Page 68 of Loki

“Sorry, little brother, I’m afraid not. But I can.” Hel stepped from where she’d arrived with Val and Loki minutes before.

“You... you can’t be here.” Surtr’s voice shook slightly. “You aren’t allowed.”

Hel shrugged, making her ebony hair shimmer in the firelight. “I talked to my boss and got special permission to leave my realm. I’ve never seen him so excited over the prospect of having someone come into the underworld before. You’ve eluded me for too long, Surtr. Your reign is over.”

For the first time, fear crossed Surtr’s heavy features.

“Go with her,” said Thor. “Or we will make you go.”

Surtr licked his lips. “Thadren, ready your men.”

“I’ll make you a better deal,” Elle blurted. “As heir to the throne of Muspelheim, I will give you the throne if you do nothing.”

“You have no right to offer that,” said Surtr.

“Actually, I do. When you leave today, I will be the one in charge. And as your successor, I have the right to give up the throne if I want to and to give it to whomever I deem the strongest and best to lead your people. And I choose Thadren.”

“I’d rather not fight,” Thadren declared.

Surtr bellowed and leapt at Thadren, sword raised. Elle unleashed her magic, but it careened past Surtr and knocked her mother’s throne over.

“Damn,” said Loki. “Why were you protecting her all this time? Looks like she can handle herself.

“Because she can’t control her powers. She hasn’t learned how yet. Trust me. I have more than one scar to prove it, and so do the walls of her old bedroom.”

Elle pulled her arms back and threw her hands forward. Ropes entangled Surtr’s torso, pinning his arms down and dropping him to the floor.

Surtr roared and strained against the restraints, but nothing happened.

“You were saying?” Loki cocked an eyebrow at her.

Val watched in surprise.

“Let me out of these, or I’ll kill you,” Surtr yelled.

Elle squeezed her fist and turned her wrist. The ropes tightened against Surtr.

Without warning, one of the enormous goats reared back and head-butted Surtr, sending him flying into the stone wall. Surtr crumpled, and the other goat kicked him in the stomach.

“You don’t happen to have two giant goats, do you?” Val mused.

Loki smiled. “I don’t need goats. I’m my own giant.”

Surtr groaned and rolled on his back. “I’ll eat both of you and smash all your bones so you can’t come back.”

Hel shoved the goats aside. “All right, you walking sweaters, I can handle things from here.” She stopped over Surtr and lowered her trident to his chest.

He flexed against the ropes, and one of them snapped. “I will kill you, daughter.”

Hel pressed her trident into his chest as another rope snapped.

Surtr yelled out, and Elle threw more fiery ropes at him. The new ropes sprouted clawed hooks at the ends that dug into Surtr’s skin.

“Don’t worry,” said Hel. “I got this.” She turned to Surtr. “Surtr, king of the fire giants. Murderer of Asgardians. I, Hel, daughter of Loki and Goddess of Death, do hereby commit you to the depths of the underworld as a prisoner. Never again to hurt anyone.”

Before Surtr could protest, Hel pressed the trident into his chest. It passed through him and hit the floor below. Surtr screamed as black smoke started at his chest and swirled outward until it cocooned him.

An ominous black pit opened in the floor, and he fell through.

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