thank you. I had no idea what to do to help him. “Um, hi, Junnal. I’m Phoebe.” I tread a little closer. “Thank you for…helping me. I wasn’t expecting that. I see you’re in pain. Can I do anything to help you?”
He shook his head as he tried to focus on me, his eyes looking small in proportion to his massive body. He blinked a few times before he opened his cave of a mouth. “Odin. Me.”
“You’re…Odin?” I had to admit I was a little shocked. “ Really ?”
He pointed to himself and shook his lumbering head. “Send…Junnal. Odin.”
Odin sent this giant to help me?
I really hadn’t been expecting that. “That was nice of him. So what can I do? If I aid you, can you help me escape?” My voice was filled with hopeful optimism.
Before the giant could answer, an angry shriek filled the room.
It had come from the pile of wood.
6
__________________________
____________
V erdandi kicked her legs out, and pieces of the table soared around the room like she had superhuman strength. She didn’t, because she was probably zero human, but calling her super alone seemed wrong.
My eyes locked on her. I was riveted, even though I should be using this precious time to beg the tree to open its portal to take me home.
She rose to a sitting position exactly how I would imagine a dead body would rise out of a coffin: bent perfectly at the waist, the transition effortless.
Her veiny black eyes were wild as they scoured the room, searching for who to punish first.
I regretfully backed away from Junnal, toward the safety of the tree, tugging my scarf over my mouth and nose.
“Troll, what you have done will cost you your life,” Verdandi seethed once her eyes lit on Junnal. “I will tear your head from your shoulders and spit into your decaying body as it withers and dies!”
That was a serious threat.
The rest of the wood covering her flung off, like the walls had become magnetized.
Junnal glanced from Verdandi to me, his poor head listing even more. “Grum. Tree.” With effort, he lifted his massive hand and gestured to the tree. Then he dug his fists into the dirt and scooted to the side, trying to position himself between me and Verdandi.
I wanted to go give him a bear hug.
Instead, I pondered what grum tree meant.
I glanced over my shoulder at the tree. Maybe that was the sacred name of the tree for giant trolls? Possibly a password?
“That’s right, Junnal, come closer,” Verdandi cackled as she stood. Her dress was tattered and hung in ribbons around her. “I will enjoy making you bleed.” She swung her hands out in front of her with an evil grin, her teeth making ugly clacking sounds as she wiggled her fingers, muttering something under her breath.
Her head bobbed once, and poor Junnal arched backward, grabbing on to his massive throat with one hand.
“How does that feel, troll ?” Verdandi raged as she stalked closer. “You caught me by surprise once, but that will never happen again.”
My back thumped against the tree, and it startled me. I glanced down at my body. Gram was still thankfully clutched in my hand. The color of my skin was back to normal. I leaned into the tree and immediately felt its energy. As I absorbed whatever it gave me, my hand began to brighten.
“You will die!” Verdandi seethed, continuing her assault on the giant, who so far was not cooperating with her plan.
Junnal, still gripping his neck with one hand, had pulled himself closer to Verdandi. They were almost eye to eye, though Junnal was still taller, even though he sat on the dirty floor.
“How can this be?” Verdandi’s voice quaked with anger. “You are not immune to my powers, lesser! You will fall, and then I will kill the human impostor.”
Bragnon picked that moment to stagger to his feet, brushing the potions and shattered glass off like they were minor irritants, taking most of his toga along with them. Charred black holes dotted the rest of the fabric, but his skin was
He shook his head as he tried to focus on me, his eyes looking small in proportion to his massive body. He blinked a few times before he opened his cave of a mouth. “Odin. Me.”
“You’re…Odin?” I had to admit I was a little shocked. “ Really ?”
He pointed to himself and shook his lumbering head. “Send…Junnal. Odin.”
Odin sent this giant to help me?
I really hadn’t been expecting that. “That was nice of him. So what can I do? If I aid you, can you help me escape?” My voice was filled with hopeful optimism.
Before the giant could answer, an angry shriek filled the room.
It had come from the pile of wood.
6
__________________________
____________
V erdandi kicked her legs out, and pieces of the table soared around the room like she had superhuman strength. She didn’t, because she was probably zero human, but calling her super alone seemed wrong.
My eyes locked on her. I was riveted, even though I should be using this precious time to beg the tree to open its portal to take me home.
She rose to a sitting position exactly how I would imagine a dead body would rise out of a coffin: bent perfectly at the waist, the transition effortless.
Her veiny black eyes were wild as they scoured the room, searching for who to punish first.
I regretfully backed away from Junnal, toward the safety of the tree, tugging my scarf over my mouth and nose.
“Troll, what you have done will cost you your life,” Verdandi seethed once her eyes lit on Junnal. “I will tear your head from your shoulders and spit into your decaying body as it withers and dies!”
That was a serious threat.
The rest of the wood covering her flung off, like the walls had become magnetized.
Junnal glanced from Verdandi to me, his poor head listing even more. “Grum. Tree.” With effort, he lifted his massive hand and gestured to the tree. Then he dug his fists into the dirt and scooted to the side, trying to position himself between me and Verdandi.
I wanted to go give him a bear hug.
Instead, I pondered what grum tree meant.
I glanced over my shoulder at the tree. Maybe that was the sacred name of the tree for giant trolls? Possibly a password?
“That’s right, Junnal, come closer,” Verdandi cackled as she stood. Her dress was tattered and hung in ribbons around her. “I will enjoy making you bleed.” She swung her hands out in front of her with an evil grin, her teeth making ugly clacking sounds as she wiggled her fingers, muttering something under her breath.
Her head bobbed once, and poor Junnal arched backward, grabbing on to his massive throat with one hand.
“How does that feel, troll ?” Verdandi raged as she stalked closer. “You caught me by surprise once, but that will never happen again.”
My back thumped against the tree, and it startled me. I glanced down at my body. Gram was still thankfully clutched in my hand. The color of my skin was back to normal. I leaned into the tree and immediately felt its energy. As I absorbed whatever it gave me, my hand began to brighten.
“You will die!” Verdandi seethed, continuing her assault on the giant, who so far was not cooperating with her plan.
Junnal, still gripping his neck with one hand, had pulled himself closer to Verdandi. They were almost eye to eye, though Junnal was still taller, even though he sat on the dirty floor.
“How can this be?” Verdandi’s voice quaked with anger. “You are not immune to my powers, lesser! You will fall, and then I will kill the human impostor.”
Bragnon picked that moment to stagger to his feet, brushing the potions and shattered glass off like they were minor irritants, taking most of his toga along with them. Charred black holes dotted the rest of the fabric, but his skin was
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