Mist, a Valkyrie survivor of the Last Battle, is fighting off Loki with few resources and fewer allies. And the allies she has are not very dependable. Then Anna appeared with Orn, a gray parrot that could change into a Raven, and the conflict escalated. Mist manages to thwart Loki on some fronts, gaining some of the treasures of the Norse Gods, but in the end losing a key ally while gaining a goddess who seems less than helpful. Susan Krinard has created an interesting universe, but if you have a chance, start with Mist, the first volume of this series before reading , so that you know what is going on.