“So today, I get to learn how to swing the sword, right?”
Göll ignored the half-sincere question, but Tove did not.
“What would you do, swinging the sword at something you cannot hit?”
“I feel like you two are ganging up on me.”
“Finish your food,” Göll said, flatly.
Erik gave a mocking grimace to the command and finished eating. He stood up and motioned toward the door. “Alright, let’s go have another day full of bruised rib meat.”
“At least you are prepared for it.”
It was as close as Göll ever got to a joke, and Erik enjoyed them. He could hardly stand the seriousness of most of the things involved in his being dragged to Helheim, so the small bits of humanity were important to him. Whatever Göll thought of him, he couldn’t bring himself to dislike her presence. Maybe he’d read into things more than made sense, but he would swear there was more to her than the stern face she was forced to put on. Völundr seemed to agree with him and it had only made Erik’s interest in her grow.
She handed him the sword and Erik felt that he might want to retract his wistful thoughts if the look on her face was anything to go by. The day started up much like it had every time she set out to train him. She charged across at him bullishly and he struggled to keep up. Something was different about today though. She was more vicious in her strikes, and the normal look in her eyes was not there when she walked back across the yard. It was something harder and less like her. It had been an hour and a few dozen charges when the skin on Erik’s flank finally broke open, trickling blood.
Tove dropped her practice sword when she saw him place a hand over his shirt and draw back blood. “What are you doing?!” She was shouting at Göll as she walked to Erik’s side.
“Back to your place, girl!”
Göll’s voice was unmistakably angry and it proved enough to at least stop Tove in her tracks. Erik looked over, nodding to Tove.
“It’s okay. I’m fine.” He put on a sideways smile.
He wasn’t. It hurt, horribly, but for the first time since they’d come to Völundr’s little plot in the woods, he could feel the energy inside him slip closer. It wasn’t by much and Erik couldn’t quite understand why, but he was determined to see how close he could come to grasping at the only thing he had to use against the valkyries who actually wanted him dead.
Göll didn’t wait for Tove to clear before she charged again. Erik struggled to keep pace with things and again her dull blade dug into his side. In spite of willing himself to stand, Erik fell to one knee, doubled over by the pain. Tove began immediately running toward him. Göll spun, facing the girl.
“Stay back!”
Tove ignored the order and Erik saw Göll rear back the blunt sword. He came up, back toward Göll and the training sword dug hard into his shoulder blade. The metal hit bone along his shoulders and ribs. He stumbled forward, saved only by Göll’s last minute decision to soften the blow. Tove caught him awkwardly, and they both fell to the ground. She had meant to kill with the swing. It hadn’t been square on his spine and he was thankful for that at least.
“You could have killed him!” Tove screamed.
Erik heard the sword drop before he was able to turn himself over. When he managed it, he saw Göll rushing toward the edge of the forest. He rolled himself off of Tove’s legs and sat on the dirt. Tove stood up, moving to his back.
“Are you alright? Was anything broken?”
Erik laughed, but it hurt more than he was excepting and he ended up groaning more than anything else. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He pulled himself to his feet. “I should probably go talk to her.”
“Talk?!” Tove was incensed by the suggestion. “She nearly just split you in half. And she meant to kill me.”
All he could do was sigh. “I know.” He did his best to show her a reassuring smile. “But I don’t think she meant it.”
“You can only be so naive!”
He laughed. “That sounds like a challenge.” He paused, thinking about what to do exactly. “Look, can you, eh…” He hesitated to ask. “Can you cook something? I’m pretty hungry and I have a feeling I should eat before afternoon training.”
“Why would you train with her again?”
The picture of Tove pulling her dying body across the floor of the shop in Lofgrund flashed through his mind. He shook it away. “I have to. You’re just mad right now, but you know I’m right so… just… lunch. Please.”
She nodded, frustrated, and walked toward the house. “If she kills you, I’m not sitting by your bedside.”
“Well, I’m sleeping on the floor so you won’t have to.”
She didn’t laugh, but Erik chuckled at it anyway. When she was inside Völundr’s house, he turned and started limping toward the edge of the woods. He’d made it only a few feet in when Göll came rushing up to him.
“Why would you leave? It’s dangerous here.”
He had to laugh. “So, you ran off not expecting to be followed?”
She turned her head away. “I’ve done something unforgivable to you. To… To Tove.” There was true sadness in the way Göll carried herself. It was subtle, but Erik was convinced he wasn’t wrong.
“I don’t think she’s the one who got hit with the sword.”
“But it was meant for her.”
Erik sighed, failing to lighten the situation, knowing he shouldn’t have tried. “Why did you swing at her?”
Göll looked at him, a hint of desperation in her voice. “We have little time. They…” She strained, but did not finish the thought. “We have little time.” She frowned at him, her eyes begging him to understand.
“I know. I had that feeling without you saying anything.” He chuckled, putting a hand on her
