The soul-deep pain from the shattered bond healed with an electric zing that lit my nerve endings and starbursted from my chest to every cell in my body. Warmth, with the flavour of her love, blended with the confusing emotional mix that already churned between Loki and me in the rapidly changing tide pool.

I wanted to hold her and never let her go again. Impractical, but the image of her being torn apart kept flashing into my thoughts, stiffening my muscles, stealing my breath, and searing me with a bolt of fear. My eyes met Loki's, and I saw the same terror reflected.

"I love you. We love you. Don't ever terrify us like that again," Loki said, his mental voice knife-stark with anguish.

Shannon hugged us, her arm around each of us. "I love you and I'm thrilled you finalized the bond between you. But at the moment, we need to—"

A bird's screech, some kind of raptor, broke off her words. Black talons outstretched, it dove, but instead of fending off the attack, Baldur held out his arm and the large, dark bird with a light-coloured head landed on his forearm vambrace. Baldur smiled, murmured to the bird, then sent it flying with a flick of his arm.

In the next minute, a woman dropped from the sky. Long black hair flying in contrast to the white of her gown and olive perfection of her skin, she ran into Baldur's outstretched arms with a wail. Hugging her tightly to him, he drew her in for a kiss that, even from here, sizzled.

"Isis. Baldur's soulmate," Shannon told me as we turned away to give them privacy. She led us on a path through a courtyard with trees, a few gardens, and fountains to a shaded bench under a tree.

As we sat with Shannon between us, I asked, "How do you know this place?"

"I lived here for four months when I first learned of my immortality," Shannon said quietly, leaning into our arms. "Isis took me in and gave me my initial lessons on controlling my powers."

A dissident twang buzzed down the bond, and I frowned, looking between Loki and Shannon.

"Stop feeling guilty, Loki. You didn't do anything wrong. I honestly don't know how you could tell someone their entire life was a lie and not have them react badly. Besides, it's old news, and I wouldn't return to my mortal life even if I could," Shannon said, taking both of our free hands and kissing each.

"Still..." Loki winced.

"What are you doing here, Uncle? Mother will flip if she sees you!" a harsh voice said from behind us.

Loki stood and turned, and we rose with him. A blond man wearing a white chiton and teal armour over golden skin leaned against a tree, with a coiled cobra around his arm. Numerous narrow braids surrounded his pinched, thin face. His narrowed blue eyes expressed his displeasure.

"Not this time, Apollo. Or are you back to using Horus?" Loki said.

"Seriously. You need to leave," he hissed, eyes flicking behind us. "She's coming!"

"Horus! Oh, Horus! Norns bless us, your father is back!" a woman's voice called out.

Loki twisted to look behind him, with Shannon and me slightly slower. A dark scowl flitted over Horus' face. Almost a loathing. But it disappeared so fast, it left me wondering if I was mistaken. My eyes met Shannon's.

"Did you see..." I said to her alone.

"Yes," she agreed.

"Was that aimed at Loki or Baldur?" I wondered.

"Hard to tell. I don't know enough about Horus except that he's been stricken from the Asgardian royal family for siding with his grandmother Freya, Odin's first wife, against Asgard in the war with the Sidhe eight hundred years ago," Shannon said. "My impression is there was some treachery involved, so we should keep an eye on him."

"Yeah, he doesn't exactly come across as trustworthy," I agreed, watching him as he strode forward to hug Baldur with the non-snake arm, then hugged his mother. I'd just gotten Shannon back. No way was I letting this slippery eel attack Loki.

Isis smiled, said something to Horus that had his face flickering again, then released him to take Baldur's hand and walk towards us. Her kohl-lined eyes grew solemn as they approached, and she focused on Loki.

"I've treated you abysmally, Loki," she admitted quietly. Her gaze flicked to Baldur's, and he inclined his head. She winced and returned her eyes to Loki again. "It wasn't your fault Baldur died. I would have never blamed a mortal child, yet I blamed you. I'm sorry."

Although Loki didn't move, didn't breathe, his very stillness gave away the shock coursing through the bond. Shannon and I took his hands.

"I... I... but I—"

Baldur scowled at Loki's stuttered response, released Isis, and strode over to grab Loki's shoulders. He gave him a little shake.

"I told you in Helheim. You were never at fault, Loki. Never. It was a childish prank that sheer bad luck turned into a set of circumstances that caused my accidental death. Stop blaming yourself," Baldur growled.

"But—"

Isis came to stand beside Baldur. "Baldur's right, Loki. His death was not your fault, and I never should have made you feel it was. I'm sorry." She looked at Shannon and tilted her head, colour rising in her cheeks. "And I'm sorry to you, Shannon. I ruined our friendship. The first actual immortal friendship I've had in hundreds of years."

"Seriously, Loki, if I hear anything out of your mouth except 'No, it wasn't my fault and I don't blame myself' then I'm going to pin you down in your sleep and help Thor shave your head," Baldur said, his lips twitching even as his blue eyes stayed intent.

Loki's black eyebrow rose, and he snorted. "Fat chance. Even together, you two couldn't pin me down to do that."

My lips twitched at the clear sibling taunt, relieved at the amusement in his tone and reflected in the bond.

"Want to make a bet?" Baldur grinned, eyes gleaming.

"Not a chance unless you want Shannon and Elatha to scalp you for attempting it, after I'd already kicked your ass," Loki retorted. "Not a kid anymore, Brother."

Baldur looked at me, then at Shannon. "You wouldn't... damn, you would," he reluctantly agreed when we both nodded and gave him our best mock glare. "Well, that's no fun. Although I suppose my darling wife would also be pissed if I got hurt?"

Isis' eyebrow rose, and she glared at him.

Baldur rubbed a hand through his hair. "Right. Nevermind then. Okay, so about your kid... How do we save Aidan?"

"We need to go to see your mother. She'll force Badb to remove the curse, since a life has been paid as required," Loki said.

As he continued to explain, I caught the sneer on Horus' face out of the corner of my eye, but when I turned to look, he spun and left. I still couldn't tell whether it was Loki or Baldur who'd drawn his ire, but either way, I was glad to see the back of him.

"What are we waiting for?" Isis said. "Let's go deal with this bitch that dared threaten our nephew."

We walked out from under the trees and stood together.

"Baldur, do you want to?" Loki asked.

My heart beat faster. I was going to get my first glimpse of Asgard, even if we left again right away for Tír na nÓg.

"Heimdall, please open the bifrost," Baldur said with a grin.

"Are you excited? You're almost vibrating," Loki asked as a rainbow of lights swirled around us.

"Yes. Shells, yes!" I said.

It was similar to what I'd experienced on the shore of the Winter Realm with Shannon last year, but it lasted longer, and when the lights disappeared, Loki's arm made sure I caught my balance. We stood in a silvery stone chamber with a grey platform that stretched to the wide arched walls. In the centre stood a giant that was head and shoulders taller than Baldur's height, but it was his uniquely striated gold and white eyes, surrounded by a black as dark as a Fomorian that caught my attention.

"Prince Baldur, I have sent word to the All-Father regarding your restoration. Asgard will rejoice at seeing you again," the tall god said in a deep voice that rumbled through the space, before turning to me. "Prince Elatha, consort to Prince Loki and Princess Shannon, welcome to Asgard. I am Heimdall, the guardian and gatekeeper."

"Thank you, Heimdall. I'm excited to be here and see more of Asgard, but we still have another stop before we can do that," I said.

"Yes, please send us to Alfheim, Heimdall. We must deal with this curse before more pleasant reunions and introductions," Loki said.

Heimdall's lips pressed together, and his voice lowered. "Indeed. Twenty-one days remain before Prince Aidan's birthday. I was relieved to see all of you exit Helheim and reappear on Midgard." That stunning gaze swept to Shannon, and he gave her a gentle smile.

Did he know she'd died in Helheim? Or did he just have a soft spot for our gorgeous soulmate?

The lights swirled around us again, and the platform was replaced by wind-swept grasses.