Previously: Desperate to keep her freedom and save her rewritten myths from being destroyed by Skuld, Sága flooded Sökkvabekkr Hall.
SKULD CAME FOR me in the water, but she was too slow. I shapeshifted to my salmon form and jetted ahead, letting the tidal wave wash me away from Asgard.
Well past my drink limit, the shift was hard to maintain. I switched so many times between skin and scales I lost track of what to breathe with and when: lungs in air, gills in water. I washed up on a rocky shore and coughed up unhealthy amounts of dirty water. That’s the problem with flooding: it doesn’t just wash away enemies, it washes everything.
Crawling up the muddy riverbank using my elbows, I collapsed on my side, shaking from cold. The rock-filled terrain and icy temperature told me I’d washed up on the banks of the Ífingr River in Jötunheimr, land of giants and hellish winds.
“I didn’t think it was possible,” they said, throwing a cloak over me.
A slow smile formed on my face. I recognized the voice and opened one eye. “Didn’t think what was possible?”
“I didn’t think it was possible for a water goddess to be disgraceful in water,” Loki said with a chuckle. “You gave new meaning to the term fish out of water, only you were still in the water.”
“Please shut up,” I said, laugh-coughing. “You could have helped me.”
“I did,” they said. “You were naked, so I covered you up. Imagine if some other handsome devil had found you first.”
“I’d rather not imagine that.” I pushed myself up and wrapped the fur around my body. “You know you’re the only handsome devil I dream of.”
Loki extended a hand and pulled me up off the ground. They were stronger than described in the myths. In fact, they rivaled Odin in size and physical ability. “And, yet, I can’t help but notice that you didn’t bring luggage to see me. Will you be staying long?”
“Unplanned trip,” I said with a sigh. “I’m in trouble.”
Loki grinned. “Oh, honey, we’re all in trouble these days.”
“So, you’ve heard about Odin, then?”
Loki’s face twisted into a brief look of satisfaction, followed by alarm as their attention shifted to the mountains. Before I could ask what my trickster friend had done to worsen Odin’s troubles this time, a primal roar sounded and a burst of freezing wind tangled my hair.
“Time to go,” Loki said.
I followed them as they hopped and weaved their way through the jagged rock up the river bank. When the ground trembled, my bare leg caught the sharp end of a chunk of granite. I hissed and stopped to inspect the wound.
Loki tugged on my arm and pointed down river. “No time for that.”
I squinted and spotted three hazy objects bobbing up and down just over the horizon. As the forms grew bigger, my breath froze like the rest of me. Three mountain giants stomped into view. Mountain giants suck. They’re big, they’re filthy, and one of their favorite forms of entertainment is to rape and dismember goddesses ... or anyone, really.
“This way.” Loki pulled me along. We ran toward a larger rock formation and took shelter in a narrow cave.
“What did you do this time?” I asked, inspecting the scratch. I wiped river mud from my body on it to ward off infection. The cold, damp air found its way up into the cloak and I shivered.
Loki grinned. “Like you, I also left Asgard in a hurry, so I had to commandeer some supplies from the giants.” They pointed to three large barrels stacked at the far end of the cave. “That is the best mountain blackberry mead in the nine worlds!”
As they talked, I inspected an old pile of ash for any wood remnants Loki could set on fire for warmth. There was nothing left.
“That’s not what I meant,” I huffed. “What did you do to Odin?”
“Oh, him,” Loki said, their eyes narrowing. “I didn’t have to do much at all. I was visiting Glaðsheimr when the Valkyries served him the decree, and I simply suggested it was unfair he wasn’t called as a witness, or able to present a defense in front of the Council. Terrible thing, not to allow a war god to defend himself.”
“Loki! Why would you say such a thing to him? You all but challenged him to wage war against the Council!” No wonder my gentle nudging hadn’t work on Odin. Loki had already poisoned his mind against peace. A wave of nausea hit me.
The ground rumbled harder as the giants stomped closer to the cave.
“Hush! You’re shrieking is going to get you killed,” Loki said, grinning. “Or raped and then killed. You know how mountain giants are.”
I glared at them. “I wonder what they’ll do to you? You stole their prized mead.”
“Sorry, honey, I’m a lover, not a fighter. If they find me, I’ll have to fly away. Get it? Because I can shift into a fly?”
“I get it.” I crossed my arms. “You’re an asshole.”
A violent clap of thunder caused the ground to shake so horribly that small rocks and dust fell from the cave top. That was no giant. I jumped up and ran to Loki, peering out the opening. The mountain giants scattered in front of the galloping darkness, struggling against the howling winds and rain. The lightning bolts were blinding. It wasn’t the storm that frightened the giants, but what rode inside it. The Wild Hunt was here for me and, no doubt, Skuld was its leader.
“Who’s the asshole again?” Loki asked. “You didn’t tell me you were in that kind of trouble!”
When the Valkyries screeched, the giants dove to the ground and covered their ears. The Valkyries were supposed to hunt only spirits, but occasionally, they made exceptions. As the ancient legend went, the Wild Hunt took away any living being who dared gaze upon it. No one ever saw them again. But I knew where Skuld held those beings the Hunt took up ... Náströnd.
“Loki, I didn’t do anything wrong. Skuld found the myths I wrote to help Odin and threatened to arrest me. I had to flood Sökkvabekkr to get away.”
“And you chose to come here?” Loki’s eyes flamed. “The reason I tolerate this cold, dark place is to avoid encounters like this!”
“The waters brought me. I didn’t choose to wash up in Jötunheimr!”
The Valkyries soon landed on the brown grass plain, and they weren’t alone. Skoll and Hati, the wolves that devour the sun and the moon as the Wild Hunt passes through the sky, immediately gave chase. The giants retreated with great haste back to the mountains.
“Oh, this just keeps getting better.” Loki winced. “One of those poor, giant bastards just got bit in the ass. Are devouring wolf bites fatal?”
I didn’t answer. The gruesome scene caused my mouth to dry. I risked a glance at the barrels of mead.
Loki smacked my shoulder. “Don’t even think about it!”
The Valkyries stood watch until the wolves came back from the chase.
Skuld studied the barren landscape. “Search behind every rock and brush stand.”
I flattened myself against the granite wall and scanned the cave for an escape passage. There was none. Only one way in and out. “What do we do now? They’re going to find us.”
A mischievous grin spread across Loki’s face. They plopped down on a flat rock just inside the opening and shifted into the old troll woman I knew as Thökk. “Give me the cloak and sit down beside me.”
“What? ... No way!” I shook my head and clutched the cloak. “I’ve got nothing on underneath. It’s freezing!”
They gestured wildly. “Just do it! I know a way out of this, but there’s no time to explain.”
I threw the cloak at them and sat down. My flesh pimpled so violently that my eyes watered.
Loki-Thökk flung the fur around their shoulders and rocked back and forth, muttering the old words. As they stroked my hair, my eyes widened and my body tensed. No matter which form they took, when Loki-Thökk gets hold of a woman’s hair, she’s likely to end up bald.
a note from the author…
The Wild Hunt is hot on Sága's trail. Will she escape Skuld's grip yet again? Keep reading to find out! And if you're curious about the reference made to Loki and hair, it comes from the myth of Sif and her golden hair written in the Prose Edda. Of course, the mischievous Loki chopped off Sif's hair and got in big trouble with Thor.
Thank you for reading!