Page 38 of Thor

Jorunn grinned. "Pratchett, right? Academic humour at its best. Curry it is, then."

They both bustled about, emptying the curry packets into one pot and the rice into another. By the time they were ready to dish up, it was full dark outside, but none of the others had returned.

"Should I go get them and tell them dinner's ready?" Sibyl asked, looking longingly at the cooker. After eating fish for almost a week, the chicken curry smelled amazing.

"They know the way back to camp. They'll be fine," Jorunn said. "We should serve up while it's still hot. Let the others heat up leftovers if they're late."

After a week of sitting down to meals with everyone confined to camp, having the two of them at the table felt strange.

Sibyl had almost finished her dinner when she heard the squeal of someone unzipping the tent door. "About time. Dinner's probably cold by now," she said over her shoulder. She pointed in the direction of the gas cookers. "Help yourself."

"I have no need for sustenance. I came see that you are safe," Thor said.

Jorunn rose, dirty dishes in hand. "Well, that's my cue to leave. See you back in our tent when you two are done?" She dropped her plate and cutlery into the washing up tub and ducked outside.

"I'm a perfectly adequate cook, and I didn't cut or burn myself once tonight," Sibyl boasted.

"That is good," Thor said, peering out the tent flap. Only now did she realise he held his hammer with both hands, as if ready to strike.

A chill tiptoed across her heart.

"Thor, what's out there?"

"The witch and her protector. They came through the mountain pass just after the sun set, as your companions were leaving. Karl challenged them. He told them they were not allowed to be here, as it is a protected archaeological site."

Wow. For a man who didn't look entirely certain about what that meant, he managed to pronounce it pretty well.

But if what Thor had said was true, then this witch and her monster had cursed and beaten him in the past. If they were even slightly like Thor, they would not appreciate Karl giving them orders.

"What happened? Is everyone okay?"

Thor shook his head. "I do not know. She called to me, tried to summon me, as you did. I felt the call in my heart, trying to pull me away from you, but I did not answer. I will not answer. I am not hers to command. I am handfasted to you." He gripped his hammer even tighter than before, as though he feared this witch might try to take it from him. "She shall not have you. I will protect you. I will finally end the abomination that took my sister's life, and then I will force the witch to release me from this curse."

It sounded like a really good plan. One that might even work, except...

"Didn't you say the monster nearly killed you last time?" Sibyl ventured.

"Yes, but I have my hammer, and I know what I face this time. I will not be taken by surprise again!"

Even after a thousand years, the male ego was still as fragile as ever.

"Thor..."

How did one tell a Norse god he wasn't good enough to beat a monster? Not that Sibyl had ever seen this monster, but she did know he'd beaten Thor once. That was recommendation enough to avoid it forever.

"Thor, we must go." The second man to burst into the tent looked like a wirier, younger version of Thor. The man who'd handed her the satphone the other night, Sibyl realised.

"Not now, Loki. Astrid and Fenrir are here. We cannot leave until I have vanquished them both!" Thor snarled. He brandished the hammer at his imaginary foes.

Well, Sibyl hoped they were imaginary, or at least not close enough for combat. The mess tent wouldn't survive long if Thor meant to fight them here.

"You're a fool if you stay, Thor. Already I can feel the call. I've learned to resist, but it's only a matter of time before you answer. She will have you fighting for her, not against her, if you stay. Come with me. Together, we will wake Odin and the three of us will stand a far better chance against the witch and her pet. Together, we can beat them. Divided, we will fall, just as we did before."

Sibyl was inclined to agree with him. Then again, Thor had called him Loki, which meant he was a slippery trickster, every bit as devious as the movie character, if the myths were to be believed. Hell, wasn't he supposed to be Fenrir's father? A good father would do almost anything to save his son...

"What about Sibyl? I can't just leave her here at the witch's mercy!" Thor said.

Loki glanced at Sibyl, then just as quickly dismissed her. "The witch won't want any of these scholars. She wants warriors. She wants us. If we go to find Odin, she and her monster will come for us. We can't let her get to Odin first, especially if he still slumbers. We must wake him, and take a stand together."

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