Coming Home (Sequel to This Time Around)

Chapter Twenty-Two

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Back in Asgard, Heimdall frowned as McKenna emerged from the Bifrost. "Welcome home, Your Highness. The Allfather wishes to see you at once."

"Did you tell him?"

"I am sworn to tell him if he asks, Your Highness."

She sighed. "Is he really angry?"

"He is upset. It's probably best if you go straightaway to the Throne Room."

"Very well." She went to the stables and had Stellan saddle Sunrise. A little while later, she was in the Throne Room, under the very angry scrutiny of Odin.

"You went to Midgard?"

"I did, Allfather." She didn't cower before him. Although she'd once been terrified of him, she'd long since gotten over that. "I had business I needed to take care of," she held out the envelope in her hand, "and I didn't need an audience for it."

"You are expressly forbidden to leave this realm without telling me, or without at least taking Lady Sif with you. Is that understood?"

"With all due respect, as I said, I had business to take care of at home and I didn't want anyone else there." She shifted her weight from her right to left foot. "But, that being said, I will make sure I take either Sif or Royce, should I go back."

"You will not go back without my permission."

"Your permission? Allfather, I am not a child. If I want to leave, I will."

He scowled. "And if something happens to you as well? What then?"

"Nothing is going to happen. Ward is dead and HYDRA doesn't care what I do now. Loki is-" She stopped, unable to bring herself to utter the word. "They don't care what I do now."

That seemed to take away some of Odin's fury. "What did you need to do so badly, that you would sneak from Asgard?"

"I didn't sneak. Heimdall knew where I was." She held up the envelope again. "I had to pick up some papers." And smash a few picture frames, but he didn't need to know that. "I've decided to sell the house."

"That is not a decision that needs be made at this moment."

"But it is one that needs to be made and I've made it."

"You will wait, McKenna. You may regret it otherwise."

She sighed. "I don't think I'm going to change my mind, Allfather. I don't like being there anymore. The memories are too strong."

He sighed, some of the tension easing in his shoulder. "A feeling I understand all too well."

With that, he rose and came down to the foot of the steps, where he sat. "When Frigga died, I wanted to travel to Svartalfheim myself and slay every last Elf. I imagine you feel the same about Thanos?"

"Yes and no." She gestured to the step beside him. "May I?"

"Of course."

She settled next to him. "Yes, I did feel that way. In the days after Loki died, revenge was all I could think about. He was able to settle the score with Ward. I wanted to do the same with Thanos.

"But what purpose would it serve? I'd be no match for him and it wouldn't bring Loki back, Allfather. He's gone. Right now, I have to focus on accepting that and trying to figure out how I'm raising four children by myself. Loki and I planned on doing this together. This is all new territory for me."