"You think this will hold me forever?" he sneered, his deep voice laced with venom and defiance.
"They may not burn you, but they cannot be broken." Elle wasn't certain that was true, but she prayed it was.
"Let me out of these, or I'll kill you," Surtr yelled.
Elle closed her hand and turned her wrist. The ropes tightened against Surtr, and he struggled to breathe.
Without warning, Tanngnjóstr reared back and head-butted Surtr, sending him flying into the stone wall. Surtr crumpled, and Tanngrisnir kicked him in the stomach.
Surtr groaned and rolled on his back. "I'll eat both of you and break all your bones, so you can't come back," he roared.
The dangerous-looking woman pushed the giant goats aside with ease.
"All right, you giant walking sweaters, I can handle things from here." She stopped, directly over Surtr, and lowered her trident to his chest.
He flexed against the ropes, and one of them snapped. "I will kill you, daughter."
Hel pressed her trident into his chest as another rope snapped.
Surtr yelled out, and Elle threw more fiery ropes at him. The new ropes sprouted clawed hooks at the ends, which bit into Surtr's skin, drawing blood.
"Don't worry," said the woman. "I got this." She turned to Surtr. "Surtr, king of the fire giants. Murderer of Asgardians. I, Hel, daughter of Loki and Goddess of Death, do hereby commit you to the depths of Helheim, as a prisoner. Never again to hurt anyone."
Before Surtr protested, Hel pressed the trident into his chest. It passed through him and hit the floor below. Surtr screamed in agony as the black smoke encircled him. It started at his chest and swirled outward until he was cocooned. Elle's ropes disappeared under their inky depths.
A giant pit opened in the floor, and he dropped through.
Long after her father disappeared, Elle still made out the curses he spewed at her and Hel about how he would kill them.
Hel lifted her trident, and the floor stones rolled back into place. The black smoke sucked into Hel's trident and snaked up her arm before disappearing into her dress.
That was unsettling.
Hel turned to Thor. "I believe that concludes my reason for being here, yes?"
Thor inclined his head. "Thank you, cousin."
Hel smiled. "No. Thank you. I haven't had this much fun since... forever. And now I go to make sure Surtr is completely uncomfortable in his new abode." She winked at Elle. "Be sure to come visit me when you have time. I'd love to pick your brain about the best ways to torture him." Hel backed through a shadowy portal and disappeared before Elle answered.
No one moved for several seconds as they stared at the spot where Surtr had lain.
Thor rushed to Elle. "Are you all right?"
She nodded.
He inspected her, and the lighting in his eyes vanished. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"No," she said. "I am sorry. I should have told you."
He shook his head and kissed her. "It doesn't matter. I don't care who your father was, I only care who you are."
"And who am I?" she asked.
"The woman I love and whom I hope will consent to marrying a lowly mechanic who lives in Helheim fixing bikes and trying to be worthy of you for the rest of my existence."
Elle’s body exploded with warmth as she encircled Thor's neck with her arms. "I wouldn't dream of being anyone else."
Thor pulled her closer, his lips finding hers in an electrifying kiss that sent shivers racing down her spine like tiny currents of lightning. The world seemed to fall away. She lost all sense of time as he kissed her over and over, his strong hands crushing her against him.
