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Fen blew out a long breath. "Not really? I don't know how to feel about it yet. I devoted my life to Odin, and he walked away from me. That's what I was worth to him. I don't even want to go to sleep tonight because I know I'll dream about him."
Khan nodded. "I understand that. I don't want to sleep because I know I'll dream about Ankhara burning."
Fen kicked off her boots and sat down on his bed. "Then we stay up together." Fen thought of all the ways she would like to stay up with him but knew it wasn't the right time for that kind of mischief. "I know. You can tell me a story."
Khan smiled. "Then you had best move over."
Fen wriggled over, tucking one of his pillows under her head. Khan climbed in beside her, so they were lying side by side, facing each other. It was comfortable and intimate and was precisely what she needed to settle her woundedhugr.
She knew he could be cruel, all the gods could, but Odin abandoning her for a bet felt especially malicious.
Khan's dark eyes studied the lines of her face. "I know you're hurt about your gods and their games, but now that you know about it, I think it would be wise for them to fear you."
"Is that so? Am I so terrifying?"
"Fen, I watched you climb through a body of a dead chimera. I would have to be crazy not to think you are terrifying," Khan replied, making Fen laugh.
"I suppose that was pretty impressive." Fen's expression turned violent. "I hope Hasina remembers it well when she sees us again."
"A woman's wrath is truly something to be feared." Khan's expression brightened. "That reminds me of the perfect Inanna story to tell you."
Fen snuggled in. "I like where this is going."
"Once, Inanna decided to have an afternoon nap under the shade of a poplar tree," Khan began, propping his head up with one hand. "The tree was looked after by a gardener called Shukaletuda, who was so terrible at his job that only the poplar tree lived. When he went to rest under it himself, he was surprised to find the goddess there and seeing so much beauty and unable to resist, he decided to rape her."
Fen growled. "Are you fucking kidding me?"
"Shh, it gets better, I promise," Khan said, poking her in the side.
"It better."
"Inanna awoke to Shukaletuda on top of her, and her wrath knew no bounds. Shukaletuda ran away as fast as he could and hid. Inanna wouldn't stop until the miscreant was brought to justice. In her rage, she released plagues upon the earth and turned the water into blood."
"Like a queen," Fen said with a grin.
"Shukaletuda was terrified, and his father told him to go into the city where he could hide amongst more people. Unable to find Shukaletuda in the mountains and plains, Inanna sent floods to block all roads. Finally, she went to Ea, the great god of magicians, and asked for his help. Ea agreed, and together they flew across the sky as a rainbow until they found the miscreant, Shukaletuda.
"Instead of being penitent, he made up excuses for his actions, trying to make it sound as if it was her fault for lying so exposed in his gardens. Inanna was so furious, she took one of her swords from her back and cut off his manhood, feeding it to her lions in front of him, before she cut off his screaming head." Khan lay down on his pillow. "And that is why if a rapist is caught in Atrahasis, the punishment is the same. You see? Never underestimate a woman's wrath."
Fen nodded. "Wise, wise words and a good story. Too often in myths, the women are shamed for actions that were none of their fault."
"Did that ever happen to your goddess, Freya?" Khan asked.
"There is one story where Lokitriedto shame Freya, saying that she had fucked all of the gods and elves in Asgard. All that came of the accusation was her and Njörðr, the god of the sea, telling him to shut up because at least her liaisons didn't end up with monstrous children," Fen replied, making Khan laugh. "You know that beautiful necklace she wears?"
"I couldn't see much in the dream because it was night, but yes, I saw she wore a necklace," Khan replied.
Fen smiled slyly. "It's a magical necklace called Brísingamen, made by the finest dwarven smiths in all of Svartalfheim. One story says that she saw the four dwarves making it and offered them silver and gold for it. They agreed to give it to her but only if she slept with them. She stayed with them for four days and four nights, and the necklace was around her throat when she left on the fifth day. Sex for a magical necklace seems like a good bargain."
Khan laughed softly. "Well, you've gotten two necklaces out of me and haven't had to sleep with me once."
"Yet," Fen replied before she could bite her tongue.
Khan's eyes widened. "Yet?"
"I wasn't sure if you still wanted to. You haven't mentioned it," she admitted.
Khan made a frustrated sound. "You've been wounded, and we were under attack. Things have changed. I'm…I'm no longer a prince, for a start."
