The Serpent & The Dead: A Marvel: Legends of Asgard Novel (Marvel Legends of Asgard) by Anna Stephens

Author:Anna Stephens [Stephens, Anna]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: epic fantasy, superheroes, Marvel
Publisher: Aconyte
Published: 2021-08-03T00:00:00+00:00

Fifteen

The Mountain’s Secrets

Sif slipped through the darkness like a blade. She extended her senses for movement, sound, even body heat other than her own, straining into the darkness that was on the cusp of becoming dawn.

She didn’t take the direct approach, stepping off the path as soon as she left Brunnhilde behind and looping far to the east. The ground was more broken here, slowing her further, but she willingly sacrificed speed for stealth. There was no movement on the trail or at the cave mouth the closer she got. Sif didn’t trust it. The snatched souls were in there, which meant their quarry was in there, and Loki was never one to leave himself unguarded. Even his vast arrogance didn’t extend to considering himself safe while being in possession of dozens of einherjar that he knew Asgard would come for one way or the other. He would have taken all the necessary precautions. And yet the cave mouth was unwatched.

It had to be a trap. Sif was of the opinion most things were, which is why she was still alive. Up close, the cave mouth was even bigger than she’d estimated. Easily twice the height of the tallest giant. Sif crouched fifty yards east of it and studied the trail and the entrance for long, slow minutes. No movement. No sound. Not the slightest hint of light in its gaping maw. Whatever had the einherjar in its grip was deep, deep within the mountain itself. The eastern sky was indigo, the stars beginning to lose their sharpness, when Sif made her way back to the Valkyrie’s hiding place.

Brunnhilde was tense until they made definite eye contact, Dragonfang loose in her hand. “How are you? What are you feeling?” she whispered as soon as Sif settled in at her side.

The warrior blinked. “What? Fine. Honestly, I feel fine. It’s impossible to see anything in there – no flickers of light, no movement of giants or warriors or anyone. No noise. If it wasn’t for the deathglow, I’d have said it was abandoned.”

“So, we just walk in?” Brunnhilde asked, skeptical.

“Well, I was thinking more of creeping in, but essentially, yes. Dawn is coming, and while that will give us light to see into the cavern entrance, it will also outline us to anyone in there. If that is a mountain giant nest, they’ll know every inch of it no matter how dark it is. We are going to be at a disadvantage no matter what we do, so we may as well just get on with it.”

The Valkyrie stared past Sif towards the cave. “I can’t decide whether that’s reckless or not, but it’s not as if we have much choice. At least once I’m in there, I should be able to sense whether there are jump-dampeners. If not, then even if we are spotted it doesn’t matter – I can just move us somewhere else.”

“And if you can’t?” Sif asked, fingers clenching and unclenching with the need to move.

Brunnhilde patted her sword hilt.

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