FROST- Jotun Chronicles #1

The Execution

“Get off her!” Erik’s outraged cry sent horror coursing through me. He thought Loki was attacking me! In four giants strides he was across the room and towering over us, and Loki’s weight was yanked off me,

“Settle down…” Loki began, and then Erik lunged at him, tackling him to the floor.

I shot up off the bed, “Erik, stop!”

Neither of them seemed to hear me, they were grappling with one another, rolling over on the floor, each trying to get the upper hand. Erik managed to flip Loki over and jam a knee in his chest. He swung at his face, and Loki caught his fist in one hand and yanked his arm sideways.

Footsteps thundered in the hallway suddenly. The noise of the brawl had brought more people. Just as Loki landed a punch on Erik’s face the doors burst open and guards flooded in.  With astonishing speed they ringed the two men in a circle of shining spears. Erik sat back, looking woozy but triumphant, and Loki stuck his hands in the air,

“Alright,” he said, “I’m giving up, see? Don’t jab me with one of those.”

I was about to open my mouth to protest, to tell them to back off. To tell them he was with me. But I shut it just as quickly. If I told them that I’d be branded a traitor. I’d probably end up in the dungeons with Lief. I stayed quiet for the moment, chewing on my nails anxiously.

One of the guards, the amazon woman from the night before, stepped forward and pulled Loki up by his shirt collar. She was tiny compared to him, but she still glared up at him, as if she was daring him to give her any trouble.

“We have to take him to the Queen.”

Panic was starting to freeze my chest, and tears were collecting in my eyes. Erik scrambled off the floor and pushed past the ring of guards, he took my arm gently,

“Are you alright? Did he hurt you?”

I couldn’t speak. I just shook my head and looked up at him miserably. Why did I have to forget he’d been coming that night? I’d promised him we’d go on that star light walk, now I remembered, for all the good it did me.

He must have mistaken my tears for fright, because he patted my shoulder, “Don’t worry, you’re safe now.”

I shut my eyes, frustrated I couldn’t say anything and terribly afraid for Loki. What would they do to him?

“Come on, let’s go,” the woman snapped, and she tugged on Loki’s shirt. He probably wouldn’t be budged an inch by her if he didn’t want to be, but he began to walk forward, surprising me by dropping a wink over his shoulder. How could he be so calm?

There was no way I was going to sit here and wonder what was going on. I staggered off the bed, following the soldiers on watery knees. Erik looked sideways at me, but didn’t say anything. The procession met Charlotte and Davin in the hall. Charlotte’s eyes went huge and round when she saw Loki being dragged past. I shot her a warning look and she nodded slightly, face worried. She stepped into the procession right behind me, Davin following in her footsteps.

The walk to the throne room was like I was walking to my own execution. Every step was an effort, like I had lead in my shoes, and a tempest was brewing in my stomach. What would she do when she saw him? What would she say? Finally we were at the throne room doors, the guards were pushing them slowly open. All I could see was the back of Loki, his dark curls and the brown servant’s clothes he wore. In spite of the woman pushing him forward he walked casually, hands in his pockets like he was going for a stroll in the park. What was he thinking right now? Was he scared?

There were only fifty or so people in the throne room, since it was starting to get late. They stood in clusters on the sparkling ice floor, glasses of wine in their long pale fingers, false smiles on their faces as they exchanged niceties. All the noise died away as we entered. My heart flew into my throat the moment I laid eyes on the Queen. Ice, it’s like she’s made of ice. Somehow I knew she wasn’t going to be merciful.