Tish bit their bottom lip and kept their eyes resolutely on me.
“Why did you all decide to drop by?” I asked.
Odin shrugged those massive shoulders of his. “Crow told us you found the ghoul. Tish, is that right?”
Tish held still, only the sweat that had broken out to cover their forehead indicating they had heard.
“That’s right,” I said. “Tish is being very helpful right now.”
“Sounds good,” Frigg said. “Carry on.”
They all stood in the small lobby, hands in pockets or on hips, waiting. It would be intimidating if you didn’t know they were gods. It certainly must have been intimidating to Tish who knew they were gods.
“Tell us how you helped.” Myra touched Tish’s shoulder to bring their focus back to us.
“Prince Goap called upon my service? To walk where he told me, stand where he told me, take what he told me?”
“Did that involve you walking into god realms?” I asked.
Tish nodded.
“And how did you do that?” I asked.
“Did Goap have a spell?” Jean asked. “A paper with a magic spell he used to get you into the god realms and get you out?” She wiggled her fingers like she was doing magic.
Tish’s shoulders drooped. They nodded again.
My heartbeat picked up the pace. Goap had lied. He had used the page to pick the godly locks.
“I am not alive? Dead?” Tish mumbled. “The spell allows no living or unliving to cross into their realm? Me? I am not dead or alive, am I?”
Crow swore, then chuckled.
“Smooth,” Frigg said.
“How did you miss that loophole?” Odin demanded, smacking Crow on the back of the head.
“It’s been awhile,” Crow protested. “I bet neither of you remember the exact wording of your spells.”
I looked over at them. They were both frowning.
Terrific. But that wasn’t a problem we could tackle right now.
“Do you have the spell?” I asked.
Tish shook their head.
“Do you know where it is?” Myra asked.
A pause, then Tish nodded.
Jean exhaled, and her breath smelled like strawberry. “Wow, dude. That’s great. That’s really great. Do you have it with you?”
Again the head shake.
“Where is it?” I asked.
“Buried? In the flowers and birds?”
