moves closer, ready to jump onto her back and take flight.
The Serpent continues to edge its way onto the shore, closing on us more quickly than we can move toward each other. I’m bracing myself, ready to run, when a bolt of lightning rises to the sky, forks, and is followed by a loud clap of thunder.
I huff in fascination. Not a single storm cloud was above us earlier. Now in the darkening sky, a large black cloud hovers directly overhead. I jump as another clap of thunder seems to shake the sky, and lightning pierces the ground just in front of the Midgard Serpent’s nose.
The Serpent halts, retreats, and flicks itself back into the water in a few seconds. Joy surges within me as those murky brown scales disappear underneath the water.
More forks of lightning hit the ground just behind the Serpent in an additional threat. Judging by how the lightning hit the ground, only one explanation makes sense.
I scan the area and the darkening horizon until I see a figure on top of the mountain. Standing on the pinnacle, Thor clasps Mjolnir and holds it high. Lightning shoots from the hammer into the sky and bounces back to the ground. Another set of lightning forks across the sky in a magnificent display.
My breath catches as relief floods every pore in my body. Thor looks well. Not only that, he has arrived just in time to protect us from the Midgard Serpent.
I call, “Come, Beowulf. Thor’s on the mountain. Let’s go see him.”
We climb onto Elan’s back, and she leaps into the sky. She circles the pinnacle, and I spot Thor’s two goats and his carriage, parked a small drop from the top. A fresh breeze blows against my face, a welcome change from Muspelheim, and the air grows colder as we climb. Elan lands on the mountainside, not far from Thor, her talons clacking on the rocks.
I jump from her back, Beowulf’s thud sounds right behind me, and I scurry to Thor’s side.
- Chapter Twenty -
* * *
With excitement coursing through me, I race toward Thor, my spirits rising. Seeing him back to his normal self is fantastic.
I’m baffled to see a vast smirk plastered over his face. My excited footsteps falter, and Thor closes the gap, his grin growing wider. He slaps me on an arm, lurching my thin frame sideways for a couple of steps and ramming me into Beowulf.
“Ha. Ha. Battle maiden. I knew you’d be an interesting companion when I asked for you to be by my side. Especially when things didn't go the way you wanted them to.” Still smirking, he places his hands on his hips. “But I didn’t think it'd be this entertaining. You’ve gotten yourself into so much trouble in the last few days. It’s quite hilarious.”
Regaining my balance, I cross my arms and narrow my eyes. “I'm glad I could entertain you,” I say curtly, wobbling my head from side to side. “Nice to see you too.”
His smile grows broader as he reads my expression. “There, there.” He lightly taps me twice with an open hand on my cheek. “Don't get so upset. You know I love having you around.” Then he nudges me with an elbow, and I topple off balance slightly.
I reset my legs in a firmer stance and form my mouth into a thin line.
With amusement twinkling in his eyes, he continues, “It’s amazing how much you’ve been through lately.” He feigns thoughtfulness. “Recently, you freed Loki, and then you traveled to Jotunheim to meet Angrboda on Loki’s back. You’ve been kidnapped by a lava monster and taken to Muspelheim then almost eaten by the Midgard Serpent. Have I left anything out?”
“Yeah. Like you failed to save me.”
“I saved you this time.” His shoulders shake as he chuckles, then he rubs the top of my head as if I were a child.
Shoving his hands away, I move back and scrutinize him. “Yes. At least this time, you succeeded, but last time, you decided to take a little nap instead of rescuing me from the lava monster.” Then I smile and fill my voice with warmth. “I'm glad to see you’re all better. You had me concerned.”
Thor scratches his auburn hair near his temples and looks sheepish. “Hey, I was just unconscious. You were the one kidnapped. Who had who concerned?”
I tilt my head. “Yeah, you were unconscious. Seeing you’re the only person who knew I was missing, of course I was concerned.”
“Ha. I know you miss