It is so dark tonight. I look around at the street lights that are lit but seem to give off no light. I’ve never heard my city this quiet. Shivering, I spin, feeling as if I’m being watched. Grand-mere used to say someone was walking over your grave when you had chills race over your body, an omen, a foreshadowing. I don’t see anyone. I continue toward my apartment for a couple of steps and then stop, frozen. I don’t see anyone. Not a single soul. There are always people in the quarter. Something is very wrong.

Suddenly a blast of angry energy pounds into me. My feet fly over the uneven sidewalk as I try to get to the safety of home. Only a block left, but suddenly my toe catches on a raised piece of concrete. I feel myself flying forward. Hitting the ground, my teeth rattle, and then the skin on my palms rips. I swallow the cry, looking over my shoulder as I push up and run limping to the door of the building. I don’t stop running until I’m leaning back against my door, locks flung into place. Gulping a couple breaths before launching myself across the room, I lock the French doors.

Blood runs down the chipped white paint, and I stare at it. Just as suddenly as the energy appeared, it is gone. I stumble back as the sound of laughing and music floats through the air where moments before there was silence. Peeking through the shutter slat, I blink at the bright neon lights.

Something is very, very wrong.

Pulling the covers around me, I look at the bandages on my hands, jumping when my phone rings. I look at the screen and see Emma’s number. Tapping it, I bring it to my ear. “Emma?”

“Who else would it be? Is your caller ID not working?” She laughs, “Anyway, is it crazy over by you? It took me forever to get to the studio. Bunch of roads closed off, radio said something happened down in the Quarter but didn’t say what.”

The tension leaves my shoulders. “Um, yea I got home okay.” I can hear her wheels turning over the phone, her and Aislin know me too well.

“What happened?”

“Nothing. Really. I just got spooked and tripped.” I shrug, rolling my eyes. They make me feel ten years old.

“Oh my God, are you okay?”

“Yes. I said I was fine. I’m just going to curl up in bed and watch a movie. I’ll come by tomorrow after I finish at the square.” Please let her let it go.

“Okay. If you're sure.”

“Good night, Emma. And please try not to call Aislin.” I disconnect the call, tossing my phone down. Grabbing the remote, I turn on a movie and try to watch but I can’t shake that feeling of being watched. I finally fall asleep as I pick at the bandages on my hands.

‘What the fuck was that?’ Odin’s voice stabs at my brain, causing me to flinch. Like he doesn’t know what that was; we could all feel his shock and fear through the web I woven around the seer.

‘It was Loki. We are lucky something stopped him. You need to get more of your followers to be ready to share their power. If he attacks again, we need to be ready.’

‘Loki doesn’t have power like that.’ You keep telling yourself that. ‘She must be kept locked in her mind, keep her power contained. You need to build better illusions.’

I get it. If this fails, it will be me who pays. I don’t tell him that for just an instant, I felt a power of one who could ruin it all. One who would know exactly who spun the web surrounding the seer. Closing my eyes, I adjust those threads and the powers that travel through them, hiding my own below layers and layers. If this fails, I will not go down with Odin and the others. I was forgotten long ago and I plan to stay that way.