by Meg Trotter
Up the slope, Gunnhilde stood alone, smirking down at them. Maera frowned at her and trudged up the path to meet the witch. Loki trailed behind, curious.
When Maera reached the other woman, Gunnhilde sighed. “I had a feeling you’d choose this.” Her eyes flicked to Loki, who raised an eyebrow at her. “Though you’d have saved everyone a lot of grief if you hadn’t. Yourselves included.” Gunnhilde shrugged. “Ah well. I tried.” She turned, and as she did so, she tossed the rune in her hand back at the pair. This time, Loki caught it.
“See you at the end of the world,” Gunnhilde said sweetly as she walked away.
Loki opened his hand to peer at the rune. However it wasn’t the one with his name on it. It was the one with two sharp, straight lines with a diagonal line connecting them
The symbol for destruction.
Chapter 25
The rest of the morning passed in a haze. Maera answered questions from Orm, submitted herself to the care of a healer, and finally climbed back aboard the ship for home. Gunnhilde and Prince Erik were suspiciously absent on the ride back, but Maera was too tired to care much. She spent the time dozing against the mast of the ship, with Loki propped up on the other side in a similar state of exhaustion. When they made it back, both of them headed straight for the sick-house without comment.
Inside, Loki took up his customary spot on the opposite side of the room, and Maera crawled into hers, only momentarily considering sliding into his. She decided against it and flopped down on her own pile of furs. It was late afternoon by the time she felt rested enough to even attempt getting up. It was her empty stomach that finally pulled her out from under the furs. Loki was gone from his spot.
Maera slipped her shoes on and tried to smooth down her messy hair before heading for the door. Outside, she took a breath of the cool air. The scent of food called to her, and she turned to Freydis’ longhouse. Inside she was met with greetings from both Freydis and Valka, who sat on one of the platform nooks together, sharing a meal. There was no sign of Loki though, or anyone else for that matter. The two women waved her over.
“How are you feeling?” Freydis asked, looking her over from head to toe.
Maera eagerly accepted a sticky sweet roll that Valka passed to her and took a bite. “Hungry,” she said around a mouthful, “and sore, but okay, I think. How are you?”
Valka took a shuddering breath, but managed to keep her tears in check. “Also sore, but ... but okay. Or I will be, at least. Thank you, again.”
“You’re my pod,” Maera said without thinking and then, when both girls looked at her strangely, she laughed a little. “My family,” she amended. She changed the subject quickly. “Has Erik come around?”
Valka looked away and Freydis frowned. “He’s down by the shore,” Freydis admitted, “But, Sigyn, let me warn you,” she reached out and touched Maera’s arm. Maera looked up, surprised at the familiarity from the normally gruff woman. Freydis retracted her hand but her concerned expression stayed. “He’s preparing to leave. Gunnhilde is with him. He’s taking her back to her home, but he’s also getting her father’s blessing for their marriage.”
Maera hadn’t expected the news to sting, but it did a bit. She’d spent nearly a month flirting and using every trick she knew of to ensnare Erik’s affections. Now he was giving it all up to chase after a woman he’d met a few days ago. She’d thought she’d had more of a hold on the prince than that. It was insulting. However, it wasn’t heartbreaking. The prince had never had her heart.
She sighed and finished off the roll, licking the sweetness from her fingers. Her gaze caught on the colorful beads still around her wrist and she smiled. “That’s all right,” Maera said as she stood and unwound the necklace from her arm. “I have someone else now to help me through my loss.” She held the strand out to Valka who smiled in recognition of the offering. Maera looped it around Valka’s neck. “And,” she said, sliding her fingers to the opposite end, “you do too.” She slipped the other side over Freydis’ head. Valka and Freydis blinked at each other a moment before they looked over at Maera. She winked at them and stole another sweet bread from Freydis’ plate before heading for the door without waiting for a reply.
Once outside, Maera took a bite of her sweet bread and turned down the path that would lead her out of the town. She chewed on her mid-day breakfast as she meandered out of the walls and toward the large tree in the distance. However when she got beneath its branches, she found it empty of gods. Deciding to climb and see if she could spot Loki from the air, she jumped at the low branch and hefted herself up.
Maera paused to give Boda’s carved name a reverent tap with her fingertips before she climbed higher. It took only a moment to spot Loki’s dark hair down on the beach. He appeared to be watching the waves rolling in while occasionally throwing glances at the longboat further down the beach tied to the dock.
Erik’s ship.
Maera stared out at the boat as a breeze ruffled her hair. A mixture of emotions passed through her and she rode them out until a quiet determination settled. Taking a steadying breath, she started her descent. In no time at all she stood on the dock in the midst of a flurry of activity. Men loaded crates, ropes, and assorted supplies. Others joked and laughed about the voyage ahead.
Maera caught sight of Gunnhilde’s red hair among those already on board. The witch’s fresh green dress had a hint of gold around her neckline that glinted in the sun. Maera knew she looked frumpy in comparison with her wrinkled red dress and tangle of long hair, but she supposed it didn’t matter. She wasn’t trying to impress anyone any more.
Gunnhilde spotted her on the deck and smiled in that knowing way that gave Maera chills. The witch touched the arm of a man who was bent beside her. He straightened and looked over his shoulder when she gestured that way.
Erik.
He immediately left the witch’s side and walked down the plank to stand in front of Maera on the dock. “Sigyn,” he said as both a greeting and a question. He stepped forward to embrace her, but she took a step back. Eric didn’t attempt to approach her again. He let his outreached arms drop to his sides as he took in her rumpled state. “I heard about what happened last night. Freydis said you were still resting, so I wasn’t going to wake you until the last moment.” He gazed at her in concern. “Are you feeling well? Do you think you can make the journey?”
For a moment, Maera considered it. Riding out on the waves with this handsome man and seeing a new and bigger town, meeting new groups of people, and seeing whatever other magic this world had to offer while enjoying the secret attentions of her prince — it almost sounded tempting. Almost. But then who would she trade sarcastic comments with and snort with laughter over a shared joke? Also, that passionate kiss with Loki was something that she wouldn’t mind experiencing again.
A large black bird that had been sitting on the top of the mast made a sharp caw and swooped overhead, startling Maera. She watched it fly on down the beach where it was joined with a second. They swooped over Loki’s head where he stood down the beach, trying to appear as if he hadn’t been casting curious glances her way. The god took a quick second look at the birds as if their appearance meant something to him, however they gave another loud squawk and headed somewhere inland.
Maera turned her attention back to Erik. She shook her head. “Erik, I’m sorry, but I’ve changed my mind. I can’t go with you.” She pushed some of her wind-blown hair out of her face. “Where you’re going, I can’t follow any more.”
Erik studied her for a long moment, looking increasingly sadder. That look settled on his face again — the one that made Maera feel as if she were the center of his world. “Are you sure? I’m sure I could-” He glanced over his shoulder at Gunnhilde who was laughing at something one of the other men had said to her. Erik turned back and lowered his voice. “I’m sure we could come to an agreement that is more to your liking, if you wanted to give me that chance. You’re precious to me, Sigyn. I would be wrecked to leave y
ou behind.”
Maera smiled and stepped forward. Hope flickered in the prince’s eyes, however he sighed in resignation when she only placed a brief kiss on his cheek. “Sorry,” she said. “You have your rune stones to follow, and I have mine.”
She had meant the Loki stone that had practically jumped into her lap during their shared reading a few days ago, however the sharp symbol of destruction flashed in her mind’s eye for a brief moment. Maera shook her head to clear it of the image. She gave him a faint smile. “Take care.”
With that, Maera turned and headed back down the dock. Erik didn’t try to stop her. She didn’t look back as she headed for where Loki stood down the beach. He glanced up at her as she approached. There was something guarded in his gaze.
When she came to stand beside him, he turned his attention back out to the water. Maera followed his line of sight. The sun glinted brightly off the waves and the breeze was a bit warmer today than it had been in the past month. She closed her eyes and savored the feel of it on her face and in her hair. The smell of the salty air was like a whiff of the water down in the Rift.
“Homesick?” Loki asked quietly.
She considered this and then shrugged. “Maybe a little.”
More silence. He cleared his throat. “Do you want me to send you home?”
Maera began to refuse but paused and opened her eyes to peer at him. Something in his tone didn’t sit right with her. Was he jealous that she’d kissed Erik one last time? No, that wasn’t it. Something else was bothering him. He was putting up a wall to block the typical easy flow of their banter. Maera peered at him curiously and switched into mer-language, Do you want to send me home?
Loki started to reply, paused, tried to speak again, and then sighed. “Listen,” he said. “I’ve been thinking. I know that ... Odin’s magic thought it knew what was going on in my head yesterday, but-” He scratched at the base of his skull while still staring out at the water. “Tensions were high and you’d been using your siren magic with Erik right before all that happened. I’m sure some of that affected me and I don’t know if …”
He trailed off, and Maera felt a twist of uneasiness. What if he was right? What if she had influenced Loki with her magic? What if his hungry look and yearning kiss had been something she had accidentally forced him to do? She had clearly wanted it. What if she really had made him feel those things for her when he didn’t feel them on his own? The thought was enough to make her feel like she’d been punched in the stomach.
However once the initial horror wore off, her memory kicked in. She took a breath and shook her head. No, I don’t think it was me. When I was singing, I only influenced Erik to focus on how he really felt about me. I didn’t dictate what those feelings were. She paused, running through the memory again. She nodded to herself. She knew she was right. Maera looked over at Loki and gave him a small smile. Like it or not, those emotions were yours. If my singing affected you at all, it would only have influenced you to express how you really felt.
This didn’t seem to comfort Loki, who turned his attention back out to the sea. If anything, this information seemed to make him more uncomfortable. It took a moment for Maera to puzzle out a guess as to why. She touched his arm to draw his attention back to her. He regarded her uneasily.
Loki, it’s all right, she clicked gently. I’m not expecting any grand declarations or proposals. We’ve only known each other a month. Now that I’m not looking for a partner only to protect my father, I can take my time. I’m not looking for a mate right this moment.
This seemed to dissolve some of the frigidness of his mood. His posture relaxed a fraction and he turned his gaze back out to the water. Maera continued, So to answer your question, no, I don’t want to go home. I think I might like to stay here for a while. A fish jumped a few feet away, making a faint splash. Maera smiled and looked up at the bright, cloudless sky. She took a deep breath of the salty air and stretched.
Freydis said there’s another festival coming up soon. I’d like the time to relax and enjoy a celebration, instead of stressing about some silly prince’s affections.
Loki was silent for a few more moments before he responded. “Maybe I’ll stick around for a while myself,” he said. He paused, then tried to stifle a smirk, though Maera noticed it immediately and knew a sarcastic comment was coming. “I could try my hand at winning the silly prince’s affections myself now that you’re out of the picture,” he said. “I think I have a shot.”
Maera shrugged. Go for it. I’ll warn you though, he’s a mediocre lover.
Loki sputtered and turned to face her. “Wait, what? Did you really?” At her answering grin, he laughed. “Oh my gods, you did. ... You have to tell me all about it.”
Maera laughed and shoved his shoulder. I do not!
Before Loki could snap back a teasing reply, Maera noticed a rainbow arching through the air, despite there not even being a hint of rain. She marveled at the brightness of the color, but noticed the edge it seemed to be moving. Moving toward the beach. Loki noticed it too, and lost all of his levity. He pushed her behind him with a note of panic in his voice. “Those damn birds. I knew it had to be-”
Before he could finish his thought, the shimmering edge of the rainbow touched down on the sand a few feet away, sending up sparks that faded to reveal a man. He was large, easily twice as wide as Loki, with shoulder-length red hair and bright blue eyes. A large golden hammer hung from the side of his belt. It crackled with barely contained energy for a moment before settling down into silence.
“Thor,” Loki said, breathless, and it seemed, slightly relieved.
The man focused on him and nodded in greeting. “There you are, Loki. Tyr said he’d seen you skulking around here. Glad he ran into you. I’ve been trying to find you for days now. Been getting yourself into trouble, I assume? Oh, hello,” Thor said, suddenly noticing Maera peering out at him from behind Loki. “Are you from the village?”
“She’s a tribal goddess,” Loki said quickly without glancing back at her. “From ... er ... the south.”
“Very south,” Maera said with a faint smile. “I’m Sigyn. Nice to meet you.”
“Ah, I love the little tribal deities,” Thor said with a smile. “So quaint.” He took in Maera’s crumpled appearance with forced politeness. “And rustic.”
“So,” said Loki, drawing the other god’s attention back to himself, “is there a reason you hunted me down out here in the middle of nowhere or-?”
“Ah, yes. Right.” Thor sighed and jerked his thumb back toward where the rainbow met the sand. “I’m having a bit of trouble involving the giants in Jötunheimr. I figured you might be able to help since you have some ... ah ... previous experience with giants.” Loki raised an eyebrow at this, but Thor continued, sidestepping the delicate topic clumsily, “So I thought I’d see if you might help me figure out my little problem. That’s what you’re good at after all, isn’t it? You’re welcome to bring your new rustic lady friend, of course. I mean, if she’s not afraid of possible death.”
“Oh, I assure you, she’s not,” Loki replied. He gave her a look and she returned it with a feigned innocent smile.
“Well then, we’ve wasted enough time,” Thor said. "I’ll explain when we get there.” He turned back to the rainbow and touched it, sending it rippling like the surface of the sea. “I’ll see you on the other side.” He stepped through and vanished without waiting for the pair.
Maera approached the rainbow and held out a fingertip to touch the glittering surface, however Loki snatched her wrist and pulled it back. His expression was guarded as they studied each other. He frowned.
“You don’t have to come,” he said. “You can stay here with your friends, if you’d rather. Jötunheimr might be a bit much for someone who only learned how to walk a month ago.” He glanced back at the village. “I’ll come back when I’ve dug Thor out of whatever mess he’s in now.”
Maera eyed the rainbow again. Just a few moments ago she’d be
en ready to settle here in this town with Valka and Freydis, exploring the world of the humans and enjoying her friends’ company. Now here was the opportunity to see yet another world and another set of beings, and best of all, she could do it in the company of Loki. How could she settle down now when she knew eight more worlds were now within her reach? She turned back to Loki and switched back to her native tongue.
I have a better idea. While you and I are figuring out what we both want in terms of this –she slid her wrist out of his grip and moved her hand into his, lacing their fingers together – I suggest we make a new bet. Loki looked up from their connected hands and raised an eyebrow.
She continued. I’ll go and help you with whatever trouble your friend is having with the giants. If we succeed, then you have to take me with you to the next world and then next, and the next, until you’ve shown me all nine. Then I can choose where I want to be and who I want to be with me there. And maybe that will be enough time for you to decide the same.
Loki considered this. He cocked his head at her with an exaggerated serious expression. “So, basically, what you’re saying is you want a free tour of the other eight worlds.”
Basically.
“Interesting proposal.” He ran his thumb down hers in a brief stroke before he seemed to catch himself in the act of being affectionate and quickly stopped. “But, you know, it’s going to be a lot of work on my end of this bet. I’ll probably have to shape-shift you to fit in again. Use more magic to help you translate the language. Educate you on local customs. It’s a lot of energy expended on my end. So, my question is, what’s in it for me?”
Nothing, Maera clicked with a smile. You just get to watch.
Loki’s serious expression cracked into a smirk. Taking her other hand in his, he led her up to the rippling boundary between worlds.
And with a firm tug, he pulled her through.
Acknowledgements