Weather radars had tracked the epicenter of the storm to the nearby mountain peak, Storen. What baffled meteorologists more than the random conjugation of frigid air was the fact that the storm did not move. Normally, cold air from the Atlantic moved East between the mountain valleys before warming and rising. What the radars didn't show, and what the meteorologists couldn't see, was the group of Jotun's at Storen's peak, fueling the storm's icy rage.

Wading through the knee-deep snow, unfazed by the sharp flakes whirling through the air, came Sigyn, her vacant face as bleak as the barren slopes. Though her death was imminent, she would not give Åsa the satisfaction of her fear.

Her form solidified as she steadily walked through the haze, until her lone figure was visible before the Jotuns.

"Finally done running, Ransdottr?" Åsa said with a smirk.

Sigyn stopped, planting her feet deep in the snow. "You're a fucking moron. Causing all this commotion. Do your loyal warriors have any idea how much danger you're putting them in?"

"Good thing we won't be here much longer."

Two Jotuns seized Sigyn by her arms, jostling her body between them. The winds halted, leaving the snowflakes suspended in the air. Part of Sigyn relaxed knowing the worst of the storm was over.

The first thing her captors did was clamp a pair of metal cuffs around her wrists. Sigyn had seen them before on the wrists of prisoners. The chains were made of a special metal that blocked Jotun magic. Sigyn couldn't escape if she wanted to, not that escaping would do any good.

Driving to the lodge was one of the worst mistakes Jess had made in a growing list [https://img.wattpad.com/dbc90e6c0d2cfb8a38067ef0878c78bc64b61e56/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f59644b46564e56316141366b62513d3d2d313437303530393738322e313766323333336338656361666330393431313030383637323433312e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

Driving to the lodge was one of the worst mistakes Jess had made in a growing list. Not a speck of pavement could be seen, and the windshield wipers could hardly keep up with the blizzard. More time was spent sliding than accelerating. But borrowing her sister's car and sneaking out of the house was worth it if it meant saving Sigyn.

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

The last leg of the trip was the most treacherous, driving between a steep ravine and the sheer face of the mountain. Each curve of the road was a test to see how much traction the old car had. It was a constant balance of staying slow enough to remain in control and fast enough to plow through the snow.

The road inclined at its steepest point. Jess felt the momentum of the car slow, no matter how hard she pressed the gas pedal. Spinning tires through slush past the windows. Jess turned the wheel, searching for anything to pull the vehicle forward. Instead the car slide backwards.

"No no no no no no!" Her knuckled turns white around the wheel. Her stomach crumbled into itself as the car went faster and faster down the hill, towards the curve she wouldn't be able to make. Both her feet on the brake did nothing to save her.

At the bottom of the hill, and car flew backwards, towards the ravine that would leave nothing behind for rescuers to find.

And then the car came to a violent stop. The back of Jess' head smacked into the headrest cushion. Jess had been saved by a bank of snow along the road deep enough and thick enough to stop the car from going over the edge. She shut her eyes for a minute, letting her breathing return to normal, and then opened the door.

The lodge was a short but cold journey up the hill and a ways down the road. The front door was locked, so she pounded on it, hoping for an answer. Kark opened the door with a surprised greeting.

"Miss Mikkelson! What are you doing out in this weather?"

"I saw Sigyn! She was in my room." Jess walked into the lodge, bouncing back and forth with her hands tucked under her armpits for warmth. "She said something about stopping the storm. I think she's in trouble."

Kark gave a weary look to Angrboda, who had taken one of the seat by the fireplace. "You should sit and get warm."

"No!" Jess pulled away from him. "We have to help her!"

From across the room, Angie said: "There's nothing we can do to help her know. The only way for Sigyn to stop the storm is if she hand herself over."

"Uh!" Kark interjected. "We mean...metaphorically speaking -"

"She told me everything."

"Oh good! That makes things easier. Wait, just to be clear, everything about..."

"You're all Jotuns."

"Right! We're on the same page. And you understand why we have to leave Sigyn to her grisly-" A stifled sob made him unable to finish his sentence.

Angie rolled her eyes at Kark's relentless emotions. "I tried to get her to fight, but she didn't think we stood a chance."

"You're not even gonna try?"

Narrowing her eyes, Angrboda responded: "You know nothing of the hell we've been through, and you have no platform to judge us. You should be grateful Sigyn cares enough to not leave your people buried under a cap of ice."

Without warning, Jess threw open the door and sprinted back into the blizzard.

Angrboda straightened in her chair. "Tell me she's returning home."

"Nope," Kark answered, watching the girl head past her car into the woods.

They both raced after her.