“I said I would kill you!” she says as she keeps up her advance.
“Please, Eidunn.”
She rushes forward, making me jolt back. As she swings at me, her foot catches on something. She trips, landing on her knees and collapsing into sobs.
“Fuck…” I say, stepping forward to kick the knife away.
This woman would have killed me with my own knife. Now she lies in a tired heap, crying a river. I sit next to her and fold my arms around her—hopefully her anger is gone.
“It’s okay,” I whisper. “He won’t hurt you again.”
Her weeping intensifies. I stroke her golden locks, soothing her like a child. My voice drops low and smooth like honey.
“It’s over.”
“No!” she shouts, pushing me off. Her eyes burn in the twilight. “It’s not, you fucking idiot.”
“What? But?—”
She stands, wiping her face with her sleeve. I raise myself in reaction. Not a good idea to be on the floor in front of someone who might kick or stab you.
“You’re so fucking stupid,” she says.
“Tell me why then!” My temper simmers beneath my care for Eidunn. All I’ve been through for her, and she thanks me by attacking and insulting me?
“You murdered Njord!”
“It was a lawful duel!” I shout back as tears run down my heated cheeks.
“You’re so fucking crazy!” she screeches. “Everything was better before you came!”
“The man beat you!”
“What the fuck do you know?” she shakes both her arms at me. “Stupid girl!”
“I don’t understa?—”
“No, you don’t.” She steps forward, making me raise my hands, ready for another attack. “Because it’s not your fucking business!”
She breathes heavily, standing in front of me for a few seconds. Her chest heaves with every breath. Never have I seen a person so mad, so frenzied. I raise my palms carefully.
“Calm down. Let’s talk.”
“You think you’re so fucking smart, huh? The all-knowing Volva.”
“No, I thought?—”
“You made everything worse.”
“How? I just wanted to help.”
She stares me dead in the face.
“Njord never hurt me,” she says. “It wasn’t him.”
My jaw drops.
“What? But… then who?—”
