It already felt like a stand off. And then they were there. I wasn’t sure where they came from, except there was a rush of heat.
The original four. Then four more. A dozen. Angrboda grinned, grabbed her axe and charged.
Where was Freya and her warriors? There. Out of the air, a shimmer of rainbow as bifrost opened for them. Freya herself was mounted, on a grey steed. A foal of Sleipnir, I knew.
The others, armed, and on foot. I was aware of the soft blowing of the Valkyrie’s steeds.
All masks were down…for those of us within the circle the Vanir and warriors were forming. For those outside? I didn’t know what they saw.
I knew one or two would glimpse the truth, and one or two of that one or two might hold something in their heart that would turn into something, into a spark of power and desire.
I knew that. And I drew my sword.
I knew I couldn’t stay out of it. “Hold the circle,” I murmured to the others, then stepped forward.
Couldn’t. I was the one they wanted. To test or to destroy. Fire giant courtship. “I do not want to be here.”
He leapt at me. One of his friends was already engaged with Angrboda.
“I want my hammer back.”
“Steal it from the cops.” He had found another, but it wasn’t as nice as the one that had been confiscated. I couldn’t blame him for wanting it back.
I might, out of honor, have given it to him. The heavy weapon struck my sword, sending a shake through me.
If I hadn’t been wielding a good weapon, the blade would have shattered. I could see why Thor preferred a hammer.
I preferred a sword, and abruptly my blade lit on fire.
He half stepped back. Then he smiled. “You might be worthy after all.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m not wedding Surtur.”
The smile…and then he struck low. I was forced to leap over it, and then twist to avoid a blade that came in from the side. For a moment it was two on one, and then an ice giant swordsman stepped between me and the other.
I didn’t have time to thank him. I was back to sword versus hammer, realizing that wasn’t entirely a fair contest.
Then Kanesha apparently decided that if they could go two on one she could cheat too.
She shot him.