It was difficult to pull her eyes away. The air, despite the constant rain, had a strange smell to it. Rot, or dirt…smoldering decay. Though she was unable to detect exactly how anything could burn here in this saturated place, she could not say.

Loki had not released her hand. He guided her through the filthy floor delicately, and Jane wasn't certain whether he did so that they wouldn't slip into the quagmire of death below, or if it was a repulsion which hindered any quick movement, or if, indeed, any quick movement would alert the inhabitants and cause a ruckus undesirable at present.

Her feet sunk into the muddy ground and with every step she felt more uncertain of reaching the end of this unscathed. Her grip tightened around his hand, and he turned and smiled at her. She grinned in hesitation.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Jane nodded. "It's a difficult path to navigate…thin and slippery."

"Do not let go of my hand, and nothing shall harm you."

It was then that she realized that there was a soft sheen on her skin, on her clothes. She looked at Loki, and sure enough, the same sheen was on him. "What is that?" she asked.

He stopped to see what she was referring to. "Ah…we are invisible."

"We are?" she breathed.

"Though they may not appear cognizant of their environment, I happen to know that they can see…"

Jane shuddered, and they moved on.

The moans were becoming tiresome. The wet left her downtrodden. The endless mud and the fact that her feet hurt and she was hungry made her irritable. Jane wanted only to be done with this area of Hel, for it was, by far, the worst to this point. She even fancied the humid air of the entry to this torturous place.

After what must have been at least five miles and many hours of walking, they came upon another rain wall. She sighed her relief. Loki and she had not spoken since the whole "they can see" comment, and Jane was starving and needed to sit.

They made their way through the icy pain, and emerged on the other side. She dropped his hand, and rubbed her face.

Loki took some water, some clothes, some bread, from his stores and sat on the ground.

Jane collapsed next to him, relieved not nearly a term for what she felt. Loki laughed at her.

"What?" she asked.

"Well, dear, I think that that was a true test to your physical fortitude."

"And did I pass?"

"Barely," and he tapped the top of her head, and she was suddenly dry and had warm clothes one.

"Oh…thank you. Can you do something about my feet?" and she took a swig of water and a piece of bread.

"Your feet?" as he changed his clothing and dried himself.

"They ache."

"Now Jane, we haven't the time for things such as foot massages…it will need to wait until we get home," he smirked playfully.

She nodded, dejected.

Suddenly serious, Loki began, "Recall what you've read and what I've told you about Iðunn."

"That she is beautiful, she is wily…jealous…possessive."

"Just so," as he drank the water. "She has many weapons at her disposal. And since we have history, she will likely use them."

Jane nodded. "What happened between the two of you, anyway? I mean, I know that she didn't want you to take the tree, that you tricked her…but…I feel like you are not telling me the whole story."

He cleared his throat. "Well…I may have insulted her…she may have…attempted to seduce me…she is, for lack of a more apt term, a goddess of fertility…"

"Ah. I see. You rejected her and she was insulted."

"Also…I called her a nymphomaniac," he smiled warily.

"Jesus."

"Indeed."

"Can we go to the garden invisible?" Jane asked.

"She will see us Jane, I told you that. Iðunn is very powerful."

"More powerful than you?" Jane sounded like a child, unable to see a flaw in her lover.

"Well…let us not get carried away now," he laughed. "But, yes…in some things she is."

Jane nodded. She took a deep breath and looked about her. It was the first time she had had the opportunity, for her mind was much disturbed with thoughts of the bog and the looming confrontation with Iðunn.

She was not prepared for what she saw.

Endless, inconceivable beauty. The sky above in a cathedral of golds and pinks and effervescent lights, and wandering moons…the sky pulsed with the beat of movement, and there must have been a sun somewhere, but Jane could not spot the elusive star. The water to the right, so recently a gush of pain, was a mist of rainbows, a warm cascade of radiance. And it fell into a basin below, and the water pooled into a mix of green and blue, beckoning any observer forward to take refreshment of its depths. And trees bent in prayer, everywhere…they were heavy with fruit, they bloomed fully of blossoms, fragrant and succulent. Jane's mouth watered with the idea of enjoying the fruit from the trees.

And song…some hidden hymn was to be heard…she could not locate the source, but it was familiar, and that caused her disquiet.

The air, how refreshing! She was nearly drunk on its perfume, so subtle, so eloquent in its bouquet.

A smile was to be found in a moment. The palliation was at work…for though she still felt the heaviness of the task, nothing could seem so dire in this Eden.

Eden.

Garden.

She looked at Loki, who was found to be examining her.

Jane swallowed some more water. "Are we…there?"

He nodded. "We are on the outskirts of the garden. I will take us to the center when you are ready."

"It's so…beautiful," she said, looking around.

"It's true…but we are in more danger here than in any other part of Helhiem, which is why will be passing over the majority of it."

"The creatures…all that I read of…" Jane recalled her studies. "If we are passing over it, why did I bother with studying?"

"Because they are not wholly limited, Jane…they are not bound by the arbitrary lines of the garden. And the place is vast…this is but the most minuscule of corners in the garden. Most of them do not leave, for indeed, why would you? It is a heaven of hell…." he looked up, and a faraway look graced his visage. "It's profound, if one reflects on it…one may not even realize that one is in the netherworld…perhaps Iðunn does not, despite her brilliance. It would, in fact, explain much about her if that was the case…"

"What do you mean?"

"Her insufferable conceit. Her mistaken sense of entitlement…she believes herself a monarch of sorts. Delusional in her narcissism…for though she is powerful, she is a prisoner."

Jane thought a moment. "You mean Odin…?"

He nodded. "Odin. Iðunn was banished…Odin was angry…one of the many reasons he wanted the fruit for the Aesir."

"Oh…"

Loki laughed.

"What?" Jane asked.

"You. You are so delightfully naive, yet so painfully brilliant…I cannot imagine what the millennia holds for you."

"You have this uncanny way about you…you make me want to hit you, yet simultaneously, kiss you," and she laughed.

"I have no objection to the latter…and depending on the circumstances, the former may not be altogether unpleasant…" he looked crookedly at her.

Jane shook her head. She took a breath. "So…when should we do this thing?"

He brought his hands together, then apart. He handed Jane a small blade. He looked at his hands, his brow furrowed. "We have been here for three days, Asgard time…that is not bad…"

"Three days!"

"I told you…time moves differently here…"

"Why aren't I exhausted?!"

He stared blankly. "Because…time moves differently here."

"Impossible!" and Jane stood abruptly.

"Jane!" Loki yelled, but it was too late…some flying creature had her in its talons.

She attempted to dislodge herself, but soon noticed the height, and decided the fall would kill her. The winged creature held her fast, digging its splintering spikes into her shoulders. The pain was acute, and she felt faint from it. She soon felt blood emerging from her shoulders where the creature had her.

Over many mountains where black movement suggested beasts, over purple planes of swaying grass…they flew on.

And Jane wondered where she was being taken, and fretted if Loki was ok…though she knew him to be a survivor, and as soon as she was put down, she would grab the gem around her neck.

Endlessly they flew…the garden was huge…until the nausea of pain bettered her resolve, and she retched, she shuddered, and the blackness enveloped her.

And Loki knew where she was being taken. The Hraesvelgr was sent by Iðunn…she knew that they were here. She also knew that Jane meant something to him, or else she would have taken him only…

But then…another might be on its way…

Loki gathered his magic, and sunk into the depths of Hel's space to the center of Iðunn's garden.