The Gatekeeper (The Guardians of Tara Book 1)

by S. M. Schmitz

  What have you done with my boyfriend? Selena joked.

  Cameron smiled and asked Uscias, “Can we give him a note at least? Would you be able to deliver it to him so that he knows I need to speak to him? If he decides to meet with me, we’ll return immediately.”

  Uscias shifted his weight nervously but forced a smile and nodded. “Of course.”

  “Um… can I borrow a pen and a piece of paper?” Cameron asked.

  “Good God,” Nemain sighed. “Are you always this unprepared?”

  The beautiful war goddess appeared beside him, and Cameron grunted at her and snapped, “Who carries pen and paper anymore? That’s why we have cellphones!”

  Nemain arched an eyebrow at him and handed him a pen and sheet of paper.

  Cameron narrowed his eyes at her and mumbled, “Smartass.”

  He sat in the soft, lush grass of the Otherworld and the two goddesses sat next to him, each leaning closer to see what message he would write to his ancestor. Truthfully, Cameron didn’t really know what to put in the letter other than introducing himself and pleading with the god to speak to him. Part of him already suspected it would never reach Lugh anyway.

  His pen hovered over the page and Selena finally helped him.

  Tell him who you are, and who we used to be. If he gets the letter, that will at least interest him. He and Midir were friends.

  Cameron’s pen finally touched the paper as he decided to tell the old Sun God his story. He told him about meeting Selena in New Orleans, the instant and overwhelming urge he felt to protect her, their struggles against the New Pantheon and Ukko as well as the gods who discovered Selena’s ability to heal and who wanted to enslave her. He transcribed an abbreviated version of everything: his refusal to take Lugh’s Spear because he didn’t want to become a god, and his belief that Selena was far too good for him and that she would never be able to love him in return. He told Lugh why he finally accepted his Spear, and Selena’s confession that she loved him so much, she had been willing to walk away from the pantheon she desperately wanted to become a part of in order to live with him as demigods.

  He filled the pages Nemain had given him without even getting to the hunt for the Treasures and their discovery of Nuada’s Sword, mistakenly giving it to the demigoddess who contained the spirit of their enemy Fúamnach and finally remembering their previous lives as Midir and Étain. He held his hand out, and Nemain sighed but slapped new sheets of paper into his palm and reminded him that while he was wasting their time penning his autobiography, they could be looking for Huitzilopochtli.

  Cameron ignored her and finished his story. He ended by begging the legendary sun god to give them at least a few minutes to talk to him because they were hunting not only the Aztec heart-stealing god who wanted to rule Earth but the lost Stone of Fal as well and needed his guidance. When he finished, he folded the letter and handed it to Uscias then watched as his ridiculously long note disappeared into one of the pockets of the wise man’s robe.

  Never seeing that letter again, am I? Cameron asked.

  Nope, Selena sighed. Any chance there’s a glass castle in Findias? Maybe we could find him there.

  Cameron snorted but then thought he’d better ask Nemain anyway. With Usicas out of earshot now, Cameron whispered, “Do they have a glass prison for spirits here?”

  Nemain shook her head. “Not that I know of. You have to earn your way into Findias. Or at least not do anything that would make anyone want to lock you inside a glass castle.”

  “Guess I’m out,” Cameron sighed.

  Selena laughed and gave him a sly smile. “Planning on coming back here already?”

  Cameron shrugged. “It was nice, but I kinda like living. I mean, look at the goddess I get to live with.”

  Selena’s smile widened and she stood on her toes to kiss him while Nemain groaned and warned them to cut it out before she left them in the Otherworld to hunt down Huitzilopochtli by herself.

  “There’s no point in sticking around here,” Selena relented. “The Dagda and Uscias are both hiding something from us, and if Lugh is the key to finding out what, we’ll have to figure out a different way to talk to him than hoping Uscias will just change his mind.”

  “Séance?” Cameron teased. “I can totally dig out my old Ouija board.”

  “Why do you have a Ouija board?” Nemain asked.

  Cameron waved her off and retorted, “Why doesn’t everyone?”

  Selena stood up straighter and grabbed his arm. “Maybe we can summon him!”

  “Um… you know Ouija boards are just toys, right?”

  Selena shook her head. “Not with that. The veil between worlds will become passable again on Imbolc. On February 1, we may be able to pull him from Findias to Earth.”

  “That’s almost three months away!” Nemain protested.

  “You’re just worried Macha is going to get all the credit for this, aren’t you?” Cameron asked.

  Nemain folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. “I think we don’t need Lugh and can figure out where the Stone is and if it has an heir without him.”

  “Yep, she’s already jealous,” Cameron responded.

  “If we find the Stone and solve the mystery before Imbolc,” Selena pointed out, “then we won’t need Lugh and it’s irrelevant.”

  “Do you think a spirit summoned to Earth can kick my ass?” Cameron asked. “Because I have to be honest. I’m a little worried about forcing someone who was supposedly such a badass to answer our questions if he really does want to be left alone.”

  Nemain rolled her eyes and said, “Even if he had a body on Earth, he couldn’t touch you, Cameron. No one can.”

  “What if he conjures some huge ass snake?” Cameron asked.

  “I’m about to conjure some huge ass snake,” Nemain mumbled.

  “That’s it. You’re staying behind,” Cameron told the war goddess. He grabbed Selena’s hand and left the land of the dead, although between the Dagda avoiding their questions and Lugh’s mysterious isolation, he was beginning to wonder if the Tuatha Dé’s biggest problem was really an Aztec god determined to rule the Earth.

  Chapter Five

  Selena insisted on waiting for Nemain in his apartment before returning to the Basin so they could see if Enlil or Huitzilopochtli showed up. It didn’t take long before Nemain appeared in his living room, her fists planted on her hips as she glared at the young sun god.

  “You’re not nearly as funny as you think you are,” Nemain told him.

  “Probably not,” Cameron agreed.

  “Basin,” Selena sighed.

  “Giant snakes,” Cameron reminded her.

  “Don’t care,” Selena reminded him.

  “I don’t think Huitzilopochtli is dumb enough to hang around the Basin knowing we were just there looking for him,” Nemain argued.

  “I don’t know,” Selena said. “Both he and Enlil probably suspect we’ll return, and we want them to come to us.”

  “Giant snakes,” Cameron repeated.

  This time, both Selena and Nemain ignored him.

  “Enlil maybe,” Nemain said. “He’s out for revenge and that tends to make both gods and men act foolishly.”

  “Oh, because heart-eating and villainous plans to rule the world are wise?” Cameron asked.

  Nemain waved him off. “It’s been working for him, hasn’t it?”

  “He’s not Earth’s evil overlord, is he?” Cameron retorted.

  Nemain just blinked at him so Selena sighed again. “Basin.”

  Cameron threw his hands up and exclaimed, “Giant snakes!”

  Nemain smiled at Selena and nodded. “Basin is a great idea.”

  “I honestly don’t even care why you’re agreeing with me right now,” Selena said. “Just as long as we can go.”

  “Wait,” Cameron interjected. He grabbed his girlfriend’s arm before she could disappear into a National Refuge he definitely didn’t want to venture into again. “I have a better idea
.”

  He didn’t.

  “No, you don’t,” Selena said.

  “I could.”

  “But you don’t.”

  “Ok, I don’t, but…”

  “We’re leaving, Cameron,” Selena told him.

  “Fine,” he muttered. “But if I get eaten by a giant snake, I’m going into isolation with Lugh.”

  Selena offered him the sweetest, and yet, most smartass smile when she told him, “Love, what makes you think Lugh will be able to put up with you for all eternity?”

  Nemain was still laughing as Cameron brought him and Selena back to the Atchafalaya Basin. The war goddess wasn’t far behind. He heard her giggling as soon as he felt her presence and flipped her off without bothering to turn around.

  “It’s official,” Selena teased. “You are just like your sister.”

  Nemain shrugged and winked at her. “I have to admit: Cameron’s the most entertaining thing to happen to the Otherworld in millennia.”

  “I take it back,” Selena corrected. “You’re not that much like Badb if you’re willing to say something nice about him.”

  “Stop talking about me like I’m not here,” Cameron insisted.

  “I’m not sure it’s really nice if we’re just laughing at him,” Nemain countered.

  “Cut it out,” Cameron warned.

  “You shouldn’t laugh at him,” Selena also warned. “Unless you like hanging out with reindeer.”

  Nemain lifted a shoulder at her. “He wouldn’t banish me permanently.”

  “Keep ignoring me and we’ll find out,” Cameron threatened.

  “I don’t think you should keep ignoring him,” Selena advised. “I’m no use helping him fight giant snakes.”

  “If you were a giant snake,” Nemain asked Selena, “where would you be hiding?”

  Selena shivered, and Cameron glimpsed the flashback of her memory when she’d fallen into a shallow swamp covered in algae. They’d only met the day before and had been running from the New Pantheon when she slipped into Quetzalcoatl’s hiding place and disturbed Huitzilopochtli’s brother.

  Cameron also grimaced at the image of the massive feathered serpent.

  “I never got a definitive yes or no on whether or not Huitzilopochtli could transform into a snake,” Cameron said. “So far, we’ve only encountered him looking like a man.”

  “I think he’s more associated with hummingbirds,” Nemain said.

  “Hummingbirds?” Cameron repeated. “They’re like… the size of a big bumblebee. This should be easy.”

  Nemain and Selena groaned and scolded him at the same time. “Why did you say that?”

  “Because every animal is easier compared to snakes!” Cameron exclaimed.

  Selena shook her head at him and gestured toward the marshy ground in front of them. “You know some monstrous alligator is going to come out of that water now.”

  Nemain nodded seriously. “And then if you ever complain about snakes again, I’ll find Jörmungandr myself to throw at you.”

  “I don’t think you can throw it,” Cameron pointed out. “That serpent is supposed to be so big, it circles the entire Earth.”

  “I’m starting to think you are an obnoxious asshole,” Nemain replied.

  Cameron also nodded seriously. “I have a magical ability to transform into an obnoxious asshole when you threaten to throw giant snakes at me.”

  Selena groaned and reprimanded them. “Would you both stop so we can actually look for one of the gods trying to kill us?”

  “Sure,” Cameron assured her with a mischievous grin, “as long as you don’t make me battle another giant snake.”

  “Don’t make me agree with Nemain.”

  Cameron opened his mouth to argue that she wasn’t allowed not to take his side since their souls were literally bound together, but an odd noise made him turn in a slow circle instead. A low thrumming in the distance made his skin prickle, as if some part of him understood the sound’s evil nature even if he couldn’t identify its source.

  “What the hell is that?” he murmured.

  “I don’t know,” Nemain answered just as quietly. “But it’s getting closer.”

  Cameron nodded again, only this time, he wasn’t being a smartass. Whatever was causing this noise was getting closer.

  “It sounds like one of those drones,” Selena added. “But something tells me no one is flying a three hundred dollar toy in the swamp.”

  “No,” Cameron agreed. “It’s not…”

  He inhaled sharply and immediately pulled Selena closer.

  Wings, he told her. I think we’re hearing thousands of wings.

  “Oh, God,” Selena groaned.

  “Which god?” Nemain asked.

  “Huitzilopochtli,” Cameron answered. “Know that whole hummingbird thing? Should’ve kept my mouth shut.”

  “I don’t think you can keep your mouth shut,” Nemain said, drawing her sword even though Cameron had a feeling it would be useless now.

  That low thrumming had transformed into a rapid whirring that surrounded them. Cameron’s Spear appeared in his hand, but he assumed it would be as useless as Nemain’s sword. The leaves on the trees began to rustle, mixing with the constant humming of the wings.

  “Um…” Cameron said. “Maybe we should leave.”

  Selena gripped his arm and agreed with him, but a green and red blur of color erupted from the forest around them and he pulled her to the ground instead. For the second time that week, a dome of fire erupted above them to protect them.

  “Now what?” Nemain shouted. “There are thousands of them!”

  “I thought you said he’d be a hummingbird!” Cameron shouted back. “He can’t actually replicate himself, can he?”

  “We can sense him, but I don’t think he’s here,” Nemain said. “I don’t think any of these birds are Huitzilopochtli. He’s sent his dead warriors to kill us.”

  “His what?” Selena exclaimed.

  “Dead warriors,” Cameron repeated helpfully. “Pretty sure that means Aztec fighters who died.”

  Selena grunted and squinted at him, and he was almost sorry for being such a smartass while they were sitting beneath a tent of fire with thousands of Aztec spirits waiting to descend on them.

  He’d decide if he were truly sorry later if she made him sleep on the couch.

  “Can you burn them?” Nemain asked.

  Cameron shook his head. “Hummingbirds can fly in any direction, including vertically. And these are supernatural hummingbirds so they’re probably like… badass hummingbirds or something.”

  “Badass hummingbirds?” Selena repeated. “Aside from the number of them being frightening, what exactly do you think they can do?”

  Cameron shrugged. “Maybe they’re like kamikaze hummingbirds.”

  “That’s literally the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard you say,” Nemain said.

  “Is your month over yet?” Cameron retorted. “I’m ready for Badb to come back.”

  “I can’t believe you just said that,” Selena responded.

  “Me either,” Cameron told her.

  Nemain rolled her eyes and pointed her sword at the ceiling of fire above them. “If you can’t burn them and we can’t fight them with a sword and spear, then I suggest we get out of the Basin now. I don’t think Huitzilopochtli is going to send the spirits of his dead warriors after innocent people that might be out here.”

  So this is it? Cameron asked incredulously. We’re really just going to run and let him win? He’ll keep attacking us with hummingbird hordes.

  Probably, but what choice do we have? We have no ideas and our only weapons are useless against them.

  Yeah, but…

  “Would you two knock that off?” Nemain snapped.

  “Depends,” Cameron snapped back, “do you have a better plan than disappearing?”

  “Do you?”

  Something crackled and sizzled above them and they all looked at the dome of fire befor
e Cameron cried, “I told you! Kamikaze hummingbirds!”

  “You have got to be kidding me,” Nemain mumbled.

  “Apparently, they can’t fly through fire so we know if we had a way to keep them immobile, you could burn them,” Selena offered.

  Cameron nodded as he tried to come up with a way to immobilize thousands of tiny birds with the spirits of dead warriors trapped inside them. “What about your telekinesis?”

  “I’ve never used it to prevent something from moving, only to move things,” Selena protested.

  “Shouldn’t you have some kind of power other than aggravating me?” Cameron asked Nemain.

  “Probably,” Nemain agreed.

  Cameron blinked at her and waited, but she apparently wasn’t going to reveal if she possessed a power that could help them now.

  “If Huitzilopochtli is attacking us with kamikaze hummingbirds, then we must have gotten too close to his hiding place,” Selena guessed.

  “Think I can copyright ‘kamikaze hummingbirds’”? Cameron asked.

  “No,” Selena answered. “And I also think we can’t stay inside your fire igloo all day so we might as well leave since no one has any other plan.”

  “Fire igloo?” Cameron repeated. “That’s one of the best oxymorons I’ve ever heard. Can we copyright that?”

  “No,” Nemain answered. “Back to Baton Rouge?”

  Selena shrugged. “We should probably find a different place to stay than Cameron’s apartment though. Sooner or later, management’s going to figure out we’re there.”

  “Screw it,” Cameron muttered. “I’m not giving up this easily.”

  He allowed the dome of fire around them to vanish and the birds immediately dove toward the gods sitting on the ground. The simultaneous beating of their small wings reminded Cameron of several helicopters hovering directly overhead.

  He jumped to his feet, fire leaping from his fingertips as his mind scrambled with a way to kill the birds without setting the entire Refuge on fire. As the first of the thick swarm of birds reached him, he threw a fireball toward them, scattering the tiny animals but not killing them. He extinguished the fireball before it could reach the ground and catch the dead leaves and twigs on fire.