“My thoughts exactly, but we have to go through Hades' territory to get to Nyx; she lives in Tartarus,” Thor said.
“And you're friends with Hades; you have the ward chant, right?” Re pointed out. “We don't have to tell Hades that we're there; the Underworld is a big place.”
“And have you ever walked through Tartarus?” Thor shot back. “It's not a pleasant stroll.”
“No,” Re admitted. “But I've walked through Aaru.”
“Fair enough,” Thor conceded. “Perhaps we can get Pan to lead us. I don't know where Nyx lives in Tartarus, and it's not a place I want to get lost in.”
If Pan doesn't know the way to Nyx's home, I can lead you, Alaric offered.
“Alaric knows the way,” I relayed the message.
Thor sighed deeply. “All right, but first, we take care of Huitzilopochtli. Are you ready to enchant my hammer?”
My lips twitched, and then Re and I started laughing.
“What's so funny?” Thor growled.
“It sounded a little like a poorly phrased seduction,” Re said.
Thor rolled his eyes. “Everything sounds like sex to you, Re, and now, it seems as if you've infected Vervain.”
“By injection.” Re nodded with a serious expression.
“I've brought the spell components,” I said as I ignored my fiance. “Where's the weapon?”
“Right there.” Thor pointed to a long, oak table at the other end of the library.
There was a massive silver object there. I would never have called it a hammer. It had a T shape, with wide heads at both of the top ends, and then a leather-wrapped handle. I could feel its magic from twenty feet away. There was a reason why Thor's hammer was nearly as revered as he was.
“I'll need an open area to cast a circle in,” I said.
“Yes!” Pan exclaimed from the doorway. “I arrived just in the nick of time to see human magic performed.”
“I normally do this alone.” I frowned at Pan.
“Aw, come on,” Pan whined as he strode in. “I love human magic; it's so dramatic.”
“I would like to observe as well,” Re said. “You know how much I love to watch.”
I blushed, and Thor cleared his throat.
“I'll just move the chairs aside,” Thor said. “Would that be enough space for you?”
I looked around the room and nodded. “That should work.”
The men helped Thor slide the furniture toward the walls as I started setting out my components. First, I placed my spellbook down and opened it to the page I needed. Then I had Thor place his hammer before me; it was too heavy for me to carry. I took out my tools next; a couple of bowls, seven candle holders, an incense burner, my athame, and my ritual knife. Then came the ingredients; the herbs, candles, earth, incense, and bottle of water. I tried to ignore the men as they sat in the chairs they'd just moved. At least they were giving me space.
I set up my candles; one at each directional point, and then three in the center of my workspace. Then I used my athame to walk around the space in a circle and cast a ward around me. A shimmer of magic shot up and down; enclosing me in a sphere. I took a deep breath; feeling more settled than I had in days. Casting a circle always did that for me; made me felt more in tune with myself. I sat cross-legged on the floor and set up my altar area. Two candles went in the center; one black and one red. Around them went representations of the elements; a bowl of dirt for Earth, a bowl of water for Water, a white candle for Fire, and a stick of incense for Air. Then I centered myself.
I closed my eyes and called down the power of the Moon as I pulled upon the magic in the Earth. I felt my awareness extend with a physical sensation of both rising and falling at once. It felt as if I were seated on a column of rock that shot upward as the earth simultaneously fell away; that's the best way I can explain it. It sounds as if it would be an unsettling sensation, but it was very comforting to me; it meant that I was plugged into the power of the Universe. Except there was something different this time.
At the edge of the power within Asgard's soil, I felt the magic of the gods around me. There was the crackle of electricity that was Thor, the wild innocence of Pan, and the heat of Re. Beyond them, I felt even more gods; no doubt the inhabitants of Asgard. I was about to pull my awareness back when I heard the most beautiful singing.
I froze; my whole body feeling the echoes of that music. My flesh tightened and ran hot, my breath quickened, my blood raced through my veins, and something inside my chest stirred. I focused intently; searching for the magic again, but it seemed to be too far away to reach; across forests and over mountains. I suddenly wanted to be there so badly; it felt like home. But I couldn't let myself get distracted by a pretty song. So, I let it go.
But the spark it had called forth in me remained, and it was hungry. I turned to a closer source for satisfaction; Re. I needed his fire; the burning intensity of the Sun. I reached for him without thinking and took a little of his heat to curb my hunger. Blinding light burst into my mind as I heard Re gasp. I was filled with an immense power—an enormous fireball—as images of desert dunes swept through my mind's eye. I watched waves of heat rise from the sand and listened to the cries of thousands of
