Mariam’s expression said she found my knowledge of the gods wanting. I waited her out.
“Ogma is the Dagda’s brother. He’s also Lugh’s half-brother.”
I raised my eyebrows. Even I had heard of Lugh and the Dagda. Like the two main families in any soap opera, they cultivated infidelity, revenge, and plenty of drama. Only this soap opera involved incredible power.
Mariam nodded at whatever she saw on my face. “Ogma invented Ogham, which was used to create the old Irish alphabet.”
“Okay, so what does the amulet do?”
“It provides the owner with great knowledge. Knowledge that is confidential and priceless. However, only those with fae or demon blood may use it.”
I frowned at that. “Demon blood?” She clamped her lips shut and I almost rolled my eyes. “So it’s knowledge about the fae, huh?”
She stared at me. I heroically held back a smirk. “How did the amulet go missing?”
“The amulet’s power works in a unique way. While not quite sentient, it has often gone missing over the centuries, always finding its way to the one who needs its knowledge the most.”
“But it hasn’t shown up?”
“No. We would know if the amulet had been activated and used, as it then would have made its way back to us. Instead, it is still missing. We would not have worried, except that the other artifacts are missing as well.”
I entered the amulet into my phone.
“Anything else?”
“Hrunting is also missing.”
I gaped at her in stunned silence. When I could talk again, I stuttered out my words. “The sword that Unferth gave Beowulf? How much power are we talking here?”
She gave me a thin-lipped smile. “That sword was created by mortals. Hence why it proved ineffective. However, that swordwilllead those with enough power to another much more important sword.”
“An important sword like the one Beowulf found in the cave? That sword was melted when he killed Grendel’s mother.”
“Was it?”
Wow. Okay. “Who was the sword stolen from?”
“A light fae named Aubrey. He’s somewhat of a weapon collector. The sword was stolen from his house.”
“So whoever has been stealing these artifacts already has a belt that can make them exceptionally strong, an amulet that can give them incredible knowledge, and a sword that can lead them to another sword known for killing monsters. Do I have that about right?”
Mariam raised one eyebrow. “Indeed.”
“Suspects?”
“There are few who know what these artifacts can do. But we have become… overconfident.”
I raised one eyebrow, and Mariam sighed again. “The artifacts were created several millennia ago. Some of them by the gods themselves. They were lost in various worlds, found, and lost again. They do not require power to wield them. They are their own power.”
So literally anyone could pick them up and use them in any way they chose– whether they were human, werewolf, fae, or demon.
“Okay. I need a list of anyone who knew about the artifacts and anyone who could’ve had access to them.”
Mariam nodded and reached for a piece of paper, handing it over. I scanned down the list of names and barely suppressed a sigh.
“Let’s start with the belt. Any video footage?”
Mariam looked offended at the suggestion. “It was in my personal office.”
