"You are going to need something to trade for Baldur's soul," Frigga said, dark eyes so like mine holding me in place. "There's no way Hela will give it up otherwise."

"It's an energy trade, right?" I asked as I considered possibilities. Mother's concern churned in my own gut. Not all forms of energy were transportable, or even accessible, in Helheim's dimension. "That's the value of the souls to Hela?"

She nodded slowly, gaze narrowing. "Yes, as far as we understand it. So it needs to either be some massive energy source you can transport, or another immortal soul. If you suggest one of you, I'm going to smack you. That is not an acceptable trade!" With one step, Mother reached out a hand and took mine, squeezing my fingers.

"Agreed!" boomed Odin, his voice back to its usual strength and echoing off the massive, white stone walls. "I will not lose a son or daughter just to get another back or to save my grandson." He bounced a wide-eyed Aidan on his knee, who blinked up at his grandfather and reached a hand toward Odin's white beard. Father usually tried to keep his rather loud voice to a more moderate volume around the baby.

"Yeah, no dying on me, Loki. Baldur doesn't get into trouble with me the way you do," Thor added, a smile on his lips but concern in his eyes. Even Mist was frowning, uncertainty in her expression like she'd also object if that's what I proposed.

Of course that idea had popped into my head, but no, self-sacrifice wasn't the solution I wanted either. We needed the Winter Court to accept Baldur's life as an acceptable trade for the curse, so I couldn't just capture one of the Unseelie to give to Hela. Breaking my gaze from Frigga's, my eyes traced the silver Yggdrasil design embedded into the marble floor tiles. The roots started at the throne, surrounding the symbolic base of power for Asgard, then joining into a trunk that grew down the steps to spread into branches and leaves on the lower floor behind me.

Letting go of Frigga's hand, I turned to follow the design with my eyes. The major branches of Yggdrasil represented the various realms Asgard strove to maintain some control over and keep some level of peace, to a greater or lesser extent. I walked down the steps to move amongst the various depictions. Like Asgard, Vanaheim, Midgard, and the Summer Realm of Alfheim primarily used the abundant energy radiated from their star that provided light. Yet Nidavellir, Muspelheim, and Helheim to a degree, used their planet's molten core. Jotunheim used chaos energy, paired with lesser forms. Niflheim and Helheim used souls. As did the Winter Realm of Alfheim through their blood sacrifice rituals, the fucking bastards.

The pocket dimension lattice structures Asgard used for large energy storage within our technology couldn't be transported through the bifrost, let alone to Helheim's dimension. I stepped over to Alfheim's branch and the realms within that planet. If I wasn't going to use a soul... I still needed something portable, yet powerful.

With another few steps, I moved to the branch depicting Midgard. I needed something... a crazy thought occurred to me.

"How massive of an energy source do you think would be required?" I asked, turning to meet Mother's gaze again.

"Certainly more than you are capable of conjuring without wiping out your own life force," Frigga retorted sharply.

"Hmm... no, I've got something else in mind, but I need to get Shannon's scientific brain to help me with the idea. You'll keep Aidan with you while I go meet up with her on Alfheim?" I asked, looking between Frigga and Odin and knowing they'd agree.

"Of course," Odin replied. "Thor, ensure our legions are ready if we need them, but I do not want you going to Alfheim with Loki."

Thor opened his mouth, scowled for a second, but then inclined his head. "Very well, Father. I'll begin preparations just in case, but I have faith Loki, Shannon, and Elatha will succeed."

As he passed me, Thor slapped me on the back, and I grumbled while glaring at him. Thor had hands like frying pans and packed a wallop.

A grin on his lips, he shrugged. "Oops. Sorry, Sister. Forgot you were in your other gender."

I huffed and rolled my eyes at his retreating back. "You're going to come with me, Mist?" I asked, turning towards her.

She had a hand over her mouth, blue eyes dancing, but managed to mostly wipe the grin off her face. "Absolutely! Meet you at the palace gates in thirty minutes? Does that give you enough time?" she asked.

"Yes, sounds good," I agreed and waved her off when she bowed.

A few quick steps later, I kissed Aidan with little buzzing smooches until he giggled. Wrapping the joyous sound around my heart, I took my leave from Odin and Frigga. Every step I took from Aidan, the deeper the pit in my stomach grew.

Once out of range of the throne room's portal dampener, I teleported to my suite of rooms before I could run back to sweep Aidan into my arms again. Instead, I put together a travel bag with spare fighting leathers for both Shannon and I, high energy travel rations, a small first aid kit, and collapsible water flasks. From my last visit to Helheim when Hades helped me forge my sword, Laevateinn, by combining his death runic seidhr with my chaos seidhr, I knew my abilities would be far more limited in that realm. I wouldn't be able to conjure, teleport, or heal. Anything I needed, I had to pack with me, including weapons. The stakes were far too high to fail.

Closing my eyes for a minute, my hands clenched on the travel bag. Please Norns. Don't let that be the last time I see my little boy.

With a shaking breath, I forced myself to continue. In addition to the knives and daggers I put in various sheaths on my body, I packed extra blades for Shannon in my travel bag. I wasn't sure if her torc would work or not to replenish her weapons. Last, I strapped Laevateinn to my back. As my most powerful physical weapon and responding to my call, I wasn't about to leave my sword behind. The creatures that roamed the lands of the dead were damned hard to kill. We'd need every advantage we could get. I doubted I'd have Hades' protection this time.

Taking a last look around our rooms, with Aidan's toys scattered on the stone slate floor, Shannon's plants hanging in the large glass windows to bring the outdoor garden inside, regardless of the weather, the packed bookcases, and the blend of greens, golds, silvers, and blues of the beddings and cushions, it reflected the life we'd built together.

Some instinct had me hesitating, wanting to remember it this way. To brand every detail into my mind's eye.

Regardless of the success of our quest, that life was going to change with Elatha in the mix now. I growled, nails biting into my palms, annoyed to be thinking about that fucking Atlantean again. Turning, I closed the door behind me and set out down the corridor towards the palace gates closest to the rainbow bridge and bifrost.

Both Mist and Kara were waiting for me when I arrived. A study in contrasts, the afternoon light created a halo around the two Valkyrie, highlighting Kara's red curls and Mist's blue braids.

"Do you mind if I come along?" Kara asked, her bow and quiver strapped to her back, as well as sword on her hip. She was almost bouncing on her toes, eyes fierce as she waited for my answer.

"Of course. You know Shannon will be happy to see you, but neither of you can accompany us to Helheim. It's going to be hard enough for the three of us to get Hades permission to move through the realm," I told her, not surprised at the scowl that appeared on her face. Kara had to be upset at not being here earlier when we'd found out about the curse, or when Shannon left for Alfheim.

"We'll help you get to the doorway, at least," Kara said, even as a muscle flexed in her jaw.

I inclined my head and gestured to the bridge. "That you can do," I agreed as we started to walk.

We headed out over the rainbow bridge to the bifrost, and then the treaty plains of Alfheim. Empty except for the swirling fog ringing the desolate plain with the quiet of wind rustling the grasses, Mist led us towards the Summer Realm side. When we reached a stone archway portal at the edge, we waited. It would break the treaty for us to proceed through the portal without a Sidhe escort. As much as every cell strained with the need to see Shannon, I wasn't going to start a war because I was too impatient to wait. Clasping my hands behind me, I forced myself not to fidget and instead took measured breaths to maintain my calm.

After a few minutes, a pair of light elf sentries stepped through the portal. One stayed, clearly keeping an eye on us, while the other stepped back through the gateway and disappeared.

An hour later, a warrior elf stepped through the portal. Tall and fierce, with her weapons, tattoos, and distinctive black and green armour, it only took me a moment to recognize her. A jolt of amusement broke my deliberate calm, and I couldn't hold back the smile at the edge of my lips.

"They are sending their fiercest Goddess of War to greet me now?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She cocked an eyebrow as well, looking from me, to Mist, and then Kara. "Valkyrie Mist, I recognize. Who are your companions, Mist? Fellow Valkyrie?" Her green eyes returned to mine, a frown forming.

Mist's lips twitched in amusement. "Maeve, Goddess of War and Lust, this is Valkyrie Kara, another close friend of Shannon's," she said while gesturing to Kara, but then turned to me. "However, this is Princess Loki, Shannon's consort."

Maeve's eyes widened. "My apologies for not recognizing you, Princess Loki. I've only ever seen you on the battlefield in your male form. We've never actually spoken or crossed swords."

Mist snorted a laugh, and I frowned at her as she held a hand over her mouth.

"I'm sorry, Loki... I should have... I should have finished introducing Maeve," she said, getting the words out between laughs, only for Maeve to wave her off.

Instead, Maeve also appeared to be holding back a laugh. "I'm pleased to meet my daughter's other consort in person. You three really do have the most interesting triquetra." She grinned, eyes twinkling. "I can't wait to see what Elatha's response is."

Kara shared my look of shock.

Momentarily speechless, it took me a few seconds before I could reply. "You're Shannon's mother?" I asked, not sure I'd heard correctly.

Maeve's smile widened. "Yes. Welcome to the family."