Tricked

Morrigan wasn’t off balance and out of position like the faux Atticus had been, and she had all the power of the earth at her command in addition to the powers of a goddess. As Vidar swung at her, she darted quicker than the eye could track to her right, out of the path of Vidar’s sword. She spun around in a blur, past his shield, and swung Fragarach from behind him with two hands, shearing his torso in twain and sending the top half sailing fifty feet as the bottom half staggered another step and collapsed. The Morrigan reset herself facing the thunder gods as Vidar’s head and shoulders smacked wetly to the earth. Her posture dared them to attack, but they had no such intentions. They collectively said, » Ahhh, « and gave her a round of golf claps for the spectacular slaughter.
    » An excellent swing, « Shango said.
    » You warned him but did not toy with him. I approve, « Lei Gong added.
    » Flawless form, worthy of the finest samurai, « Raijin said.
    » Marvelush dexterity and wondrous strength, « Indra opined before belching thunderously.
    » That shit was awesome ! « Ukko said, smiling through his beard, and I decided I liked him, even though he wanted me dead.
    » No one else will object if I take Fragarach with me? « the Morrigan asked. The thunder gods all shook their heads and assured her that they thought it best she keep it.
    » I mush be going, « Indra said. » But before I do, can you assure us that thish man is, in fact, quite dead? « He gestured to the chunks of flesh on the ground that used to look like me. The motion caused him to sway unsteadily on his feet, and I realized that his slight speech impediment was due to inebriation. A few of his thousand eyes were already passed out or blinking rapidly in an effort to stay awake. So the legends were true; Indra liked to hit the soma hard. » He casht ashpersions on my—urp—parentage, « he added, as if that explained why they’d practically diced the faux Atticus. Indra had pummeled bits of him to paste with the mighty club he carried.
    » He is thoroughly dead, « the Morrigan replied. » His shade has already left this plane. «
    » Then I am shatishfied that justish is done, « Indra said. » It was a pleasure meeting you, Morrigan. Perhapsh in a happier time, you and I could— «
    The Morrigan’s eyes flashed red, daring him to finish. Indra’s thousand eyes blinked.
    » Never mind, « Indra said. He took his leave and rose into the sky. The other thunder gods quickly followed suit, offering quick pleasantries before ascending to the thunderheads above, leaving the Morrigan alone with the carnage of a winter afternoon. She surveyed it, rain sluicing the blood off her body and Fragarach’s blade, and laughed.

Chapter 2
    Congratulations , the Morrigan’s voice croaked in my head. That was new. Neither she nor any of the Tuatha Dé Danann had demonstrated the ability to communicate telepathically with humans before. What had changed? You have survived your own death , she continued. Five thunder gods will spread news of your demise throughout the world’s pantheons, and you will finally be free to live a boring life .
    Could she hear my thoughts in return? Sold! I’ll take it! I said, in the same way I would have spoken to Oberon. Boredom sounds great right now!
    Apparently, she could hear me just fine. The Morrigan waved the tip of Fragarach around at the chopped pieces of faux Atticus. Are you sure this native god will rise again?
    Positive , I affirmed. You can’t kill Coyote. Well, you can, obviously. But he just keeps coming back . That was the heart of the Plan I’d made with Coyote: He’d assume my shape, die in my place, and I’d do him a favor on the reservation. A pretty big favor.
    This mangled flesh will re-form? the Morrigan asked.
    Nope. Coyote’s magic, like our shape-shifting, tends to ignore the Law of Conservation of Mass .
    All the Old Ways do .
    Yep. He’ll re-spawn in a completely new body and have a brand-new set of clothes to boot. I don’t know how he does it. Maybe he has a warehouse full of spare brains and body parts down in First World and a wholesale deal with Levi’s . There were many versions of Coyote running around North America, but this particular iteration of the Navajo tribe’s was one of the oldest and most powerful.
    Beware, Siodhachan , the Morrigan said, calling me by my Irish name as always, trickster gods are not usually so helpful. There will be a price to pay for this