Heart of a Mortal (Loki Romance)

Chapter 24

Still Loki's POV

I'd fallen into a deeper sleep than I'd expected. It was already light out when I woke and I sat up quickly, getting out of the bed. I concentrated on myself for a moment, ensuring that I was invisible should Ebony wake. She stirred and stretched. She looked over her shoulder and then sighed. I stepped away and started to walk to the door when she rolled to the other side and froze. Sitting up, she looked for me, her gaze falling somewhere to my left.

"Loki?" She called. I bit down on my lip, desperately wanting to reply. She looked down at the bed and then lay back down, sighing. My gaze fell on her ring. I felt a small shiver of satisfaction at the sight. She would have thrown it away if she truly hated me. I walked around to the other side and reached out, pressing one finger to her ring. I closed my eyes and channeled a small amount of power into it, binding it with a simple but powerful spell.

She reached out suddenly and my eyes shot open as her hand brushed mine. I froze and stared down at her. Her grey eyes rose slowly, staring at me again. "Loki." She said, knowing I was here.

I was not to speak to her and I didn't know what I would say if I could. So I stepped back and concentrated on an image of the tunnels, trying to leave before she could say anything else. My surroundings began to change and I opened my eyes to see her disappearing before me.

I looked around again to find myself deep in the tunnels, alone. I went to the main chamber and greeted Barton. He nodded.

It is time we speak. My employer murmured. I sighed heavily. I grabbed my staff and sat down, cross-legged on the ground in a little corner of the main room. Placing the staff in one hand, I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, feeling my mind transport itself to the barren rock of my employer's realm.

"The Chitauri grow restless." The creature spoke. As cold and unfeeling as he was, I sensed he was a slave as well. He was called the Other. I hesitated to ask his name, unsure of how camaraderie would be taken by the man in charge. The Other was not a man I would want to consider my friend anyway.

My form slowly took shape, dressed in my royal battle armor. "Let them gird themselves. I will lead them in a glorious battle."
Everything was finally ready. Despite my hesitance, the plan was in place and it was too late to turn back now.

"Battle?" He spat. "Against the meager might of Earth?"

"Glorious, not lengthy. If your force is as formidable as you claim." I mocked.

"You question us? You question him? He who put the scepter in your hand, who gave you ancient knowledge and new purpose when you were...cast out? Defeated?" I sensed incredulity in his voice.

"I was a king! The rightful king of Asgard. Betrayed." Defeat, I refused to accept. And I dared to question him. He who put in my hand the scepter that surrendered my soul into his hand just as much as I could take the free will of others such as Barton. He who lied to me. Tricked me. He who hurt Ebony - oh yes, I dared.

The creature growled low in his throat. "Your ambition is little! And born of childish need. We look beyond the Earth, to the greater worlds the Tesseract will unveil."

"You don't have the Tesseract yet." He hissed, streaking towards me. I tensed, ready to defend but he stopped inches away from me. I resisted the urge to raise a questioning brow. "I don't threaten. But until I open the doors, until your force is mine to command...you are but words."

There was a faint sound in the air, like a chuckle. My employer could follow through on his threats. I had felt only previews of the pain he could cause. I spoke with a bravery and grandeur I didn't feel and I sensed that he knew this. But I didn't like to back down, even to one so powerful as him.