruceras appeared on the screen with his back turned.
Bruceras said, “Is she dead?”
“Yes, my lord,” a voice sounded from behind the hulking devil. “If anyone was in that room, it’s taken care of. We couldn’t risk saving the children. The woman and both children are now dead. Vlad said he will assign a team to clean it up.”
“Good, good. My hands are clean of the matter,” Bruceras said and laughed. His cohort joined in. But it felt like the Gods were laughing at me. The Celtic Gods specifically.
The sound from the movie lowered until it was silent, and Agramon said, “You couldn’t bear child to your first husband. Yet you had two babies with a devil. And then they died because of you.”
“It wasn’t my fault,” I said, trying to justify my actions.
“You couldn’t keep your children safe. That is all a mother is tasked.”
“No,” I yelled. “I don’t like this anymore. Get out of my head.”
I gasped for air as my eyes shot open and a dim underworld came into focus. My head tingled and I felt like I’d just woken up from a long nap. As I gathered my thoughts, I realized I was sitting behind the statue outside Bruceras’s office.
My heart was still racing and Agramon’s words were still bouncing around my head. He’d reminded me of my two biggest fears. That my husband had found a new family and left me behind and that I was responsible for the my children’s deaths. I couldn’t get over either of them.
I mopped the pool of sweat from my forehead with my sleeve and dabbed around my eyes. I rose slowly, and with my feet back under me, I darted for the kitchen hoping no one would see me.
Chapter 17
A devil’s assistant whose name I couldn’t remember popped into the kitchen. He walked right up to Cheryl and me. He pointed at us, his fat finger bouncing back and forth, and said, “You two have been requested at Bruceras’s office. Follow me.”
I gulped down the lump in my throat. This wasn’t a good sign. I turned to Cheryl, who had terror running through her eyes. Maybe she wasn’t stupid. Had they found out who I was? Impossible, unless one of the Celtic Gods had sold me out.
Then it hit me like a runaway train with no brakes. It probably wasn’t a God who’d sold me out, but a Goddess. My fookin’ mother. She’d already sold me out once. Why not again? The most likely scenario was that she’d told Merlin, and her little assistant had relayed the message to Bruceras.
From there, it would be a short step to figuring out which of the new recruits was me. I was trapped. If I ran, I wouldn’t be able to escape. There were too many demons around. Even if I busted out some serious magic, the sheer number would be too vast to overcome.
That wasn’t even taking into consideration what would happen if the Chieftains or devils got involved. I felt like I was on a death march. About to die twice in this wretched underworld. If I’d known it was my mother and Merlin behind the lava bath, I wouldn’t have embarked on this journey.
Had the Dagda set me up to get rid of me? Even if he hadn’t told Frigid, she could have heard through the grapevine. I’d tried to keep it a secret for this exact reason. Panic set in, screaming at my legs to turn around and run. It wanted me to do anything but go into that office.
But for some reason, I kept moving, putting one foot in front of the other until we reached the open door of Bruceras’s office. With my heart rattling around my chest, I noticed the devil wasn’t present. Instead, Dweezil stood next to Bruceras’s desk.
I wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or not. Could be a trap of some sort. One never knew with these crafty demons.
Cheryl and I walked into the office, which had a small desk and a wooden wheel chandelier holding rustic lanterns above my head. The stone walls were undecorated, making it one of the least impressive offices of a high-ranking official I’d ever seen.
Dweezil nodded to us, then looked over a little scrap of paper in his hand. Beads of sweat came to the surface of my flesh.
Dweezil pursed his lips and squinted. “You’ve been called in so I can inform you that the hunt has been postponed. An issue has arisen that takes precedence over the hunt.”
A giant figure emerged through the doorframe. Huffing and puffing, Bruceras stared at Dweezil, and announced, “We’ve found the culprit.” He gazed at me. “We will be putting the offender to death.”
He turned back to Dweezil. “Now we just have to figure out where that boy went. But first, we’ve been betrayed by one of our own. We must take care of that first.”
Bruceras spun around and hustled out of the room with Dweezil on his tail. The assistant stopped at the last second and turned to Cheryl and me.
Using both hands, he pointed at each of us. “Forget everything you just heard. That wasn’t for your ears. You can return to your duties now.”
As we walked back to the kitchen, I tried to put together what had just happened. The hunt had been canceled, which was great. I didn’t have to kill innocent people now.
It had sounded like the investigators had figured out who had taken the glove. I didn’t understand what Bruceras had meant about the boy. From what I’d gathered, one of the demons had taken the glove and given it to some boy. But why?
Had the demon been trying to hide the glove by giving it to a young boy whom no one would suspect? The more I thought about it, the more I realized I didn’t know exactly what had happened. I knew Bruceras had seemed awfully excited about the situation and understood why.
If he couldn’t deliver the glove to Merlin, it would be open season on the demons. The Supreme Magic Council could force the demons to stay underground. As I thought about the council, it dawned on me why they hadn’t made Pittsburgh a regulated territory.
Merlin was allowing the Red Cavern to run shenanigans in Pittsburgh with impunity. That was why the Red Cavern had such a strong presence in my city. The Celtic Gods wouldn’t have needed Mike Merlino to protect the city if the magic council guarded Pittsburgh. What a fooked up system. My head was spinning just thinking about all the machinations involved.
The bottom line was that I was even further away from obtaining the Dagda’s Harp than when I’d entered this underworld. With all the intrigue going on here, I couldn’t lose focus of my real mission. The citizens of Pittsburgh were suffering, and I needed to end it.
First, I wanted to figure out what Bruceras had been talking about. It appeared that I had some more snooping to do.
About two hours later, one of Bruceras’s underlings rushed into the kitchen. He rounded up some of the new recruits including Cheryl and me.
The assistant led us dow
n a dim hallway. I heard incoherent screaming in the distance echoing off the walls. Everything had an ominous feel to it around here. A flickering light ahead beckoned us even as the off-putting smell of death and decay grew heavier by the footstep.
A biblical passage from Ecclesiastes jumped into my head. “Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”
Why had that just popped into my head? We rounded a bend and the light became stronger. My knees turned to Jell-O when I realized we were headed for the hanging room. Someone was about to die. Was I about to die?
Chapter 18
The assistant moved off to the side and gestured for us to enter the room. With great hesitation, I walked through the opening with no door and my eyes widened at the sight before me.
The demons had one of the devils surrounded, and they were trying to put a noose around his neck. Vlad the Impaler thrashed around, screaming and yelling his innocence. The puzzle was starting to take form.
Vlad the Impaler was a short man with a wide frame. His short, dark hair came to a sharp point at his pronounced widow’s peak. He had big ears, a big nose and his skin was deathly white with long tracks of blue veins running down his arms.
My snooping hadn’t yielded any results, but this picture in front of me told me everything. If my theory was correct, Vlad had given the Devil’s Glove to some young boy to hide from the demons. But why? As a devil, he knew the great importance of the glove. Did he think it was too powerful for the demons?
From his words, he hadn’t done it. And from the actions of the others, no one believed his denials.
I peered around the room and the aged blood stains on the walls and floor captured my eyes. Apparently, this room wasn’t just for hangings.