That didn’t mean I couldn’t help. It certainly didn’t mean I wouldn’t help. After all, this guy had started it. Possibly, even probably accidentally. He’d still started it, and that, you know, wasn’t acceptable.

Not to me. At the same time, I wasn’t sure I could finish it. Or escalate it, anyway. Threatening him wasn’t escalating.

Really hurting him was.

“You’re worrying too much.”

“Do I have permission to beat this guy up?” I asked Loki, slowing my pace slightly as he came up from behind.

“No, but if he keeps messing with you, you have permission to do whatever you need to.” Loki flickered a grin at me. “Apep’s been a problem for centuries, but he’s running under Egyptian rules.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning if he comes here he has to shed a lot of his power. He has more to start with, but if he decides to directly intervene?”

“We can’t kill him.” I let out a breath. “It’s a bit uneven.”

“No, but we can show enough strength to remind him that a god’s really supposed to stick to messing with followers of his own pantheon.”

“And pretty Sidhe.”

Loki gave a predatory grin. “Oh, come on. That’s just a game. We both know it. That’s why she didn’t really hurt you.”

I grinned. “I figured that.”

“If you weren’t so determined to keep Kanesha around…don’t worry, I don’t blame you…I could introduce you to some interesting fairies with no strings attached. They’re good for no strings attached.”

“Loki!” He was my father and he was implying my girlfriend was hot and offering to get me laid.

“What?”

“Hasn’t anyone ever taught you that you aren’t supposed to try and set your own kids up?”

“I’m a chaos god. If it’s a rule, I’ll break it.” He gave me that grin of his.

I rolled my eyes. “Maybe we can…you know. What if this guy doesn’t know it was me?”

Loki grinned. “Now you’re thinking like my daughter.”