Winter Lost

“My brother Ymir,” Hrímnir said finally, “awaits Ragnarok with all the fervor of one who has never seen a battlefield, who has never seen gods lying dead in a sea of the blood of the innocent.” He said it with such neutrality that I was pretty sure he had. “Ymir lusts after the glory of the old days of war. When death came at the bite of blades instead of rockets and bombs.”

“I’ve met a few people like that,” I said.

He sighed. “I think too small, our father always said. I react. Always react. Because I would prefer to be left alone and never to act at all.”

“Is that just intuition?” I asked. “That Ymir is using you to free Garmr? Because I don’t see my brother believing a thing Ymir says.”

But he’d reacted to Ymir, hadn’t he? Had that just been because Gary’s senses had been scrambled? He’d attacked Adam earlier.

“Not intuition,” he said. “I have no idea what Gary’s motivation was or where his loyalty lies other than with himself.”

The silence grew chill—and long enough that I wondered if I’d misread him. His horse raised his head from the hay and snorted, making my horse’s jaws quit moving. Quiet fell, except for the breathing of the horses.

I’d thought we were working our way to becoming allies with a common goal. But maybe I’d underestimated the drawback of my being the sister of a man Hrímnir believed had betrayed him. Hurt him. I decided not to try to defend Gary. I didn’t know if there was a defense for him.

“When Ymir called to tell me he was sending you,” the frost giant said, “he told me you were coming to demand I release Gary. He said you were dangerous and dishonorable. That the world would be better off with you dead.” He paused. “Ymir could have removed the magic I bound your brother with.”

Ymir had lied. Of course he had.

“With that attitude, I’d rather not have him work magic on my brother,” I said with absolute truth.

“Ymir thought it might be a good idea if no one left Looking Glass Hot Springs with the artifact. That I had the means to prevent that if I chose.”

My horse started eating again, and Hrímnir’s horse put his head down and followed suit.

“So why didn’t you kill us?” I asked.

“I do know who your mate is,” Hrímnir said. “Gary and I were friends…since sometime near the summer solstice. He liked talking about you. I know what purpose your territory serves to maintain the peace between the humans and our kind. I understand the humans have weapons that could vie with Jötnar magics for destructive power, should they choose to use them.”

That whole bit sounded like a non sequitur, but I thought he was leading up to something. I kept my mouth shut and waited.

“I told him that I would not kill Adam, because of the role he and his pack played,” Hrímnir said. “Ymir assured me that it was not a problem. That he, my brother, could take the pack and make them even stronger. The wolf is his to call.”

“When he came to examine Gary”—I fought to keep a neutral voice, but it emerged sharpened—“he took control of one of our wolves without her consent…or ours. My husband took her back from him.”

“So you said earlier.” Hrímnir stepped around the horses so he could see my face. “Your husband is strong.”

“Yes.”

I was pretty sure that if Ymir tried to take the pack while Adam and I were here, Adam would notice. Even I, as a pack member, could still feel those bonds. The pack was okay, I reassured myself. They’d be okay until we got back.

I don’t know what he saw in my face, but whatever it was, he apparently approved. He nodded once, then walked back, putting the horses between us once more.

“Are you going to find my harp?” he asked.

“Is there a reason we can’t just line everyone up and ask who has the artifact?” I asked. I didn’t mean to whine. “I can tell when someone is lying. Adam and I might not be able to force the Heddars or the vampire to cough it up—but Liam is anxious to let the marriage take place. The three of us—”

“They are all guests,” the frost giant said, apparently unsurprised about the vampire. “Liam cannot allow you to take something by force regardless of his personal feelings on the matter. And if you scare whoever has it—they might destroy it.”

I rubbed my temples to alleviate my headache. He was on the other side of the horse, but I felt the frost giant notice. I shouldn’t have been able to know that.

I needed to get out of here soon. I did not want to be standing next to the frost giant when the damage I’d received from the Soul Taker decided to open my mind again.

“There’s a pair of goblins,” I said, to distract myself from my weakness. “They aren’t with the wedding party—they were apparently planning on climbing in the Cabinet Mountains but were discouraged by the blizzard.”

“Do you think they took the harp?” he asked me.

“Liam does, I think. Possibly Adam, too.” Though Adam wouldn’t say so unless he had proof.

“Do you think they took the harp?” he asked again, in exactly the same tone.

“No.” I blew a bit of horsehair off my face.