“One star,” Jorun said. “Could save this realm or destroy it.”

 

“Destroying their weapons would do it too.” I looked up at the sky. “Thoughts?”

 

“The king could call a star, but it would probably kill him.”

 

“Could somebody else bound to Muspelheim?”

 

“No. All we could do is ask them.”
Ask them. “What are they?”

 

“Gods that have not been formed yet,” she said, simply. “Unborn deities.”

 

So, I was one once? I did not remember. “That would be like asking an unborn child to sacrifice themselves. I don’t think I can do that.”

 

Jorun smiled. “Good.”

 

“So, we destroy the weapons.”

 

“We destroy the forge. Why do you think I and Ebba came, really?”
“To beat on Surtur.”

 

She grinned. “That too, but the plan was to take him out and then destroy his forges, which would release the energy.”

 

“I hadn’t thought of that.”

 

“You,” she said firmly, “Are not a dwarf.”
We sat on the ground. “So…now Surtur knows we are here.”

 

“We pretend to ask a star.”

 

I laughed. “I had a vision that implied…”
“That we need one. And maybe we do, but I’d rather avoid it as much as you would. And I,” she added, “Am only a dwarf.”

 

“Kanesha is only a woman. Nobody is only anything.”

 

“Kanesha is a hero,” Jorun said. “And I mean that in the ancient sense.”

 

I thought about it. “Let’s not tell her that. Her ego might swell.”

 

Jorun grinned. “Why do you think I waited until she was very, very far out of earshot?”

 

“So…we fake him out. Because…”

 

“Because if we actually did that it would end his reign. He wants that on his own terms. If he’s going to sacrifice himself…”
“What if it causes him to do it?”

 

“Then Muspelheim is restored for a while and they have to choose another king.”

 

I decided that was a quite reasonable outcome.