Thor ignored him, but Loki kept talking.
"You know I couldn't say anything else today. I couldn't afford to lose the Grandmaster's trust."
"Save your lies, Loki. Get out!" Thor had no patience for him.
"Wait. I'm here to help." Loki lowered his voice. "The Grandmaster may be a madman, but I can handle him."
Thor gave a cold laugh. He wasn't buying it.
"You're helping me? You only ever help yourself."
"I have a plan." Loki ignored the jab. "If you work with me, you won't just regain your freedom. This place will belong to..."
Loki left the sentence unfinished. He pointed at Thor, then at himself.
"Keep your ridiculous schemes to yourself."
Thor looked at Loki's ambitious face and turned away in disgust.
"Even without your help, I'll be free in a year."
"A year? Ha!" Loki couldn't help laughing.
"You don't actually believe the Grandmaster, do you, Thor? When did you get so naive?"
"He told the last gladiator who won thirty fights in a row the same thing: win the annual championship and you'll be free."
"And what happened?" Loki spread his hands. "Only his soul was set free."
"You're his slave, Thor. Nobody tells a slave the truth. You're here to entertain people until you're no longer worth anything. Then you'll die in disgrace."
Thor stared at Loki's illusion.
He knew Loki had countless vicious schemes brewing in his head. This couldn't be as simple as Loki made it sound.
The bastard might stab him in the back at any moment.
But if Thor wanted out, he had no other option.
After a moment's thought, Thor nodded.
"Fine... let's hear your damned plan."
Loki gave him a sly smile.
"A wise choice, my dear brother."
He lowered his voice and laid out the plan.
"In