We ended up as a council of war at Mike’s place. Mike, Thruor, Zaid, Kanesha and myself.

“So, Zaid thinks Anansi’s going to try and use this artifact on Brother Death.”

“And using it on a death god,” Zaid added. “I can’t think of anything worse.”

“You can’t?” Kanesha inquired.

Zaid sighed. “Death’s important. If you drained enough power from a death god you could weaken the hold of death altogether.”

“Likely result: Zombies,” I supplied.

“Oh. Yeah. We don’t need a zombie horde.”

“That’s definitely one likely result,” Zaid mused. “But it could also…you could end up with localized patches of something like that awful Torchwood spinoff.”

I had no idea what they were talking about, other than a television show. “You’ll have to fill me in.”

“Can’t die. Can still get sick, get hurt, etc.”

I nodded. “Alright. I mean…”

Zaid looked at me. “And don’t get better either. Don’t think it’s like some of the tricks gods can pull off.”

For a moment, I closed my eyes. “Alright. I get it. But we don’t actually know what he has in mind.”

“Anansi tricks Death using his webs,” Zaid said, finally. “Beyond that, you’d need a real expert on the stories to work this out.”

I glanced at Kanesha. “You said you might know somebody.”

“I do. Somebody at the youth club who collects trickster stories, especially Anansi and Brer Rabbit.”

“Maybe you can trade him some Loki stories?”

She grinned. “If I thought he could take it, I’d see if we could introduce them, but I think he’d…I don’t think he’s ready.”

I grinned back. “Maybe we can get him…nah. No sense pulling people into this world.”

“Unless somebody more powerful wants them. Or…” Kanesha studied me.

I looked away. “I’d apologize, but I don’t think you’re too upset.”

“I’m not. I do wonder what…no, if I’d never met you, I’d probably be being pimped by my old man, possibly literally.”

I shuddered, but I knew she was right. Mr. Clem was even the kind of guy to…I pushed it all out of my mind. “Point is, we need to steal this artifact from one of the oldest trickster deities on the planet.”

I paused. “And I need to talk to a death god.”

Kanesha looked at me, mouth open. Then she seemed to realize and closed it. “Al…alright.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be careful.”

“Please. I don’t want to lose you.”

I was pretty sure, though, that I was safe. If I could only work out how to get her attention.