Selena laughed and grabbed her comb from her bag so she could untangle her hair. “That stupid hammer has saved us more than once.”
Cameron turned his attention back to his phone and sighed. “We can narrow it down to her relatives that are about our age, but that’s still a lot of people to wade through. And how will we know when we find the right one? Maybe we should find the Unbreakable Sword first because that’s the only way we could know for sure, right? It would… react next to the right person?”
“I don’t know. The Spear didn’t do anything when Macha brought it to you. It was your reaction that assured everyone they’d found the right guy.”
“Still sounds like a good plan to me. We find the Sword and if this guy…”
“Or woman,” Selena corrected.
“Or woman,” Cameron sighed, “freaks out, then we’ll know we found the next… what the hell was Nuada even the god of?”
Selena stopped combing her hair and her eyebrows pulled together as she searched her mental mythology database. “I don’t actually know. He was the leader of the Tuatha Dé and became king, you know, as long as he had his hand, but I guess the rest of his powers and stuff got lost when these stories were written down. Some of those monks tried to make him a human, because I’ve read that somewhere, too.”
Cameron grinned at her, that mischievous sexy grin, and he told her, “We’d better not be going through all this trouble for a human.”
“Badb wouldn’t send us after a human that couldn’t fight a demigod let alone a bunch of gods. We should see what Anita thinks about this. And if Jasper is still being… weird.”
Cameron wrinkled his nose at her and said, “Jasper is always being weird.”
“No, you are usually weird. Jasper is usually obnoxious.”
“He’s usually an obnoxious asshole,” Cameron corrected.
“Or…” Selena said slowly, and Cameron started to protest, thinking she was going to argue with him about Jasper being an obnoxious asshole. Selena laughed again and told him to wait, she had a much better point to make. “We could go back to the Otherworld and try to find Murna’s spirit.”
Cameron blinked at her then asked, “Does healing make you go crazy for a while?”
“Cameron, if I were to go crazy, I’d go full out banshee crazy.”
“I’m going to have to stop you right there. I have no clue what that means.”
“Come on,” Selena said. “Let’s try it. I mean, you set her free so she kinda owes you, right?”
“Or… we’re going to end up being haunted by a pissed off ghost. Not even this stupid hammer is going to work against a pissed off ghost.”
Selena tossed her comb back in her bag then moved to the other bed and sat beside him. “We didn’t see any ghosts in Murias. We need to figure out how to get to one of the other three cities, because I think the dead must live somewhere else since the Tuatha Dé seem to be mostly in Murias… and aside from the scary phantom thingy in the glass castle, it’s pretty ghostless.”
“I don’t think ghostless is a word,” Cameron said.
“Of course it is,” Selena argued. “Look: the ancient Celts didn’t really believe in a Heaven or anything. The Otherworld existed kind of parallel to this one and was separated by a veil, and that veil became thin and easily passable for the dead on Samhain. But these souls seemed to have passageways from the Otherworld to this one, particularly in waterways and certain bridges, so it’s not that crazy an idea that we can just… move the veil again except this time, to a different island city where their souls are more likely to hang out.”
“I think you need a pizza. And a nap,” Cameron responded.
“Fine,” Selena agreed. “I’ll order a pizza and take a nap when we get back from Findias.”
“Findias? Why Findias?”
“Because that’s where Nuada’s Sword originally came from,” Selena said with a smile.
Cameron grunted and folded his arms stubbornly. “Well, I doubt it’s there now.”
Selena grabbed his arm and pulled it free from his stubborn pout, and held on tightly. “Think I can kidnap you?” she teased.
Cameron tried not to smile back at her but failed. “Selena, it’s not really kidnapping if I’d willingly follow you even to Hell.”
Don’t you dare blush, Selena. I am over this blushing. Concentrate on Findias… God, why does he still smell like spices and cedar?
“Ok,” Cameron relented. “How do you propose we get to Finland?”
“Findias,” Selena corrected. “Just… concentrate with me.”
“Can I concentrate on you?”
Selena sighed and Cameron grinned at her.
“Made it weird again, didn’t I?” he asked.
“That’s not going to help us get there…” Selena’s voice trailed off as she realized she was no longer sitting on a motel bed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana but in the soft green grass of the Otherworld. Unfamiliar palaces in the distance immediately told her they weren’t in Murias.
“Holy shit,” Cameron mumbled. “I can’t believe that actually worked.”
Selena nodded and stood up, searching the tall buildings in the distance. She pointed to the tallest palace, the tips of its red spires lost amidst the clouds of the Otherworld’s sky. “Let’s go there,” she suggested.
“Why that one?”
Selena shrugged. “The color red is associated with the Otherworld, but it has stronger associations with the myths of fairies, which we know aren’t real. Red was supposed to be bad luck.”
“Whoa,” Cameron pulled on her hand so she’d stop walking toward the red palace on the horizon. “You want to go to the palace that’s associated with bad luck? Now’s a good time to explain to me what going full on banshee crazy means because I think you’re heading that way.”
Selena snickered and told him banshees didn’t exist either, so he had nothing to worry about.
“Well, you exist and I’m thinking you’re not too sane right now,” Cameron retorted.
“Where are those fearless genes of Cú Chulainn when I need them?” Selena sighed.
“I can be fearless,” Cameron argued. “Unless we’re talking about snakes. Or spiders.”
“Or magical Irish cities of the gods,” Selena teased.
Cameron held up Mjölnir and frowned at it. “Why do I still have this damn hammer with me? I’m never getting rid of this thing, am I?”
Selena shook her head in equal parts commiseration and frustration and tugged on his hand again. He finally let her pull him along toward the red palace, although he complained about it most of the way. As they reached the marble pathways that led to the different palaces, they noticed the red castle seemed to be constructed from the same type of rock Cameron had given Selena from the stream in Murias. Its tall towers were almost translucent and as the sun shone down on the island city, the walls of the red castle deepened to the dark crimson of a vibrant ruby.
Men and women walked the pathways between the palaces, and Selena tried to get someone’s attention to ask them where they might find spirits that had crossed over to the Otherworld, but everyone either ignored her or couldn’t hear her.
“Are you sure we’re in Findias and not The Twilight Zone?” Cameron asked.
“What are you two doing here?” a man’s voice thundered above them. Cameron immediately pulled Selena close to him, ready to defend her as always, and the man’s voice laughed, a congenial, friendly sound.
“I’m no threat to the future of the Tuatha Dé. Turn around,” he instructed.
This time, when they turned to look behind them, a man stood on the pathway, his green eyes bright and shining. Selena thought he looked a bit like a thin Santa Clause then had to lower her eyes and say a quick prayer of apology in case this man-who-might-be-a-god could read minds.
“I thought I wouldn’t be meeting either of you for some time yet,” the man said. “What brings you to my home?”
“Your home,” Selena whispere
d. She flipped through that catalog of deities and myths until she placed him. “Uscias?”
The wise man’s eyebrows rose in surprise and he bowed to Selena. “If you’ve come to me looking for clues as to where Nuada’s Sword might be, I’m afraid I am of no help.”
“No, actually,” Selena said. “We were hoping to find out where spirits went when they left Earth. There’s one in particular that might know something about Nuada’s heir we’re supposed to be looking for.”
“Spirits?” Uscias asked. He opened his arms and smiled at her. “My dear, they’re all around you.”
“But… they ignore us every time we try to talk to them! Can’t they hear us?”
Uscias laughed, that some jovial and friendly laugh, and gestured toward the red palace. “They’re ignoring you because they want to. Spirits can be mischievous creatures. They don’t recognize you yet as gods, so they think they can get away with it.”
Cameron snorted and Selena looked at him, puzzled that he would find this funny. Cameron arched an eyebrow at her then pointed Mjölnir toward a group of spirits that only paid attention to them now because Uscias had joined them. “Who knew ghosts were obnoxious assholes, too? Maybe they’re Greek ghosts.”
Uscias laughed again and patted Cameron on the back. “No wonder the Dagda is so fond of you.”
“Don’t encourage him,” Selena warned.
“I’m starting to think only you don’t find me funny,” Cameron said.
Selena suppressed a smile because they both knew she actually found him quite funny. And smart and attractive and compassionate and God even here he smells so good, like spices and cedar, and I want to bottle this scent, and oh shit, they’re both staring at me. Please please please don’t tell me I said any of this out loud.
“Selena,” Cameron said, “were you listening? I just asked our new friend here whose name I can’t pronounce if he can help us find Murna.”
“Oh, sorry,” Selena murmured. “I got… distracted.”
Just wait. In a couple more days, I’ll be able to explain to you how this is all your fault. How it’s always your fault I get so spacey because how am I supposed to concentrate when…
“Selena,” Cameron sighed. “You’re tuning us out again. I told you we should have just ordered pizza and taken a nap.”
Selena felt her cheeks warm and she pressed a hand to her face and smiled sheepishly at Cameron and Uscias. “I’m paying attention. I promise.”
Uscias wasn’t a god, but he wasn’t exactly a mortal either. As the leader of Findias, the poet and wise man who directed the inhabitants of the magical island city, he most likely couldn’t read minds, but he almost certainly divined things and by the way his emerald green eyes sparkled at her, Selena guessed he knew exactly why she was so preoccupied.
“I have to admit,” Uscias said. “The fates definitely got it right this time.”
“Got what right?” Cameron asked.
“Murna,” Selena interjected, hoping to steer Uscias away from the same kind of soul-mate-embarrassment conversation Anita had created.
“Murna? No,” Uscias responded, his long white hair brushing against the shoulders of his green tunic. “Her fate was most unkind to her. She had to give up her son to be raised by someone else, and she was cursed after her death. Turned into a horrible monster and tried to kill her own grandson because she was no longer herself.”
“I thought Conan killed her,” Selena said. “But obviously not since she just tried to eat us near a lake in Louisiana. Actually, she did eat one of us.”
“She swallowed Conan, too, and he did fight his way out, but it didn’t kill her. Either his sword or Conan himself wasn’t powerful enough to destroy the curse.”
Cameron held up Thor’s hammer and begrudgingly admitted it was somewhat useful to have it around.
Uscias stopped in front of the red palace and murmured what sounded like some sort of incantation. A door appeared in the castle wall and he pulled it open and swung his arm inside for the demigods to enter. Despite the exterior creating an illusion that this castle was carved from rubies, the interior was much like the Dagda’s palace, with massive halls, dark oak furniture, and tapestries that decorated the walls.
“Follow me,” Uscias said, “I will lead you to Murna.”
Cameron shot Selena a where-the-hell-else-did-he-think-we-were-going-to-go? look but they followed him down a wide hall, decorated with more of those green banners with intricate gold weavings. He stopped in front of a closed door and knocked softly. Selena heard a woman’s voice responding, and Uscias pushed the door open to reveal a spacious room where a woman sat by a tall window, a man by her feet looking up at her adoringly.
“Fionn,” the woman said, “this is the man who freed me.”
The man stood up and rushed to Cameron, who gave Selena a quick what-do-I-do? glance before Fionn’s giant arms wrapped around him. “It isn’t true, you know,” he said.
Cameron blinked at him then asked, “What isn’t true?”
“That I killed my mother by running too quickly to escape our enemies. What kind of man would do such a thing? A curse would have been put on me if that were true. Those Christian monks…”
“Fionn,” his mother said. “I don’t think they traveled all the way to Findias to discover what is myth and what is history.”
Fionn nodded and looked like he wanted to hug Cameron again, but Cameron was staring at Uscias. “So… you have dead Irish heroes hanging out in your palace. Does this mean I could meet…”
Uscias waved a hand at him and cut him off. “Not all of them. You needed to speak to Murna about Nuada. We’ll leave you to it then.”
Uscias pushed Fionn out the door and closed it behind him. Cameron glared at the closed door then told Selena, “Even non-gods here are shifty, untrustworthy…”
“Murna,” Selena said. She crossed the room and sat by her feet where her son had been sitting moments ago. “We’re helping Badb find the missing treasures of the Tuatha Dé, and we have to find the heir of Nuada who is meant to take his place on the pantheon. It just seemed so… coincidental that we would meet you while trying to track down Nuada’s descendant.”
Cameron snorted and said, “Meet? You make it sound like we bumped into each other on Main Street in Larken. Probably at the diner. Where they have pizza.”
“Cameron,” Selena groaned, but Murna didn’t feign innocence over what she’d done as Caoranach.
“He has every right to be angry. I would be. How you saved that woman, Selena…” Murna shook her head and twisted her hands together as if the memory itself were painful. “Uscias tells me you will be an even greater healer than Dian Cécht. I believe him.”
“I believe him about that,” Cameron muttered.
Murna smiled at him and asked, “What is it you think I might be able to help with? I’ll do what I can.”
“We need to find whomever is supposed to replace Nuada among the Tuatha Dé, but we have no leads whatsoever. Cameron, show her the list of names.”
Cameron pulled the phone from his pocket and he handed it to her, but Murna had spent over a thousand years trapped inside the body of a serpent. She didn’t recognize this technology. Selena showed her how to scroll through the names and she read each one carefully, her eyes roving over every detail – addresses, surnames, phone numbers, anything that might seem familiar to her in a way that only those connected by a god’s ancestry could understand.
She finally looked up from the phone and told them, “There are nineteen names on here that I am sure are related to Nuada.”
“See? I was right.” Cameron said. “Ok, I officially forgive you for trying to eat me.”
Murna smiled and rose from her chair, crossing the room to a small desk where paper and a pen lay on top. Selena was more than a little surprised that the pen wasn’t a quill pen but a regular ballpoint pen like she’d carry in her purse. Murna listed each name for them then handed Selena the piece of paper.
; Cameron and Selena looked over the names and compared it to the list on his phone. “We can narrow this down to about twelve based on age. Some of these people are far older than Badb’s druid said the next heir would be. If we had the Unbreakable Sword, we could just visit the others that are under forty and see if they recognize it,” Selena said.
“I wish I could help you further,” Murna said. “But I didn’t even know there was a war here in the Otherworld until I arrived here. I’ve missed quite a lot, it seems.”
“We know more now than we did before our trip to Oz,” Cameron offered.
Murna looked confused again by another reference she didn’t understand, but she pointed to the golden hammer in Cameron’s left hand and told him, “There’s tremendous power in this weapon. The Norse won’t go into war without it. They will try to kill you first to retrieve it, but if that fails, they’ll have no choice but to lead you to the Unbreakable Sword in exchange for Mjölnir.”
Selena smiled at Cameron and teased him, “And you wanted to give it away.”
“I still want to give it away. Macha could hold onto it and the end result would be the same.”
“But I would still be cursed,” Murna pointed out. “There’s tremendous power in you, too, Cameron. Don’t be afraid to use it.”
Cameron glanced at Selena and shook his head slowly. “I’m not. Believe me.”
Murna’s eyes danced as she watched him, and she put a hand on his shoulder and told him, “This is one of the easiest things in either world for me to believe. You should go home now. Who knows how much time has passed, and you’ve left your friends alone.”
Cameron grabbed Selena’s hand and assured Murna, “Don’t worry. We’ve apparently got some Marty McFly magic. Tell Uscias his palace is pretty awesome.”
Murna’s light brown eyebrows pulled together, but she had only just started to ask Cameron what Marty McFly magic was when the young demigods left the Cities of the Gods, already trying to come up with a plan to force Thor to act quickly to negotiate for Mjölnir.
Cities of the Gods (The Unbreakable Sword Series Book 2) Page 13