Page 23 of Loki

“I can arrange that.”

Her eyes narrowed. “No, Loki, I don’t want to punch you. At least not at this moment.”

“I wasn’t suggesting you should. But what if I arrange for you to punch the man who ruined your life and took your sisters from you?”

She eyed him skeptically. “What do you mean?”

Loki pointed to a door down a few steps on the far side of the building. “The topside has amazing steaks. The basement is a different animal.”

She stared at the door. “Show me.”

Loki ledVal to the small stairwell, which led down to a thick metal door. Val stared at it for a moment and followed him down the steps.

Loki knocked, and a small window opened, revealing a large brown eye.

“Password?” boomed a menacing voice.

Loki rolled his eyes. “Gadius, I don’t need a password.”

The single eye inspected Loki.

“You might be an imposter. Password.”

Loki shook his head. “Hjaldr.”

Battle?The password to the basement of Odin’s place was battle? Fitting.

“That’s last week’s password.” The window shut.

Loki put his hand on the door handle, and it glowed blue before swinging open.

“Hey!” said Gadius. “Wait. You got the door open. That means...”

Loki waited as the cyclops thought. “It means I am Loki?”

Gadius smiled. “Oh yeah. Hi buddy, how are you?”

Loki clapped the hulk on the shoulder. “Wonderful. Is Odin in there?”

Gadius nodded.

“Is the roster full?”

Gadius removed a blank-looking clipboard off the wall and scanned it. “Nope. Just this fight. You gonna challenge Odin?”

Loki glanced sideways. “Not me.”

Val’s heartbeat quickened as the cyclops evaluated.

“Her?”

Loki nodded. “Trust me. She can handle him.”

Gadius nodded. “Name.”

“Valkyrie.”

Gadius’ eye widened. “Like the old Norse warrior women. Cool.”

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