Battle of the Gods (The Unbreakable Sword Series Book 4) Read online

  Battle of the Gods

  Book Four: The Unbreakable Sword Series

  S.M. Schmitz

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Afterword

  Also by S.M. Schmitz

  Copyright © 2016 by S.M. Schmitz

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Chapter One

  Cameron paced the length of the Dagda’s hall and Selena watched him carefully for any sign that his nervousness would transform into that deadly anger he couldn’t control. So far, he only seemed agitated and worried because Huitzilopochtli posed a challenge no one had been prepared for. The gods, even the other Aztec gods, had thought he was dead, and yet, he’d been quietly and secretly harvesting the hearts of weaker gods and powerful demigods for years.

  And most alarming to everyone in the room now, Cameron hadn’t known how to combat him at Quinn’s apartment. If the most powerful god among the Tuatha Dé couldn’t fight him, what chance did the others have?

  Selena grabbed his hand as he passed by her again and stopped him. She’d heard voices in the hallway and recognized some of them as their Greek allies. She kissed him quickly and looked into his dark brown eyes, whispering, “It’s not over, Cameron. We have each other, which means we still have hope.”

  “Selena,” he whispered back, pushing some of her blonde hair behind an ear. “I can’t fight the entire world. We were only told about this war with the Norse, but now it’s Mithra and Huitzilopochtli and God knows how many demigods he’s recruited to work for him.”

  “Well, this god doesn’t know,” Badb answered.

  Selena looked over her shoulder at her friend who had been joined by Athena and Ares. The Dagda and Poseidon stood behind them, each wearing such grave expressions that the momentary confidence she’d felt in trying to lift Cameron’s spirits evaporated.

  But Selena hadn’t survived this long to allow some asshole Aztec heart-stealing god to take away her future home and, worse, everyone she loved.

  “I get it,” she said. “We’re facing what looks like impossible odds. But we’re not necessarily outnumbered. We have our own allies…”

  “And we’ll never abandon any of you,” Athena interrupted. “But Selena, this isn’t one battle. We’re divided by different threats, which means we’re being pulled in different directions.”

  Selena folded her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow at the Greek war goddess. “You didn’t let me finish. I was going to say we just need more help.”

  Ares threw his hands in the air and exclaimed, “From whom? Everyone who can fight in the Egyptian pantheon has already pledged their allegiance to us. It goes without saying we’ll stand by the Tuatha Dé until the end. Selena, there’s no one left! It’s been so long… too many gods have died off and have never been replaced because there’s no one to believe in them anymore and no family to protect them and keep them alive.”

  Selena mimicked him and threw her own hands in the air. “Would you Greeks stop interrupting me and let me finish?”

  Even Poseidon, who hadn’t said a word, looked sheepishly at his feet and shuffled them awkwardly.

  Selena knew what she was about to say would cause an immediate protest and argument amongst her friends, but it was the only idea she had, and she wasn’t letting them give up. Nothing is lost as long as we have hope.

  “There are people we can turn to for help,” she said then quickly shook her head. “Not just people. Gods and demigods.”

  “Oh, God,” Cameron groaned.

  “Which god?” the Dagda asked.

  “Pretty sure he means Ukko,” Badb answered.

  “Oh, God,” Athena groaned.

  Poseidon finally stepped around Ares and Athena so he could get closer to Selena. For some reason, even though she knew the Greeks would die on the battlefield with their Irish friends, he still intimidated her. Maybe it was his formidable size or maybe it was just the terrifying legends associated with him, but whatever the reason, she stepped back until she bumped into Cameron, who immediately put an arm around her.

  “Selena,” he said gently, his voice so incongruous with his appearance and demeanor, “Ukko won’t help us. I understand he helped you out a couple of times because Anita was with you, but she’s with him now. He has no reason to endanger his entire agency on our behalf. And to be honest, if I were him, I wouldn’t do it either.”

  Selena smiled at the sea god and pointed out his obvious oversight. “Anita is with him now. Once we get her back, he’ll come to her rescue as many times as he has to, and he’ll put his entire agency behind him to keep her safe.”

  Badb sighed and rubbed her forehead. Selena seemed to be giving her a lot of headaches lately. Or maybe it was her boyfriend. Or both of them. “You’re staking a lot on the love of a god who’s known for being fairly heartless, Selena.”

  Selena just shrugged at her. “I don’t know. He’s held up to the bargains he’s made so far, and I’ll always think he’s untrustworthy because he has to be ordering the murder of innocent demigods and gods who refuse to work for the New Pantheon…”

  Badb sighed again and glanced at the Dagda who just lifted a shoulder at her. Badb’s gray eyes turned back to Selena and she flinched a little as if anticipating Selena’s response. “He’s not having anyone murdered for refusing to join the New Pantheon. Never has. Don’t get me wrong. As you know all too well, he coerces those he really wants in his agency into working for him. He gives them a choice: work for his agency or leave.”

  Cameron unwrapped his arm from around Selena and stood beside her. “Leave? And go where? Mexico?”

  Badb bit her lip and her gaze shifted between the Children of Danu, the future of their race. “No,” she answered quietly. “A long time ago, we made a deal with him. If he promised an alternative to their servitude in his new agency, we would allow those gods and demigods and their families to live in the Otherworld. They’ve been coming to Gorias for decades now.”

  Selena waited for Badb to add, “Ha! Just kidding,” but the expression on her face was so serious, she knew that she was telling the truth, which meant she’d lied to them yet again.

  Selena gasped and twisted on her heels to grab Cameron’s arms and force him to look at her. He blinked and looked down at her, confused and surprised. She blinked back at him.

  “You’re not about to turn into the Incredible Hulk, are you?” she asked cautiously.

  “You really read too many comic books,” Cameron responded.

  “I don’t get it. The last time you found out she lied to us, you almost killed her. Not that I want you to try to kill her again,” Selena said.

  That sexy mischievous grin slowly spread across his lips and Selena’s stomach fluttered as she thought about kissing those lips and how they felt on hers when he kissed her back… and then she remembered Badb was psychic and let go of Cameron’s a
rms and stepped away from him.

  Cameron laughed and shook his head. “You get embarrassed way too easily by stuff we all do. And yeah, I’m pissed she lied to us, but it’s different. I don’t know, I guess because it doesn’t directly involve you or your safety. That’s when I lose it.”

  Selena narrowed her eyes at him and pushed him playfully. “How did you know what I was thinking? You swore you couldn’t read minds, too.”

  “I can’t,” Cameron insisted. “I just know you. And I know the way you were looking at me and then you blushed. I don’t need to be psychic.”

  Selena felt her cheeks get even warmer now that her boyfriend had so casually spelled it out… just in case anyone in the room had missed her source of sudden embarrassment.

  “Selena,” Badb said, “you might want to protect me from your boyfriend for this.”

  Selena turned around and eyed the beautiful war goddess for a second before gripping Cameron’s arm so he’d stay by her side, not that he needed to touch Badb to kill her. She would have to hope her presence and physical reminder that she was next to him was enough to prevent a catastrophe.

  “I never told you the truth because I didn’t want you to think escaping to Gorias was a possibility for you. I knew from the beginning how you felt about Cameron and how he felt about becoming one of us, and I always suspected you’d make the choice to try to escape with him. If it had come down to that, if you’d tried to hide on Earth, I would have come for you and told you about Gorias and let you decide where you wanted to go. But it would have made it so much easier for you both to decide not to take your place on our pantheon if you’d known you’d at least be safe from Ukko here.”

  Selena glanced up at Cameron who had closed his eyes and was taking slow, deep breaths. She reached for his hand and squeezed his fingers. “I believe her, Cameron.”

  “You always do,” he retorted, but his voice had taken on that hard, cynical edge that didn’t belong to the man she loved.

  “Because it’s too late for us!” Selena yelled. She pulled on his hand until he opened his eyes and looked at her. “You’re already a god. You’re one of them. And I won’t lose you. Not again.” Selena inhaled sharply and Cameron’s anger shifted back into confusion.

  He shook his head slowly and murmured, “No. Not again.”

  “Who are we?” Selena whispered.

  Cameron’s fingers brushed along her cheek and that spark of familiarity ignited between them, but with it, a recognition of an eternal, inextinguishable love. They both caught their breath and fixed Badb with a determined, fierce gaze, but she backed away from them.

  “I can’t,” she pleaded. “I swear to you, it has nothing to do with your safety. But I can’t tell you the truth. I gave my word.”

  “To whom?” Selena demanded.

  Badb just shook her head again.

  “Goddamn it, Badb!” Cameron yelled. “Enough with your games!”

  “It’s not a game!” she yelled back. “We are all bound by the same secrecy, and we vowed not to interfere. You had to find each other on your own, and you have to discover one another on your own. That was your deal. And that’s all I can say.”

  Badb gave Selena one last look, something between a desperate craving to throw her arms around her and hold her tightly and a betrayal of the fear she seemed to carry with her all the time now, then turned on her heels and left the Dagda’s great hall.

  Athena let out a slow, careful breath and approached the young god and demigoddess. “She has been my best friend for longer than either of you can imagine. Have faith that what she does is for your own good, even if it doesn’t seem that way. She’s been waiting so long for you both. She’s not only the guardian of the Tuatha Dé but yours as well. Trust her, Cameron. She pledged her life for you.”

  Athena took her brother’s arm and led him from the hall as Selena and Cameron stared dumbfounded at their backs. What the hell was any of that supposed to mean? And how were they supposed to uncover their own pasts when they were so unsure they would even survive tomorrow?

  “We’re on our own then,” Cameron finally said. “Not in the Battle of the Gods, but in our battle to reclaim our own lives.”

  Selena nodded slowly and brought his hand to her lips. “Yes, love. We’re on our own.”

  Chapter Two

  Selena’s eyes followed the tall gray metal and glass building toward the cool, blue morning sky of Houston. A damp wind rushed past her and she zipped up her jacket then laced her arm back through Cameron’s.

  “You know, it didn’t work out so well for us the last time we showed up here and just demanded he let us see Anita,” Selena pointed out.

  Cameron shrugged and pulled her closer to the door. Selena didn’t want to go inside the New Pantheon’s headquarters again though. She’d rather be looking for Nuada’s heir or doing almost anything than walking straight into Ukko’s lair.

  Admittedly, it wasn’t much of a lair considering it was really a modern, efficient, professional building filled with offices and it resembled any other government office she’d ever been inside, but it belonged to Ukko. She was calling it a lair.

  They’d only made it ten feet inside the building when they were stopped by the Finnish thunder god himself. He crossed his arms angrily and sighed heavily at them. “What now?” he demanded. He sounded terribly weary of them.

  Selena smiled as she thought, “Now you know how it feels.”

  Cameron looked around as if he could spot Anita tied up behind one of the potted plants in the corner. “Two things,” he said. “One: did you know Huitzilopochtli is still alive?”

  “Obviously,” Ukko answered. “Didn’t you read the entire file I gave you?”

  “Uh…” Cameron grinned at Selena and shrugged. “Never got around to it. I did, however, run into the bastard and he wants Selena’s heart and probably mine, too, if he can get it.”

  “Undoubtedly,” Ukko said. He looked both angry and bored now.

  “Huh, I didn’t think you’d be cool with people sacrificing Selena to some Aztec god who’s supposed to be dead.”

  “Do your job and it’s not a concern,” Ukko shot back.

  “Ouch,” Cameron retorted. “Now I remember why you’re such an asshole.”

  “Cameron,” Ukko sighed, “what do you want?”

  “Oh, that’s number two. We want Anita. Obviously.”

  Ukko’s pale blue eyes flashed with rage but it quickly subsided and he let his hands fall by his side. Selena marveled at how quickly he could control his temper and regain his composure, reigning in the power that she’d witnessed in its full, devastating effects. She wondered how long it had taken him to learn so much self-control, how long it would take Cameron to recognize the warning signs that he was shifting toward the vengeful god he didn’t want to be.

  “Anita is fine,” Ukko replied. “Don’t you think you have enough to worry about with Huitzilopochtli and Mithra and the Norse on your doorstep? You’ll get her killed. She’s been hurt enough. Let her live the rest of her life in peace.”

  As much as she’d despised this god for the past three years, his love and compassion for this woman overwhelmed her, and she found herself pitying him for the mistakes of his past. “If I give you my word we won’t take her with us, will you let us see her?” she asked.

  “She’s not a prisoner, Selena. But I’m not telling you where she is either,” Ukko responded.

  “Great,” Cameron muttered. “That makes Anita and her relative we have to hunt down now.”

  “Well, they’re presumably not being guarded by a bunch of Norse gods, so that’s one less thing to worry about,” Selena offered.

  Cameron squinted at Ukko and asked him, “What are you doing to prevent me from being able to summon her? And has she told you she doesn’t want to help us and wants us to leave her alone? Never mind. It’s not like I’d believe you anyway.”

  “Why not?” Ukko snapped. “It’s not like I’ve ever lied to you.”
/>
  Selena lifted an eyebrow at him and reminded him, “Actually, you have. I asked you in New Orleans if I was Finnish and you said no. But you knew then I was descended from you.”

  Ukko waved her off and insisted, “It’s a… minor descent.”

  “You still lied!”

  “Your connection to me is irrelevant!” Ukko exclaimed. “I didn’t know you were Irish. I just knew you had a stronger tie to a different pantheon than mine. What good would telling you about your father have done you?”

  Selena grunted at him and folded her arms defiantly. “Then answer his other questions.”

  Ukko sighed, his aggravation with this young god and demigoddess clearly wearing on him, but shook his head. “I’m not answering your first question, and no, I haven’t asked her because it wouldn’t change my mind that you’re only going to get her killed and you need to leave her alone.”

  “Dude,” Cameron said, wrinkling his nose at the Finnish thunder god, “are you putting the moves on poor, sweet Ms. Granger?”

  Ukko opened his mouth but only a mystified croaking sound came out. He tried again. “Cameron… go find some sword or heir or Persian god that wants to murder you. Leave me alone.”

  Ukko gestured toward the door to indicate he expected them to leave now, and Selena didn’t want to risk an altercation so she pulled on Cameron’s arm until he reluctantly followed her back outside.

  “That went well,” Cameron said, studying the unassuming gray metal and glass building again.

  Selena nodded in complete pretend-smartass-agreement. “Next time, let’s see if we can get him to send his agency after Mithra. Take care of one of our problems for us.”

  Cameron pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. “Just like you to want to get rid of the guy who wants me dead first.”

  Selena smiled back at him then remembered Ukko’s file had listed Alan’s address nearby. He’d most likely only shown up in Baton Rouge when they’d shown up and Huitzilopochtli had summoned him, which meant Alan could be back… and close to them.