Page 56 of Loki

“Will Thor? I’m assuming you still haven’t told him.”

“I’m going to. Right after dinner.”

Val shook her head. “You should tell him before dinner.”

“Why? Because you don’t want me to go?”

“Exactly.”

“Why are you trying to ruin this for me?” Elle demanded. Fire lit her eyes, and Val needed to try a new tactic before Elle lost her temper and something terrible happened.

“I’m not,” Val said softly. “It’s just... dangerous down there. I’ve told you, people are looking for us. Hunting us.”

“How do you know? Have you seen them? Heard of them?” Fear tinged Elle’s words.

“No,” Val lied. “But I know Surtr, and he won’t simply let us go. He has to be looking for us.”

“Well, if he hasn’t found us and you haven’t heard anything, I’m going. And I promise I’ll tell Thor after family dinner.”

Val shook her head. She had no way of convincing Elle without telling her about the hunters and the fight ring and everything, and as much as she wanted Elle to be cautious, she didn’t want to scare her.

“I’m telling you, this isn’t a good idea,” said Val.

“Why? Thor and his entire family will be there.”

“Exactly.”

“I can’t be safer anywhere in the Underworld than with the entire family of Norse Gods.”

Val glowered at her. “That’s not what I mean.”

“I can’t be afraid forever, Val. You brought me here to have a life. That’s what I’m doing. Would you rather I fell for a demon or something else?”

“Of course not, it’s just—”

“What? You’ll be there too, I assume.” Elle scanned Val.

Val was losing the argument, and without telling Elle the truth, nothing would stop her.

There was a knock on the door, and it swung inward. Val turned to find Thor standing in the doorway. How much had he heard? Obviously not all from his relaxed demeanor.

Val eyed him for a moment and then strode from the room, stomping down the hall and the stairs. Hundreds of eyeballs watched her. Regulars she saw frequently, and newcomers stared at her like a fresh piece of meat. Val rolled her eyes and hurried to sit at Heimdall’s booth.

His eyes widened. “Valkyrie?”

“I’m...” she sighed. “I don’t know what I am doing.”

“I would say you are hiding, with a side helping of running away from someone.”

She chuckled. “That’s a blunt way of putting it.”

He nodded.

She removed the shoes from the box without looking at them and slid them on her feet.

“What do I do?” She set the box under the table.

Heimdall shrugged.

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