Nowhere supernatural, as it turned out. Instead, he took me to a small cafe.

But I knew who was there as soon as I stepped inside. He didn’t have to show me which table. Not that she currently looked like much…not much older than me, her blonde hair caught up with a couple of jeweled clips and wearing a short-sleeved dress.

“Please, sit down, Siglaugr.”

I managed not to stare for a moment. Of all the people to be the first to use what resonated in the depths of me as my real name. “Lady Freya.”

“Hans, please sit by the door.”

He nodded and moved to a different table. I glanced at her. “Not for…”

“No, I really want him guarding the door.” She smiled. “Besides, he’s horribly gallant and I don’t want him to start following you around thinking you need protection.”

I laughed. “I’d have to rescue him.”

“Most likely. But for right now…”

“What do you know?”

“I know that Loki tried something on Tyz’vel. Something that involved shapeshifting. Tyz’vel somehow managed to trap him.”

“I’ve been looking for somebody who knows the Seal of Solomon to deal with Tyz’vel.”

Freya nodded. “A good thought. I’d say keep it up, but I don’t know if we have time.”

“Hell is about to besiege Heaven and we may not have to worry about stopping Ragnarok.” I didn’t even know where those words came from.

“Exactly. Odin’s calling in the troops, just in case. If need be…if need be we may have to involve ourselves.”

“Only because…” I sighed. “Loki. He did this for me, you know.”

“I suspect he was trying to distract Tyz’vel while you found the Seal. Unfortunately, none of us can use it without making things worse.”

I studied her young-old face. Goddess of war and love. And somebody I cared for, or at least respected. I knew in that moment that we could be friends. Would be friends. “Alright. Do we have anything one of us can use?”

“Mjolnir might knock him far enough into the depths of Hell to slow him down. Thor’s with Odin, but I plan on talking to him.”

I nodded a little bit. “Alright. And Coyote is working on some kind of trick.”

“Don’t trust Coyote.”

I grinned. “I don’t. But he likes Loki. I think we can count on that, at least, to have some kind of impact.”

“Don’t trust him doesn’t mean don’t use him.” Her lips quirked. “But be careful. You aren’t close to the power you might have one day.”

I wanted to ask her about the fire. It didn’t, though, feel like the right time.