Epilog

"You are just what I need to teach that meddling demon a thing or two."

Urd sat at her workbench, gloating over a two-quart Mason jar with air holes punched in the lid. And an impenetrable shield spell cast over it, of course. What it contained was no butterfly, but a tiny blonde woman in a revealing black-and-red jumpsuit, a short cape, and black high-heeled boots, scowling back at her. A perfect Mara-in-miniature, twenty centimeters tall, right down to her sharp teeth and the red sigils on her cheeks and forehead.

"What do you want to do to Mara?" the doll-like creature demanded. Her voice should have been high and squeaky, but instead it sounded almost normal, just small, and kind of thin after echoing off all that glass.

"What do you care? You don't owe her anything. She threw you to the wolves," Urd told her, then chuckled. "Well, to the Valkyries, anyway."

"My mistress made the right decision," the avatar said disdainfully. "If she'd been caught and sealed, I'd fade out in a week. Unless I turned myself in, to be sealed with her." She looked up defiantly. "I am proud to have been of such service to my mistress."

"Oh, are you?" Urd asked with exaggerated sweetness. "Well, now you're going to be of service to me."

"I will never betray my mistress!" she snapped vehemently. "You might as well just let me go. I won't help you, and if you keep me cut off from her like this I'll fade out anyway. You'll still have nothing."

"I said you'd be of service to me and you will, whether you want to or not," the Norn decreed, in a voice no longer the least bit sweet. "Besides, all that energy she dumped into you should last for months, if you're careful with it. I might even give you some, if you cooperate."

"Never!"

"Suit yourself. I guess I'll just have to do this the hard way."

The avatar watched, worried, as Urd set to work.