Page 23 of Loki

He swallowed. "Do you believe in magic?"

"A week ago, I probably would have said no. But now I've met you and Thor and then there was last night...I'm a scientist, Loki. A scholar. I believe in what I can perceive with my senses, and I know you're really here. I didn't imagine Thor's hammer. So I would have to say...yes, I believe there is more to this universe than we currently understand, and for lack of a better word, we can call it magic. Fuck knows what else I can call that thing you did last night that turned this tent toasty enough to get naked without freezing our arses off."

It was enough. It would have to be.

Loki opened his mouth and out spilled...everything. Losing his family and his village. Living in Odin's village with Thor's family. His vow for vengeance. The failed raid on Utgard...all the way to waking up here.

Finally, he paused for a breath.

She hadn't interrupted. Through all of it, she'd just listened, sky-blue eyes focussed entirely on him, nodding occasionally, but always looking thoughtful. Like she believed him.

"Will you help me?" he asked.

"Let me get this straight. A thousand years ago, you vowed vengeance on a Viking jarl whose army killed your family, before he destroyed the village that had taken you in, so all the surviving men came with you to kill Erik, only you tried to sneak in early and got caught. His witches tried to get you to turn traitor, even telling Odin you were a traitor, and put a spell on you that put you to sleep until you woke up now, with Thor, and you need my help..." She paused. "Actually, that's the bit I don't understand. What do you need my help with?"

"I need you to help me find Odin's brooch, so I can bring it back to him, to show him I'm not a traitor, and when we break the spell on Thor, we can kill Erik. And his witches."

Doubt clouded her expression. "You want me to help you kill witches and a Viking warrior?" She shook her head. "Look, I came to Norway to get away from my family, and to maybe see some reindeer and the northern lights, so I can do a bunch of research so that in the end people will call me Doctor and maybe even listen to what I have to say. I didn't come halfway around the world to kill people for a grudge you and the other gods have had for a thousand years. I have come close to killing Nik a few times, but I've never tried to actually do it."

Jorunn, the scholar who was all softness and sweetness? Oh, but she had strength, too, and fierceness. It would truly be a joy to fight at her side, if she chose to fight for him. But not yet. Loki laughed. "Gods, no. I need your help to find Odin's brooch, so he and Thor will help me." He dropped to his knees and clasped her hands in his. "I will do anything you ask, if you will just help me to steal that brooch back from the thief who took it."

Again, she looked thoughtful. "I'm tempted to ask you to take out Nik, but if he's the thief, like I think he is, just catching him in the act will be enough. So...yes, I guess I will help you."

He kissed her. Deep and long and oh so sweet. He didn't want to stop, but he knew he must. "Thank you, Jorunn. What can I offer you in return? Anything. If it is within my power to give it to you, then you shall have it."

Her expression turned wistful. "I don't suppose you know where we might find a herd of reindeer..."

"I will find one for you," Loki promised. He led her outside into the snow, then transformed into a wolf and headed toward the pass, sniffing the air.

TWENTY-FOUR

"This is insane. We should stay in camp, with the others, where it's safe," Jorunn said. "You said you wanted my help searching for a brooch, not seeking hypothermia in the snow."

Loki just shook himself, whined at her, and walked on.

Insanity seemed to be the theme of the night. The story he'd told her about all the things that had brought him here had sounded crazy, and yet he hadn't sounded like he was lying. Sure, it hadn't sounded anything like the Norse mythology she'd heard, but stories could get seriously twisted over the centuries. Only now she was following a divine wolf man who wanted to kill people in revenge for something they'd done over a thousand years ago, and twisted didn't begin to cover half of it.

Though it definitely did describe the path they were following...

If she fell into a crevasse or started an avalanche, she was going to kill Loki.

But even with the fog or cloud or whatever it was obscuring her vision, Loki never moved far enough ahead to be out of sight. Better yet, the path he was leading her along seemed like a much easier way up the mountain than the one they'd taken with Jakop and the packhorses to get here. Almost like he knew what he was doing.

The dude had shapeshifted into a dog. Or maybe a wolf. She wasn't actually sure of the difference – her comparative biology was all about reindeer and other prey animals. The only times she cared about wolves and the like was what marks their teeth made when they brought down prey, so she knew it hadn't been human hunters.

Now, however...she was the one most likely to be eaten by wolves. Or one wolf. Was that why Loki had lured her up here? So he could eat her? She hadn't heard anything linking Loki to cannibalism in any of the legends, but she hadn't heard of him being able to shift into a wolf, either, so nothing would surprise her.

She snorted. Maybe that's where Alligator Loki had come from in the Marvel television series. He'd shifted and gotten stuck. She'd have to ask him when they got back if he could turn into an alligator. If they got back and she didn't die by falling into a crevasse or off a cliff or get attacked by a pack of wolves. Or worse. Weren't there bears up here?

Loki led the way up to the edge of a cliff, and then sat, for all the world like an obedient dog who wanted a treat. Or one of her fingers, more like.

He stared at her expectantly.

"Fine," she huffed, and climbed up beside him. Only to find she couldn't breathe at what she saw.

The peak behind her parted the clouds, so she could see clear to the sea. And what she could see...was a wonder.

A herd of reindeer milled about on the snow, chomping on something that the light snowfall hadn't managed to cover yet.

---