I got home way ahead of Kanesha, of course. I locked the door and considered what to do.

Obviously, I had to be “sick” again. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad thing if I got suspended – they might come into the school next time and I really didn’t want any more public brawls. I definitely didn’t want anyone else getting killed.

I wasn’t going to stay home, though, and sick wouldn’t cut it if I was seen around. So, maybe, just, not fight the suspension.

I geared up, left Kanesha a note, and headed out. I didn’t tell her where I was going – I had my phone and if somebody broke in I didn’t want them knowing where I was. At this point, I might just be a tiny bit paranoid. Maybe. It was already dark and the temperature was dropping.
And there was more snow. Now that would be an even better solution to the immediate problem. A snow day. I tilted my face upwards, grinning. “Skadi, if you can hear me, I need a couple of snow days.”

I felt the vague sensation that she was smiling back.

Would I have that sort of power, one day. The ability to kind of be more than in one place, to expand beyond the physical body. Which was probably a construct anyway.

Yes, I thought, I would. The snow fell harder. I enjoyed it, appreciated it. Cold? It wasn’t that cold.

But the fire giants wouldn’t like it. It didn’t bother me, with my mixed ancestry.

It would bother them. “Thanks.”

I heard the goddess’ laughter, bright and ringing. Then I saw her on the street corner opposite. I crossed carefully, wary of the inability of most people in DC to drive safely on snow. “Hey.”

“Hey. Still having fire giant problems?”

“Yes, but hopefully they won’t want to be outside in this.”

“They’ll just wait to catch you inside.”

There was no sign of the fyrhund either. He was probably curled up in somebody’s oven somewhere. “That’s why I was hoping for more snow. They jumped me outside school this time. Next time it might be inside.”
“And somebody might get hurt.”
“They’ve already shown willing to kill civilians.” Our eyes met.

“Might be time to deal with them.”

“If I can draw them out.”

“I might be able to help with that.” She grinned at me with a mischief that matched Loki’s, and then seemed to fade out into the snow fall.

Now that was a neat trick, and one I wished I could learn.