BOOK 3. Trapped in Asgard after Odin's apparent death, Anna chooses an unlikely ally in her attempt to find Loki. While the realm is sealed from the rest of the Nine Worlds, her strange dreams lead her to the one place she'd never expect.
To him...
Outside The Golden Boar Anna hesitates, causing Sigyn to narrowly avoid bumping into her. They'd managed to escape the citadel without drawing any unwanted attention, and Sigyn only needed to cast two spells on guards in order for Anna to slip past them at the gates. All in all, it had been easy up until this point. The problem, however, is what awaits them inside.
"Are you ready?" Sigyn asks. "Amora is one of the more powerful wielders of magic in Asgard. Her assistance will be difficult to gain, but not impossible."
Anna nods, "I'm ready."
The two women enter the tavern without saying another word, slipping from darkness to darkness, and Anna barely manages to stifle a gasp at what she sees inside. The interior of The Golden Boar is luxurious, with rich silks draped over half-naked women as they dance around the tavern. Instead of men ogling the women, however, it seems that the roles have been reversed inside these walls, and there are far more women present than men.
A woman scantily clad in blue silk smirks as she walks past them, winking at Sigyn, before guiding a lovestruck man behind her toward the stairs leading up to the second floor. He sips at mead, barely aware of his surroundings, before disappearing.
"I thought this was a tavern," she hisses to Sigyn. "This seems more like a brothel."
Sigyn smiles at her foreign friend, "It is a house of pleasure. I can assure you, all who come here are willing participants, and there is no buying or selling of any kind - except for the alcohol, of course."
"And Amora is here?" Anna asks, smoothing her hands self-consciously over the front of her dress. Compared to most of the women here, she's dressed like a nun, but she can't help but feel very exposed even in the dim lighting.
"She's right in front of you," a woman's voice says to their right, causing Anna to pivot quickly.
A gorgeous blonde stands before them, scantily clad in a shimmering deep green silk dress, her emerald eyes glinting in the candlelight. She lifts an eyebrow as she recognizes Sigyn before pursing her lips as she lets her eyes rake over Anna. The brunette shifts uncomfortably and crosses her arms in front of her chest.
"Amora," Sigyn says flatly.
The woman smiles, and Anna feels the hair on the back of her neck prickle at the hungry smile curling up Amora's lips.
"Sigyn," Amora replies. "To what do I owe this..." she pauses, glancing at Anna before purring the next word, "pleasure."
She takes a step toward Anna, tracing her index finger down the brunette's cheek before running it across her exposed collarbone. Like a tiger stalking its prey, circling in closely, she steps closer and inhales deeply. Anna's eyelids flutter closed, the luscious scent of sandalwood and vanilla overwhelming her senses, as Amora's finger continues its path to the back of her neck as she continues her circle. It's intoxicating and seductive, so much so that she finds herself forgetting to breathe until Sigyn's voice breaks the spell and her eyes snap open.
"Enough, Amora," Sigyn rolls her eyes. "We've no time for your games."
Amora frowns, her pink lips forming a perfect pout, and Anna's heart lurches at the sight, "Oh, but games are such fun. Are they not, Midgardian?"
"H-h-how..." Anna stammers, barely able to form a coherent thought.
"I've heard rumors of you," the gorgeous blonde continues. "They say you've ensnared the Trickster. Tamed him. How..." she sighs and tilts her head, "...utterly boring."
Next to her, Sigyn reaches into her bag and pulls out a rune-covered stone. She takes a step toward her friend, slipping the stone into Anna's palm, and forces her to curl her fingers closed around its smooth, cool surface. Like a glass of ice cold water on a summer day, Anna blinks slowly as a sensation of clarity drips over her body. It's as if a veil has been lifted, and she inhales deeply before shaking her head to clear the mental fog.
"Tsk, tsk," Amora tuts, watching as Anna slowly regains herself. "She would've made a wonderful plaything."
Sigyn waves her hand, "You have enough of those, don't you think? Besides, I come bearing a gift."
"Gift? Do tell."
"I can help you release your sister," Sigyn says with a smirk.
Amora inhales sharply, "Lorelei? How?"
Two giggling women brush past them, and Anna sidesteps one of them before shifting closer to Sigyn. She grips the stone in her palm tightly, aware of its grounding presence in the midst of whatever magic Amora had cast on her, before turning her attention to the green-eyed blonde whose seductive defenses seemed to have fallen at the mention of her sister.
"I have my ways," Sigyn replies with a knowing smirk. "But first, we need something from you."
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