Mastering Illusions

23

Frigga and Odin bid us farewell in the morning before Thor, Veers, Gamora, Nebula, and I mount onto the Statesman for the flight to Titan. Valkyrie is staying on Asgard, but Hela has deigned to accompany us. She won't be fighting with us, however; she is only hitching a ride to Titan before carrying on with her work hunting Skrulls.

I wonder if that's what we'll be doing, too.

Hela heads off to the back, telling the five of us that she "is not your babysitter, and will not be responsible if anybody dies on this damned trip." We stand awkwardly in the living space, unsure what to do next.

"Well, boys," Nebula says, smirking at Thor and I. "Just like old times, isn't it?"

The tone instantly shifts. By just one little statement, Nebula has split us into two groups: Thor, Gamora, Nebula, and I, and Veers. The before the Contest, and the after the Contest. The four of us grew up together, two brothers and two sisters. But Veers, Veers is the outsider here, the one who divided our group.

Technically, she didn't – we only hung out as children; Gamora and I were the only ones who kept up our friendship as adults. But Veers split the two of us up, changing it into the daughters of Thanos against the sons of Odin.

"Except, the old times meant imaginary battles," Thor reminds Nebula. "We are not heading to fight an imaginary battle this time."

"That's why this time will actually be fun," Nebula purrs, cocking her head.

I glance at Veers, who is tense, her fists clenched and flickering with wispy golden light. "May I ask why you two are coming with us?" she asks, directing her question to Gamora and Nebula. "This is supposed to be a mission for the champions of the Space Games."

"And it is," Gamora returns smoothly, her voice level. "Father wants to make sure this mission goes well. He has a special target in mind for you."

I don't like the sound of that.

Veers still doesn't look convinced. I can tell she wants to say something, but she doesn't want to say it in front of the daughters of Thanos. Maybe not in front of Thor, either. She looks at me, but seems reluctant to ask to speak to me in private. So we all just stand there, until I pivot and walk away.

"Where are you going, brother?" Thor calls after me.

"Somewhere else," I state.

I end up in the large, empty chamber at the back of the ship, standing in front of the throne staring out into space. A special mission. What kind of mission could Thanos possibly have for me? What punishment is he preparing for me, even as I stand here?

"Why would Thanos send his daughter on a mission with the two of us?" Veers' voice echoes behind me after some time has passes, and I hear her soft footsteps as she approaches, arms crossed over her chest. She looks at me, her gaze narrowed. "Gamora. Don't think I don't know about her, Loki."

That was one thing I hadn't been expecting today – the jealous girlfriend routine.

"What's there to know?" I ask, glancing over at her.

"I saw, what happened when we returned, after the Contest," Veers says, staring out the window. "You sought her out, talked with her. And she stalked away from you. Because you were with me. But you didn't want to be with me, did you?"

Lies, lies, I lie all the time. I barely feel a thing when I lie. But this time, I do feel a prick of guilt, perhaps shame. I don't dwell on it long enough to accurately label it. "Veers, you think I would have done what I did for someone I cared nothing about?"