Page 42 of Odin

Sibyl shook her head. "There were only bones left, and I have seen pictures of them. I can show you, if you like." Thor moved to support her, but she flapped a hand at him. "Just help me sit down, then go get my laptop. And you are going to promise me never to fight with that bloke ever again, or so help me, you are going to learn about divorce."

Thor's eyes widened, and he hurried out.

Sibyl turned her hard gaze on Astrid. "Now, you and I need to get one thing straight. That one is my creature. He's handfasted to me, and if you think you can just wave your hands and make him follow you like a well-trained puppy, we are going to have words, and they will not be nice ones."

Odin tensed, ready to step forward to defend Sibyl in Thor's absence for saying such unwise words to a witch.

Astrid tilted her head. "You woke him. That is why they were not in the mountains, where I left them. Thor answered your call, and resisted mine. Is it the same for the others? Do they serve the other women?"

Sibyl swallowed. "I think so, yes. My cousin Callie sent me some information about gargoyles, and how they are protectors. She even sent me the spell for creating them, though I couldn't imagine cutting out anyone's heart." She shuddered.

Astrid's smile was tight. "It is quite messy, especially as you cannot reach it without breaking some bones. Very unpleasant. If my father had not commanded it, I never would have done it once, let alone many times."

"How many?" Odin asked.

"Too many," Fenrir said. "I was her first, and I will protect her to the last."

Odin digested this for a moment. He knew it was unwise to ask, but he had to know. "With your father and brothers dead, all of these creatures answer to you now. What do you intend to do with your draugr army?"

Astrid shuddered. "My father's army, not mine. I must release them."

Thor walked in and handed a strange, flat device to Sibyl. "Who else are you holding prisoner?"

Astrid closed her eyes. "Countless draugr, gargoyles, protectors cursed to answer my father's call. I must release them."

Fenrir stepped forward. "I shall help you, and protect you, as always."

"But I should release you, too."

"I asked for this. I swore to protect you, and I will. We stand together. But these others...you should release them. Let them seek happiness with the mortal women of this time."

Thor stepped up to stand right in front of Fenrir. "You only want that because you want me weaker, so you can win."

Fenrir shrugged. "I take no pleasure in fighting. I am Astrid's loyal bodyguard. I fought to defend her, and at her father's command. If Erik is truly dead, then I only answer to Astrid now, and she was most displeased at having to heal you the first time. If you are no threat to her, then I have no argument with you."

"You killed my sister."

Fenrir frowned. "I have never killed a woman in my life. Boys, maybe, when they take up weapons against me. There was one boy in a village on the coast once...ferocious fighter. A little like you, for he would not surrender, even when he knew he had lost. With his last breath, he demanded I send him to Valhalla. Now I think of it, he had a weapon like yours, too, though he could barely lift it."

"My sister, dressed in boys' garb," Thor said through gritted teeth.

"If I had known, I would have spared her. I am sorry for your loss. But I can assure you, she earned her place in Valhalla. Perhaps even among the Valkyrie."

"Yes," Thor said.

"Give up the grudge, or get a divorce, Thor. I'm not going through that again," Sibyl said. "Shake hands with the werewolf, or whatever he is."

Thor squeezed his eyes shut, then held out his hand. "I, Thor, Hymir's son, swear I will never harm Miss Astrid, as long as you will swear never again to harm my Sibyl."

"It is agreed," Fenrir said, gripping Thor's arm in the way of warriors.

"What about them, then?" Sibyl asked.

Fenrir frowned. "What do you mean?"

"She said she'd free them. Slavery is illegal in this time, and you have no idea how much trouble you'll get into for it. So, free them. Take the curse off Thor and Odin and Loki. Do that, and I'll show you those pictures. Maybe even hook you up with some of my contacts who might know where you can find other gargoyles, too." Sibyl said.

Fenrir's frown deepened. "You wish to hook me like a fish? Or Astrid?"

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