Why am I always irritating the folks higher up the divine food chain? It’s very frustrating, to say nothing of dangerous. I had no doubt that, as a full god on his home turf, Loki could easily destroy long-lived but definitely mortal me if he wanted to. Not that I was going to let that stop me from arguing with him or anything. “Could we maybe not play macho power games?” I asked. “I’d much prefer to carry on a civilized conversation.” “Well, of course you’re going to say something like that. You’re in there, and I’m out here. What’s in it for me?” “Would you prefer I said the same thing from out there?” I asked, biting the inside of my mouth. Hard. “If you can manage it, I guess I’d be open to a different dynamic.” “Fine.” I spat into the flames. Blood. With a huge “bang” and a flash I was elsewhere—standing in an upside-down bottle cap on the lawn of Forestdown Estates.
