The boat roared back into existence, although it definitely sounded more organic. I heard Coyote’s voice. “See, I told you she’s okay.”

She actually jumped into the water and rushed onto the beach. “You are okay?”

“Yeah. He just tricked me into coming here instead of asking me. He wants to prank Loki.”

“He told me. Something about pink.”

“And I want you in on anything we do.” I grinned at her. “Maybe we should tell him…”

Kanesha considered. “Is it possible to defect?”

Coyote shook his head. “No.” He sat at the edge of the beach, his paws in the water. “Or I would have put you in a deerskin dress already.” He mock-leered.

Kanesha aimed a punch at him – emboldened, no doubt, by knowing several gods.

“You aren’t quite my type,” I told him with a grin. “Although Kanesha would definitely look good in a deerskin dress. A short one.”

She aimed a second punch at me, although it was clearly not meant to hit. “Sounds like you’ve forgiven him for kidnapping you.”

“Oh no. He still owes me.”

“We could tell Loki you’re eloping with Coyote.”

“Nah,” I said. “He’d probably approve.” I was joking, although Loki and Coyote probably liked each other underneath it all.

Kanesha hrmed. “And…no, that’s too mean.”

“We thought of changing his entire wardrobe to chainmail bikinis, but he’d just wear them anyway.”

She grinned. “He would. Could sneak something into the brownies.”

“Thought of that one too. No, I think we need to tell him a whopper.”

Something he’d believe. Something he’d laugh at once we broke down and told him the truth. “A whopper about why you kidnapped me, Coyote.”

“Well, you already dismissed me having my way with you. Although I think this young lady would cut off my balls if I tried.”

Kanesha just smiled sweetly.

Then something dark crossed the sky. “Uh, is that supposed to be here?”

“No!” Coyote called, ducking under the trees.

So, the trickster had enemies in the spirit world? Maybe I could get him to owe me another favor.