It did – Idun’s golden apples were known throughout the Nine Worlds. They were Ivaldi’s wedding gift to her when she moved in with Bragi, and as well as conferring perpetual youth (always a bonus when applying for godhood), they also acted as a kind of universal tonic, healing most ills, from warts to the pox, and all but the most lethal of wounds. My cuts and bruises healed at once; the pain in my body disappeared; my glam was restored to its usual strength.

‘Thanks. That hit the spot,’ I said. ‘Now about that tree . . .’

She looked at me with eyes that were innocent as summer sky. ‘Shouldn’t we tell Bragi first? Or Odin – he’ll know what to do.’

‘What, and disappoint them if the apples don’t turn out to be like yours? No, let’s just go and check for ourselves. Then, if it’s good news, we’ll all celebrate.’

I told you she was innocent. No sense of threat or danger at all. It was like abducting a kitten – but then, I was already running so many risks that the last thing I wanted at that point was a challenge.

I shielded us with the rune Ýr as we passed Heimdall’s lookout post on the Bridge. Then I led Idun as fast as I could into the plains of the Middle World. It wasn’t easy – she stopped to sniff every flower on the way and to listen to every bird – but at last the enemy found us. In eagle Aspect he tracked us down, then, swooping from the leaden sky he picked up Idun, basket and all, in his talons and flew away.

I cast the rune Bjarkán as he left and focused on his signature. As I’d suspected, my avian friend was one of the Ice Folk – one of the worst. His name was Thiassi, and he was a warlord of the far North, an ally of Gullveig, armed with her runes, and I’d just given him what he most craved – Idun’s apples, eternal youth, and the chance to make a serious bid for godhood.

Well, so far so good, I thought. Perhaps my misadventure could be turned to my advantage. After all, if I wanted to bring down the gods, Thiassi could be an ally – except that he had already got what he wanted from me by then, which rather reduced my bargaining power. Besides, the Ice Folk hated me; I’d earned a reputation by then as the Trickster of the gods, and it wouldn’t be easy to convince the enemy of my change of heart. I didn’t blame them. Frankly, I wouldn’t have trusted me either.