Demon-Killing Sword

7.2 Lake

She jolted awake. Muninn pulled at her hands, her legs. Tied. Someone's back was warm against her chest, her ankles bound around their waist, arms held over their shoulders. Instinctively, Muninn thrashed, fighting out of the big hands that held hers. Red hair tickled her nose as she pushed and pulled. Shadows striped her arms, patchy translucent forest shadows, not the sharp blocks of the slum buildings. "Let go!" she snarled.

"Alright, alright," Kjell said easily. "Calm down now. You're safe."

He undid the tie around her ankles. Immediately, Muninn jumped free. Her wing stood up under her shirt, feathers puffed, as though the little thing would make her look bigger. She breathed heavily, eyes narrowed. One hand went to her waist.

It closed around her sword.

Muninn sighed out and deflated. She still had it. She could still kill the demon king.

Kjell chuckled. "Sorry about that," he said. He reached out and scruffed Huginn's hair. The boy scowled, but under the pressure of Kjell's hand, was forced into a bow. "Our Huginn forgot to warn you about the bomb."

"She's not even burned," Huginn muttered under his breath.

"Huginn," Kjell warned.

Huginn made a sour face. "Sorry," he said. It didn't sound like he meant it.

Not burned? Muninn patted down her body, but he was right. Her back felt a little sore in some places, but not burned. It must not have been enough heat to leave a mark.

"Thanks for helping Vivi," Niina said. She smiled at Muninn, showing sharp teeth.

Awkwardly, Muninn nodded. It was an odd feeling, being thanked. Her mother hadn't thanked her in years. Børge never had, but that went without saying. She didn't know how to react, how to express the warm feeling that welled up inside her.

Another jolt of guilt flashed through her a heartbeat later. Mom. What if she hurt herself? What if the doctor doesn't come by to feed her? Muninn clapped her hands to her face. No! She'd be fine.

"You alright there?" Kjell asked.

"Yeah," Muninn said. The smugglers didn't need to know about her mother. There was nothing they could do, anyways. As long as they got her close to the demon king, that was all she needed.

Gently, Gunnel cleared his throat. "Time is wasting."

"Right, let's push on. The lake awaits us."

At that, Muninn perked up. "The lake?" Could it be?

Kjell nodded. "Lake Sølvvann. The Lake of Tears."

She frowned. "Of tears?" Wasn't it supposed to be the Silver Lake?

Kjell clicked his tongue. "You'll see."

The party fell silent. They trudged on, following Gunnel's lead. Through bushes, over fallen tree trunks, he led the way, sure as a compass without so much as glancing at a map.

Muninn fell back in the pack, brows knitted. What was that dream about? That sword was the Demon-Killing Sword, no doubt. It must have been a nightmare, at the end, not a memory. Ulf wouldn't have melted from the sword, but turned to ash. She rubbed the back of her neck. Her nightmare, or Sigurd's? Does it matter?

The dark purple clouds had to be miasma. She'd never seen miasma roll in so fast. Is that what happened when the demons first went mad? A chill passed over her skin. The dwarf had gone mad in a matter of seconds. If he was so affected, then what about the others? The demons in the streets? If something like the jotun went mad, something so enormous and powerful as him... how did anyone survive?

She caught Vivi staring at her from the corner of her eyes and half-turned to look at her. Rather than make eye contact, Vivi darted her eyes to the ground. Muninn frowned. She saw the sword at work. Was this reaction because of that? They were smugglers. What if Vivi went after the sword?

Her eyes narrowed, but she looked away rather than challenge Vivi. She still had the sword. If Vivi wanted it, she could have taken it while Muninn was passed out. It's probably something else.

Day wore into evening. High above, one of the woman-horse-bird creatures circled, an odd guardian. As the others put up their tents and found places for their bedrolls, Muninn, without either chore to attend to, watched the creature. It settled in a tree, four equine legs tipped in claws for better purchase, and stared down at them with its tiny human face. It caught sight of Muninn watching it and chittered. Sharp teeth glittered in the low sun, its mouth cluttered with them.

"We'll reach the lake tomorrow," Kjell announced to no one and everyone. "Gunnel, are we making good enough time for the detour?"

Gunnel nodded from where he sat, face already turned into the night on lookout. "Should be. Rains won't come for another week if the westerly wind keeps blowing."

"Good. I don't want another... don't want to repeat my mistake." Something about the way he said it made Muninn turn. He looked pale, uncertain, but only for a second. Then it was gone, hidden behind the same smile as ever.

Behind him, Huginn's frown deepened. He turned away.

Kjell noticed her looking and turned his smile on her. "What are you looking at?" he asked.

You, she was tempted to say, but from the way he was grinning, she might as well ask for trouble. Instead, she pointed up at the creature. "What is that?"

For a second, the smile slipped again. "A lesser valkyrie." The grin returned, bright as before, but this time even she could tell it was forced. "Some people say they're an ill omen since they're carrion birds, but I think they're cute."

Niina faked retching as she passed by. "Want me to shoot it?"

Muninn grinned, secretly agreeing with her. They were too weird to be cute.

"Don't, they taste awful and the smell will attract every other valkyrie in a hundred-mile radius, and what if there's a greater valkyrie nearby?" Vivi interjected as quickly as she could, words tripping over each other on their way out.

"I was joking," Niina said, rolling her eyes. "Everyone knows it's bad luck to shoot one."

Bad luck. An ill omen. Muninn bit her lip and glanced back, just in time to watch the valkyrie fly away. Its wings cracked like broken bones, softened into dove-beats. The bad luck is gone, she thought hopefully. But as it dwindled to a shadow and vanished, she couldn't help but worry that bad luck was never so easy to get rid of.