Page 8 of Loki

Val smiled. “Maybe.”

“I’m Benjinn, by the way.”

She nodded. “Val.”

“Short for Valerie?”

“No, Valkyrie,” she said without thinking. Damn. She needed to keep it together.

“Valkyrie? Like the Norse warrior chicks. Very cool.”

Elle approached the bar, and Val poured the hot shifter an ale before walking to Elle.

Elle chewed her nails.

“What’s wrong?” Val asked.

“Uh... nothing.” Elle bit her thumb.

Val scrutinized Elle. Her skin had a rosy sheen to it. “Why are you flushed?”

“Am I?” Elle felt her cheek.

Val eyed her. “You’re chewing your fingers again.”

Elle hid her hand and looked away. “I need another beer.”

“Which table?”

“Heimdall.”

“He never drinks more than one an hour.”

“It’s not for him.” Elle continued not to meet Val’s eye.

Thor seated himself at Heimdall’s table in deep conversation. Val’s eyes narrowed. “Elle—”

“I didn’t ask him to come,” she blurted.

Val sighed. She had talked to Elle in length on the walk home the night before as to why she needed to stay away from Thor. “We’ve talked about this. It’s dangerous for anyone to find out you are here. Especially him. If he finds out who you are—”

Elle’s bottom lip jutted out. “Lady Frigg knows. And Heimdall knows, and Loki—”

“But Frigg, Heimdall, and Loki didn’t try to destroy your father. And thousands of fire giants. And vow to murder them all after Ragnarök.” She lowered her voice. “And though most of these are mortals, any number of sups pass through here who I am sure would be more than happy to sell you out for money or favor with Surtr.”

Elle’s fists balled. “Then why did we run? Why did we come here if I’m still going to spend the rest of my immortal life looking over my shoulder? I might as well have stayed and let Thadren have his way with me. At least with him, I would’ve been protected.”

In many ways, Elle was still so sheltered. She’d been through a hell of a childhood, but she had no real idea what would happen to her.

A waitress approached with an order, and Elle stepped to the side. Val gathered the ingredients and started mixing the drink. She crushed a lemon and leaned into Elle. “You are protected. I will protect you. I want you to be careful.”

“And stay away from Odin’s son?”

Val took a deep breath. “Yes.”

She handed the new drinks to the waitress whose name she never remembered, and the girl sauntered away.

“I’ll do my best,” Elle said. “But I can’t ask him not to come to his mom’s establishment. That would be more suspicious than if I do nothing.”

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