Loki's Apprentice: A Tale Retold

Chapter 43: God of Lies

Evelyn's room felt overwhelmingly empty without the presence of Frea, Roth, and even Grim. She had searched for them walking back to her chambers, calling out their names to be only answered back her own echoes. 

The castle felt inexplicably empty.

She wasn't quite sure she'd ever see them ever again.

Trying to accept that sad reality, she had sat on her bed for a few moments, her hands in her lap, mulling over her what had transpired.  

She hadn't realized how numb she had been until she realized the complete weight of Loki's words.

He had set her free, and did not expect her return. 

Her heart swelled with the thought of feeling the warmth of her small home, the smile of her father, the crushing hugs of her brothers, and the quiet moments with her sisters before bed. 

But such thoughts  did not solve the ache in her heart that she had when Loki knelt before her. There seemed to be an eternal strain between the two pulls of her heart. Under such stress, she wan't quite sure how her heart could come out in one piece.

But shouldn't this pain be alleviated? 

No act of betrayal had torn them apart like Psyche's wretched error. Loki had no need to flee from her presence to mend a broken heart.  

He had simply set her free.

She admired him even more with this act of selflessness, one that she could not imitate.

Why could we not be free together?

She did not see why she could not return to him once she had visited her family, or better yet, why they could not leave the castle together.

Remembrance of her vision of freedom washed over her senses once more. The fresh air delighting her senses, and the golden stalks of the wheat tickling her skin. She could feel Loki running behind her, trying to catch her, his arm just about to wrap around her waist and capture her.

They crashed to the ground together laughing, creating their shape in the golden stalks. There was no castle, no dark past, or obligation weighing down upon them. 

They were free.

Rising from her bed suddenly, Evelyn was determined to see this vision in reality.

Her heart would no longer be under such strain.

It was only in that moment of deciding to pack and leave that she realized nothing in the room was truly hers. The only thing that had not been provided was the striking serpent, glaring at her from across the room. 

It seemed to mock her newfound hope. She felt anger bubble within her at its smug appearance and she quickly picked it up, intending to cast it into the fire.

Time seemed to slow, however, as a chill seemed to spread throughout her veins as another far less pleasant vision enveloped her.

She saw Loki running a finger across the rose she had returned to him, causing a trace of frost to cling where he had touched it. Grim and Roth listened as he spoke, his countenance dark.

Loki's words were muffled, not allowing Evelyn to hear, but Roth looked as if he had come to a realization, seeming horrified at what he had uttered.

"The spell needs an immense amount of power, and it comes with a price" Grim uttered before staring down Loki, "Isn't that right, son?"

An ambush of emotions flooded Loki countenance, he gritted his teeth amidst the turmoil.

"What is the price?" Roth asked, disappointment evident in his tone.