for my mother's fingers and held tight as I stamped the spear onto the floor of the kitchen.
We disappeared before either of the Jotunn reached the kitchen.
***
We arrived outside Ms Custer's house in Craven, Brody jerked away from us and almost face-planting in the dirt beside the bush.
"Sorry, Brody," I hissed, covering my mouth so he wouldn't see my amusement.
I must have failed because he glared at me and said, "Not funny, Bryn." Then he glowered and folded his arms, falling back onto his heels as we ducked behind the bush.
Chuckling softly, I said, "Consider it payback for the bugs, you miscreant."
He frowned for a few seconds then laughed softly. "So we're even then?"
I nodded as Suri asked, "What bugs? Miscreant? What's going on?"
Even as I moved I felt the pull of fatigue, accompanied by a hint of nausea. I swallowed hard, trying to push the feelings away.
Forcing myself to pay attention to what I'd come here to do, I glanced back at the house and front verandah where the Jotunn stood like a statue in front of the door. From here he looked like an FBI agent, complete with dark sunglasses worn at night. I wondered if he was watching us right now, but we'd been very quiet so I didn't think so.
"Long story. Tell you later." I pointed at the house. "Where are the women, Brody?"
He tilted his head in the direction of the kitchen. From where we stood at the corner of the house we could see along both the front and the back walls. The light in the kitchen was on, throwing long shadows on the ground, elongated dark reflections of the two women as they moved around the table.
"There's a Jotunn guarding the back door and also one that lurks inside the house doing general sweeps every ten minutes."
Nodding slowly I frowned, as I worked through my plan. "Right, I can't take the two of you with me. Stay here and cover me in case I'm discovered. I'm going straight in and transporting them to Asgard immediately. You two head for the Bridge the moment you see me leave with them."
I got two nods and two thumbs up. Then I tapped Gungnir onto the ground and disappeared.
As I materialized in the warm kitchen, I had to suck in a breath to push away the webs of dizziness that seemed to want to drop me on my ass. Breathing through it, I turned to see my mother at the sink with her back to me, the curdled moon throwing sickly light onto her pale skin. The tap was running, splashing water giving cover to any sound my arrival would have caused. Ms Custer had her head inside the fridge with her ample behind sticking out. I grinned and waited as Ms Custer straightened and closed the fridge door.
I remained still as she placed a block of butter and a jug of milk on the table, waiting until I could get her attention without making her die of fright. She started when she saw me at last, her eyes going wide, and I put my finger to my lips.
She smiled so wide, her white teeth shone, assuring me that she was happy to see me. Then she gave me a tiny nod before moving slowly to my mother who'd remained oblivious that an additional person had entered the room.
Ms Custer whispered something to my mother, and I watched at her back stiffened. After a short moment, she glanced immediately over her shoulder at me. The slight turn caused her to hit a mug off the draining board with her elbow.
It crashed to the floor, the sound incredibly loud as I gasped and lunged toward them.
"We have to go. Don't let go of me." I heard the stamping of one of the frost giants as he raced to the kitchen to investigate the noise. At the outside door, the guard was already turning the handle.
Neither of the women moved to hold onto me and I grabbed Ms Custer's hand and said, "Hold her." She reached for my mother's fingers and held tight as I stamped the spear onto the floor of the kitchen.
We disappeared before either of the Jotunn reached the kitchen.
***
We arrived inside my room and I swayed from fatigue. The more I moved around, jumping from plane to plane, the weaker I seemed to be getting.
I tilted, releasing Gungnir and would have hit the floor hard if Ms Custer hadn't reached for me. She helped me