The Disorder (Book 1)

Chapter 8

Loki felt the shock that Aubrey felt. It was unnerving how unattached she was from the situation.

"Excuse me," Aubrey told her parents calmly. "I need a moment to take this all in."

"Okay, honey," the woman said, her brown eyes full of concern. "If you have any questions, make sure you ask."

"Oh my gosh, Aubrey, you believe them?" Aubrey's younger sister, who looked like a mirror image of her mother, cruelly laughed. "Nice try guys, but storytelling stopped affecting me in the second grade."

Loki felt Aubrey's twinge of annoyance and chuckled to himself as she ran up the stairs and down the hallway, her short limbs making her run much slower than Loki could in his body. She finally reached an old-fashioned door with peeling white paint at the very end of the hallway and entered.

What Loki assumed was Aubrey's room looked like it had recently been painted a warm brown, not an unpleasant color, but one that gave the room a homey feeling. The bed and curtains were a light, minty green. Books and movies were everywhere. Lying on the bed, on the nightstand, on the shelves in the corner, peaking out from under the bed, in the window sills, on the floor, and on top of the dresser where most girls would put make-up. A small TV set was squished in the corner balanced on, what do ya know, more books and movies! Drawings covered ever vertical surface that the books couldn't occupy. Drawings of faces, flowers, horses, and scenes from books and movies. Her room was absolutely chaotic; Loki loved it.

Aubrey fell into the bed and buried her face in the covers. How could I be so stupid? she thought, probably to herself, but as Loki was nosey, he couldn't help but comment.

What did you do this time? He thought, even though he already knew.

Why didn't you tell me? You said you couldn't lie to me! I'm so stupid. I should've trusted my gut.

Well, technically, I didn't lie. I kept that from you because I didn't know how you would react. Plus, I figured that you would side with him and Odin if you knew. Please don't side with them, Aubrey. They will kill me. Either kill me or imprison me the second Balder is returned to Odin. They will have no use of me anymore.

Why? What did you do for them to hate you like this? Did you lie to them too?

Using Dream is against the law.

Odin is the king right? Surely he would go easy on you.

Ha! Loki thought. Odin doesn't go easy on anyone. Except your dad, everyone loves him.

Aubrey was shaken by that thought, which reminded her of another subject that she had been meaning to bring up. Loki, she thought in a scared tone, What will you do with me and my family when you take my dad?

Well... That's the thing.

The thing?!?

That's not my call; it's Odin's.

Odin! You seriously mean the guy that you just said goes easy on no one?! Or would he go easy on us since we are my dad's family?

To be completely honest, probably not.

Seriously? Aubrey thought in dismay.

Loki just mentally shrugged.

Aubrey sighed aloud. Loki focused on her thoughts, which were filled with controversy. It seemed as though she didn't know if she wished for Balder to stay with her on Earth, or if she wanted to join Balder in Asgard with her family. Both were outrageous wishes. Odin and Frigg would never give up until Balder was home, safe. And Loki presumed that Odin wouldn't be overly interested in his half-human grandchildren; things like this happen often, and Demi-gods are not uncommon. If anything, Odin would be shamed by his son's association with humans, and Aubrey, well, she would just be a constant reminder.

I will see what I can do. Loki thought. Maybe I could convince Odin to let your dad stay, or maybe even let your family join us in Asgard.

Really? You would do that? She thought, her hopes rising.

Sure, but I'm not making any promises that he will agree.

She seemed to have full faith that Loki could persuade Odin to let her wishes come true, but, to be honest, he was just amusing her. He needed her to trust him if his plan was to succeed.

With these hopes like sugar plums dancing in her head, Aubrey began to drift off, and Loki was finally free to think without fear of anyone listening.

Almost everything Loki had told Aubrey today had been a lie.

No, Balder didn't run away from home. No, Odin wasn't upset about Loki using dream. No, her parents didn't lie to her. No, she wouldn't be able to read his emotions and thoughts very well at first. In fact, Loki found it easy at the moment to keep certain thoughts from her.

On the other hand, he did say 'almost.' After all, a lie intertwined with truths is always the most believable.

He had told her the truth about Hugin and Munin, her dad, and other various facts about his home, as long as they didn't interfere with his plan. His very elaborate, one-slip-up-could-ruin-everything plan.

But there was one other thing that Loki didn't lie about. One thing that made him feel very unlike himself.

The connection.

He had heard tales about it before, sure, but he never imagined that he would experience it. He always seemed to be able to slip around little rules like that.

When Loki had first bound their souls, lying to Aubrey was as easy as breathing, even with her ability to read his emotions. Unfortunately, to share a body with Aubrey forced Loki to put his feet in her shoes (although he highly doubted that he would actually be able to fit his feet in her tiny little shoes).

As time passed, he found himself feeling guiltier and guiltier for lying to her. But he did it anyways. His life was on the line, and he wasn't about to give it up because he felt bad for a sniffling little girl.

Now, the fact that Loki even told Aubrey about the connection was phenomenal. He supposed she could already feel it, and by telling her, she has trusted him more than ever before, but to admit that it was affecting him... He's stooped pretty dang low before, even down to his knees, begging for his life, but admitting weakness was something he tried to avoid. He liked to let people think that he had everything figured out, that nothing affected him, but apparently that would be harder than he thought with Aubrey.

Loki wondered what Odin would do with Aubrey. He certainly was growing fond of her; she presented a challenge that Loki had never encountered before. Although she seems slow now, he assumed that after she caught onto how things work, she would be clever, and a valuable ally, for he sensed something in her. A certain fire that he knew would somehow come into play later in the game. He truly hoped Odin wouldn't kill her out of spite before Loki could identify this flame within her, besides this little game was just getting interesting.

A/N:
Thought I would throw in some Loki thoughts in there for ya :) What do you think Loki's plan is? As always, comment your thoughts! And vote! Pretty please?