Frey would call him a stupid oaf for bragging about his heritage in front of his enemies, but Thori wouldn’t hide who he was.
The way the girl was staring at him, she shared his brother’s opinion.
“No, you’re not.”
“Aren’t I?”
She eyed the shackles around his wrists warily, taking in the bruises he could feel blooming on his temple and cheekbone.
“You’re a captured warrior. You’re from Asgard.” She paused, shivering in the cool wind wafting through the camp. “But you’re not Thori Odinsson.”
Thori couldn’t help but laugh. He loosened his cloak. It was a little battered from the fight but still mostly intact.
“What’s your name?”
Pulling the cloak from his shoulders, Thori pushed the fabric through the bars, offering it to her.
Still, she hesitated, frowning in confusion.
“What are you doing?”
“You’re freezing.”
“But what about you? You—you’re hurt.”
Thori shrugged.
“Don’t worry about me. I can handle the cold.”
“You’re mad,” she breathed.
“So, what’s your name?” he asked again. “I’m Thori.”
“Sveinn will kill you if you keep talking like this.”
“Let him try.”
She shook her head but pulled the cloak to her chest. “I’m Andora.”
“All hail, Andora of theVanir.”
His words brought a slight smile to her lips, and the tension in her shoulders eased a little.
Leaning back against the bars of his cage, Thori exhaled slowly. His head was throbbing, and exhaustion was creeping up on him.
“Where do you come from?” he asked after a while. Although she was aVanr, Thori suspected she wasn’t from Saeborg’s citadel.
“A farmstead at the edge of the Shipbreaker’s domain. Sveinn’s men came two months ago—” she faltered. “They killed anyone who fought back, and took the rest of us—” Her voice trailed off. She wrapped her arms tighter around her knees. Like this, she looked small. Lost.
These hadn’t been Thori’s men, not even Asgardian raiders, but he couldn’t help but feel a stab of guilt hearing about her fate.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly.
“I don’t need your pity,” she hissed, suddenly angry. “It doesn’t change anything.”
“No,” Thori agreed. “But the day will come when I’m going to kill Sveinn. I’ll make sure to kill him in your name, too.”
Biting her lip, Andora looked straight ahead. Thori let the girl have her silence, but as he watched her and the other youngVanirout of the corner of his eye, he couldn’t help but wonder what would become of them. Asgard’s claim to rule over the remaining eight worlds made him feel responsible for the fate of their inhabitants, too.
