Page 25 of Loki

Odin took a long swig of his ale and stared at her for a moment before nodding. “I accept.”

CHAPTER 7

Loki ledVal to a section not far from where Odin sat watching them. “The rules are simple. No magic and no weapons.”

Val studied the men in the ring. The match was about to be over. The demon gained the upper hand, and the human-looking man struggled to stay on his feet.

“Where’s the fun in that?”

“Everything here is about being fair. You need to go up against each other with only what you have. Anything else is considered an unfair advantage. Also, you must remember this isn’t a battle to the death— not that Odin can die— but still. He can’t kill you. It’s not allowed. Whoever ends up knocked out is the loser.”

She nodded.No killing, no weapons.That didn’t raise the stakes enough for her, but she was game. She may not be able to kill Odin, but she sure as hell would give him a battle. A battle he didn’t realize was coming. He had no idea that on the occasions he’d fought alongside the Valkyrie, she had studied him at length, Thor as well. It had been the only reason she’d made it to the end of Ragnarök. And she was more than happy to show him what it would be like to fight himself.

Minutes passed, and like Val predicted, the human went down like a felled tree. Gadius walked into the cage, pulled the human out by one arm, and laid him on a cot to the left of the door.

She refused to be dragged out. Being dragged out would be more humiliating than being beaten by Odin.

“Okay,” said Loki. “You’re up. Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Absolutely.”

Loki held out his hand. “No weapons.”

Val questioned how he knew she hid a blade in her boot but then remembered their first encounter where she’d shown it to him... or rather, she’d threatened him with it.

Val reached into her boot, pulled out the knife, and placed it in his palm. Loki nodded and held out his other hand.

“You are so irritating. You know that.”

Loki winked at her. “I get under your skin too, huh?”

She reached behind her back and pulled the sword she kept strapped religiously between her shoulder blades.

The blade lengthened as she handed it to him, from the size of a butter knife to the full extent. Its immortal golden metal flickered off the overhead lights and shone around them. Loki quickly put the sword under his jacket, and it began to shrink again.

“And the last one?” He arched an eyebrow.

Damn him.

Val reached into her pocket and pulled out her utility knife.

He nodded. “Remember the rules.” He looked like he wanted to say more, but he brushed her cheek again, sending a shiver through her. “Give ‘em, Hel.”

She wanted to kiss him at that moment. Kiss him as they did in all those silly movies right before the hero went to risk his life. His eyes filled with a desire which mimicked her own.

Val nodded and walked toward the door.

“Val?” a low voice called.

Val’s gut clenched. Benjinn sat a couple of rows from where she stood. What the hell?

Benjinn walked down the aisle to her. “What are you doing here?”

“I was going to ask you the same.” Her gaze flicked to where Odin removed his leather coat and rings.

He stared over her shoulder. “Your friend gave me a card with this place’s info. This is the place I thought of bringing you on Friday.”

“You were going to bring me to a cage match?”

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