“The gods don’t leave their weapons lying around where anyone or anything can pluck them up.” He rested against his vehicle, rocking it under his weight, his thumbs tucked in his belt loops.
“True.”
“Most gods lock those weapons away.”
“Also true.”
“Stealing a weapon like that is…” He shook his head.
“Impossible?”
“Yes. Even touching a weapon like that is problematic.”
“Why do you say so?”
“God power, by its very nature, is something most living beings can’t really handle. Certainly not in large doses or for any duration. A god weapon laid bare is even more destructive than this.” He shifted his fist so the silver ring glinted dully. “How were they delivered?”
“Cardboard boxes, no postal markings, two red ink stamps.”
“What were the ink stamps?”
“A red feather and a circle with a line through it.”
A robin called out, its liquid song reminding me of spring rain and mossy creeks sparkling like diamonds.
“Alchemy? The circle with a line is salt. Represents the body. Red feather…could be flight? Fire? Blood, of course, or transformation?”
“Does that add up to something to you? Point to anything?”
“Not really.”
“Talk to Myra about it. She’s doing research. Do you know any demons who would try this?”
“To move a god weapon against the god’s will, without the god knowing would take massive power, or incredible subtlety.”
“So you don’t think a demon is behind this?”
“Oh, I think if a demon wanted to transport a god weapon, they’d find some way to do it. But to show up in town and deliver the weapons without you knowing we had another demon in Ordinary? Much less likely.”
“Do you think your mother or uncle did this?”
He didn’t immediately answer. I wondered how many past actions he was running through his head. How many other betrayals and double crosses and schemes and deals he had seen his mother and uncle Avnas make over the years.
“It would have to be royalty. Demon royalty. The level of magic demon royalty can wield is far beyond a more common demon. My mother is…was,” he corrected himself, “the queen of hell. And my uncle the king’s knight. They might have the power to slip into a god realm.”
“But?”
“It’s a hell of a risk.” His cool gaze met mine. “Stealing god weapons and leaving them on their doorstep is either a power move to show the gods they are not as mighty as they think they are, or someone’s trying to stir up suspicion and hatred. Make them angry enough to leave town.”
“Or someone wants to arm them,” I said, throwing out the third, less likely option.
“Against what? Against who?”
“I have no damn idea,” I said. “If you think of anything that would help us figure this out, I want to hear it.”
“All right,” he said. “Myra said a car fell out of the sky. Have you figured out what’s behind that yet?”
“We’re working on it.”
