“How long will he remain like this?” Krampus asked.

He had followed me to the prison I had constructed to examine for himself how I had trapped Utgard-Loki. He had spent some time studying the cave, the runic script I had created, and the layered illusions and glamour I had used to hide the cave from detection.

Even the use of [Sight] or [Scry] would find it impossible to breach the protections I had woven into the defenses of this cave. I had used my immunities and protections the Tuatha de Danann granted me to hide what I had fashioned.

“I'm not sure," I said as I walked over to examine the sleeping Jotunn using my healing magics. I was able to perform a physical exam on the sleeping Jotunn, but it was pointless. His body offered no defenses to my probing magic, and it took me a few moments to understand what I was processing. The body of a God had no similarities to mortal bodies.

Even the Sidhe, for all our vaunted claims of immortality, were mortal in the end. We could die, which meant our bodies required the physiological responses of any living creature.

Utgard-Loki didn't have a body composed of organs, bones, and nerves. His was a body created entirely with Divine energies. The anatomy I might expect to find had been transformed into whirls and eddies of power, a star nebula or energy that maintained order and cohesion. That defined him.

The Elfshot I had tranquilized him with had affected the nebula of stars, the matrix that linked his Godhood to his Divine energies. The effect was mesmerizing, slowing the rotation of that divine matrix so much that it barely moved.

It was this that had forced the giant into [Sleep].

I injected the antidote for Elfshot, watching as his body processed the medicine. It was strangely enthralling, watching as his nebula began to blaze with energy. The revolution of stars stuttering in fitful stops and starts until the solar winds of each star that comprised his body was restored to perfect harmony.

A Divine constellation of energies that synchronized into its own version of heavenly homeostasis.

Utgard-Loki woke bellowing in outrage. His fists were swinging, ready to destroy everything and everyone in his path. Only the intervention of Krampus kept him from attacking me or destroying the prison I had created.

I remained quiet as Krampus explained what had happened and that I had acted with Thrym's permission. That explanation did little to assuage his anger, but at least it was enough to contain the bloodlust he had been generating.

"Now what?" Utgard-Loki growled.

"What do you mean?" Krampus asked.

"He did what Thrym asked, so when do we start using his tactics and taking prisoners?"

"Not yet," Krampus replied, "Thrym has one more test before he implements this strategy."

Turning his focus towards me, Krampus continued. "Thrym wants to see how well you do when given an Asgardian for a target. Somewhere with heavy foot traffic and someone powerful enough, their removal will make a real difference."

I had expected this. Acting against the citizenry of Asgard was what I'd thought would be Thrym's first demand. That he allowed me to prove my concept on a relatively safe target had been illuminating.

Thrym was more logical and cautious than I'd expected. He wasn't the barbaric brute that the Asgardians had branded him. That he wanted to test and verify my strategy was understandable, even if I chaffed at the need to move at his pace.

"Who?" I asked, making no effort to hide my anger at this further complication. I would do it; I needed the Jotunn to act as a distraction, but I didn't need them badly enough to allow them to string me along.

I would go with an alternative plan if I couldn't get the Jotunn to act after this, one that used shadow and Ag's ability to move within their depths to infiltrate Asgard. I had hoped I wouldn't need to rely on and use stealth to reach my target.

"Mothi," Krampus announced slyly.

"Mothi?" Utgard-Loki responded with a roar of laughter. "With his appetite for food and drink, I wonder if there is any amount of narcotic that can force him into [Sleep]. And if there is, how in Hel's name will you move him? He weighs as much as a mountain!"

"Who is Mothi?" I asked Krampus.

"One of Thor's sons. His [Domain] is [Wrath]. He is never quiet, easily angered, and quick to action. He isolates himself from those around him when he isn't fighting, losing himself in self-reflection, racked with the guild of souls he is forced to harvest.

"He has rooms at Thor's home, a place that has been enchanted with runes to calm him when he needs a time of isolation.

"It should be easy enough to capture him during one of those moments," Krampus continued. "The hard part will be forcing him into [Sleep]. Even during his bouts of self-reflection, his body is ravaged by the power of his battle lust.

"I’m not sure the potion you used to dose Utgard-Loki will be powerful enough to silence his fury.”

“But if it is, you will have Thor fast on your heels,” Utgard-Loki warned me. “Somehow, the God of Thunder always knows when his children are in danger. Whatever sense he uses to keep track of them, it allows him to know where they are and how to track them.”

“That is true,” Krampus admitted. “We don’t know if Thor will recognize and respond when the narcotic you use is administered as an attack. It is likely, but even if he fails to notice, he might be able to trace his son no matter where or how you hide him.”

Mothi was probably wearing a fetish of some type. A charm that sent a signal to Thor that he could track. If that were the case, I would have to strip him and leave everything he wore behind. I worried that the fetish might be hidden in something that couldn’t be removed—a tattoo created with enchanted ink or a blessing that served the same purpose.

Kidnapping Mothi might work best if he kidnaps himself. I would have to send the Azi-Fey to scout. Hopefully, they could find someone Mothi considered a friend, wife, or child. Someone I could base an illusion on to entice him into a prison he entered by his own will.

But I would ensure that Thrym knew this second demand for proof would have consequences. I had prearranged a signal with Balfour and the Azi-fey just in case Krampus was duplicitous. The sign was given, and Utgard-Loki was once more trapped in [Sleep] as missiles of [Elfshot] peppered his body.

Krampus whirled on me angrily, drawing his great sword as he moved to protect Utgard-Loki.

His movement was too late.

“He is fine,” I said, “but it seems I can’t depend on Thyrm’s honor. This time Utgard-Loki will remain in [Sleep] until the promises made here today and the last time I met with your king are kept.

“You can have your guards move his body to your fortress or not. That is up to you. But I warn you, the protections and illusions I used to create this jail are temporary. They will expire soon after I leave.”