and he pursed
and he pursed his lips. "Whatever's up, it certainly bodes to be interesting."
"Huh. You just said a mouthful, friend."
Living in interesting times was a curse I could've done without. I reholstered the P-7.
"You'll point out the way to Loki, then?"
He shook his head. Mistrust had crept into his eyes. Baldr was supposed to've been the trusting type. Clearly, he'd learned caution in the eons he'd been stuck in this slimepit of a world.
"No, I think not. This game is too serious for blundering about in the dark. My hostess will want to speak with you, at the very least."
"I thought Hel was only interested in dead men."
His smile was sincere enough. "True; but this is her world, after all, and we are but guests in it. She would not be pleased if you refused an audience. And believe me, no living mortal within her sphere of influence would want to anger her. I am not complaining, understand. She's a good hostess. But you are out of place here, so the same rules don't exactly apply to you."
I didn't bother to observe that so far none of the rules had applied to me.
"Come, pack up your strange belongings and follow me; I'll take you to Hel."
I didn't care for the sound of that; but didn't see that I had much choice.
We struck out along the shoreline. Baldr said conversationally, "I couldn't help noticing that the Sly Biter is with you."
"The what?" I glanced around involuntarily.
"The Sly Biter. Your knife. I'd always wondered what had become of it. Somehow, I'm not too surprised it wound up in your hands. It has a way of turning up precisely when and where it's needed. How'd it find you?"
I started to comment; then shut my lips. I shouldn't have been surprised.
"You recognize this thing, huh?" I slipped the knife out of its sheath and
"Huh. You just said a mouthful, friend."
Living in interesting times was a curse I could've done without. I reholstered the P-7.
"You'll point out the way to Loki, then?"
He shook his head. Mistrust had crept into his eyes. Baldr was supposed to've been the trusting type. Clearly, he'd learned caution in the eons he'd been stuck in this slimepit of a world.
"No, I think not. This game is too serious for blundering about in the dark. My hostess will want to speak with you, at the very least."
"I thought Hel was only interested in dead men."
His smile was sincere enough. "True; but this is her world, after all, and we are but guests in it. She would not be pleased if you refused an audience. And believe me, no living mortal within her sphere of influence would want to anger her. I am not complaining, understand. She's a good hostess. But you are out of place here, so the same rules don't exactly apply to you."
I didn't bother to observe that so far none of the rules had applied to me.
"Come, pack up your strange belongings and follow me; I'll take you to Hel."
I didn't care for the sound of that; but didn't see that I had much choice.
We struck out along the shoreline. Baldr said conversationally, "I couldn't help noticing that the Sly Biter is with you."
"The what?" I glanced around involuntarily.
"The Sly Biter. Your knife. I'd always wondered what had become of it. Somehow, I'm not too surprised it wound up in your hands. It has a way of turning up precisely when and where it's needed. How'd it find you?"
I started to comment; then shut my lips. I shouldn't have been surprised.
"You recognize this thing, huh?" I slipped the knife out of its sheath and