The sun had risen by the time we arrived in London. Loki had driven us to the nearest Agartha entrance where we abandoned the stolen car and stepped through.

"The organisations are still on the hunt for you after your escape," I warned Loki. Loki just grinned as his eyes glowed green.

"They won't notice us until I want them to. Trust me."

He was right. It wasn't as if we were invisible exactly, people just didn't seem to notice us. Their eyes didn't see through us, but they looked right past us. It was an eerie sensation.

And now we were in Ealdwic, making our way to Temple Hall.

"Loki, what's the plan?" I asked.

"Plan? Oh, my dear girl, there is no plan." Loki smiled mischievously.

"Let's sow a little chaos, shall we?"

Oh, dear. I don't really like not knowing what is about to happen next, chaos has a bad habit of spinning out of control in my opinion. I like plans, plans we can stick to.

But in my experience, sometimes you just got to let Loki be Loki.

"Come on, this will be fun!" Loki grinned, pulling me along to the square in front of Temple Hall.

The guards didn't seem to notice us either, as we stood right in the courtyard. Loki's eyes still glowed green and the gem in his hand was glowing.

It got darker and darker in the courtyard. The guards, there were about half a dozen of them, looked up but there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Music started to play, without a discernable source. I recognised 'O Fortuna' from Orff's 'Carmina Burana'.

"Are you doing this?" I whispered. The wind had begun to pick up. Loki's hair was streaming out behind him as he laughed deviously.

"Just a little auditory illusion, darling!"

More guards came pouring out of Temple Hall, looking at the sky and trying to determine the source of the music.

"Can you make it rain blood?" Loki asked me, "It would really add to the chaos right now!"

I had never tried that before. I mainly used my blood magic for healing, I preferred elemental magic in battle.

"I don't want to hurt them," I warned Loki.

"I know you don't, so we will just scare them a bit. Put the fear of God in them. The fear of a god, anyway," he grinned.

I thought for a moment, and let my blood form a globe hovering above my hand. I gathered more anima and blood began to rain from the skies, a few drops first, then more and more.

Thick drops of blood landed on the guards, smearing their uniforms.

Thick drops of blood landed on the ground, where they turned into frogs and locusts that hopped away or bloomed into little flowers that grew in between the cracks of the pavement.

Loki's brow was furrowed in concentration as he cast his illusions to match my rain of blood, his arms raised wide.

"Black or green?" he asked.

"What? I can't do this long Loki, that's my blood raining down there!"

"Black or green?" he repeated.

"Eh, black," I answered at random since I had no idea what he was talking about. More Templars had poured out of Temple Hall, milling around, trying to find the source of what seemed to be biblical plagues come to life.

There was a loud roar from above, and a huge black dragon on giant wings came soaring above us. The Templars took aim and began barraging it with everything they had, both magic and mundane ammunition. But nothing could hurt the illusionary dragon as it dove into the courtyard and perched on top of the fountain.

Loki was cackling beside me, his head thrown back as he revelled in his newly acquired power.

I started feeling woozy and had to stop my rain of blood, but it didn't seem to matter, there was chaos all around us. The music kept playing as the dragon spread its huge wings and rose again, only to divebomb the courtyard, most of the templars falling to the ground so as not to get hit by the green flames coming from the dragon's mouth.

When they looked up again, Loki stood on top of the fountain, balanced on one foot. He hopped off and gave a mock little bow.

Dame Julia Beatrix Tyburn, one of the higher-ranking members of the Templars, had made her way outside together with Richard and several other Templars I recognised.

"Mister…. Loki, what is the meaning of this?" she began.

Loki seemed to swell, not shapechanging into his Jotunn form but looming large as his powerful voice boomed over the courtyard.

"My name is Loki, son of Laufey, Prince of Jotunnheim."

An unnatural silence fell over the courtyard. Several of the guards aimed their weapons at Loki. I had made my way to Loki's side and had readied my own magic. I didn't want to fight my fellow Templars, but I would defend Loki if I had to. We were vastly outnumbered though.

"I am the god of Mischief. And when I speak, lesser creatures WILL listen."

Loki raised his hands wide and grinned.

"And you will refer to me as 'your Royal Highness, Prince Loki of Jotunnheim' from now on. I am here to parley."

I held my breath. I had seen him work his magic before, but not like this. He was magnificent, his power glorious. He was, at that moment, in every meaning of the word, divine.

Dame Tyburn looked at Loki as if considering her options. The power he had just displayed had, while certainly not lethal, not been insignificant either. But this was the seat of power for the Templars, an organisation that was incredibly old and very powerful in its own right. She seemed uncertain of what would happen if the situation escalated further.

Instead of addressing Loki, she addressed me.

"Stand down agent, this is an order."

"With all due respect, I am going to have to disobey." My voice sounded more confident than I felt.

"That was a direct order from a superior officer, agent." Dame Tyburn frowned at me.

"As Loki said, we are here to parley."

"The world is ending," Loki spoke softly, but in the unnatural silence, everyone could hear him clearly.

"The Dreamers stir. Magic on Midgard is fading. And you have no idea how to stop any of it from happening."

Loki was serious right now, not a glint of mischief in his eyes, nor a hint of a smile played around his lips.

"Right now, you have one of the most powerful magic users humanity has seen in centuries fighting by your side. Because we both know Sorcha is no ordinary Bee, she is far, far more than that.

Twice blessed, once by Gaia, once by the gods themselves. They saw what I see too, someone who is quite possibly the only hope this realm has left.

I will not be collared again. But I will fight by her side. If you were wise, you'd do the same."

"Are you asking for employment, mister Laufeyson?" Dame Tyburn asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not much of a joiner, I'm afraid. Nor am I a team player." Loki gave a wry smile. "But I will stand by my beloved's side for as long as she will have me."

My beloved's side… The warm glow I felt inside at his words could have heated a large Siberian village for weeks.

Dame Tyburn was listening, and so was everyone else. I looked at Loki again, who nodded almost imperceptibly at me. I just hoped I would say the right thing.

"When we walk out of this courtyard, you will never see either of us again. I will take my family, and with the help of Loki's newfound strength, we will disappear forever. Unless you can give us a reason to stay."

My heart was pounding in my ears, and my mouth felt dry.

"If Loki has threatened you, or if he has put a charm on you…"

"He has not," I said firmly. "I am here of my own free will."

In the end, it was agreed that I would stay working for the Templars since that was to the benefit of all. My ranks were reinstated on Loki's insistence.

Loki himself had earned his freedom for now, as much due to his display of power as due to the fact that he had stayed and fought by my side even after we had learned how to remove the collar, although several threats were made in case he would even set so much as a foot wrong. Loki easily made promises and reassurances with a smile that never quite reached his eyes and flowery words that never quite felt sincere.

In a world where magic was rapidly failing, both Loki and I had managed to become more powerful. The Templars were smart enough to see that we were too valuable an asset to let us just walk away.

But from the look on the faces around me, I could see that while Loki had gained their respect, I had lost their trust.

"Oh, and one more thing," Loki said, just as we had come to the end of our deliberations. "I would like my car back."

I looked at him in surprise. Things had gone our way, we had gotten what we wanted.

"Don't push it," I whispered. "Who cares about a car?"

"I do," Loki winked at me, "You'll see why."

"Your car has been confiscated and is now Templar property…" Dame Tyburn began.

"My car is my property," Loki interrupted, "and surely your scientists and researchers have had plenty of time to study it. I would like my property returned please." It wasn't a question, it was a demand.

While we were waiting for the car to be brought out, Richard pulled me to the side.

"I can not believe you went on a mission without telling me," he said. "I am your handler, and what is more, I am your friend."

"And would you not have reported Loki's location to the Templars?" I asked.

Richard hesitated, but I could see the answer in his eyes.

"Will you just be very careful, Sorcha," Richard begged. "Ever since you two started working together, Loki has been getting things exactly his way. He went from being a prisoner to gaining his freedom, and now he has gained all this power too. Be careful he doesn't stab you in the back when you stop being useful to him, be careful of letting him get too close to you."

"It's a bit too late for that, and you know it." I suddenly had a bitter taste in my mouth. "I love Loki, and he is a part of my life now. If you can not accept that, you aren't truly my friend."

Richard blanched. "Of course. Whatever makes you happy. Just be careful, is all I ask."

One of the Templars had chauffeured Loki's car into the courtyard. It looked the same as I remembered it: an expensive-looking little black sports car with tinted black windows. It looked classic, like something you would see James Bond drive, but I couldn't see a make or model. Nor did it have a licence plate.

Loki was practically bouncing up and down with glee, impatiently snatching the keys from the Templar before she could even hand them to him.

"Come along now, love, let's go for a drive, shall we?" Loki opened the door on the passenger side for me, impatiently motioning for me to get in.

The interior of the car was sleek, decorated in black and dark green with black leather seats.

It had what I first off all mistook for a built-in satellite navigation system but as Loki started the car, I could see it was much more than that.

Part magical, part technological, it was a complicated interface of maps and runes. Loki's fingers flew over the interface, while he muttered to himself.

"British licence plate, map of London… and, music!"

The engine began to purr and Freddie Mercury's voice could be heard from all around us, as Loki grinned his widest grin at me and winked.

He sang along with Queen's 'Breakthru' as he drove the car out of the courtyard at breakneck speed, guards barely able to jump out of the way as he drove straight at them, cackling maniacally.

I had fastened my seatbelt just in time, hiding my face in my hands as Loki swerved through the streets of Ealdwic, barely avoiding pedestrians.

"This is a pedestrian-only area, Loki!", I screamed, peeking between my fingers, "you can't drive here!"

"I am Loki, god of Mischief, and darling, I do what I want!"

I shook my head.

"Not for long, unless you plan to drive straight through those," I grinned as the barriers that permanently barred the exit to Ealdwic, both to keep the Secret Worlders in and normal people out, came into view.

"I had forgotten about those," Loki admitted, as the car skidded to a halt and barely avoided hitting the barriers.

He shook his hair out of his face. "You may wish to get out for a moment."

I got out of the car. The police officers guarding the barriers were already making their way toward Loki.

"Hello gentlemen, lovely day we are having today, isn't it?" Loki grinned affably as he folded his long legs out of the car and got out. "We'll just be a moment, and we'll be out of your hair."

As he spoke, he activated the fob on his car keys, and the car shimmered and shrunk.

"Pym Particles!" I exclaimed before I could stop myself.

Loki purses his lips in annoyance, his brows furrowing into a frown. He hated it when I referenced the Marvel movies as reality. He lifted up one hand, shaking a finger at me in wordless annoyance.

The police officers stood there staring at what was now a toy-sized car, not sure what to make of it either.

I smiled innocently at Loki.

"Not Pym particles then?" I asked sweetly.

(Dear reader, do not try yourself. Do not annoy the god of Mischief on purpose, unless you are really sure he is not going to kill you. I'm one of the few people who can get away with it.)

"Gah!" Loki turned around for a moment, hand on his hip, trying to regain his temper. Turning back while flipping his hair dramatically, he was about to speak when he saw the look on my face.

"You are doing this on purpose, aren't you?

Pym particles.

Pym particles!

Of course, there is no such thing as Pym particles you deranged woman! Does this look like a popcorn movie to you?"

I just grinned. He's so cute when he's annoyed.

"This is a one of a kind, part magical, part technological, highly experimental vehicle, created in a top-secret Orochi facility by the world's foremost experts on magical technology!"

"And you just happen to own it? May I ask how it came to be in your possession?"

Loki hesitated. He deflated a tad and grinned with what he thought was his most winning smile, but just made him look like a snake oil salesman.

"It's probably better if you don't know, my dear."

I thought as much. Orochi doesn't just hand out their top-secret, one of a kind experiments to just anyone.

"Fear not, it is mine now, no matter how I acquired it."

Loki winked and picked up the toy-sized car, jumped over the barrier, and placed it on the other side.

I walked around the barrier, showing the officers my Templar credentials.

"Believe it or not, he's with me," I winked and let Loki help me into the now regular-sized vehicle again.