Frigga walked me to the start of the rainbow bridge at the edge of the city, just outside the palace gates. It hadn't been a long walk, but far enough for her to tell me a few amusing tales of raising Loki and Thor. It made me wonder why only Loki was considered a trickster, when clearly the brothers had gotten into plenty of trouble together.

"So Loki couldn't turn them back to their own bodies?" I asked, imagining the two boys running around as wolf pups.

Frigga smiled. "No, he hadn't mastered that yet, and he'd used a spell on both Thor and himself, instead of his own innate shape-shifting abilities. It meant he couldn't turn back, and he hadn't looked up the counter-spell before the two of them decided to go romping around what is now Italy on Midgard. Apparently, Thor wanted to play with the Midgardians."

I laughed. "That must have been quite the sight."

"I think Heimdall got considerable amusement out of it before he let me know what the boys were up to. Both pups were exhausted, covered in honey, dirt, and olive leaves, asleep in some goat shepherd's paddock when I went to retrieve them." With a wave of her arm, Frigga projected an image into the air of two wolf pups, one black and grey, the other red and brown, curled up together in a pile of straw, while goats tugged at the straw, eating. Sure enough, I could see sticky patches of fur with straw, dirt, and leaves stuck to them, especially around their muzzles and paws.

"Aww... they were adorable!"

"Too adorable! I had a hard time not laughing at their mischief when I needed to be firm with them. Just you wait and see." Wrapping her arms around me, she hugged me tight. "I'm so glad to have met you, Shannon. It makes me unbelievably happy to have you in our family. At the same time, I get a daughter and grandchild."

My mouth opened to reply, but I wasn't sure what to say. I appreciated Frigga's warm acceptance, yet it was all so new. Previously, I'd thought my biggest concern was figuring out what it meant to be a goddess. Now, I was starting to freak out about the idea of being a mother. She made it sound wonderful. The ground kept shifting underneath me every time I thought I'd caught my balance. Suddenly, I had a baby and a new Asgardian family to consider.

"Don't worry, child. Go deal with that wayward son of mine. Odin and I would love to have you join us for a meal when you are free to come back. Heimdall will open the bifrost for you whenever you ask him to."

"Oh... umm... Thank you. Yes, I'd like to meet Odin." Nerves jittered in my stomach at the thought of meeting the All-Father, but if Frigga was there, I figured it couldn't be that bad. From her comments, it didn't appear there was a huge falling out between Loki and Odin as there'd been in the movies, and mythology seemed to vary in that regard, but he was still the All-Father. That was intimidating enough. As long as no one ended up tied to a rock with poison dripping onto them, I could probably survive a family meal.

She smiled as she released me and stepped back.

Making my way along the bridge, the energy thrummed beneath my feet. It was different from the energies I was familiar with now from manipulating the natural elements. Different, but with a fluttering in my stomach, there was still something about it I recognized. I just couldn't pin it down. I wondered why I hadn't noticed it on my earlier journey across with Thor. Lost in thought, it didn't take me long to reach the impressive stone arched structure and Heimdall.

"Greetings, Princess Shannon. What do you seek?" he asked, as I entered.

"Princess?" My heart gave a lurch at the unexpected title.

"You are Prince Loki's soulmate, bound for eternity. You are carrying a royal heir to the throne of Asgard. As a member of the royal family, your title is Princess," he replied, with a kind smile stretching his lips and understanding in his gold, white, and black striated eyes.

Oh holy hell. Royalty? How can I be royalty? I hadn't even considered that aspect of it yet. Did he say bound for eternity? What? No parole for good behaviour? All the ramifications were making my stomach twist even more than it had walking the bridge.

"Wow, you really do see everything when you want to, don't you?" My voice sounded unnatural to my ears.

"Not as much as I'd like to at times. It's a big universe. I need to be looking in the right direction to see events unfolding in a particular area. Despite my vigilance in watching for threats to Asgard from across the nine realms, there are places I cannot see. Something must alert my senses in time for me to focus on it."

"I can't imagine. That must be an immense challenge," I said, distracting myself from my incipient panic as I considered the complexities of seeing so far, in such detail, but also how much information must be out there. It had to be overwhelming without a focus. Kind of like my situation. Don't think about that. "How do you know where to look?"

"My first priority is to monitor Asgardians away from Asgard, in case they need help. I keep my senses open to the voices of all Asgardians, but I am always aware of members of the royal family, Princess."

I didn't know what to say. Royalty. It was mind-boggling. "What is Loki doing right now?"

"He is on the west coast of the North American continent on Midgard, the country currently known as Canada. He appears to have given Asgardian mead to several Midgardians."

"What the hell is he up to?" I growled, suspicious of his location. Panic was forgotten as my earlier anger swelled. "Please drop me nearby, Heimdall."

"Call me anytime you have need of the bifrost. I will hear you, little princess," he said, as he opened the gateway.

"Thank you, Heimdall." I stepped into the swirling rainbow of lights.

Being inside the bifrost was similar to travelling using a tornado, although I had to admit the light sparkling with all the brilliant colours was more beautiful. As it dissipated around me, I found my feet on a grassy field near a very familiar farmhouse—my brother's house.

"Damn it, Loki! What the hell are you up to?" Fury swelled with my suspicions confirmed. As I stomped towards the house, I came up over the rise and in front of me, a lean black and grey coyote stood unmoving, staring at me. Narrowing my eyes, I stomped closer. Still, the coyote didn't so much as flinch, frozen in place.

Hands on my hips, I stopped. Little eddies of wind were circling, and I tightened control of my powers. "What the hell are you doing giving my family Asgardian mead, Loki?" I demanded, sending the words as a tight band of fury, without opening myself further to him. I locked eyes with the coyote's green ones.

With a flash of swirling black, Loki stood in place of the coyote, palms outstretched, and facing me in a surrendering pose.

"Now Shannon, don't be angry. Please. I was desperate. Heimdall couldn't see you. I thought if one of your siblings or parents had enough of the genes, if I woke them, the family connection would be enough to find you."

"And destroy their fucking life, Loki!" I couldn't believe how callous he was about it, not caring what it would do to them. How it would shatter them, as it had me.

"I'm sorry. It was wrong, but I was terrified something had happened to you," he pleaded.

No way did I want to even begin to deal with that statement in my current frame of mind. The need to check on my family had me pushing past him.

Loki grabbed my arm. "Wait, Shannon! It didn't work. They passed out like your friends."

"What? What do you mean?" I pulled my arm out of his grasp. "Of course it had to work. Apparently, I'm one hundred percent Aos Sí with no Midgardian genes."

"You're... oh damn. Damn, damn, damn. Bloody hell. I'm so sorry. Norns, I'm so very sorry."

I didn't understand the look of anguish on his face, and I growled in irritation at his expression. "I'm going to check on them."

Walking up to the farmhouse, I went up the steps, through the front door, and found them at the kitchen table. Loki had slipped it into their meal. Mom and my sister had come for Saturday brunch with my brother and his wife. They were all passed out, slumped in their chairs. I checked each of them, but none woke when I shook them. Instead, they mumbled drunkenly. Loki was correct. None of them had god genes. None of them were transitioning.

As they were clearly in no danger and would simply wake up with a hang-over, I left them there and walked out the front door. Loki waited for me on the porch, leaning against the railing.

"I don't understand. How can they not be affected? They have to have the same genes as me." My head swirled in confusion, trying to make sense of it.

Loki came and took one of my hands, gently guiding me over to sit on the porch swing.

"You know the answer. There is only one answer," he murmured, compassion in his voice as he held my gaze.