Empty Altars by Judith Post Page B

themselves. You never did." She would have said more, but Noir jumped to a bench, arched his back, and yowled. Diana froze. She knew what that meant. "Trouble's coming."
    The women went silent, listening, darting nervous glances around the clearing. Then they heard it. Trees crashed in the distance.
    "Giants!" Freya cried.
    "The rowans!" Diana reached for her bow and quiver.
    "Jorunda and Tyr!" Inga put a hand to her heart. "It's been a week. They'll come with food and news. The giants will see them."
    Diana dashed toward the path that led to the village, Freya and Inga close behind her. The giants were traveling in the same direction. Thankfully, the forest slowed them down enough that the women could keep pace.
    Diana burst from the tree line, breathless, just as two, hulking monsters crashed into the meadow a short distance away. They spotted Tyr and Jorunda and stalked toward them. Mutant hellhounds ran on the giants' heels. The beasts howled when they sniffed prey.
    Inga gasped and gripped Freya's arm. "We have to help them."
    "Stay behind me." Diana dropped to one knee and reached for her arrows.
    Tyr shifted his shield to his right arm, strapping it on securely. He hefted his sword in his left hand—his only hand, Diana worried, but neither giant came for him. Both ran for Jorunda. As Tyr raced to block the bigger of the two, he stretched to his full size.
    "Did you see that?" Inga cried. "How did he do that?"
    "He's a god, for Zeus' sake!" Worry wormed through Diana. The ugly monster stood as high as a Cyclops and appeared just as foul tempered, but the two men seemed well matched in size and strength.
    "Tyr will deal with him," Freya said. "We have to help Jorunda."
    "Are you going to grow too?" Inga sobbed.
    Diana wanted to, but Jorunda was between her and the second giant. She was worried he'd get squashed or burned if she and her arrows grew to full size.
    The big giant lunged at Tyr. The god slashed a long, red streak across his forearm. Blood oozed from the wound. The giant slammed a fist at him, but Tyr easily sidestepped it.
    The second giant reached for Jorunda. Diana let loose a volley of arrows. They found their marks and sank deep into the brute's thick flesh, but they were too small to do serious damage. Should she shift? No time. The hellhounds sprang forward. Diana let go her bow string again. The hounds dropped to the ground, shafts buried deep in their chests.
    Ugly number one—the big brute—swiped at Tyr, trying to knock him out of the way. Tyr drew his sword across the giant's knuckles. The monster whipped its hand to its mouth to suck on the bleeding flesh.
    Ugly Two used the distraction of the hellhounds to corner Jorunda between his open hands.
    "Grow!" Inga screamed. "Shoot the foul thing!"
    "My arrows would grow too. They'd torch Jorunda." Better to stay small. Jorunda stabbed his blade into the thick cushion beneath the giant's left thumb. Ugly Two roared and scooped the warrior off the ground in its right fist.
    "No!" Inga set off at a run. She threw herself around the giant's leg and sank her teeth into its flesh. The giant tried to shake her off, but she held tight. Diana tossed her an arrow—forged by Vulcan—and Inga jammed it in and out of the giant's calf. The monster bellowed in pain.
    Diana grabbed hold of its foot and shot energy into it. Sparks flew upward. The giant's hair stood on end. It kicked, and she landed in the grass. Had she tried the wrong tactics? Could she change now?
    Freya held her cat necklace high and aimed its light at the giant's eyes. She, too, stayed small, and Diana realized the goddess had no weapon. Like her, Freya could accomplish more in human form. The giant rubbed its free hand across its face, trying to see, then simply turned its head. "Give me an arrow!" Freya called. Diana tossed her one, and she started up the giant's other leg.
    Tyr's sword clashed against the metal band that circled his opponent's wrist, and Diana turned, worried. "I'm fine.