General Alecto Morningstar emerged from the fortified gatehouse of the Royal Palace of the Ninth Circle in search of a late breakfast. Walking around in heavy bronze armor organizing guard patrols really could take it out of a demon! The blue-skinned, snake-haired princess and general tensed as she heard thunderous footsteps, like the galloping of a horse. She calmed down when she realized that it was just the sound of her brother-in-law, Lord Svadilfari.
Much like his sister Hecate, Lord Svadilfari Spellhorn was a centaur demon with the lower body of a black stallion. Unlike Hecate, Svadilfari had a head that looked entirely human aside from the goat horns he'd inherited from his father Baphomet. His dark grey skin rippled with muscle as he raced to his sister-in-law Alecto.
"General Alecto!" Svadilfari shouted. "My husband is missing!"
"Oh, you know Loki," Alecto smiled reassuringly. "My brother has always been a creature of whims. It isn't worth fretting if he wanders off on some madcap adventure or other."
"This is different!" Svadilfari insisted frantically. The centaur demon was sweating nervously. "He didn't come home last night! He's never done that, and I don't think he'd start while he's eight months pregnant!"
"That's true," Alecto mused, stroking her chin as she leaned on her spear.
"I've asked to see both Lord Nergal and Commander Baal," said Svadilfari. "Lord Nergal's aides told me that he's too busy helping Prince Enoch settle into his new role as Chief of Justice, and someone told me that Commander Baal is unwell."
"He was injured on some kind of top secret investigation with Enoch," Alecto nodded.
"Will you help me, Alecto?!" Svadilfari pleaded, his voice cracking with anguish. "I can't bear the thought of losing both my husband and my unborn child!"
"Of course I will," Alecto. "As annoying as Loki can be sometimes, I love my brother as much as you do. Besides, Dad would throw a fit if his spymaster and the Duke of Muspelheim just vanished without a trace."
"About the spymaster thing..." Svadilfari whispered. "A courtier told me that all of Loki's spies were murdered by unknown attackers yesterday. ALL of them!"
"I think I remember Loki mentioning that to me yesterday," Alecto mused. "We should speak to Dad before we make any hasty moves."
"Then lead the way, General," Svadilfari said resolutely. "We need to fix this! We need to save my husband and the father of our children."
"And my brother," Alecto added. "Believe me, I will." With that, she flew off to the main building of the palace complex on her sturdy bat wings, Svadilfari galloping below her.