“This was what Odin found when at length he had wended the weary road home. With his hard-won new wisdom, he did not want strife in Asgard. The Vanir were still his foemen. Besides, these were his brothers.

“He was the foremost of skinturners. He made himself into a flea and bit the upstart kings, over and over. He made himself into a fly and buzzed around them every dawn. They grew haggard from lack of sleep. When they sat in the high seat before the gods, he was a louse that danced in their beards for all to see, but they could never catch him. He became a worm and burrowed through those apples of Ydun’s, the apples of youthfulness, which were to be Vili’s and Ve’s, making the fruit too disgusting to eat. In all this grief there was nothing of honor. The gods began to laugh. That is worse than hatred.

“When Loki deemed the time ripe, he told Odin to ride into Asgard. ‘Welcome back,’ said Vii and Ve grimly. ‘We have no further wish to dwell in a stead so ill kept and are glad to lay down the burden of it.’ Thereupon they left. Odin has heard no more from them. He took back his lordship and his queen. By his wise words he wrought peace with the Vanir.

“But first, after what Loki had done, Odin swore blood brotherhood with him and gave him a seat among the gods. Already he knew something of what a troublebrewer this was. Yet he owed him much. Also, he thought, the gods might well have use for the cunning and deftness of Laufey’s son Loki.

“And they did. But ever oftener, the woes he helped them deal with were of his own making; and more and more did he wreak sheer evil—”

Hadding went silent. Tired and drunken, Vigleik had fallen asleep, snoring and sprawled on the floor. Ketil nodded heavily and his eyelids sank. “My throat is dry, wet though the evening be,” Hadding said. “Give me another drink.”

“Indeed, fellow Dane,” slurred from Ketil. He reached the horn over. “Hoo, it’s gotten late, no? Vigleik, wake. We’ve a task, don’t we?” He shook the Geat but aroused no answer. “Well, well, a hard day yesterday, we’ve a right to our rest, no hurry, no hurry. Say on, friend.”

There was scant need. Ketil too drowsed off while Hadding told a bit more.

Dusk stole in like the chill. When he was sure both his keepers were deep in slumber, Hadding smashed the horn against the roofpost. It splintered. The shards were sharp. He used them to saw his bonds across.