پایان بندی

RANDOLPH HADN’T SLEPT since his nephew’s funeral service.

Every day he visited the mausoleum, hoping for some sign, some miracle. He cried real tears, but not for young Magnus. He wept for everything he’d lost—everything that might never be recovered now.

He came in the back door of the town house, his hands shaking so badly he could barely work the lock. He removed his snow boots and his heavy coat, then padded upstairs, going over what he’d said to Magnus on the bridge for the millionth time, wondering what he could have done differently.

He froze in the doorway of his office. A man in a priest’s frock was sitting on his desk, dangling his feet.

“Visiting the gravesite again?” Loki grinned. “Honestly, I thought the service provided some excellent closure.”

“You were the priest?” Randolph sighed. “Of course you were the priest.”

Loki chuckled. “A young life cut short, but let us celebrate his gifts and the impact he had upon us…I was improvising, of course. But that’s what I do best.”

Randolph had seen the god of lies a dozen times before—when Loki had chosen to send his essence to Midgard—but it was always a shock—those brilliant eyes, the hair like flames, the ruined lips, and the scars across his nose. He was unnaturally handsome and unnaturally terrifying in equal measure.

“You’ve come to kill me, I expect.” Randolph tried to remain calm, but his heartbeat still pulsed in his ears. “Why did you wait this long?”

Loki spread his hands magnanimously. “I didn’t want to be hasty. I needed to see how things played out. It’s true you failed. I could kill you, but you might still be useful. After all, I still have something you want.”

The god rose from the desk and opened his hand. Above his palm, flames flickered, consolidating into the miniature shapes of a woman and two girls. They writhed in the fire, reaching out to Randolph, silently pleading.

Only Randolph’s cane kept him from collapsing. “Please. I tried. I didn’t—I didn’t anticipate the dwarf and the elf. Or that cursed Valkyrie. You didn’t tell me—”

“Randolph, my dear friend…” Loki closed his hand, extinguishing the fire. “I hope you’re not making excuses?”

“No, but—”

“I’m the master of excuses. You’d have to try really hard to impress me. Just tell me, do you still want your family returned?”

“Of—of course.”

“Oh, good. How nice. Because I’m not done with you. Nor am I done with that little boy, Magnus.”

“But he has the sword. He stopped your plan.”

“He stopped one facet of my plan. Yes, it was very educational.” Loki stepped forward. He cupped his hand on Randolph’s cheek—an almost tender gesture. “I must say, your nephew is impressive. I don’t see the family resemblance at all.”

Randolph smelled the poison before he felt it. Acrid steam curled into his nostrils. The side of his face erupted in white-hot pain. He fell to his knees, his throat seizing up in shock. He tried to pull away, but Loki’s hand stayed stuck in place.

“There, there,” Loki said soothingly. “It’s just a little taste of my life—the snake venom that is splashed in my face every day. Perhaps you can understand why it makes me a tad grumpy.”

Randolph screamed until his throat was raw.

“I won’t kill you, old friend,” Loki said. “But I do punish failure. Absolutely!”

He took the hand away. Randolph crumpled, weeping, the smell of burned flesh in his nose.

“Why…” he croaked. “Why…?”

Loki raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. “Why what—torture you? Continue to use you? Fight against the gods? It is my nature, Randolph! Now, don’t fuss. I’m sure you’ll find a way to explain the horrible hand-shaped scar on your face. I think it lends you a certain…gravitas. The Vikings will be most impressed.”

Loki strolled to Randolph’s display cases. He ran his fingers along Randolph’s collection of trinkets and talismans. “Ragnarok has many triggers, my friend. The Sword of Summer is not the only weapon in play.”

He plucked a necklace from the display. His eyes gleamed as the small silver hammer pendant swung between his fingers.

“Oh, yes, Randolph.” Loki grinned. “You and I are going to have lots of fun.”