But Thori wouldn’t back down. He swung again, sending lightning her way, and the Bog Mother staggered backwards, surprise flickering across her too-perfect face. For the first time, she looked almost mortal.
“Njord?”
Thori took an anxious glance over his shoulder, finding Njord frozen in place, his eyes still clouded with that awful red tint. Whatever she’d done to him, it hadn’t let go.
Sending another bout of lightning her way, Thori forced her to stumble a few more steps backwards. That was all he needed. He dropped to his knees beside Njord, cupping his face with one hand while keeping the hammer raised like a barrier toward the Bog Mother.
But Njord didn’t react, his gaze vacant and his breath shallow.
“Njord,” Thori whispered urgently. “Master. Beloved. Come back to me. Don’t let her win.”
Njord blinked slowly, unfocused, and Thori kissed him.
He tasted salt and storm and Njord. Warm and alive andhis. So Thori poured everything he had into that kiss, every unspoken word, every moment of trust and terror, and this terrifying feeling that he couldn’tbewithout Njord anymore.
Njord gasped as if suddenly coming up for air, his hands flying up to cup Thori’s face in return. The red drained from his eyes like blood washed away by moving water until they were clear and blue again.
“Thori—”
“I’m here.”
The Bog Mother screamed, high and terrible, and Thori looked up just as she lunged for them. But Njord was already moving, rolling them to the side, and helping Thori regain his footing. Njord’s power surged, and the water of the lake rose to his command. Together, they struck. Lightning and water, storm and sea. The hammer sang in Thori’s hands as he channeled his power through it, and Njord’s tsunami crashed down on the ancient goddess as if the sea itself had risen, not only the waters of a muddy bog lake. Thori could feel his mother’sseiðrand Ahti’s mighty water power joining them, and the force of their combined attack drove the Bog Mother back, away from the shore, deeper into the lake.
“Go back into your marshy grave,” Ahti roared.
And Thori hurled more lightning at the Bog Mother, hitting her squarely in the chest.
Her beautiful face twisted with rage, and then she was sinking, dissolving; her human body turning into mist and marsh-gas.
The lake swallowed her whole.
A horrible shriek echoed across the water like the dying breath of a huge bird.
And then there was silence.
Thori grasped Njord’s hand, sighing in relief. Looking over to the opposite shore, the chariot was still there, but Svanhild was gone. She’d fled, taking her remainingvölurwith her.
“We should go after her,” Thori said to Njord.
“Yes.”
Njord moved toward the shore, his gaze scanning the foggy forest on the other side.
“Thori.” Frigga touched his sleeve, pulling him into an embrace.
Thori hugged her back, relieved his mother was well, but as her arms closed around him, he felt her casting.
“Mom, wait—”
But herseiðrwas already wrapping around him like silken chains. He tried to fight it, to pull away, but Frigga’s magic was too strong, too desperate. She was taking them home. Taking him back to Asgard.
“No!” He reached for Njord, who whirled around, face going white with understanding. “Njord—”
Their fingers brushed, and then the world tilted.
The last thing Thori saw before theseiðrswallowed him was Njord’s stricken expression. Anger, and something that almost looked like fear.
Then there was only the rainbow light of theBifröst, and his mother’s voice soft in his ear.
