"And didn't you tell me that this Alviss had sent you here as his ambassador to get Thrud?"
"Y-yes."
"Well, then, you're an American ambassador," Loki said with finality. "Tell Thor that you want to see him about presiding at a dedication ceremony for this day. It's been so long since a mortal asked Thor to preside at anything he's bound to fall for it. That will get you invited to Belskirnir."
"I guess I could do that," Kevan said doubtfully. "But getting out will be harder than getting in, won't it?"
"Nothing to it," said Loki with confidence. "Do you know any good riddles?"
"Riddles?" repeated the amazed Kevan. "You mean things like—like 'What flies forever and rests never?'"
"The wind," Loki said promptly. "That's the general idea, although you'll need to get newer ones than that. The really old ones Thor will know. Can you manage some more modern ones?"
"I'll try," Kevan said. He remembered that his mother had often read riddles to him as a child and he thought he could recall some of them.
"About three good riddles should be about right. When you get to Belskirnir, the first thing you'd better do is tip off Thrud why you're there. Then you challenge Thor to guess your three riddles. If he fails—and he will if you use good ones for nobody ever accused Thor of being bright—then he lets you take Thrud away."
"That sounds all right, except for one thing. What if Thor doesn't accept the challenge?"