Sigyn's Discovery (Part 1)

A Night With King Loki (SIGYN)

Tiwaz growled when I entered the room. He was standing with his tail puffed up on my bed.

"What's the matter with you?" I said, teasing him.

He wasn't amused and hissed harshly, jumping to the floor with a thud.

"Well, excuse me for not bringing home any scraps." I held up Theoric's rose and felt light. "I was...busy."

The flower's perfume was welcome and refreshing. Its petals were soft and deeply saturated with vibrant color. Since Tiwaz was prone to destroying plants, I never brought any into my room, but this was a worthy exception. I opened my journal on the desk and laid the rose in the center crease, planning to write a small entry before flattening the bloom within its pages.

The cat purred loudly and chirruped at the door, now butting the wood with his head.

"Oh, so you only wanted to yell at me for a moment, is that it?"

As I spoke, a quick knock from the hall stole my breath. Tiwaz wasn't fazed and raised his tail in excitement.

"Yes? Who is it?"

When no one answered, I shook my head. Annoying strangers in the hall. People live here. I threw open the door, planning to scold any partygoers who thought loitering in the servantry was acceptable.

But the hall was empty. Dark. Tiwaz rushed around the corner and up the stairs, chasing no one. If he hadn't pushed me, I might never have seen the note at my feet.

The small piece of parchment formed a tent on the floor with the crease along the top, as if it had been hastily dropped. Paired with the knock, I presumed it was for me.

Before picking it up, I searched the hall again. "Hello?"

Only distant yelling from the great hall answered me; the rest of Asgard was still steeped in festivities.

I shrugged and took the note into my room for better light, closing the door behind me since Tiwaz disappeared into the palace for his nightly romp. My name was carefully scripted on the side. The inner message was written in capital letters, hiding any penmanship that I might recognize.

Please come to the top of the palace bell tower. I'm waiting for you.

I bit my lip reflexively, and heat flooded my belly. Surely Theoric needed a little space to freshen up before meeting me upstairs and sent a quiet messenger to fetch me. A kiss would be wasted in the dark outside my door—but the bell tower? While I cleaned up the lines of my eye paint in the mirror, I imagined just how learned his touch might be. My feet were suffering because of the uncomfortable shoes, and I exchanged them for my soft slippers.

The upper floors of the palace were deserted like the servantry, though they looked unfamiliar after so many weeks away. Only every other sconce on the north wall was lit while I ascended to the judgment hall. I intended to rush through as quickly as possible, but a delicate pile of blue before Frigga's door made me pause.

Flowers. The same ones I always chose to leave for Frigga and Mother at the door. How did Theoric know? It softened my heart to think he had thought of this, too, after I mentioned how dear she was to me and knowing I would pass it on my way. Frigga's energy was all around me because of the fighting. She'd likely saved my life many times just by teaching me how to evade an attack.

I blew a kiss to the door and continued, lifting my black skirt to hurry. While I didn't doubt he would wait for me much longer than I'd already given him, I still had a girl's worry for losing the opportunity. The consequence of being jilted too many times.

Odin's chamber called to me when I passed, but I ignored it. Stared straight ahead. Wouldn't even give it a glance. Though the doors didn't buzz like they would normally...