Summary

As they traversed the tunnels to the troll’s cave Emma explained to Apollo her magic did not derive from her strength but from necessity. She asked for his help; she said they would be stronger together. Out of the blue, she begged him to forgive her sister.

They found their son, “a sleeping beauty” (417), not long before the large troll with “greenish skin” (420) descended upon them. They tried to deceive the troll with the “Daylight” app: Apollo fled the cave to draw the creature away from his family, but before the creature followed suit it swallowed their son.

Frantic, Apollo sprinted toward the forest away from the troll and his thoughts returned to a Norwegian folktale Jorgen told him of Askeladden outsmarting a troll. Apollo heard Jorgen’s questions repeated in his head: “Why did I tell you that story? What did...