tangled aromas of fresh brine and sweet peas, circled the bay. The spicy perfume did naught to tame the menace throbbing in the icy air.
A slight sound drew his attention.
Mús.
“We needs leave at once. The Picts approach.”
“I must return to the cave to retrieve the rest of my weapons.” As he spoke, Konáll marched to the trail. “Why have you returned? What of your mortal blood thirst?”
The lion snorted. “The gods are preparing for battle. ’Tis Æsir against Vanir.”
“How know you this?” Konáll scanned the beach, but saw no sign of their clothes.
“After I disposed of the rest of the Picts, I attempted to cross Bifröst—”
Konáll swung around to face the lion. “You set foot on the rainbow bridge that connects this world with that of the gods? Ne’er had I believed such a thing truly existed.”
Mús shrugged. “Neither had I afore Aegir’s curse. Odin refused me entrance to Asgard, but not afore I heard of the coming war ’tween Æsir and Vanir.”
His blood curdled. No good could come of a war between the two sets of gods. “To what purpose do they go to battle?”
“To decide who rules o’er the progeny of half immortals.”
Hjørdis. Skatha. Nyssa.
Konáll hissed and cursed every god in turn.
The three females were all born half immortal; his half sister, Hjørdis, the daughter of Thōrr, Skatha, his brother’s new wife, born of the goddess Skaði, and Nyssa with her jötunn mother. What mischief was afoot?
“Are you cert of this? What mean you rule o’er half immortals?”
Mús rolled his amber eyes. “Methinks Nyssa stood correct. The blow to your head addled your brains. Yea, I am cert. Odin seeks sole reign o’er half immortals.”
“Odin is of the Æsir, a warrior god. Think you he seeks to destroy those like Nyssa?” And his beloved Hjørdis? Brökk’s precious Skatha? Nyssa whose strength, not only of limb, but of mind, shone so bright and clear?
“Nay. He seeks to use us to his own end.”
Konáll frowned. “Us? You ? You are born of a god?”
“Nay. But any who is transformed by a god and can shift from one form to another becomes part immortal.”
Konáll tried to keep his expression neutral for ’twas shocking news to him. He said through gritted teeth. “You have not answered my other queries.”
“I left for the land of the gods after Nyssa healed me. When Odin refused me entrance to Asgard, he cast a spell binding every living being to the world they now occupy. Odin seeks to avoid war and forge an agreement between the Æsir and the Vanir.”
Konáll snorted. “Why would Odin shun battle?”
“The Vanir control fertility and they can see the future. In the future, the union of the Æsir and Vanir continues.” Mús sank his claws into a beetle crawling over a rotting tree trunk and popped the insect into his open mouth.
While Konáll had eaten all manner of creatures during long sieges, never had he lowered his standards to ground vermin. The snap of Mús’s teeth did little to alleviate a welling nausea. He locked his jaw and climbed to the narrow path cut into the cliffs.
“You will explain this enchanted cove. First there are hordes of rocks, then all disappear in the blink of an eye. The foul odor that once plagued the beach is gone and sweet peas have sprouted from the cliffs.”
“’Tis the work of Rán.” The beast padded alongside him.
Konáll paused long enough to glower at Mús and then hiked at a furious pace to the cavern’s entrance forcing the lion to lope to match his long strides.
“And the vanished rocks?”
“My father’s men. Those who were wounded when the Picts took Castle Caerleah. Rán cast healing stones around them and bargained with Odin for their lives. Aegir argued against any intervention and Odin was loath to go against him while bargaining for a settlement, so Rán cannot release them.”
“Where are they now, these warriors?” Konáll struggled to absorb all the beast had told
A slight sound drew his attention.
Mús.
“We needs leave at once. The Picts approach.”
“I must return to the cave to retrieve the rest of my weapons.” As he spoke, Konáll marched to the trail. “Why have you returned? What of your mortal blood thirst?”
The lion snorted. “The gods are preparing for battle. ’Tis Æsir against Vanir.”
“How know you this?” Konáll scanned the beach, but saw no sign of their clothes.
“After I disposed of the rest of the Picts, I attempted to cross Bifröst—”
Konáll swung around to face the lion. “You set foot on the rainbow bridge that connects this world with that of the gods? Ne’er had I believed such a thing truly existed.”
Mús shrugged. “Neither had I afore Aegir’s curse. Odin refused me entrance to Asgard, but not afore I heard of the coming war ’tween Æsir and Vanir.”
His blood curdled. No good could come of a war between the two sets of gods. “To what purpose do they go to battle?”
“To decide who rules o’er the progeny of half immortals.”
Hjørdis. Skatha. Nyssa.
Konáll hissed and cursed every god in turn.
The three females were all born half immortal; his half sister, Hjørdis, the daughter of Thōrr, Skatha, his brother’s new wife, born of the goddess Skaði, and Nyssa with her jötunn mother. What mischief was afoot?
“Are you cert of this? What mean you rule o’er half immortals?”
Mús rolled his amber eyes. “Methinks Nyssa stood correct. The blow to your head addled your brains. Yea, I am cert. Odin seeks sole reign o’er half immortals.”
“Odin is of the Æsir, a warrior god. Think you he seeks to destroy those like Nyssa?” And his beloved Hjørdis? Brökk’s precious Skatha? Nyssa whose strength, not only of limb, but of mind, shone so bright and clear?
“Nay. He seeks to use us to his own end.”
Konáll frowned. “Us? You ? You are born of a god?”
“Nay. But any who is transformed by a god and can shift from one form to another becomes part immortal.”
Konáll tried to keep his expression neutral for ’twas shocking news to him. He said through gritted teeth. “You have not answered my other queries.”
“I left for the land of the gods after Nyssa healed me. When Odin refused me entrance to Asgard, he cast a spell binding every living being to the world they now occupy. Odin seeks to avoid war and forge an agreement between the Æsir and the Vanir.”
Konáll snorted. “Why would Odin shun battle?”
“The Vanir control fertility and they can see the future. In the future, the union of the Æsir and Vanir continues.” Mús sank his claws into a beetle crawling over a rotting tree trunk and popped the insect into his open mouth.
While Konáll had eaten all manner of creatures during long sieges, never had he lowered his standards to ground vermin. The snap of Mús’s teeth did little to alleviate a welling nausea. He locked his jaw and climbed to the narrow path cut into the cliffs.
“You will explain this enchanted cove. First there are hordes of rocks, then all disappear in the blink of an eye. The foul odor that once plagued the beach is gone and sweet peas have sprouted from the cliffs.”
“’Tis the work of Rán.” The beast padded alongside him.
Konáll paused long enough to glower at Mús and then hiked at a furious pace to the cavern’s entrance forcing the lion to lope to match his long strides.
“And the vanished rocks?”
“My father’s men. Those who were wounded when the Picts took Castle Caerleah. Rán cast healing stones around them and bargained with Odin for their lives. Aegir argued against any intervention and Odin was loath to go against him while bargaining for a settlement, so Rán cannot release them.”
“Where are they now, these warriors?” Konáll struggled to absorb all the beast had told
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