Tove’s nose wrinkled, not liking the explanation but unable to argue against it. She turned to Erik instead. “Be wary.”
Erik nodded. “Yeah, I will.”
Ljunge and Tove went into the room and Vár continued showing him through the keep to wherever it was Hel was waiting.
“There is no cause for concern, Erik. If Hel meant you harm, she would not bother coming herself. Or having you brought here.”
“I’m not sure where you learned to reassure people, but you’re awful at it.”
“I did not mean to reassure you.”
Erik rolled his eyes. He had been carrying Göll for some time and even with whatever had snapped in him the day before, she was beginning to grow heavy. The power in him was not entirely constant, it seemed. Though he was far stronger than he had been.
The turns began to involve descending stairs and lights turned to torches. He was not brought to a grand hall, but to a blocky stone room with a stone table in the middle of it. Fire lit the place and Hel awaited him on the far end of the table. Vár saw him in, staying by the door. Hel looked past Erik.
“You can go, Vár.” She nodded and was off. Hel patted a hand on the table. “Put her down here.”
Erik gave Hel a deadpan stare. “You know how this looks, right?”
She shrugged casually, a gesture that seemed out of place considering the elegant dress she wore. “There are things I can’t change, Erik. No need to be so stiff.”
He sighed and, lacking for other options, placed Göll on the stone table, not stepping back from it.
Hel smiled at him mischievously. “Did you see the carvings? Out front?” She chuckled to herself. “They hate it so much.” She sighed. “Oh, but you’ll get all upset again if I carry on too long.” She clapped her hands on the stone, taking a step back. “I should start at the beginning. Don’t worry, I’ll be quick. Humans, that’s you, were created by Odin, Vili, and Ve. So, Odin has a very tenuous grasp on you even at the best of times. It upsets him, you see. Valkyries, they are not afforded that luxury.” Hel pointed at Göll, knitting her brow when there was no movement. “Ah right. Of course. I figured you wouldn’t be able to stand the noise.”
Göll stretched out immediately, her muscles all taught and knotted. She let out a horrible scream, tears pouring from her eyes.
Hel laughed, raising her voice to shout over the screams. “You see, Odin can do as he likes with her. And this is what he likes.”
“What are you doing?! Help her! You did it before, right?” Erik put his hands on Göll, but she showed no sign of realizing it.
“I only made her quiet, you see. She has been in this pain since Valhalla. Odd you decided to keep her away so long.”
Erik slammed his fist into the table. “Why are you telling me this? Just get to the fucking point!”
“So stubborn.”
Göll went quiet again.
“She’s still in pain, isn’t she?”
“She is, and will be until you listen.” Hel’s face went grim. “Odin has… ways. Urges. Or did. Now he is a broken, paranoid fool. Ever since putting his eye down that well.” Hel shrugged. “It’s his fate.”
“The point!”
“Calm down, Erik. I’ll arrive there when I want to. For a man who has spent his time in my world frustrated by knowing so little, you’ve grown very impatient suddenly.”
Erik snapped his mouth shut, looking down at Göll, trying to hold in his anger.
“Done? Good. So, Odin had a baby. Plenty, in fact. And very, very few of those babies had babies.”
Erik’s eyes turned up to Hel.
“I see you get where this is going. Odin is something of a very literal father figure for you. Or should be.” She chuckled. “And now for the beginning of the interesting parts. He saw that all the others were chosen by valkyries and that they died in battle and on and on. But the woman who bore your ancestors? She married a coward. They fled to a farm on a tiny island and Odin simply forgot. No prowess in battle, no notice from an increasingly mad old god. It’s good, right?” She laughed.
“Why does he want me dead?”
“No, no. There’s an order to these things. You’re upset that Göll is in pain, remember?”
Erik looked away, stomping his foot. “Yes. Fuck. Tell me something useful.”
Hel pouted. “Not useful that you’ve got the blood of the Allfather? I mean, that’s just being unreasonable, Erik.” She sighed. “But I’ve promised you help and a story is hardly that.” Hel returned to the table and Göll’s limbs wrenched out, screams returning again. “Man can never steal from a god, Erik. Not really. But there aren’t any men here— not exactly— so stealing a little valkyrie…” Hel eyed down at Göll.
“How?!”
She smiled. “Will yourself into the place that Odin sits. She is a piece of him. You must make her a piece of you.”
Erik shook his head. “I don’t…”
Hel shot him a coy smile. “The kiss of life.”
“No, this… this is weird. You’re fucking around.”
Hel shrugged and Göll sucked in a breath, another scream erupting as soon as she had the air for it.
“How am I supposed to…”
Göll quieted.
Erik rolled his head back. “Okay, fine.”
He leaned over her, his hand at her cheek. Her eyes opened, clear and icy blue. “Erik?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Sorry.”
He put his lips to hers and felt Göll’s chin press toward him. He could feel the very life flowing from him. The world became hazy as her cold lips flushed with warmth and she rose from the table, sitting, her hand on his chest.
He pulled back as Göll opened her eyes again. She looked down at him, realizing what had happened and shoved him away.
“What… what?!” She spun, seeing Hel. “No… Erik, what deal have you made? I…” She put a hand
