Que's expression went horrified. “I might not get it back?”
I winced. “Well, Luke got his pitchfork back and Aaron's rod was returned to Jesus. But the trickster still has Jerry's tablets and Odin's magic condenser. I don't know if we'll get those back. So I can't be certain we'll retrieve your wind jewel.”
“Oh, fuck me,” Que whispered.
“We will do everything we can to retrieve the Wind Jewel,” Blue said. “But for now, why don't you stay with me?”
“What about Eztli?”
Blue grimaced.
“Why don't you stay with us?” I offered. “We have lots of room at Pride Palace, and Blue can visit without Eztli.”
Que nodded. “Thank you, Vervain. I think that would be best.”
Blue scowled at me.
“I'm sorry, Blue, but do you really want to make your wife and your friend uncomfortable?”
His scowl deepened, and he muttered, “No.”
Que chuckled. “I've never seen the great Huitzilopochtli pout.”
“I am not pouting.” Blue stormed off toward the main door.
“He's totally pouting,” I said to Que as we followed Blue.
Que snickered. Then he slipped ahead of Blue. “You won't be able to open the door. Allow me.”
Que set his palm on the handle-less door and the huge panel swung inward. Blue and I followed him into a bright white interior—the ceiling and walls both coated in plaster and the floor covered in white tiles. It would have been stark if not for the eye-popping amount of artwork on the walls. White had been chosen as a neutral backdrop, that's all.
I had to pause often to inspect the paintings as well as the sculptures set on random pedestals (also white). There were pieces from every great master in history there. Que didn't seem to have a preference for style. He simply liked art.
“Oh, my goodness,” I whispered and stopped altogether.
Blue and Que, who had kept going as I gawked. had gotten several feet ahead of me. They looked back. I saw them speak, and then they stepped over to me to see what I was looking at. Blue flinched. The painting was of him. A close-up, no less. It depicted him as he used to be—his eyes the color of blood. He was still beautiful but in a more menacing way.
“What the fuck?” Blue whispered.
“It's a depiction of you after the battle with your brothers,” I said. “The day your eyes changed.” I tore my stare away from the painting to look at Blue.
Blue scowled and glanced at me. Then did a double-take. “How do you know that?”
I cleared my throat. “Because I painted it. It was after we . . . after I saw your memories.”
“What?” He gaped at me and then spun to stare at Que. “How do you have this?”
“I bought it,” Que said brightly. “After you introduced me to Vervain, I looked into her. I discovered that she used to make her living as an artist. So, I researched her work. You know how much I love art.”
“You researched her work and found this?” Blue waved at the painting.
“Yes, exactly. It seemed like the perfect piece for me to purchase.” He stepped closer and stared at it. “It's beautiful and terrible. But it also reminds me that no matter how dark it gets, even for the Sun God, there is always hope.” He looked back at Blue. “You triumphed, Huitzilopochtli. You avenged your family and paid a terrible price, but then you got through it. You got back to yourself. And now, look at you. You are great again. You have reunited with your soul mate. You have a family and friends.” Que said the last with a little sadness.
“And you are part of my family.” Blue pulled Que into a hug. “Leave it to you to see hope in a blood-soaked painting.”
I wandered away to look at other paintings and sniff around for clues, but also to give them a moment of privacy. They needed to spend some time together, but we couldn't spare much now. I'd give them as much as I could by combining it with some investigation.
I took a deep breath and with my intention to track, color bloomed to life around me. But only one shade—a bright teal. Que's scent. It was the only scent in the place. I wandered further down the hallway and peeked into rooms. The second room Ifound was full of Aztec art, a lot of it disturbing.
