The sisters were right. It was cold. The tunnels had been, if anything, unpleasantly warm. The surface reminded me of Jotunheim.

“I can see why you people live underground,” Kanesha quipped.

Ebba’s lips quirked. “We were designed for this world, as you were for yours.”

“But…”

I laughed. “Kanesha, let’s not argue science versus theology. They don’t actually contradict, you know.”

“They never do.” The dwarf sounded thoughtful. “Of course, mortals are different. Be careful, Kanesha.”

A reminder of how fragile she was. “I look after her.”

“You are lovers.” Not a question.

I admit I blushed slightly. “Yes.”

Ebba shrugged. “Then you have every motivation to keep her from being eaten by the bear.”

“I can keep myself from being eaten by a bear!” Kanesha snapped.

“It’s probably twenty feet tall,” I pointed out. Of course, a regular-sized bear would probably look tall to a dwarf, but…I just couldn’t imagine the bears here being normal.

“And?”

“And we’re going to ambush it.”

Two other dwarves, both male, had come with us. Neither seemed comfortable joining in the conversation. Or maybe they were just used to the sisters dominating it in turns.

“Ambush?” Ebba asked.

I nodded. “I’ll get her out of her lair.”

Kanesha grinned. “You’re going to smoke her out.”

“Exactly.”

“Oh!” The dwarf grinned. “Our fires are of the earth. We don’t carry them within us, but you’re part fire giant, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” Possibly a larger part than I wanted to think about.

“I don’t think our father thought of that.”

“So much the better,” I said. “Maybe we won’t tell him how I did it.”

Both of them laughed. “Nah, he’d find out.”

“And be annoyed with me, then remember who my dad was and be utterly unsurprised.”

Jorun laughed again. “You have a point. We’re taking the right fork here.”
This had to be a game trail at this point. I was amazed the broader dwarves fit on it. I was having enough difficulty myself.

Maybe it wouldn’t be that large a bear after all.