The village seemed too quiet. Too quiet, except that somehow the fyrhund padded out of a side street and fell in next to me.

 

I petted him. “Where is everyone?”
Thruor pursed her lips. “Hiding. They might have seen us coming.”

 

“And not wanted to stick around to find out whether we were dangerous or not.” I could see that.

 

The dog panted at me. Then he pointed his nose towards a house.
“What’s in there?” I asked. Maybe I should have asked who.

 

He barked.

 

“Hrm.” I glanced at Thruor.

 

“Take Mike and check it out.”

 

I was deferring to her, as the one vastly more experienced. I glanced at Mike again. It was hard to be entirely comfortable with his presence here. It was hard to get my mind out of…well, having spent too much time on Midgaard, I supposed.

 

It was still Mike. We headed for the house. He moved to kick the door in. I shook my head and tried it.

 

It opened.

 

There was a child inside. She was crying. It could be a trap, I knew.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“Who are you?” she managed.

 

“Not an enemy.” I was being honest. I could not tell the girl I was a friend.

 

“My dad left. There’s going to be a war.”

 

I smiled at her. “I’m trying to stop it. I’ll try and get him back for you. What’s your name?”

 

“Roska.”

 

I smiled again. “I’m Siglaugr, and this is Michael.”

 

“That’s a weird name.” She turned her attention towards him. “But you…you’re…”

 

“We’re not enemies.”
Which was, of course, the point at which the girl’s mother attacked us unprovoked. Not a trap, no.

 

Just a woman protecting her child.

 

Two dwarves. Me. Thruor.

 

I had honestly half expected Thruor’s extra backup to be one of the other valkyries.

 

When she came alone, of course, I assumed whoever it was had turned her down.

 

“Your friend is not coming.”

 

“He’ll be joining us.” There was a grim note to her tone. “When we open the gate.”

 

That was odd, but I had a feeling there was a reason for it. And at least this time she had revealed a gender.

 

Not a valkyrie, then.

 

Thruor started to open the gate. I felt it more than I had, and I watched her.

 

And I remembered how to do it.

 

Or perhaps it had been…unlocked. Something about that bothered me. It told me this was, all of it, heading towards some kind of end game.

 

And then we were five, and then we were in Muspelheim before I could register who the fifth was.

 

“Mike?”

 

He looked as he always had – he even had a gun. He did not look like what he was now. Einherior. It was still Mike.

 

I could not, for a moment, speak. He broke the silence for me.

 

“Do you really think I could let Surtur kidnap Kanesha and not come?” He grinned at me. “But the rules say I can’t set foot on Midgard for a hundred years.”

 

In other words, until everyone who had known him as a mortal man was dead. “Mike…”

 

“It’s alright.”

 

I couldn’t help it, though. I hugged him. Armor or no armor.

 

Thruor ahemed. “We need to get moving before we’re spotted.”
The dwarves, though, were both grinning. They, of course, knew the value of family.

 

We were not in the lava tube, we were closer to the capital. Thruor had taken a risk there, but I knew the back door would be watched.

 

With luck, nobody who could sense our arrival would be close enough to attack us before we’d moved away from the portal. Which we did. It was warm, it was…hot. The dwarves were already sweating a little.

 

As long as they weren’t hurt.

 

None of us could be harmed permanently here. Except Kanesha.

 

I hoped. Suddenly, I was not so sure of that as I had been, not so sure of my own safety. But still, we walked, not towards the village, but on a route that would take us around it.

 

I kept glancing at Mike.

 

Obviously, I couldn’t invite Seb, Clara or Derek. Protecting one mortal was going to be hard enough.

 

Four of us would go – me, Thruor and the dwarves.

 

“I’m surprised they agreed to come.”

 

“Agreed? They insisted. Irritated with fire giants and they like Kanesha.”

 

“She has that effect on people.”

 

I thought about it. “The only person I’ve ever met who didn’t like Kanesha was her own father.” Then I laughed weakly. “Maybe we’ll get there to find she has Surtur wrapped around her little finger.”

 

“Would be nice, but I doubt it. Okay. So, a team of four.”

 

“We can’t use the secret entrance. They used it, which was them making a point about knowing about it. They’re watching.”

 

“Because you came in that way last time. We’ll have to open a gate.”

 

“Which they’ll notice. What about going in through the dwarven kingdom? They’ve been raiding there.”

 

“Good idea. If we use a place they used recently, there won’t be as much of a signature.”

 

“The twins know where the raiders showed up last time.”

 

Thruor nodded. “You realize this is going to be dangerous. None of us are going to end up permanently dead, but…”

 

“I know. And they might use her to get us to surrender.”

 

“Quick in, quick out. I’d suggest you stay behind but I know what will happen if I suggest that.”

 

I gave her a look.

 

“Exactly.” A pause. “Team of five.”

 

I gave her another look.

 

“I came up with somebody else to take along. If they’re willing.”

 

She wasn’t about to tell me who. I knew by they she didn’t mean Zaid, and that she had to mean somebody less than mortal.

 

Maybe she didn’t want me disappointed if whoever it was didn’t want to come.

 

I wished Odin could help even indirectly, but I hadn’t seen so much as a feather of a raven since this started.

 

“So, we make a gate there, and then we…would be good to get some local assistance. I’ll keep my eyes open.”

 

“We’ll be heading for the capital. Again.”

 

“I didn’t make it there last time.”

 

Thruor nodded. “Hopefully this time we will. And remember. He may snatch you.”

 

“If he does, you get Kanesha out and then come back for me.” I kept my tone even.

 

She nodded. “I promise.”

 

And a Valkyrie’s promise counted for more than most.

 

Ebba’s forge was warm, although not…it was a different kind of warm.

 

“So…the thing is, this sword already has enchantments on it. I have to be careful.”

 

“It does? Oh, wait, it has the one to keep it from needing to be sharpened.”

 

Ebba frowned. “No, there’s something else, but it’s warded so I can’t identify it.”

 

Which made me frown myself. “Who would…”

 

“It has not harmed her?”

 

“No, not at all. But I’d rather know what it is.”

 

“There’s no way I can find out. Whoever put it there was better than me. And also not a dwarf.”

 

I thought about that for a moment, then just nodded. “If it hurts her, I will…but right now, it needs to be back in her hands.”

 

“Right. But I don’t think…thinking about it, this isn’t a good idea.” Ebba turned to me. “If she gets disarmed…”

 

“Alright. How about a piece of jewelry, then?” I glanced around. “No offense, but you seem to have plenty, and I can pay.”

 

Ebba grinned. “It’s my specialty.” She took down a necklace. “I think this would look really good on her too.”

 

I felt as if I’d dodged a bullet. Except that there was an enchantment on Kanesha’s sword that was not put there by a dwarf, and that I had no way of identifying. I gave the blade a look as Ebba examined the pendant.

 

“Given the strength, I’m going to need time and help. Two days.” She looked at me. “Sorry, I can’t rush it further.”

 

“I’ll need the time to plan, then.”

 

“Also, we’re coming with you.”

 

There was no argument in her tone. “Are you sure? You need protection there too.”

 

“We are not leaving the first mortal to be granted dwarven steel for centuries in Surtur’s dungeon.” She sounded fierce. “My father gave that sword to her for a reason.”

 

“And we need to get it back to her.” Somehow I thought it was vital.

 

Somehow I thought it would help. “I’m not turning you down, just…”

 

“You don’t need to remind us of the risks.” She flipped her braid back and looked up at me. “We are dwarves and warriors, not children.”

 

I laughed. “You’re right. I don’t. But…”

 

“But it’s the responsibility of the one in charge to keep others safe. Just…”

 

I looked at her. “Just…” A sigh. “I guess I should leave you to it.”

 

As I turned away, she was taking another piece of jewelry down from the wall, but shielding it so I couldn’t see it.

 

I decided not to press.

 

Thruor opened the gate for me.

 

There was something different about this time. It felt like I could feel the gate opening, almost reach out and touch it.

 

I did not attempt to do so, not wanting to mess with her, but I wondered…something had definitely changed.

 

It opened near the inn I’d met them before, but they were not there. Steeling myself – and carrying both swords – I headed towards the Hall.

 

Of course, I stood out, not being a dwarf, but the gazes I got were more curious and perhaps a little concerned than hostile or rude.

 

I doubted they knew what was going on. They probably realized I was a customer.

 

But there was a lot of tension once I reached the gate. “Lokisdottir,” the guard greeted.

 

“I need to talk to the princesses.”

 

“You don’t know what’s going on, do you.”

 

“No.” I didn’t tell him I had my own problems.

 

“Fire giant raid.”

 

“Are they okay?”

 

“They are, but not everyone who was with them is.”

 

“Then tell them that I need their help annoying fire giants.”

 

The guard actually grinned. “I think they might go for that.”

 

Both twins were grim-faced and a little beaten up when I finally found them. “You’re having fire giant problems again?” Jorun asked.

 

“They have my lover. I plan on getting her back.”

 

“The dark girl?” Jorun continued. “Damn.”

 

“Yeah. I’m sure she did her best to escape, but…”

 

“But he has her. And of course is using her as leverage.”

 

“He’s threatened to torture her.” I looked between them. “And I can’t attempt a rescue because if I take her away from whatever protective wards he has on her…she won’t be able to survive in Muspelheim.”

 

“So, you come to dwarves for enchantment.” Ebba grinned weakly.

 

“The mortal witches I know can’t do anything powerful enough even working as a coven. I thought you might.”

 

“It’s a tough one. We need wards to survive there ourselves. For her, they would have to be even more potent,” Ebba mused.

 

“But you know where to start.”
“We do.” They looked at each other. “They killed one of our friends. Anything to hurt them right now.”

 

“Surtur’s the one I want to hurt. Him and his cronies.”

 

Slowly, they nodded in stereo. “If we give you a description of the two that got away could you add them to the list?”

 

“If I see them, sure.”

 

It seemed like a fair deal to me. But my priority was getting Kanesha out.

 

And Surtur.

 

“So, his offer is he keeps her in jail or he frees her and you never see her again?” Thruor laughed. “He’s terrified of her.”

 

“He wants me to love him.” I sighed. “So I’ll be super sad when he does something stupid and kills himself.”

 

“Lost it,” the valkyrie said. “Okay. I haven’t found a way to protect her yet. Still working on it.”

 

“I suppose it’s hard to make wards powerful enough.”

 

“It is. If we do, we’ll have to put them in an object.”

 

“An object particularly good at taking enchantments. Like, say, a dwarven sword.”

 

“…I hadn’t thought of that.” She grinned at me. “You’re learning.”

 

“And I know a couple of dwarves who quite like Kanesha and might be willing to help.”

 

“You’re building a strong alliance there.”

 

I rolled my eyes. “No, I like them. The twins. They’re fun to hang out with. Just watch their choice of alcohol.”

 

Thruor laughed. “Potent, eh? That’s dwarves for you. They’ll drink anyone under the table. Even Odin doesn’t try to keep up with them.”

 

Which did make me feel better about the drunken singing. “But Surtur’s not afraid of Kanesha. He’s afraid of love.”

 

“Of course he is. He forgot how to feel it a long time ago, I think. Fortunately, that’s just him, not all fire giants.”

 

“Fortunately.”

 

“Unfortunately, the politics are such that…”

 

“That he’ll be replaced by something worse. But still. I wonder if his people know what he’s doing?”

 

“Likely not beyond those he got to do it.” Thruor frowned. “Bride stealing is a fire giant thing, but it’s…ceremonial. A fire giant woman won’t marry a man who can’t best her.”

 

“Shame he can best me. I can’t use that to get out of it.”

 

The frown became a little bit more level. “No, you probably can’t. But this isn’t bride stealing, this is blackmail.”

 

“And the kind of thing to piss off everyone.”

 

“Right. She belongs to you. He has no right to do this.”

 

“Except might. And Odin can’t help without triggering Ragnarok, can he.” I kept my tone even.

 

“No.”

 

“Then I have some dwarves to talk to.”

 

Worried or not, I knew for her sake that I had to stay calm. I wished my dad would show up – but maybe he was doing something he didn’t want me to know about.

 

He had rescued people from all kinds of places, though. He was good at jailbreaks. So, maybe he could do something.

 

Without having heard from him, though, I was not about to assume he was up to anything that might be useful, or anything at all for that matter. It was my job to look after my own girlfriend.

 

And hers to look after me. Honestly, a big part of me was pretty angry that she’d been snatched.

 

They must have sent some force, too. But ultimately, she didn’t have our strength, our power. She could have taken on one of them.

 

Surtur had probably sent three or four, just to be sure.

 

I brooded on my balcony until a knock sounded at the door.

 

I opened it on the chain. “You are not welcome here.”

 

“I come under sign of truce.”

 

“You are still not welcome in my home.” I grabbed my sword and stepped out into the corridor. “Where is she?”

 

“Safe, and protected.”

 

“So, this is the ransom offer.” Only one of them. Maybe Surtur was assuming I would be honorable.

 

Which I would be. I wasn’t going to beat up the messenger.

 

“Simple. She stays where she is until you join us. Then she gets to go free and back to her life.”

 

“That’s not a deal.” I smiled. “You won’t dare hurt her, because you know if you do you have no leverage. And her life is with me.”

 

“Your life is with him.”

 

I studied the fire giant. “You really believe that any sane woman would accept this offer?”

 

“There are things we can do to her.”

 

“And if you touch her…anyone who harms her dies.” I sounded even. One hand on the fire sword. “You know that. He knows that. We’re at a stalemate.”

 

“If she was…”

 

“Really? Think about it. And tell Surtur he might as well let her go. Tell him that if he’d been honest from the start I might have helped him. Also, remind him nobody gets to go back to their lives if he starts a war.”

 

A shadow of doubt. “Go.”

 

I should have offered hospitality.

 

I was not quite that honorable.

 

That was obviously not a plan I was going with unless there was no other choice.

 

No.

 

I would find a way to get her back. And then I would kill him, and I didn’t care which prophecies it ruined.

 

Except she did.

 

She would.

 

I let out a breath. When had she become something of a moral compass for me? Almost from the start, I thought. Almost from the start.

 

Maybe mortals did have a better sense of right and wrong. Maybe they needed one. If my nature was fire then it was my nature to warm and to burn. And I already knew it was part of my nature to kill, as much as I kept the urge under control.
“Any progress?” I asked Thruor.

 

“What did Hel say?”

 

“She acknowledged my claim, which was apparently the point of the exercise. And a few other things…that were for me.” We’d actually had quite a long conversation afterwards, mostly getting to know each other a little better.

 

I wasn’t anywhere near as intimidated by her, although I still knew death gods should be treated with the utmost respect. Even if she was my sister.

 

“Good.”

 

“That’s…”

 

“Not a way we want to handle it, no, although it would remove her from his grasp. Unless he gets you to marry him.”

 

“I won’t. I’m not going to do it that way either. I’m going to take him down in a fair fight.”

 

“No. You are not.” Thruor set her eyes on me. “I am not letting you do that.”

 

“He’s crossed every line there is.”

 

“And he’d kick your butt and piss people off. I’m not letting you do that because you can’t beat him.”

 

I looked away.

 

“One day you’ll be better than him. You aren’t. Yet.”

 

I still didn’t look back at her. “Then…what do we do?”

 

If I couldn’t beat him in a fair fight, and I wasn’t willing to beat him in an unfair one, then I was left with…it not being my task. “Who can beat him?”

 

“You don’t fight him in a fair fight, Siglaugr. I know you want to, but it’s going to take more than one of us.”

 

I finally looked back. “I…”

 

“Don’t want to be dishonorable. But at this point we’re taking him down because he’s insane.”

 

“Not my task…”

 

“Could just mean you aren’t the one destined to actually do it.”

 

And that felt right there. “I’d still rather just yank her out from under his nose, even if that puts us to square one.”

 

“Well. We should be expecting the ransom demand any time about now.”

 

“I’m surprised it hasn’t come already.”

 

“He’s probably decided to try and worry you into a tizzy first.”

 

Which, I thought, he had more or less succeeded at.

 

Thruor’s gift for Hel turned out to be a bottle of white wine from, of all places, Canada. Icewein, it was called.

 

And two glasses. I really hoped I wouldn’t be spotted with this. I also wasn’t letting Kanesha’s sword out of my sight.

 

It was sort of a hope thing. A feeling that as long as I had it with me I had a good chance of her showing up, of being able to give it back to her.

 

Only one other dwarven blade ever given to a mortal.

 

And there was something about the way I’d been told that. I set both blades down next to me, poured two glasses, and murmured her name…in a wooded part of Arlington Cemetery, off the common jogging paths, and with every bit of glamor up to keep myself from being seen.

 

“What are you hiding from?” came the soft voice.

 

“Midgard rules.”

 

Her laughter was bell-like, and then she sat down on the grass. Pale hair like her mother’s. The fair side of her resembled our father.

 

I was trying not to look at the foul. “Lady.”

 

“You are my sister. No need to stand on ceremony, Siglaugr.”

 

She took the glass, sipped from it. I took a taste of my own. It was incredibly sweet.

 

Dessert wine.

 

“You are also a queen. I was…aiming for a compromise.” She was…smaller than I am, a little, which surprised me.

 

Or was a deliberate move to keep from being quite so intimidating.

 

“What did you want to talk about? Few ever want to converse with me.”

 

“Most would rather forget you exist, I suppose, given what you represent.”

 

“Change. That is what they truly fear.”

 

“Surtur has my girlfriend.”

 

“Ah. And she is mortal.”

 

“Right, which means without whatever enchantments he’s using to keep her from being burned to a crisp.”

 

“And you want to make sure she is safe if…” She tailed off. “I acknowledge your claim.”

 

“Is that all that’s needed?”

 

“It would be better if you were there if the worst happens. But I know that may not be possible.”

 

“Better in that nobody else could interfere.”

 

“Yes.” She looked at me. “She is mortal. Are you sure you are doing the right thing?”

 

“We’ve talked it over.”

 

Her lips quirked. “You treat her as an equal, then.”

 

“She’s my lover, not my servant.”

 

“Do you think that will last?”

 

I considered it. “I can only do my best to do what is right for her. And now I need to work out how to rescue her.”

 

“What does he want?”

 

“Me. Which means if I give in he will either kill her or hold her forever as surety.”

 

“And if he gets you…he wants you as his consort.”

 

I nodded.

 

“Then she would not be able to escape him either. Unless…”

 

“Unless I stab him in the marital bed. But I’m not…”

 

“…that dishonorable.”

 

“Besides, he wants to use me to start Ragnarok. I know…” I closed my eyes. “I have to rescue her.”

 

“I cannot help you with that. But…”

 

“What I need is anti-fire spells. Really good ones. Thruor’s talking to some people.”

 

“Remember she is yours if all else fails.”

 

No.

 

I didn’t want to go there. But the pale blue eye of her fair side said it all.

 

Said I should not be afraid of her. For myself or for anyone else.

 

“I know where the trail is leading.”

 

“Where?”

 

“A secret passage to Muspelheim a fire giant named Bjorn showed me.”

 

“Then she’s in Muspelheim, and they didn’t want to risk Heimdall knowing.”

 

“I thought…she’s alive.”
Thruor sighed and stopped the bike. “If anyone would know how to keep a mortal alive in Muspelheim, it’s Surtur. The snag is…”

 

“We don’t. We can’t rescue her without her being burned to a crisp. And if I give in he’ll kill her anyway.”

 

I knew that with absolute certainty. He’d kill her and he’d somehow make sure I couldn’t…

 

“He will.” Thruor furrowed her brow. “But as long as he thinks he can use her as bait he’ll keep her alive.”
Which meant I couldn’t go charging to the rescue. I hopped off the bike and blinked back the tears. “I knew this would happen.”

 

“So did she.”

 

I nodded. “She thought I was worth the risk. I couldn’t…I couldn’t chase her away, but what do I do now?”

 

Thruor considered. “A few things. The first is to make sure of her safety if he does kill her.”

 

I winced. “Meaning?”

 

“You need to have a talk with your sister.”

 

I shivered. The idea was…well…rather intimidating.

 

“Don’t worry. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. But you have to do that. Meanwhile, I will talk to every witch we know about spells that might be useful.”

 

And we did know quite a few witches. “Talk to Angrboda, too, she might have some ideas.”

 

“Good idea.”

 

“So, how do I find her?”

 

“Well, you start by going to a place of the dead.”

 

“A cemetery.” I thought some more. “A big cemetery.” It wasn’t like we didn’t have one, although most of the people buried in the really big cemetery had fallen in battle.

 

“Exactly. I’ll give you something she likes.”

 

Which meant it was alcohol and I couldn’t buy it myself. “Don’t be caught corrupting a minor.”

 

She grinned weakly. “I haven’t yet, have I.”

 

That grin got an even weaker response from me. But it did cheer me up just a little bit.

 

I might not be able to go charging in all guns blazing, but…there were things I could do.

 

And for this?

 

For this I would forget it wasn’t my task to kill him.