Winter Lost

Interlude

Asibikaashi (Grandmother Spider)

Asibikaashi relaxed into the hot steam and closed her eyes. It would be a while now before the mortal children came to perform their ceremony here. Hours.

She was more tired than she’d thought, but the satisfaction of a job well done warmed her more thoroughly than the water. It had been interesting walking in the world again. Possibly she should leave her cabin more often.

She slid lower until the water touched her chin. She could teach some of the young people a thing or two, maybe.

The spirit of the lake had lingered for a while, but she wasn’t one to talk. She’d just needed more reassurance that she’d done right by Hugo.

That had been an odd thing, giving a dog—no matter how intelligent and ancient—a human life. Of course, the poor dear had been terrified of death. Immortal things should not try to be mortal.

As if called by her thoughts, someone got into the hot water beside her with a happy sigh.

She didn’t bother to open her eyes to look at Coyote.

“You took some chances there,” she said. “What if we hadn’t been able to fix her? For that matter, what if your interference had caused the end of the world instead of the saving of it?”

He waved an airy hand and made a noise. “I never intended to save the world—why would I? True that I had no intention of causing the end, either. I had intended to twit that idiot Ymir.”

She did look at him then.

He laughed. “You should see your face, old woman. That was the expression on Ymir’s face when I told him about the Great Spell.”

“Hugo told him about the Great Spell, too,” she said.

“Yup,” he agreed. “That was unexpected. Not that it mattered.” He dipped under the water. When he popped up again, he spat water out in a small fountain, grinning as she sputtered at him.

“I told Ymir the whole thing months earlier,” Coyote said. “That’s why he had time to hire thieves—and I sent Gary to make nice with John Hunter.” He smiled slyly. “Hrímnir.”

“You set up an interesting game,” agreed Grandmother Spider. She could spin webs, too. “Wasn’t your son clever enough to play it out?”

“Gary would have managed,” Coyote said. “My boy is good in a rough situation.”

“But you found out Mercy needed help,” said Asibikaashi in a soft voice. “And you changed the game for her.”

He gave her a look she couldn’t read.