With Baldur's promise to visit his mother again soon, we left the Winter Realm. Although he hadn't come with us through the bifrost, I would have sworn I'd spied Horus in the crowd of courtiers when we departed, yet when I looked again, he wasn't there. It had a shiver of unease raising the hair at the back of my neck, despite the relief coming through the bond from Loki and Shannon.

And for their sakes, I hoped I was wrong. They'd had enough to deal with and their excitement at reuniting with their son matched mine at finally getting to see Asgard. Although a school of fish also swam circles in my belly. I didn't know what to expect. Would I be welcomed and accepted? Or would I forever stand apart from the Asgardians?

Shannon hugged her mother, who agreed to visit for Aidan's first birthday after Loki assured her she'd be welcome. Then those rainbow lights swept us up, and again, I stood in awe on the stone platform.

Heimdall's smile was wide. "Welcome home, Princes, Princess, and Lady Isis. The All-Father and All-Mother await you in the throne room, as does your son, who is currently doing his best to pull his grandfather's beard."

Baldur laughed. "I can't wait to meet my nephew! He sounds like a firecracker."

"Come, Elatha, let's show you around on our way," Loki said, putting a hand on my back with Shannon adding hers on the other side of me.

Guiding me out an archway, we stepped onto a wide stone and metal bridge. The silvery stone had an odd sheen to it, like seeing a rainbow from the corner of your eye. Below, a deep blue lake stretched in both directions, between the mountain we were on, and across the water to the hills on which a walled city and a tall palace sprawled. Outside the walls, farms and reddish-stone cottages dotted the landscape, with forest rising on mountains in the distance.

A single breath told me the water was fresh. "Are there any seas or oceans on Asgard?" I asked, trying to mask my anxiety. I could survive with fresh water, but my soul craved the sea.

Loki smiled, eyes meeting mine. "Yes. Not as extensive as on Alfheim or Midgard, but yes, we have a few smaller salt water seas for you to play in, Elatha. Don't hide your needs from us. Shannon and I love you."

Joy filled me and lightened my steps. Eagerly, I took in the white buildings of the city as we approached. It was an interesting mix between old world Litaui-type structures and sleeker stone towers with arches and spirals, rising above the heights of a defensive wall that shimmered in the light.

"Like the barriers of your underwater cities, we can raise a force shield around ours to defend against attack." Loki gestured to the wall with its interspersed guard towers. "But since that doesn't protect everyone, we prefer to utilize portal jammers around the planet and ensure the only way on or off planet is the bifrost."

"Who has permission to use the bifrost?" Was I able to come and go freely if I wanted to go back to Atlantia?

Loki had been frowning at the wall, but a teasing grin lit his expression at my question. "Worried I've trapped you here, Elatha? You can use the bifrost whenever you want, as can our Valkyrie and Einherjar. All other citizens require a travel permit they can obtain through an office in the palace that approves off-world travel to ensure the traveller knows the risks at their destination, or their responsibilities to hide the immortal world if they travel to Midgard."

"What happens if they expose the immortal world to humans?" Shannon asked.

"It depends on how serious the breach," Baldur answered from behind us, then quirked an eyebrow when we turned to face him. "Or at least, it did in my time."

Loki nodded. "It's still true. A serious breach caused by carelessness results in revoking their travel permit, but if it is something they couldn't control, like a car accident exposing immortal healing, then mages with the ability to change or wipe memories are sent to clean up the mess."

"I imagine that has gotten harder, given the humans' recent technological developments. Everyone seems to carry a cell phone," Isis added, shaking her head with pursed lips.

Loki and Shannon shared a wry smile, then started walking again.

"That's definitely true. Remind me to tell you the story of Shannon portalling to Midgard to end up on the red carpet of a movie release while in labour with Aidan," Loki said, a gleam in his eyes. "We had to shift the portal dampeners after that, since our son uses the same dimensional energies as the bifrost. He keeps us on our toes."

"Shannon probably told you he portalled us away from the Wild Hunt when they had us trapped last year. I can't wait to meet him," I told him.

Loki's eyes widened, and he turned to Shannon, eyebrows raised. "No, I do believe that story slipped her mind."

She smiled, a teasing little twist of her lips, and slipped her arm around mine. "If you're good, maybe I'll tell you."

Baldur laughed, a booming sound that echoed as we passed through a broad gate, guarded by golden-armoured sentries, then entered a palace of white stone. "It is entirely fitting your son had tricks up his sleeve before he was even born, Loki."

Shannon and I exchanged an amused glance at Loki's sigh.

The palace gleamed in the light, with flashes of gold and silver embedded into the walls along the corridor. Guards stood watch, nodding their greetings to Prince Loki, Princess Shannon, then stammering with eyes widening or looking confused when their partner greeted Prince Baldur.

"Loki, if you'd please, Isis needs court attire," Baldur asked as we stopped a set of double doors, twice Baldur's height, with half a tree emblem carved into each door that met in the middle.

"Of course. Egyptian-style or Asgardian? In white?" Loki asked her.

With a small smile on her lips and her cheeks flushed, she bowed her head. "Asgardian and white, please. Thank you."

Loki's black seidhr rolled over Isis with a flick of his hand and left her in a long white gown that covered one shoulder, while leaving the other bare and paired it with a white cape. Baldur's own armour had added a white cape as well and shone as brightly with its golden accents.

Turning from them, I noticed Shannon too, had altered her armour, adding a royal blue and silver cape to her blue and black armour. Her vambraces had changed to silver, along with her boots, matching the silver and blue hilts of her sais and throwing daggers. A silver tree design appeared on the black chest scales.

The same tree design appeared on Loki's black armour, with a black and silver cape flowing from his shoulders. By the shell, my consorts were gorgeous in their formal warrior attire.

"It's Yggdrasil. The world tree and symbol of Asgard," Loki told me. "What changes do you make to your attire for your mother's court?"

"Since we move through water with our transport system, we don't dress differently for court. It would be too cumbersome. But a silver trident on my scale armour, with the upgraded Asgardian liquid scale armour compared to the lighter Fomorian armour, would be welcome," I said, with a quiver of excitement shimmering down my spine. I'd match my consorts and not stand out even more than I already would with my unique bi-tonal colouring.

"Your armour is predominately silver and black like mine. Would you also like a court cape like mine?" Loki asked, a small smile on his lips.

Warmth suffused my cheeks. How does he always know? "Yes, please," I said, my voice husky.

Loki's seidhr wrapped around me in a caress, changing my attire and teasing me at the same time. The glint in his eyes told me he knew exactly what he was doing, the bastard, and I clenched my teeth at the arousal that stirred from his touch.

Shannon laughed, a joyful tinkle of sound that I'd never tire of hearing. "Get used to it, Elatha, and learn to play dirty to pay him back," she said with a wiggle of her eyebrows and sway of her lush hips that did absolutely nothing to help me stay in control.

I groaned as my cock jerked. "How am I to meet the All-Father and All-Mother, your parents, like this?" I gestured to my obvious erection visible in my skinsuit.

Loki laughed, delight in his tone. "I have an illusion covering you. No one except Shannon and I see how hard you are for us, I promise you."

"Are you finished flirting with your consorts, Brother?" Baldur asked from directly in front of the doors, his arm linked with Isis'.

"Never, but do lead on," Loki said, holding out both his elbows to the two of us.

Shannon and I exchanged looks, and each took his elbow. As we passed the sentries, they bit their lips and tried to hide their amusement.

Great. Palace gossip already. At least that is something I'm used to.