The God and the Siren (Loki Romance)

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Lady Cerys!" he says, smiling at first and beckoning me in—but then his face turns grave as soon as he notices the redness. "What—are you alright?"

I exhale deeply, nodding my head as I saunter into the apartment. "Yeah, yeah I'm alright. I just," I gesture back with my free hand. "I ran into Daniel on my way in."

Realization suddenly blooms in his expression. "Oh no," he says. "Forgive me—I'd completely forgotten, they'd always had him downstairs when a threat was issued. I shall see to it that he's immediately excused."

"It's alright," I chuckle as I set the bag down on the counter and turn back to him, raising a shoulder and let it drop as I shake my head. "I can handle Daniel, there's no need for that."

"We could always fillet him alive," I jump at Loki's voice behind me, and spin around to see him suddenly perched on one of the bar stools, with a cup in his hand and a book in the other. "Then none of us will have to tolerate his insufferable countenance," he says casually, taking a sip of whatever's in his mug, as he continuous reading.

"Tempting," I say laughingly, and he glances up at me briefly as I walk over to his side of the kitchen island, and set my purse down. I raise a brow, "But if anyone's going to fillet him, it'll be me. With my words. So you don't go to jail."

A grin tugs on the corner of Loki's lip, and he looks back down at his book. "As you wish, darling," he purrs.

I grin as I turn away, subduing the heat in my cheeks by averting my attention back to the grocery bag and gesturing to it. "I think that's everything you asked for, but if there's anything missing, I can go back and get it."

"You're too king to us, Lady Cerys," Thor grins, opening up the bag to start unloading it. "I'm sure that won't be necessary. Though, if you have the items list, I would like to see it—so we know how much we ought to repay."

"Oh, that's right," I turn, unzipping my bag as I start ruffling through it. "I have it here, somewhere..."

My voice trails off as I sigh frustratedly—going through the pile of receipts and other miscellaneous items, until I start pulling things out and dropping them on the counter. A giant, beige paper stock card covers the top of the pile, and it comes out with the second handful.

I glance at the golden letters as I set it face up:

Winter Gala

01/13/2019

~

Cerys Adelin

RSVP: Attending/Not Attending

+1__________

I look back into my purse and continue rummaging around in it, until I finally find the receipt I'm looking for. "Here it is!" I hold it up to Thor. "Minus the Starbucks coffee, I bought that for myself."

In the corner of my eye, I see the card disappear from the table. I turn and look over, seeing Loki holding it up by the corner as he eyes it blankly.

"Winter Gala," he muses. "Is that a ball?"

I shrug. "Sort of. It's formal, so everyone's going to be dressed up, but no one actually calls it a ball."

"And you haven't accepted this invitation?"

I shake my head. "It's just a formality, they know I'm coming."

His eyes flicker up to me wryly. "No 'plus one?'" he asks.

Something tight tugs at my chest as I shake my head, "Nope, not this year."