Ambushing the fire giants was going to take timing. One of Clara’s fellow trainees did agree to act as bait – a slender young woman with dark enough skin to make one question whether she should be classed as white, and very black hair.

I would stay way back, with Thruor’s steed, ready to come sweeping in. We did not have any other witches, but Seb and Kanesha were in position, both armed. Mike had his personal car ready to swing across the entrance to the alleyway we planned to lead them into.

Seb was briefing the young woman. I stood with Thruor, frowning. “I had a talk with Angrboda.”

“And realized that not everything is black and white.” Her lips quirked. “We aren’t so different from them. We are more than them. Our passions are greater, including our capacity for love and hate. And when you love somebody and hate them.”

“…you can hurt them in unimaginable ways.” I nodded. “But the thing is…”

“The thing is that Odin can see the future.”

I nodded. “And he locked up Fenris because he was trying to avoid it, not realizing he was actually causing it. But she implied that the way he’s treating me is the same.”

“There’s more than one possibility. I know what he’s up to. I think you do.”

“Helping me make a less biased choice. And besides, I wouldn’t have met Kanesha.”

“Or if you had you would have been too afraid to love her.”

“You aren’t afraid to love Mike.”

She looked at me. “Sometimes I can see the future too.” And then, abruptly, she left to find her own position.

What future had she seen for Mike? I was worried, all of a sudden. This was going to be a tough fight, but not that tough. I pushed the thought out of my mind.

We would make sure the mortals got enough protection to be safe without being useless. They needed to take their risks.

And any of them might die. They all knew that. And maybe Thruor was worried about Mike too.

Sometimes, I can see the future too.

Sometimes, I thought, seeing somebody’s future was as simple as knowing them well enough to know what they would do, what stupid things, what they might achieve.

Mike was the type to get killed one day doing this. And Thruor knew it. And that was all it was, and I felt myself relax.

He’d provided us with security style communication. My earbud crackled with his voice. “I see a blue pickup.”

“Good.”

Hopefully they’d fall for it.

Hopefully.