Digital Divinity by Ford Rachel

Author:Ford, Rachel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shadow Alley Press
Published: 2022-11-29T00:00:00+00:00

Quest offered: Apple of My Eye. Do you accept this quest?

<<<>>>

Barbara selected Yes, and the game told her:

<<<>>>

New Quest Started: Apple of My Eye

Heimdall has asked you to aid him in the search for the missing Asgardian apples. You will need to find them before four days have passed, or Idun will be forced to flee Asgard.

Objective Added: Speak to Idun about the crime

<<<>>>

Which was easy enough, as Idun immediately launched into an explanation of what happened. She had stayed late at the feast, she said, and come to her bed directly. She hadn’t noticed anything amiss with the apples at that time, but she hadn’t thought to check on them, either.

“No one would plunder the orchard. Why would they? The apples are free to everyone, and no one needs more than one at a time.”

It had been this morning, after she took her breakfast, that she first realized anything was amiss. “I went to tend the trees. I sing to them in the mornings, you know, and bring them offerings of flowers and sweet herbs. Anyway, I went out to tend them, and I saw – well, exactly what you will see, if you go out there yourself. Not a single apple anywhere. Every branch bare of its fruit.”

Her eyes watered, and her voice choked in her throat.

“Do you have any idea what might have happened?” Barbara asked.

“That’s obvious, isn’t it?” Carwyn asked.

“Is it?”

He nodded briskly. “Of course. Someone got wise to the kind of money these things would fetch back home.”

“In Midgard?” Heimdall asked.

“Whatever you call it,” he said. “But yes. They loaded up all they could carry and headed back over that rainbow bridge. They’re at market now, making a fat profit. Damned clever rascal, whoever it is.”

Barbara glared at him, and he shrugged. “It wasn’t me. But it doesn’t mean I don’t admire the man’s ingenuity, that’s all.”

“I’ve got an alternative theory,” Heimdall put in, a dark look coming into his eyes. “I think it was that rat, Loki.”

Idun laid a hand on Heimdall’s. “Now, my dear, what should he need all those apples for? And he, being youngest of us all?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe he’s planning that little invasion of his.”

“The All-Father says that isn’t to happen for an age.”

“Well, maybe he got his timetables mixed up. Or maybe this is one of that snake’s little tricks. But I smell his handiwork here.”

Idun smiled gently. “Perhaps.”

“I know you think I’m too hard on him,” he said. “And perhaps you’re right. But I can’t think what else might have happened to them.”

Idun turned to Barbara. “Perhaps you would like to investigate the orchard yourself?” Then, throwing a glance in Heimdall’s direction, she added, “And maybe even have a word with Loki? Just in case.”

“And who knows,” Heimdall said. “There may be witnesses you can speak to. The neighbors might have seen something.”

Here, the game alerted her that her objective to speak to Idun was complete, and added four new ones:

<<<>>>

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.