Author's Note: Sorry for the cliffhanger…well, okay, I'm not really sorry. It will more than likely happen again. It's the way I write. Plus I kind of do a happy little author dance when I actually manage to freak people out by cutting the story off abruptly. (What can I say? I like making trouble.)

Anyway, some of your reviews intrigued me, and I felt the need to both clarify and answer some things that were said there. First of all, the shard has been removed from Loki already—it is the magic that remains in him, poisoning him. It seems I wasn't very clear. Secondly, in response to Kereea's review, I will not say what direction this story will take, but I will say that you are not quite correct. There will (obviously) be more plot motion with the shard, but it will not quite take that form.

As always, reviews are almost as greatly appreciated as the sound of Tom Hiddleston's voice. (Almost. Not quite.) Please read and review. Even if it is just to tell me I suck, I'm interested to hear in what particular way I have failed as a writer.

Without further ado…

CHAPTER SIX

Darcy stared at him blankly.

"Die?" she said.

"Yes."

She sputtered for words. "As in, pass on? Cease to be? A stiff, without life, rest in peace?"

"That would be the general idea of 'death,' yes," Loki said without humor. "Unless, of course, I can come up with magic strong enough to counteract what has already entered my body," he said dully, "which is unlikely, given the fact that I can't think of a spell that would do such a thing and they don't seem to be particularly keen on magic around here."

Darcy paused for a moment, the gears in her head grinding together fruitlessly. Then she smiled, a little light bulb practically forming over her head.

Loki's scowl deepened. "What are you grinning about?"

She waggled her eyebrows, glasses glinting in the light as she made for the door. "I have an idea."

"Of course you do," he grumbled. But he didn't stop her as she headed outside to the car.

Three long hours later, Darcy returned, arms straining under a half dozen books that weighed almost a third what she did.

Loki's eyes widened slightly when she came in.

"Is this your idea?" he asked incredulously. "Put me out of my misery by killing me under the weight of some books?"

"No," she said breathlessly, setting the books down with a heavy 'thump' on the table next to Loki's bed. She pulled one from the top of the stack and held it out for display. "It's what's in the books that I'm interested in."

Loki frowned, but took the unlabeled book from her, opening it curiously to read the first page.

He blinked, entirely disconcerted. "Mythology?"

"Norse mythology." She shrugged. "You know, the Vikings. They thought you and Thor and what's-his-face were, like, God-gods."

"That they did." He tapped a finger against his lips thoughtfully. "This…this could work," he admitted, raising a surprised eyebrow. He glanced at Darcy's face. "What are you up to?"

"Me?"

"No, the other mortal in the room handing me books." He rolled his eyes. "Of course, you. Why are you helping me? What exactly are you trying to gain from this?"

Darcy crossed her arms, affronted. "You think I'm doing this for gain?"

"You mortals are a notoriously selfish bunch."

"You're a fine one to talk," she said sarcastically, picking up another book from the stack. "What was it, exactly, that you did to Balder?"

"I brought him back afterward," Loki snapped. "I made a deal with my daughter—who, by the way," he added, seeing her surprised look, "was the result of joined magic, not a sexual relationship with that hag I used to associate with…" His eyes glazed over, his chin pulling back in something resembling nausea. He shuddered slightly.

Darcy shook her head, visibly recovering from the incongruous idea of Loki having children. "Okay, so the Vikings left the whole fixing-your-mistake part out. But you're just as bad as people are. Sometimes worse." She scowled again. "And just because some people are bad doesn't mean we all are. We might be selfish, but we're also inexplicably altruistic. My psychology professor spent a whole lecture offering theories as to why humans do good things, but there isn't a real reason. Sometimes we just do good things for the sake of being good." She held her hands up in a mock-surrender gesture. "That's my gain, man. I'm not really interested in anything you have to offer me."

Loki paused. "I see," he said, unconvinced. He sighed. "Well, it hardly matters in any case. I'm not really in any position to bargain properly, so I have to accept your help regardless of whether I trust your motives or not." He shifted his features into a more neutral look. "Now: how good are you at skimming?"

"Decent." She smiled guiltily. "Although I usually know what I'm skimming for in novels. I check Spark Notes first to figure out what the important parts are."

Loki looked like he was resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the childish simplicity of human cheating. "That's fine," he said. "I know exactly what we're looking for."

"What is it called?"

"Look for the words 'Thrice Magic.'"

"I've found it."

Darcy looked up blearily, wiping her glasses off on her shirt. Totally not falling asleep while reading this. Nope. "Meh?" she mumbled.

"Thrice Magic. I found a reference to a spell that can help me."

Darcy arched her back as she got to her feet. God, how long have I been sitting here? "Mm," she yawned. "What is it?"

Loki handed her the book in reply.

She scanned the first page. She paused. "You were a woman once?" she asked.

Loki sighed heavily, rolling his eyes. "The other page," he said stiffly. He paused. "And I was much prettier than Thor was."

Darcy smiled slightly. He's never hearing the end of that one. She forced her face into a more serious position with some effort and bit her lip to stifle the giggles—and amusing mental images—as she eyed the second page. Her heart sank as she read. She read it a second time, slowly, just to be sure.

"Are you sure this is the right spell?" she asked.

"Positive."

"This spell? The Thrice Blood variation of Thrice Magic?"

"Is there a problem, mortal?"

She widened her eyes slightly. "Um, yeah, mucho problemo. The Bifrost is kind of gone. How the hell are you going to get—" she squinted at the page, "'a drop of jotun blood?' Or god blood, for that matter," she said. "I'm guessing that your own doesn't count."

"That is correct," Loki said. He sighed quietly. "On both counts. I will need the blood of another Asgardian in order for this spell to work…and the Bifrost is broken."

"Then this spell is useless," Darcy said bluntly. "If you need to get to Asgard, and your only way to get there has been destroyed…" She stopped short, shoulders slumping. "Unless," she said, the cogs in her head turning, "you have another way." She stared at him. "You have another way, don't you?"

Loki didn't say anything. The answer was clear in his light green eyes.

"You…you had a way back there the whole time?" she stammered. "And you didn't tell anyone?"

He remained silent. Darcy shook her head furiously, turning away from him as she did so.

"I'm getting Jane."

"I would prefer you didn't," Loki said plaintively.

"You said it yourself earlier." Darcy crossed her arms. "You have no bargaining power. This concerns Jane, and I am going to tell her something that she has a right to know." She shrugged, throwing her hands up. "You don't have a leg to stand on."

She stormed off, trying to keep the smile from showing on her face until she was out of Loki's sight. Thank you, thank you, god of mischief, she thought to herself. You just saved Jane.