Chapter 6
The Crossroads was a place of mist and shadow, of dreams and choices and intersections. To get there, I would stand in the center of an intersection—anyplace where two roads crossed, or where two ditches or streams or natural forks in the roads met. When in need, I could create my own by digging out two small trenches in the dirt or sand or grass, or drawing a chalk X on the road, but that wouldn’t always guarantee the portal would open.
I stepped into the center of the intersection and raised my hands over my head. As I clasped them together, I whispered, “Carry me.”
The portal shimmered open and I found myself in the crux between worlds.
The Crossroads. What can I say? This was the place of power for all the Elder Gods who lived at juncture points. Decisions of life and death, between day and night, the balance of male and female, the junctures all staked their claim here.
Hecate had her roots here, as did Papa Legba, the scary, suave god of Voudoun. And Janus could be found here, opening gates and doorways that lurked in the shadows. Mercury and Hermes—messengers who traveled between worlds—journeyed along the strands. These liminal deities were keepers of the Crossroads, guardians of the thresholds separating worlds, times, and states of being.
The Crossroads itself was awash in fog. Mist coiled along the ground, shrouding tree trunks and undergrowth, moving like tentacles from some ghostly cephalopod. Every time I arrived, I would land at the same place, a barren intersection between three roads. Nearby, a field stretched to the limits of the horizon, with scrub trees and rocks interrupting the tall grass. Every quarter mile or so, benches would offer a resting place along the dusty paths.
At the center of the Y-juncture, there was a large cauldron, with a signboard next to it that read:
Stand at the Crossroads
State your claim
To seal the deal,
Strike the flame.
I let out a slow breath, looking around. Every once in a while, a funeral procession would wander past, on their way to Papa Legba’s hangout. I usually came here when chasing Abominations, so I seldom had time to sit and think. But now, I sat on a nearby bench in front of a tree surrounded by undergrowth. A short length of fence cordoned it off from the path, but as to who had installed the bench or fence, there was no clue. My guess was that the tree was elder or yew—both were trees of the shadow world.
As I leaned back, enjoying the freedom from the cold, and closed my eyes, I called out in whisper-speak. Queet, Queet—are you around? Hecate?
A moment passed with no answer, and then came a rumbling to my left.
A tall woman was striding down the road. She wore a black leather pantsuit that fit her curves like it was painted on. Her hair swung in a ponytail down to her waist, jet black and gleaming. On her head, right in front of the high knot of the ponytail, was a silver circlet with three snakes entwining. They held aloft a crescent moon, horns up, cradling a black moonstone. The diadem mirrored the tattoo on my neck. Hecate’s eyes were pale periwinkle, mirroring the light between evening and twilight.
The look on her face was grave as she stopped a few feet away. I rose, curtseying deeply. As always, she motioned me up and I relaxed. A formality, but always a sign of respect.
Hecate looked me over. “First, are you well? How are your injuries?”
I shrugged and sat down again. “They’re healing. I haven’t picked up anything new to add to the mix, thank the gods.” I wanted to shower her with questions, but I knew better. We would discuss what she wanted to in her own time.
“I’ve been following you—you know I can track you, but I haven’t been able to offer much help from the temple.” She motioned to the bench. “Sit with me.”
I scooched to one side. “How’s Seattle?”
“You miss your home, don’t you?” She smiled softly at me.
“Yeah. So much has happened that I feel adrift. I should be out there, chasing down Aboms, and I’m not.” My entire routine had been thrown out of whack. “Hecate, we have a problem.” I paused, then told her what we had found out about the zombies and the Regent’s decision.
She listened, not saying a word till I was finished. “You realize you’re talking treason? The other cities will hear and the Conglomerate will send reinforcements.”
“I know, but this is my city. There are people dying because the Regent is willing to feed them to the zombies. Hecate, the Elder Gods have to step in. I know you said you’re proscribed from interfering, but who created that rule? If you want to live here, if you want to be part of our society, you have to do more. We need your help.”
At first I thought I had gone too far and angered her, but we couldn’t fight the Conglomerate without help.
Finally, Hecate heaved a short sigh. “Events are at a tipping point. A crossroads, you might say. I can see the threads turning and shifting even as we speak. I shouldn’t tell you this, but I don’t care. The Elder Gods are already debating whether or not to break our proscriptions and take action.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and that’s all I can say on that for now. When you return, come through UnderBarrow. Don’t return by boat or open road. The Devani are everywhere. You do realize you must either find a way to control them, or destroy them? If you don’t, the Devani will kill you all. They are bound to the Regent, not the Council.”
I blinked. “Then he’s the real seat of power?”
“Yes. The Council assumes they have more sway than they do, but the Conglomerate doesn’t willingly spread their power thin. Every city in the American Corporatocracy is ruled by one person alone. And the regents answer directly to the Conglomerate.”
“So control the regent, you control the reins.”
“Correct. As to the Elder Gods, I agree with you, Fury. It’s time for us to come out of our temples and towers and take an active part in this world again. One thing I will tell you: no matter what happens, nothing will ever be the same again.”
“If we can get rid of the corruption, then so be it. Hecate, when I was in the middle of the riot where Tam was arrested, I met a woman who was facing a lifetime of servitude because of the new Restructuring Law. I’ve thought about her for the past few weeks—how her family’s now indentured to the city. How her son’s doomed to a life of indentured servitude because her husband died and left them in debt.” I straightened. “I don’t want to live in a world where that’s acceptable.”
Hecate stroked my cheek. “There’s a reason you’re my favorite. I did well to pick you for my own. I hope you never regret being bound to me, Fury. But the coming months will be harsh and difficult. Never underestimate the strength of the men who covet power, or those who tighten their grasp to keep it from slipping away.”
With that, she walked to the center of the road. “Come. I will transfer you back. It’s impossible to pick the best move, but for now, you might as well go to Verdanya and make your plans there.”
“Do you know Theosians named Kendall, Tyrell, and Dorn? They’re planning on helping us. Kendall is bound to Athena, Dorn to Odin, and Tyrell to the Dagda.”
“Kendall sounds familiar. I believe Athena has discussed her before. A warrior if ever there was one. The others, I’m not acquainted with. But be cautious. The government has taken Theosians before. If they were released, they are the Regent’s eyes and ears. With luck, your new comrades will be refugees like yourself. I’ll find out what I can. But until then, watch what you say. Who knows what technology—or magic—might be listening in.”
With that, she motioned for me to join her near the cauldron.
I reluctantly did so. I didn’t want to go back to the snow and the frozen trails and the specter of the journey that loomed ahead. But even though I knew Hecate would take me with her if I asked, I also knew it wasn’t a choice I could conscientiously make.
“I’m ready.”
“Good. Buck up. We’re not dead yet. I’ll send Queet to you with what answers I can find.” With that, she lightly touched me on the shoulder, and the next moment, I was back in the middle of the intersection. Tam was waiting for me, huddling in his robes as the snow continued to fall.
“You’re here? How long have you been waiting?” I never knew how long I’d been gone when I was out on the Crossroads. Usually it was only a few minutes, sometimes half an hour. But by the look of the sky, I had the feeling I’d been away longer than usual.
“You left an hour ago. I came after you, just in time to see you vanish. I decided to wait, given things are so topsy-turvy.” He took my hand. As he drew me in, he nuzzled my hair. “I’m sorry things are so broken.”
“I am too. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to kill Lyon when I had the chance. If he hadn’t set the zombie portal open…”
“No, don’t do this to yourself. There are others who would have carried out his vision. Lyon’s only one of many in the Order. He can—and will—be replaced. However, we can still make a sore dent by taking him out.”
“Everything seems so topsy-turvy. I feel out of my element.” I snuggled closer, grateful that he had cared enough to come after me, and wait for me in the cold.
“To be honest, so do I. The Bonny Fae, we have our Barrows in the wild, but we coexist in the cities better than the Woodland Fae. We get along better with humans than our forested cousins do. I’m worried about my people.”
“Do you think they’ll be all right till we get home?”
“I hope so.” He paused outside the inn. “To be honest, I’m grateful Bryn is going to find an escort to drag Shay to Verdanya. It’s better the man be put down, but it’s not my decision. He may not be able to attack us himself, but he can do so much damage.”
I didn’t want to go in just yet, even though I was starting to chill. “So, what do we do?”
As Tam gazed down at me with those glowing silver eyes of his, I shivered. Although I wasn’t fully human, sometimes he seemed more alien to the world than even I felt. When his eyes began to shimmer, it both aroused and frightened me.
“You think we should kill him.” It wasn’t a question.
He inclined his head once. “You have to admit, it would solve a number of problems. I don’t trust the Woodland Fae to guard him. I’ll tell you what’s going to happen. He’ll be dragged to Verdanya where they’ll find some reason to pardon him. My instinct tells me that Shay will walk in there bound, and walk out free to raise more hell. And he’s petty enough to find a way to take revenge on Tera.”
He was right. I knew he was. But I wasn’t sure I could take the man out and execute him in cold blood. He had sold his niece into slavery, and destroyed his sister’s life, but he couldn’t fight back. I was torn.
“I don’t know if I can do it, Tam.”
“I’m not suggesting you do. But one way or another he’s going to get out again.” He paused, his hand on the door. “You have enough on your mind without dealing with this creep.”
As we entered the inn, Tera met us near the door. “Bryn locked up Shay until we can figure out what to do with him.” A look on her face told me that Bryn had plans for Shay that didn’t include an extended future. “We’re going to visit the Fir Mountain Wolf Pack this afternoon. We’ll take guards. I didn’t realize how many people have been pissed about the way Shay’s been running things. They immediately volunteered to form the first militia.”
Relieved that Shay’s fate wasn’t in our hands, I glanced around. “Where’s the rest of our party? I need to talk to them.”
“Jason and Hans are in the dining room. Elan and Laren are in one of the meeting rooms. I don’t know where Shevron and her son are.” She glanced around. “Oh, and Montran and Tymbur returned, just like they said they would. They’re with Jason and Hans.”
Relieved that they hadn’t abandoned us, Tam and I entered the dining room. The aromas coming from the kitchen sent me into a salivary overload. I had no clue what was on the stove, but I wanted it and I wanted it now.
Jason, Hans, and Greta were sitting with Tymbur and Montran, who were eating. Tymbur had a veiled look on his face. Worry wafted off him like BO off an unwashed werewolf. They glanced up as we entered, and motioned to the serving girl before we ever made it to the table.
“I talked to Hecate,” I said as I swung one leg over the bench. “She had several things to say, but I’m not comfortable discussing them in the open.” I glanced at Tymbur. “Where did you two take a hike to? We thought you skipped out on us.”
“It was necessary for us to gain focus,” Tymbur said. “I, too, would rather discuss these matters in private. I suggest we adjourn to one of the bedrooms after we eat. There are things that need to remain between us.”
I nodded. As the serving girl came over, Tam and I ordered coffee. We kept the conversation light. Finally, Tymbur and Montran finished their meal, and we all withdrew to my room.
“Where are Shevron and Leonard?” I was feeling uneasy enough. I didn’t want to lose track of anybody.
“They’re in the stables. Shevron wants Leonard to learn a lesson about giving back. He’s been far too focused on what he wants as opposed to what he can give.” Jason cracked a smile. “It’s a matter of belonging to the Cast. He may feel like an outsider, but he’s not and once he learns to act the part of Cast, he’ll be included to the best of our—and his—abilities.”
“Can somebody run and bring back Elan and Laren? What I have to say involves them as well.” I turned to Tymbur. “We need to know, are you still with us? We can’t have you taking off like this without a word. It divides the group’s focus and that makes us vulnerable.”
Tymbur nodded. “Right. We did have reasons for slipping out, and we’ll tell you those once the others are here.”
Tam went off to find Elan and her brother and while we were waiting, Greta ran down to the kitchen and brought a pie back. She served it up.
“Best pie I ever tasted. I got the recipe from Tera earlier.”
“You did ask if you could have this, right?”
“No, I just snatched it off the kitchen counter,” she said with a snort. “Of course I asked. I’m no common pie thief. We should make pies together.”
I would have stuck my tongue out, but my mouth was full. I could just barely imagine the Valkyrie with an apron on and a rolling pin in hand, but I had never made a pie and I couldn’t envision myself trying to make a pie. We ate in silence till Tam returned with Elan and Laren. Setting Hans at the door to watch for eavesdroppers, I dove in.
“First things first. Tymbur, why did you and Montran leave without telling anybody? We need to know.”
Tymbur lowered his voice. “When we heard that three Theosians were in the village, we decided to contact Hades to find out who they were and whether we could trust them. Something just felt off about the situation.”
I blinked. “Interestingly enough, just this morning Hecate warned me to be cautious about them. What did you find out?”
“Kendall is who she says she is. In the service of Athena. Hades contacted Arawn, the Welsh Lord of the Underworld, and Arawn contacted the Dagda. Long story short, Tyrell is one of the favorites of Dagda and extremely trustworthy.”
“So far, two out of three. That’s good news. And Dorn?”
“Dorn…” Tymbur shook his head. “The Temple Valhalla said he was lost to the Devani years ago. Odin gave him up for dead.” He held my gaze. “Which means that Dorn is running around claiming to be bound to an Elder God who assumes he was killed.”
“Hecate was right. She told me that there are Theosians who were captured by the Conglomerate who have been set free as spies for the government.” I cocked my head, thinking. “That brings up three options. Neither Kendall nor Tyrell know that Dorn is lying. Or they know and are hiding the fact, which means they’re somehow acting in concert with him. Or one knows and the other doesn’t.”
“Neither of them know. Their gods were clear about that.” Tymbur leaned back against his chair. “Hades ordered me to be very cautious around Dorn. He’s powerful and who knows what he’s scouting out for the government.”
“So Dorn’s an outlier and we’re the only ones who know it. We obviously need to get Kendall and Tyrell away from him in order to break the news. Did Hades have any advice?”
“Yes, actually. After talking to Odin, Hades suggested that we sit back and wait. He promised me Dorn won’t be a problem much longer. We say nothing in front of the group until Odin carries out whatever he’s planning to do.”
The fact that Odin was taking a personal interest in the matter made me nervous. Nobody messed around with Odin, and it didn’t pay to be in the crosshairs when he was about to pull the trigger. I had learned that much by my proximity to Hans and Greta. Hans might be a Theosian in the service of Thor, and Greta—as a Valkyrie—served Freya, but they all answered to Odin. And he was one serious piece of god-flesh.
“Well, that solves one problem right there. Anything else?”
“Not at the moment,” Montran said, but I had the feeling he was sitting on something.
“All right, if that’s all, I’ll tell you what Hecate said.” I laid out the discussion we had had. “She suggests coming into the city via UnderBarrow. She also said the Elder Gods are debating what to do.”
“How far do UnderBarrow’s tunnels range? Can we slip in without having to cross the borders of the city?” Jason asked.
Tam nodded. “Yes. Our tunnels border the edge of the Pacific Sound, as you know, but they also stretch out to the edge of Glass Lake. We can sneak in without a problem. It’s what comes next that we have to figure out.”
“Getting in isn’t going to be the problem. It’s stopping the Regent from using the populace as a method of zombie birth control. I think we may have to infiltrate the Regent’s home, take him prisoner, somehow gain control of the Devani, and then…kill off the zombies.”
Jason let out a sputter. “That sounds ridiculous. How on earth are we supposed to do that?”
Tam tapped his fingers on the table. “The Tunnels burrow far deeper into Seattle than most people realize. Those of us who have that knowledge keep it under wraps. We can travel through the secret passages to North Shore where the Regent lives.”
The Tunnels were part of what was—centuries ago—the underground sector of Seattle. The city had, in its infancy, burned to the ground in some neighborhoods. When they rebuilt, the planners raised the level of the streets above sea level, leaving the remnants of an entire region of the city belowground. For a while, the shops had stayed open, but over time they closed and the entire underground level had been paved over. But the tunnels remained. At first they were a tourist attraction, then after the World Shift, they became a labyrinth—a city beneath the city.
“So, from the end of the Tunnels, how far is it to North Shore? And won’t the upper-crust sectors have closed off their borders?”
“Not far, but you have a point. We would still have obstacles to manage aboveground.”
I paused. “Could we go in through the Tremble and the NW Quarters?”
Going through the Tremble was a daunting thought. Mind-bending effects altered the very reality of the magic-crazed district and drove men mad. But I doubted if the Devani would be fighting in there. “There’s also a bridge that leads into the NW Quarters from Briarwood, across the Locks, and one that leads to North Shore as well.”
“The bridges will be heavily guarded,” Jason said. “What about traveling from the Arbortariam? We can take a ferry across to North Shore from there.”
“But that would cut out stopping in Verdanya,” Elan said.
“I doubt if the ferries are working. I wouldn’t mind talking to Jerako about this, though. The Greenlings will probably have quite a bit to say about what’s going on.” The thought of seeing Jerako again made me feel oddly safe.
The Greenlings were Gaia’s henchmen. When she first reawoke, she roused an army of trees and plant devas to do her bidding. They waged war against the cities during the World Shift, tearing them to shreds. Attended by their loyal servants, the hedgemites, the Greenlings kept to their own kind and seldom interacted with humans. They stood ready to rise to action should Gaia summon them again, and they kept careful watch over the world.
“I like that plan. They may have advice for us as well. To be honest, I don’t think we can plan out anything in detail right now. We don’t know what’s really going on back in Seattle, and even what we do know can change on a dime,” Tam said.
“Well, then, we make for the Arbortariam.” I was actually relieved that we weren’t heading straight for Seattle. We couldn’t go in expecting to take down a city without backup. Even I knew we were no match for the hundreds of Devani and the Regent.
He chewed on his lip. “I’ve never met a Greenling. In fact, the stories about them scare the shit out of me.”
I tried to suppress a snicker. That was the first time I had ever heard Tymbur use the word “shit.” The priests of Hades weren’t merely proper—they were stodgy.
“The Greenlings are intimidating, but I enjoyed meeting Jerako. Just be polite and don’t go messing up the plants there.” I glanced at the clock. “I suppose we should get moving. We’re not that far from the road that leads down through the Wild Wood and the Edge.”
“How far from here to the Edge?” Tymbur asked.
“A full day’s walking, perhaps, to the north crossing that leads over to the Arbortariam,” I said. “Actually, I think there’s a bridge at that juncture, but I could be wrong.”
“No, you’re correct,” Elan said. “The north crossing over to the Arbortariam is across a bridge. South crossing is by ferry.”
The Edge was a strip of land that bordered the Wild Wood and Idyll Inlet, separating the two. The inlet divided the city proper from the inland. The Arbortariam was an island in the middle of the inlet.
Belonging to no one, the Edge was heavily wooded. While a road ran through it, the land was mostly overgrown tangle with small villages here and there. Every now and then, ruins from bigger cities pre-World Shift would peek out—twisted structures of metal and stone, but the forest had reclaimed them, hiding them beneath centuries of forest detritus.
“We can travel faster if we ask for horses,” Greta said.
“True, but there are eleven of us. That’s a lot of horses to ask for in a village this size.” Elan shook her head. “I’d rather not put them out.”
“Don’t forget to include Kendall and Tyrell. Which reminds me, let’s hope Odin takes care of Dorn before we leave. We can’t allow him to travel with us.” My stomach rumbled, and I peeked in the pie tin to see if there was any more, but we had eaten it all.
“There’s another question we need to answer,” Tam said. “We know he’s a spy, but how is he feeding the Devani information? He could be chipped with a camera.”
Crap. I hadn’t even thought of that. I turned to Jason.
“Can you distract Dorn while I—” I stopped as a swirl of energy wove around me. Queet was back.
Fury, Hecate needs to talk to you. She’s coming behind me, in a few minutes. She wants to talk to all of you in private, so shut the door.
I looked at the others. “I don’t know if you heard his whisper-speak, but Queet just showed up. Hecate’s coming. Shut the door and get ready.”
As Hans shut and locked the door, Hecate appeared. She didn’t wait, but immediately swung a chair around to sit on, and started to talk.
“More news and I’m afraid it’s grim. Seattle is in chaos. The Order of the Black Mist has broken through the borders into Uptown and North Shore. They’re controlling the zombies. The city is now a war zone and Lyon is on the verge of controlling it.”
And, once again, the game board changed beneath our feet.