“What about the trickster?” Jesus asked.
“I think he's psychic.”
“Groovy,” Jesus murmured. “Yeah, I can see that.”
“Go. I'll text Lucifer,” Holly said. “But remember, Vervain. That's just a theory.”
“Yeah, I know. I can't let myself get carried away with assumptions. But it makes so much sense. And maybe it will narrow down our list of suspects.”
“Good luck,” Holly said as she pulled out her phone.
I glanced at Az. “It really is a relief to have you here with him.”
She smiled wanly. “Go, Vervain. We'll look after Azrael.”
I hurried out.
Chapter Twenty-Five
It was too late to text Torrent, so I had to wait until morning. Since I knew sleep would be difficult, I went with Re to Duat to search for any sign of the trickster. I knew there wouldn't be any, but I had to try. What if the one time I didn't look, he messed up? Plus, he usually left us a clue. This was a game, after all. We had to play if we wanted to get to the end.
Despite the likelihood that we'd find a clue, the others went to bed while Re and I went to search his palace. They were just too tired. Worry can take a lot out of you.
The gleaming rooms of the Sun God's palace were full of Egyptian artifacts that the trickster hadn't touched. He had only taken the scepter. And he took it from a hiding spot that even I didn't know about. It was, of course, in the safest place Re could think of—a secret compartment inside his bed. Yup, his round, erotic playground of a bed not only had naughty metal loops to tie lovers to, but it also had a hidden drawer that the scepter resided in along with the ankh. The ankh was still there, but only the imprint of the scepter remained in the velvet lining of the drawer.
“Let me guess,” Re drawled. “There's no trace of him?”
“No, but there must be a clue. He always leaves a clue,” I said.
“I told you, La-la. I looked. I didn't . . .” Re trailed off as I pulled the entire drawer out of the bed's base. “Oh, I didn't think to do that.”
I handed him the drawer, then reached inside the crevice to feel around. There was nothing in there. I crouched and peered inside. Nope, nothing. I should have known he wouldn't repeat a clue hiding spot.
“Damn it!” I growled.
Re replaced the drawer, clicking it into place. It melded seamlessly with the engravings around the gold frame. I stared at those engravings. Then I sat back.
“Can you lift the bed, please?” I asked Re.
“Raise it? Sure.” He went to the lever that controlled the bed. “Hop on.”
“No, I want to see beneath it.”
“Oh! Uh. I'll have to go up with it so I can bring the bed back down.”
“Do you mind?” I grinned at him.
“Oh, all right.” Re got on the bed and pulled the lever.
I watched the bed spin upward on a giant screw while the roof opened to let it through. It felt very Sci-Fi, especially with the way the ceiling panels parted. Re laid back, never missing an opportunity to enjoy himself, and was quickly hidden from my view by the bed's base.
Long before the bed filled the opening in the roof perfectly, I found the clue. It fell on a golden cord to dangle before me. Just a note. No, a postcard. I snatched the cord and yanked it off the bed.
“Found it!” I called up to Re.
“I'll be right down!” he shouted back.
Even before it reached the top, the bed stopped, then spun in the opposite direction, coming back down to the floor whilethe roof slid back into place.
