When baking brownies didn’t cause Loki to show up, though, I started to get worried. Sure, he was probably in a strip club or on a bender or something.

But usually cayenne brownies would winkle him out of wherever he was hiding. Not this time. I knew I shouldn’t worry about a god of chaos.

Maybe he’d gone off somewhere with Coyote. So, why was I worried? It was an odd sinking feeling that he was in some kind of trouble.

No doubt somebody else’s wife or somebody else’s husband trouble, but…

“I think Loki’s in trouble,” I said into my phone.

Thruor’s voice sounded on the other end. “If he’s in trouble…”

“I know. He got himself there. He’s probably trying to put somebody in a dress right now.”

“Hey!”

“I just have this feeling…and just in case it is something other than him being chased by an irritated wife…”

“I’ll keep my eyes open.”

I hung up, then decided I couldn’t stand spending the rest of the evening at home with feelings. I munched on a brownie, then grabbed my gear. Patrol time, I decided.

I was working on getting a bike. I hadn’t found the right one yet. Or maybe I was still hoping I’d get a magic one.

Thruor had said I wasn’t going to be her sister. I even thought of going to a bike store, then shook my head. Ignoring curfew laws, I headed out through the streets. I wasn’t going in any direction in particular.

I was following my gut.

A stray dog, a particularly scraggly fellow, fell in next to me. I rolled my eyes. “Coyote.”

Pant.

“How about a form I can talk to you in?”

Pant.

“I ain’t going to be your bitch.”

The dog stepped into the shadows and the Native American man stepped out. “Hey.”

“So. I have this feeling Loki’s in trouble. Do you have him tied up somewhere?”

“Not guilty and, besides, last time he enjoyed it.”

I decided that was more than I needed or wanted to know. “You know something, though.”

“I just might. Come on.”

He offered me his hand. After a moment, I took it, and the world became oddly dim around me.

I knew where we were going…and I was starting to think Loki was in very deep trouble indeed.

And no, I didn’t think to call anyone. Of course not.