Page 9 of Storm of Fury
She called over her shoulder, “I’m taking you to meet the völva of Grøa. Watch your step. And keep your tongue quiet. She’s guarded by draugar, they tell me.”
The undead were difficult to slay at the best of times.
“Oh, finding Marduk will be no trouble,” he muttered under his breath, pitching his voice to match a female’s tone. “It will be an excellent adventure.”
“What?” Bryn called.
“Nothing,” he grunted, as he scrambled along at her heels. “Just noting how typical this adventure is proving to be. Missing princes. Völva who practice dark magic. Undead. If my luck holds its usual pattern, we’ll probably find ourselves battling some monstrous beast from the Underworld. Or betrayed to an ancient god.”
Bryn shot him a sharp look, but his head was down.
She couldn’t promise any gods.
But did adrekiprincess count?
* * *
“What took you so long?”Sirius demanded, standing at the top of the mountain track as he swiftly buttoned himself into his breeches.
“Some of us don’t have wings,” Tormund told him, bending over and resting his hands on his hips.Mother of God. His lungs were about to explode and a twinge of pain ached in his right ankle. He didn’t want to admit it but Bryn had set a punishing pace. The only consolation had been watching the tight leather breeches she wore flex over those powerful thighs. “If you wanted speed, you could have carried us.”
“Do I look like a pack mule?”
“No,” Bryn purred. “You look like a powerfuldrekiprince who rules the skies.”
Tormund’s eyes narrowed on thedrekiprince. Losing an eye had done the bastard little damage. Indeed, now Sirius looked even more dangerous, with a leather eyepatch to match the sneering smile he frequently wore.
And clearly Bryn had noticed, as she watched Sirius haul a shirt over the broad expanse of his shoulders with undisguised appreciation.
Trust me, giant. He was dreki…
What did that mean?
“He’s mated,” Tormund told her curtly, after a frustrating morning of having his attempts at conversation rebuffed. “And his wee pretty wife would rip your throat out with her teeth if she saw the way you were looking at him.”
“I’m only looking, giant. Where is the harm in that?” Shrewd eyes turned back to the Blackfrost. “Besides, I know who he is. I know what he’s capable of. It would take a woman braver than I to even think of dabbling with such a creature. His mate must be a powerful warrior.”
Tormund considered Malin. Short. Pretty. Nose buried in a book most of the time. “Honestly, she’s the nicestdrekiI’ve ever met. She baked me a cake to thank me for helping her save him.”
Bryn blinked.
“I don’t think she even knows how to hold a sword,” he told her with a little enjoyment. “But then she doesn’t have to. She’s got this great big overgrown lout wrapped around her little finger. He’d eat anyone who tried to harm her.”
“I can hear you,” Sirius called.
“I’m aware of that,” Tormund called back, without taking his eyes off Bryn. “So where do we go now?”
She lifted her face to the skies, watching the merlin who soared above them with a distant look on her face. “Left,” she finally said.
“Of course.” Tormund sighed as he looked to the left. And up. More fucking steps. “Why did I even bother asking?”
“Is there any chance you can cease your complaints for at least ten minutes? I’m starting to forget what silence sounds like.”
Then she stalked to the left, brushing past Sirius as if he wasn’t standing there looking like an ancient god brought to life.
Tormund blew out a breath. The good ones were never easy. Bryn had spent all morning gracing him with an icy shoulder, though her laugh whenever Haakon spoke was warm and hearty—and his cousin wasn’t a funny man.
Though Haakon was clearly amused now, snickering under his breath as Tormund followed their “guide.”
