Free The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris Page A

more than a halfwit. There were no objects on display here; no weapons, no jewellery; only a pile of raw materials: metals, pieces of sacking, animal skins, lumps of wood and other pieces of detritus more suited to a ragman’s cart than to an artist’s studio. And it stank; of sweat and goat and smoke and oil and sulphur. Hard to imagine that out of this mess could ever come anything beautiful.
    However, I was suspicious. I watched the two brothers carefully as they began work, and saw that, although they both seemed boorish and slow, Sindri had very nimble hands, and Brokk’s arms were very strong as he worked at the giant bellows that would bring the forge to sufficient heat.
    This gave me a sudden idea. ‘I’m going outside for some air,’ I said. ‘Call me when you’ve finished.’
    I went into the passageway and shifted my Aspect to that of a fly. A gadfly, to be precise; quick and sharp and annoying.I flew back into the workshop unseen and watched from the shadows as Brokk picked up a piece of raw gold and flung it into the heart of the forge.
    Sindri was casting runes into the fire. His style was eccentric, but he was fast, and I watched with curiosity as the piece of gold began to take shape; spinning and turning over the coals.
    ‘Now, Brokk,’ said Sindri. ‘The bellows, quick! If the piece cools before its time . . .’
    Brokk started to pump the giant bellows for all he was worth. Sindri, with his delicate hands, was casting runes as fast as he could.
    I was starting to feel a little nervous. The piece that hung between them was looking quite impressive. Still in my gadfly Aspect, I buzzed up to Brokk, with his bellows, and stung him sharply on the hand. He cursed, but didn’t flinch, and moments later the piece was complete: a beautiful golden arm-ring, worked and chiselled with hundreds of runes.
    I flew back into the passageway, assumed my human Aspect again and rapidly pulled on my clothes.
    A moment later, Brokk came to find me and showed me the golden arm-ring.
    ‘This is Draupnir,’ he said, with a grin. ‘A gift from me for your General. On every ninth night, she’ll give birth to eight rings just like her. Do the maths, Trickster. I’ve just given your people the key to unending wealth. Quite a princely gift, don’t you think?’
    ‘Not bad,’ I shrugged. ‘But the spear makes Odin invincible. Which one do you think he’ll value most?’
    Brokk went back into the workshop, muttering. I resumed my gadfly Aspect and followed him.
    This time, from the pile of materials, Brokk selected a pigskin and a fist-sized lump of gold, and flung them both into the fire. While his brother shot runes at the work in progress, Brokk wielded the bellows, and something big began to emerge; something that growled and grunted and snarled and glared withburning amber eyes from the golden heart of the forge.
    Once more I flew towards Brokk and stung him on the neck. He yelled, but never stopped working the bellows. A moment later, Sindri pulled out a giant golden boar from the forge, and I fled back to get dressed again.
    ‘This is Gullin-bursti,’ said Brokk, as he showed me result of their work. ‘He’ll carry Frey across the sky on his back, and light the way ahead.’
    I noticed that he gave the word ‘ahead’ an inflexion I didn’t like at all. But I shrugged again, and said: ‘Not bad. But the sons of Ivaldi have given Frey mastery of the ocean. And what about the Thunderer? You’ll have to work harder to please Thor. The sons of Ivaldi have given him a wife whose beauty will be the envy of every woman, and the desire of every man. Can you and your brother offer more?’
    Brokk glared and went inside without a word. In gadfly Aspect I followed him, and watched as, still glaring, he pulled from the pile of raw materials a piece of iron as big as his head. He threw it into the heart of the forge, then, as Sindri started to shape it with runes, he wielded the bellows, his face turning red with