Page 32 of Midlife Demigod Unexpected

“The sword gave her the magic powers and the magic powers gave her access to the Pentacle of Time,” Jane nodded in agreement. “Maybe the sword has a connection to the cemetery. Maybe it can be used as a ward?”

“Don’t you think we’re past just warding it?” I asked.

“It might give the cemetery the extra boost it needs to withstand Morel and Styx. We need to figure out how to use those two tools.”

“Well, they’re my tools,” I said, annoyance flickering up my skin. I mean, I had inherited them. I had found out who my father was and now already all my things were being confiscated for the good of the many. In principle I wasn’t against it, but I couldn’t deny the childlike part of me that had new toys and definitely didn’t want to share.

Chapter 23

Jane and I decided to meet Toern over by the Sunrise Doggy Daycare. I’d never actually been there before even though I loved dogs. I knew Toern was the most comfortable when he was around all the other beasts.

When we got down to doggy day care Toern was feeding the animals and playing with them all at the same time. The dogs were all joyous and excited, jumping all around and Toern letting them get all over him. I had a Labrador dog once who used to jump on me. Every time, it had scraped my arms and my chest to the point I still had scars even though she’d been gone about fifteen years.

“No, he loves it,” Jane said with a smile. She was so caring and respectful of Toern. She always appreciated him and never treated him like he was from a different place. Jane treated him like he was a man. Even though he came from a different realm beyond the rift. Of course, there was nothing wrong with that. Even as a kid I’d learned about the rift and had often fantasized about meeting people from the other side. Now I had and. They were perfectly fascinating individuals who I loved knowing. It was going to be interesting to find out more about Toern’s experience a hundred and fifty years ago.

We went outside into the yard where the dogs could roughhouse and play. There was a raised deck under an oak tree. Jane made us some iced teas and we went out there and sat where we could watch the dogs play and talk to Toern.

“Toern, do you mind if I explore your memories a little bit?” Jane asked.

Toern shook his head. “Not at all. I’d like to know what I don’t know also.”

“Some of this might be painful,” Jane said. “We don’t know what your experiences have been, and we don’t know these ancestors. We know one of them was torturing you, but we don’t know anything about the other five.”

“You know there’s a good chance I won’t know anything about the other five either,” Toern said. “I remember I was in a deal with Ryder. I would take this post and the time didn’t matter. After I had fulfilled this post, if there was even an end date, then I would be free to do as I chose and would be able to live either in the earth world and be a Legendi or else I would have to return to the rift. It was my choice to take my chances with the coven with the hope of staying on this side of the rift.”

“The problem we have,” Jane said, “is when Toern left his post he created a place where either he needs to go back or else, we need to solve the problem of the cemetery. So, our issue is our relationship and our ability to be together completely relies on us solving this problem of the cemetery.”

“Well, I think the problem with Cougar Creek in general is that if the cemetery blows up, we’re all going to be forced to either become zombies or fight zombies.” I muttered.

“Of course,” Jane said, “but you can’t blame me for thinking of my love and not wanting him to sacrifice himself in the crypt again.”

“No, of course not. Maybe the sword and the egg can help. I don’t know. That’s what we’re looking for, so when we question you, let’s not focus on the torturing or the pain or any of those things. They will bring up horrible memories. Let’s focus on if he remembers anything about the golden egg or the sword. I want to know if he’s seen them any time before,” I said.

“I will do whatever you need me to do,” Toern said.

“Okay. Let me put you into a bit of a trance. I will do a chant and we’ll go from there. I’ll ask you some questions,” Jane said.

“Of course.” Toern smiled, leaning forward and kissing Jane softly before he settled back in his chair and waited patiently for the spell.

Jane nodded at me, and we approached two different sides of Toern. She started the chant we used on Hilda. It had the exact same result. He closed his eyes and then after a few moments took a deep breath and opened them.

“He’s ready now,” Jane said with a nod.

“Before you were locked up in the cemetery, were you familiar with a golden egg of any kind,” I asked.

Toern shook his head. “I don’t know anything about a golden egg,” he said succinctly.

I looked at Jane, shrugging my shoulders. “Strike one.”

“What about a sword,” I asked. “What do you know about a sword?”

“I have known many swords in my days,” Toern said. “Do you have anything more specific?”

“It has a blue stone on its hilt,” I said. “And it’s silver and bright and powerful. it’s currently sitting on the mantle of The Estate.”

Toern thought for a while and then he suddenly looked up at me, his eyes opened wide.

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