Loki was busy for several days following their adventure. He'd missed both lessons and appointments, and all had to be made up. His teachers were unhappy. They asked for explanation. Loki made something up, or just gave them a smile with too many teeth and told them he'd been, "Practicing." He wasn't sorry in the slightest.
In the evening, he snuck out again to the passage. It was a portal, he was sure of it. But another thing he was sure of was that Groa had not completed it alone. It had marks of dwarf-work on it. He wondered why she had enlisted their help. He was unsure how many realms it had been built for, but he'd read that if one knew the way of it, one could build a path to any realm from a pre-existing portal.
He told no one of his discovery. He'd asked Sif to do the same, and she'd looked at him, grey eyes snapping in the dim light, like he'd suggested that she would think to do something crazy.
The next day, at a feast in the great hall, Loki saw her across the tables. Laughing, she looked over and caught sight of him. She waved.
Maybe he did have a friend.
He didn't let himself to dwell on that for too long.
~.~
TO BE CONTINUED