Exton

I make my way back to the back room where I left Raina and Star. It doesn't look like Star has moved since then. "How is she?," I ask. Raina shrugs. "She hasn't moved a muscle since you left… just lies there."

I swear, quietly and venomously. "Those bastards are dead. I don't care how long it takes or what it takes out of me, they're dead. I'll strangle them with their own guts before I shove my sword up their asses and give it a good twist."

Raina winces. "Please, Erik - that's no way to treat a good sword."

I give her a crooked smile. "Ah, the prodigal brother returns," she says. "How many people did you have to pound on to find that?"

"Just one, and he did most of the pounding." I go on to tell her about Guunnar. "Next time, just throw me to the Midgard Serpent. It's safer."

Now she gives me a grin. "I thought he was kinda fun, actually."

"Huh?" It takes a minute for that to sink in. "You - you and Guunnar?"

"And Nick." She grins again. "It was really memorable, but he's not as big as the Midgard Serpent. Parts of him, though…." She laughs at my discomfiture. "Why, Erik, are you blushing?"