"I cannot offer you that," replied Loki at once, eyebrow raised. "Any son I might bear will be his own man and I cannot take his accomplishments from him. Should he win the right to reside in Valhalla, then it is not for me to have already taken that from him before he has even drawn breath."

But Hel had opened the bargaining, which meant that there was still hope to find a wager they might both agree upon.

"I can offer you myself, for it is the only life that I hold dominion over. No matter how gloriously I die, should I lose this bet, I shall come to your home and reside here with you."