Page 67 of Loki

Loki turned to the woman behind him, and she smiled.

“See you there.”

With a snap of her fingers, she disappeared, and then so did Loki and Val.

They landed with a flash and a bump.

Damn.Val hated traveling like that. But she would rather be tortured at Surtr’s hands than let any of the gathered group see how queasy it made her.

Val tried to orient herself. They stood in the doorway to Surtr’s throne room. In the front stood two enormous goats, protecting Elle and Thor from Surtr and Thadren.

Surtr and Thadren’s men stood on either side of the hall, waiting to see if there would be a battle.

“I see your ego hasn’t diminished over time,” said Odin.

“His undeserved ego,” Loki added.

Surtr turned his eyes on the group, and Loki took half a step in front of her.

“My ego is nothing compared to yours, Loki, son of a Jötunn. You should be siding with your own kind. Are you here to stab Asgardians in the back again and help me instead?”

Loki pulled his blades from the air, and his clothing morphed from Asgardian to Jötunn as his frame enlarged to his actual height, and he pulled off his helmet, revealing his own horns.

Loki took a step forward, but Val stuck out her arm to stop him. He turned his diamond-colored eyes on her.

She shook her head. “Not your fight.”

Loki weighed her words for a moment and nodded once.

“Come on, Asgardians,” Surtr taunted. “I will take you all on at once. And then I’ll go to what is left of Asgard and obliterate the rest of your rainbow bridge. And there is nothing any of you can do about it.”

Odin flung his spear at Surtr, but Surtr caught it and flung it back. Odin grabbed Frigg around the waist and hoisted her out of the way before she was impaled. Thor’s brothers swore and pressed forward, protecting Frigg like a football team.

Loki disappeared and reappeared behind Surtr. He drove both blades into Surtr’s back, but they melted, and the hilts clattered to the ground at Loki’s feet.

“Was that meant to hurt?” Surtr swung around and struck Loki, knocking him across the room.

Hell no!Val released her wings and took to the air, grabbing Loki and spiraling sideways. She cocooned him in her wings, and they tumbled across a table, making Surtr’s men back up.

They landed with Loki on top of her, smiling. “I thought you said you weren’t in the mood.”

“I just saved your life, you idiot.”

He raised a dark blue eyebrow. “You do realize I’m half frost giant, right? A little toss across the room won’t injure me.”

“But landing in a humongous fireplace will.”

Loki nodded. “True.”

Fenrir roared and raced forward. Hermódr went to grab Fenrir but missed, and Fenrir got several yards closer.

Loki jumped from the table, but Val grabbed his arm.

“Fenrir, no!” Loki shouted.

“Brother!” came a sharp voice from the back of the group.

Fenrir stopped. “I can take him,” he roared.

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