The Tainted Web (The Godhunter, Book 7)

by Sumida, Amy

  “But we can't change,” Horus tapped a finger onto the end of his beak-like nose thoughtfully. “Beyond minor alterations at least. So that means we're dealing with a spider god.”

  The whole room got silent.

  “Why is that so remarkable?” I looked around at everyone.

  “There aren't too many spider gods,” Hades shrugged and pushed his shades more securely up. “What is it, two, three?” He looked around at the others.

  “I only know of two,” Karni Mata, the Rat Goddess and Teharon's new girlfriend, answered as she rubbed Teharon's back. “One is Anansi and the other is...”

  “Iktomi,” Teharon cut her off. “He's Navajo but he's a trickster, cunning but not evil. This surely cannot be him.”

  “So Anansi?” Pan scoffed.

  “Why not Anansi?” Teharon looked like he wasn't sure who he was trying to convince. “He's a trickster too and a god of knowledge. Is not the Internet a realm of knowledge.”

  “I know Anansi,” Hades shook his head. “He's a respectable god, way past his years of playing tricks. Really, those days were about bringing joy to his enslaved people, teaching them about throwing off the bonds of slavery while keeping laughter in their hearts. He's a good man and there's no way he'd swindle people out of money unless they themselves were swindlers.”

  “Okay,” I looked from Hades to Teharon. “So there's no others?”

  “There's that Peruvian,” Persephone suggested.

  “No, he's like part cat or something, can't be him,” Pan waved it away.

  “How about a spider goddess?” I asked. “It doesn't have to be a man.”

  “There's only one and she was hardly known at all,” Blue shrugged. “Only worshiped in Teotihuacan. She wouldn't be strong enough.”

  “So it may be this Iktomi guy,” I looked over at Teharon with sympathy. “Is he a friend of yours?”

  “No,” he shrugged. “I just didn't want to lose another one of ours. I know that sounds stupid.”

  “No, it doesn't,” I smiled gently at him. “It may not be him, we haven't even considered the possibility that it may be a shapeshifter.”

  “There's just one more damning piece of evidence,” Teharon sighed. “A myth based around him. He's a god of technology, the Navajo have a prophecy that Iktomi's web will one day spread to cover the entire world, and they believe that web is...”

  “The Internet,” I finished with a groan. “You could have led with that.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Someone has taken my Naughty Nymphs!” Pan exclaimed as he ran into the library of Pride Palace.

  I looked up from the book I was reading and so did all the imps who were spread out around me on the floor. Kirill came striding in behind Pan, a serious look on his face.

  “Someone kidnapped your nymphs?” I stood up.

  “No,” Pan sank into a chair and gripped the armrests aggressively. “My porn company, Naughty Nymphs, a guy came in today and told all my employees he was the new boss. He's got paperwork saying he bought the company from me.”

  “This has got to be that spider's doing,” I looked over to Kirill and he nodded. “But why Pan and how did he even know to go after him? The imps and I were the only ones in the Inter Realm.”

  “Maybe it's coincidence?” Kirill shrugged.

  “That's a hell of a coincidence,” I grimaced. “No, this has got to be a message.”

  “I love my company,” Pan sighed.

  “We'll fix this,” I looked down at the imps. “Can we fix this?”

  “Sure, sure,” Meilyr jumped up and went over to pat Pan's hand. “Don't worry Horned God, we'll get your naughty company back. What was the name of the man who stole it?”

  “Mica Wilycoyote,” he rolled his eyes. “If you can believe that.”

  “What are we in a Bugs Bunny cartoon?” I huffed. “That can't be his real name.”

  “We'll fix it,” Meilyr looked over at the other imps and they nodded vehemently.

  “Okay, I'm gonna change into some jeans,” I waved my hand at my long dress. “I'll be right back.”

  I went down the hall to my bedroom, with Kirill hot on my heels. When I got there, I quickly pulled the dress off and replaced it with jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. I was pulling my hair back into a ponytail when Kirill finally spoke.

  “Maybe I should go vith you,” he was seated on the foot of the bed, running his hands over my discarded dress.

  “I'll be fine with the imps,” I went over and stood between his knees, his arms came up around me and his chin rested on my chest so he could stare up at me.

  “I don't like zis new realm,” he frowned and I tried to wipe it away with my fingers. “You don't know all its rules yet. Vat if you do wrong zing and can't get out?”

  “It's a lot like the Aether,” I tried to explain. “Except you can wander through it safely. I think I'm safer there than I am when I trace.”

  “Can't disagree vith zat,” he smirked. “Look vat happened first time you try to trace God Realm alone. Now ve have faeries for relatives.”

  “I'm glad you consider them family,” I kissed him and pushed away gently. “I know you've all put up with a lot for me but I'm happy I've met the fey, it's good to know who I am.” And I realized I was happy to have journeyed to Faerie, even though I wasn't sure I wanted to rule Fire after all I'd seen. It still was good to have answers finally, to know who I truly was.

  “Da,” Kirill nodded and leaned back a little on the bed. “It's good to know self, but try not to forget rest of us in the knowing, Tima.”

  “Kirill,” I gaped at him, “do you feel neglected? Have I behaved badly?”

  “Nyet,” he shook his head. “But I see difference in you every time you come back from Faerie. You're changing and it's little bit scary.”

  “No matter how I change,” I ran a hand down his cheek and wondered again why these men loved me. “You know I will never stop loving you.”

  He smiled, his face relaxing, but as I said those words, something clenched inside my stomach and I saw Thor's face. I turned away to hide my distress and my gaze fell upon a half opened drawer. Inside were a pair of goggles that had belonged to an Aztec god, Tlaloc. They enabled the wearer to see truly. Whatever that was hidden was revealed; secrets, masks, whatever, nothing could hide when you wore the goggles.

  I picked them up, thoughts of Thor momentarily forgotten.

  “I wonder if these might help,” I turned back to Kirill.

  “Help?” He frowned at them.

  “With the Inter Realm, not us,” I laughed as I tugged his hand so that he got up and followed me back to the library.

  The imps noticed the goggles immediately. They swarmed me, running their hands over the thick glass and emitting appreciative sounds. I laughed and handed them over to be inspected.

  “I guess that answers that question,” I grinned at Kirill.

  “Where did you find these, my Queen?” Bearach, one of the other imps (I was finally learning all of their names), asked.

  “They were spoils of war, I guess you could say,” I took them back from Meilyr. “I thought they might help me see things I needed to see.”

  “They will definitely help,” Scotaidh, another imp, said. “You should be able to see the spider before he's upon us.”

  “Really?” I raised a brow. “I wish I'd thought of these sooner. Okay, let's get going,” I strapped the goggles on and was shocked to immediately see the glowing tube of the Inter Realm laid over the reality of the God Realm. “Whoa,” I held a hand out to it but of course felt nothing.

  “You see it, yes?” Bearach asked. “The Inter Realm?”

  “Yes,” I smiled down at him. “I can see it.”

  I blinked, the imps all had a burning core inside them, a fire that warmed me to look upon. On top of that, they each had flashes of different forms blinking in and out around them, like an overlay or suit. An imp suit.

  The suits seemed to be clues to their personali
ties. Some were more menacing than others, though I didn't get a sense that they were mean, just that they could be formidable. I felt as if I immediately knew them better just from seeing their suits, and I glanced over at Pan and Kirill with a smile. A smile that faded as soon as I got a good look at them.

  Why hadn't I tried this thing out before? I guess I'd just been busy doing other things, like taking care of my lions, my cat, and my men. I wish I'd made the time though, it would have been worth it, the goggles were amazing. Now I knew why Tlaloc had said so smugly to me that he could see me, the real me. He really could, just as I could see all of them so clearly.

  Pan's what I would call six foot average. He had average good looks, an average build, even an average length to his curly hair. The more you got to know him though, the more charming he became and his looks intensified. You might also occasionally get a glimpse of his tiny horns, hidden amongst all those little boy, golden-brown curls.

  That's what I saw with the goggles as well, except I also saw another him, laid over the top of that one. This man was much taller and wider through the shoulders. His brow was high and regal, his nose long and proud. He had intense eyes in a shade of green I'd never seen in nature. His hair was long and straight, his body thickly built. The overall look was one of a race I couldn't recognize and it suddenly struck me that it must be Atlantean. This was what Pan would look like if the beliefs of man hadn't influenced him.

  Then there was Kirill. He stood before me as beautiful as he'd been since the first day I'd met him. Long black hair falling in waves to his hips, such a feminine feature that only seemed to emphasize how masculine he was. He was built magnificently, with sculpted muscles that shouted strength without the over the top gladiator look of Thor and Odin.

  Thor. I was momentarily distracted from my perusal of Kirill, and that alone had me worried. Nothing distracted me from Kirill. The only other time it had happened, had been when I met Azrael and I think my first time meeting an angel shouldn't be held against me. Yet these thoughts of Thor were distracting and very worrisome.

  I focused back onto Kirill with more determination. He was one of those men who possessed a beautifully male face. You know, beautiful but with attitude. He had the kind of looks that made people enough money to never have to do anything else but stand around looking good. I'd never thought they could be improved but under the microscope of the goggles' lenses, they were.

  He shone, a soft luminescence radiated through and around him, making him look like a sun god. There wasn't another face overlaid on his like with Pan, there was just simply more Kirill. His features were stronger, his eyes brighter, and his presence seemed to expand as if it were too big to be contained. Upon his head, he wore a crown of gold, simple but still impressive.

  “Kirill,” I pulled the goggles off. I don't think I could have looked upon him much longer without tearing up. Or wanting to kneel. “Why do I see a crown on your head when I look at you through these?”

  Kirill jerked in surprise and Pan looked over with interest. Kirill's deep blue eyes shadowed, his brow furrowing, and he looked away from me as he took a deep breath.

  “It vas different life,” he said quietly.

  “Who were you?” I went to stand in front of him, touching his shoulder lightly to get his attention but he winced as if I'd slapped him. “Kirill?”

  “My father was a Russian Tsar,” he shrugged. “I never would have ruled, my older brother was heir.”

  “Which Tsar?” Pan asked and Kirill shot him an irritated glance.

  “Kirill,” I went down on one knee in front of his chair, moving my hand to his lap. “Why don't you want to tell us?”

  “You vill look at me differently,” he sighed and let his head fall back in the chair. “It's nozing, my father had fourteen children from two wives, zough only zhree are known to have lived to adulthood. I'm not listed as one of zose.”

  “Zhree?” I frowned. Sometimes even I couldn't understand Kirill when he got agitated.

  “Three,” Pan shook his head at me.

  “Oh, and you're not listed as one of them because of Nyavirezi?” I asked.

  The previous lion goddess had collected men like some women collect jewelry, to hoard and admire when the whim suited her. Kirill had been her first piece, as it were, and the most prized of her collection.

  “Da,” he looked up and into my eyes. “She took me ven I vas young man. It vas embarrassment to family zat I could be abducted so easily, so zey say I die as child.”

  “Which family, Kirill?” It was killing me, I had to know where my black lion came from. What his life had been like and who had loved him before Nyavirezi took him. “Who was your father?”

  “Darth Vader,” he said with such seriousness that it took a second to register. I didn't even react until I heard the unabashed laughter of all the imps and Pan.

  “Funny,” I grimaced. “Fine,” I stood up and turned away. “Don't tell me.”

  “He was,” Kirill huffed and ran a hand through his hair as I looked back at him over my shoulder. “Pyotr Alexeyevich.”

  Pan gasped and the imps grew silent but I was never good at history. I had no idea who the guy was.

  “Pyotr,” I frowned and then felt my face go slack. “As in Peter? Tsar Peter? Peter the Great?”

  “Da,” he shrugged, “like I said, I vas not heir. Not big deal.”

  “Not big deal?” I huffed. “You were a Russian Prince. Holy hand grenades, am I dating anyone who isn't royalty?”

  “Ve are not exactly dating,” Kirill started to get his smile back.

  “Oh bite me, Prince Kirill,” I laughed. “Wicked Russian werewolves! Your dad was named after a talking pegasus!”

  “Vat?”

  “Remember the pegasus I met in the Underworld?” I chuckled. “Peter the Pegasus. He said that Peter the Great was named after him.”

  “I don't know if a talking horse is a reliable source of information,” Pan giggled.

  “Whatever,” I shrugged. “That's still amazing, Kirill. Why would you want to hide it?”

  “Because it was taken from him,” Pan said softly. “Nyavirezi stole not only his life but his crown. You can say you weren't the heir, Kirill, but I know the Russian history. The heir was Alexei and he died in prison, suspected of plotting against his father. Your father. You would have ruled, in fact you were the true ruler, not your mother or your sister, who both ruled for a time. Nyarvirezi took that from you.”

  “It doesn't change who you are,” I took his hand. “In the risk of sounding selfish, I'm glad she took you. If she hadn't, you would have died a long time ago and I never would have known you. You'd be dust in a tomb, just a story in the history books that I'd probably never read. Instead, I know your story intimately, I help write it.”

  “I'm glad too, Tima,” he smiled, “but zat is a life so long ago, one I lived for such a short vile, zat it doesn't seem real anymore. Zis is real,” he squeezed my hand tight. “And you make me feel more of a king zan vearing any crown vould have.”

  “Damn,” Pan breathed. “No wonder he was the first added to your little harem. That even turned me on.”

  “It's not a harem,” I glared at Pan, “and I don't share so keep your hands to yourself while I'm gone. By the way, I like your green eyes better than the hazel.” I looked back at Kirill while Pan gaped at me, “and you, come here and kiss me right now.”

  He did and that Russian Prince did it so well, I was still stumbling a little when the imps and I stepped into the Inter Realm.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The Inter Realm was just as I remembered it without the goggles, with one exception, I could see the information which each thread carried, could see it instantly and with very little effort. All I had to do was focus on one of them and I knew exactly what was being transported through the thread.

  I could also see the ends of the threads, where they began and where they were going, as well as all the little stops along the way. I knew i
mmediately which threads were contaminated, a part of the tainted web, and I knew which had been used to change the ownership of Pan's company.

  “There!” I pointed to a far off thread and jumped on another heading in its direction.

  I felt the imps jump on the thread behind me and started to grin. It should have been dizzying, overwhelming, something other than what I was feeling, which was exhilaration. For the first time ever, I felt like a real goddess, like I had the power to change the world.

  I jumped the line and approached a building where a bunch of threads intersected. We went through the walls and into a room that housed a column of light where all the threads came together. It must have been some kind of database, the place where the record of Pan's ownership was kept. I could see it hovering inside the column, tinted a horrid pus yellow from the corruption of the spider.

  “It's right there,” I pointed it out to the imps. “Can you fix it?”

  My eyes saw the path, told my brain that I could do it, I could fix it, but I knew this was arrogance talking and I had a feeling that the path it would lead me down would turn me into a narcissistic asshole. Just because you think you can do something, doesn't mean you should. I'd let the experts handle this one.

  “Yes, my Queen,” Meilyr said. “We can handle this quickly if you would keep watch for the spider?”

  “Yes,” I flinched. “I'll keep an eye out.”

  See, I'd already forgotten what my job there was supposed to be. Those goggles were going in a drawer when I got back and they weren't coming out except for emergencies. To think this was how Tlaloc had viewed the world all the time. No wonder he'd gone insane.

  The imps jumped into the column, shrinking as they went, so that they became the size of my hand. I stared a moment, fascinated, as they set to work on the collection of numbers that represented Naughty Nymph's ownership documents. Then I shook myself out of it and focused on my surroundings. I could actually see through the wall of the building when I concentrated. Everything was fairly nebulous there, just a representation of what was in the Human Realm really. So it was easy to keep watch.