Tove kept pace in spite of her size, even with Erik at a full sprint. Ahead of them, Ljunge went around a corner, working his way east in fits and starts. He knew the city well and they were essentially at his mercy. Göll followed behind at a wider distance than she normally kept even when he slept. Erik wanted for all the world to have her fly up into the air and at least keep track of the man, but he was sure it would be counted as assistance. He never escaped their view, all the while drawing them toward the east, until they came to a massive paved lot with a fountain and rails at the far edge. Looking to the sides, Erik could see that it was an outcropping, set out over the river below. Ljunge, reaching the far side, turned and smiled. He held up two hands.
“Alright, let’s stop there, shall we? I have a proposition.” Ljunge looked at Erik with one eyebrow raised.
“I’m listening.”
“Don’t take me to Modgudr.”
Erik recoiled, a confused look on his face. “And?”
“That is the whole proposition.”
“How is that a proposition?”
“So, no?”
“You’re not offering anything!”
Ljunge shrugged and flung himself off of the railing. Erik ran over, watching the man fall down the cliff side, tumbling as his body slapped against the rocks.
Erik turned, running as his mind realized that there was a very different meaning to that act in Helheim. He blasted past Tove who watched him with a curious expression.
“He’ll come back! Someone will hide him!”
A wave of realization came over Tove’s face and she rushed to catch up with Erik. He struggled to remember the path that Ljunge had taken to get there and wondered exactly how long it took to return to the bed. He’d never known exactly, but it could not have been long. It’d taken the guard in Lofgrund the best part of thirty seconds to dissipate. They’d run for nearly two minutes following him and the tavernkeep would likely be awaiting his return. Erik couldn’t understand how anyone could so casually invite that pain. They returned to the Calf’s Head and tore in. The tavernkeep was standing casually at the bar, something Erik hadn’t expected. Had he already hidden Ljunge? He thundered upstairs, pointing at a door and telling Tove to check it. There were two others and Erik picked the one he knew overlooked a side street, kicking it open when he found it locked.
He stood in the room, mouth open in pure confusion. Ljunge was climbing out the window, still dressed in exactly the clothes he’d leapt in.
“Tove, downstairs! He’s running!”
She joined him on the stairs, disbelief in her voice. “He’s what?!”
“Running, I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense!”
They flew across the floor of the tavern, coming out the other side, Ljunge this time well ahead of them. It was clear immediately that he had led them to the cliff edge.
“Tove, go ahead and make sure he doesn’t go east!”
She did, sprinting over an aisle and running on ahead. She’d become fast without the need for any sort of magic and she’d done so faster than Erik imagined possible. He had gained some speed himself, but she’d surpassed him easily. Ljunge caught sight of Tove at the next intersection and cut west. Erik did the same, Tove crossing a block up, now behind both of them. He ran into the main road, a convoy of heavy horses pulling carts. Erik watched as Ljunge leaned down, pulling a small knife from his boot. He reared back and threw it, the blade spiraling toward the lead horse. It stuck deep into the animal’s flesh, sending it rearing and neighing in pain. It bolted, a dozen others following suit. Ljunge, without a second’s hesitation, flung himself under the wheels. Before the horses had finished pressing the spilled entrails flat, Erik whipped around, running toward the edge of the entertainment district.
“He’s going back!”
Göll stayed well behind, with Tove leading Erik but not leaving him behind. He would have to send her up first.
“Go, Tove! Get upstairs. I’ll wait under the window.”
She did not hesitate through the door of the inn and Erik stopped under the window. It was still open and Ljunge appeared a few seconds later. He looked over his shoulder, a triumphant smile on his face. It wasn’t until he’d leapt that he looked down, seeing Erik there. A panic ran over Ljunge’s face as he tried to change the direction of his descent, but it only resulted in an awkward landing on the stone street. He rolled his ankle, but still tried to come up and stand on it. The leg gave and Ljunge tumbled to the ground. He rolled over to face Erik, no pain showing on his face.
“I have another proposition.”
“No! And how are you fine?”
Ljunge looked down at his body. “After having died, you mean? I haven’t an idea, but listen—”
Tove came back down in a rush, stopping when she saw him on the ground. Ljunge looked at her, a smile creeping onto his face. Tove covered herself up with crossed arms and moved to Erik’s side.
The man shook off the distraction. “My proposition—”
“It doesn’t hurt when you come back? How about your leg now?”
Ljunge shook his head. “Neither.”
“Then why do you care if Modgudr skins you?”
“I don’t like the way she does it.”
Erik sighed. “Alright, what’s your proposition?”
“Take me with you. Göll, the tall one. Well, I like both of your women, but I’ve remembered
