The stars went out. That might well have been a good thing, a sign that the barrier was thickening again.

 

Muspelheim was not supposed to have stars. Other realms did. Muspelheim had its own fire, its own light.

 

Its own beacons to keep away the burgeoning darkness that threatened to flow into us now. But it was not over yet.

 

Surtur, though, was startled. I got in a good one, and abruptly, he backed off.

 

Was he done with fighting? I should press the issue now and kill him, but something still held me back.

 

“Looks like things aren’t going your way.”

 

“No, those dwarves did something.”

 

He did not mean Ebba and Jorun. I dreaded to think what the dwarves had done. Made sacrifices of their own?

 

“Well, the barrier is back up.”

 

“For now.”

 

He was right. It was very thin. “Maybe we can talk like civilized people…no, I don’t think so.”

 

“You were never civilized,” he accused me. “And now you challenge me.”

 

“Only because you started it.” My lips quirked. But we had stopped fighting again.

 

Another breather.

 

“Heck,” I added, “Maybe you should, you know, check on your armies. I’ll be here when you’re ready to resume.”

 

He laughed. “Neither of us can win.”

 

“Perhaps that’s the case. So maybe go do your job.”

 

“While you come up with another way to kill me.”

 

“You haven’t left me with much choice.”

 

I still had no idea who had come through the rainbow bridge. Whoever it was had done precisely nothing to interfere or help me.

 

Maybe somebody had just opened it so we would start looking for who or what came through.

 

“There’s always a choice.” And then he broke and ran.

 

I let him go. “End of round two.”

 

“Round three will be soon enough,” said my father’s voice. “Well done.”

 

He, at least, approved.