Twisted [Degenerate Series, Book 1][Blackfrost] ✔️

Chapter 26

Eventually, I fell asleep.

*Loki*

Everything was normal...or about as normal as normal was in my cell. I was drinking my cup of water, letting my eyes flutter closed as I consumed the clear liquid.

I put the water down, finished. I opened my eyes and focused my gaze upon the guard, who was approaching me. She grabbed my arm roughly and jerked me to my feet.

"Ow," I said. The guard began to march me over to the door. "What's going on?"

Unsurprisingly, the guard did not answer. She opened the door easily and I furrowed my eyebrows. Was it always unlocked?

She led me into the large cavern, and I took in a long breath. The air felt good, slightly chilled.

My face fell when I saw the structure in the center of the room. The structure was a large stone slab with a metal rod hanging down from the ceiling above it. Curling along the rod, and dropping its venom onto the stone slab was a giant snake. "What is that?" I growled, attempting to jerk away from the guard, but she had me in a rough hold.

I looked past the snake and the stone slab to see Odin standing, staring, waiting. I pulled my arm away from the guard again, and this time, I managed to get free. I swung my head around. Could I run?

The guard grabbed my arm and pushed me onto my knees. I growled and tried to stand, but Odin's booming voice stopped me. "Enough!"

The guard pulled me to my feet and I met the gaze of my adoptive father. I realized how pathetic I must look. I was weak and tired, skinny, my shirt torn, and my skin red and ugly with burns. Still, I attempted to make myself look menacing. I stood as tall as I could, narrowing my eyes to appear intimidating.

Odin looked unfazed. He waved his hand and I felt more hands clasp my shoulder, moving me toward the stone slab. I glanced over to see that two more guards had arrived.

They led me over to the slab and began to tie my arm to it.

I pulled against the restraint, but it wouldn't give. The guards moved to tie my other hand. The bondage successfully held me against the stone. The position of my body reminded me of a T. I glanced up and saw the snake curled on the pole above me. My mouth fell open. It wasn't dripping poison. At least, not yet.

The guards had tied my legs, keeping me against the stone. I couldn't move, except my head. I pulled on the ropes, but they wouldn't move. What they hell were they made of? What kind of rope was this strong?

I moved my gaze to Odin, who was now approaching me.

"What has become of you?" I asked in a low voice.

He didn't respond. He glanced at the guards around the room and returned his one-eyed gaze to me. "Loki Laufeyson," his voice echoed in the large cavern. "I return to you your Asgardian strength for one days time, to allow a lasting punishment. You will endure direct hits from the venom of a viper for that time. When the time runs out, I will show you mercy that you do not deserve." He glanced up at the snake, and I could hear his unspoken words. And you will die.

So he was letting me suffer for a day with immortality before he'll take that away and kill me. Thanks, Odin.

Just then, I felt an amazing warmth flow from my toes into my whole body as Odin returned my near immortality that would be keeping me alive for the remainder of the day. I couldn't help but let out a moan of pleasure. The warmth traveled up and down my body, leaving me with a pleasant tingling sensation in my bones.

I glanced at my arms and saw the burns on my skin from the hot room slowly fading away because of my quickened healing.

The feeling of strength vanished instantly. There was a sudden intense, burning pain in my upper back. I tried again to squirm out of my restraints, my body buzzing with pain.

There was another burning sensation in about the same spot. I could picture the snake above me, dripping its poison onto my skin, burning away my clothing. I let out a cry of pain as the poison burned into my flesh. I clenched my teeth, muffling the yells. I let my head hang. The poison was striking the base of my neck, but it began to roll down my back and arms, burning my exposed skin, causing the pain to cover the expanse of my unprotected flesh.

I could feel my shirt sagging as it too burned away.

I glanced up to see that Odin and the guards had left. I let my head fall again, before I closed my eyes. My body shaking with exhaustion and pain, I was forced into an unrelaxed sleep.

Hello, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry again for a late update. Also if you're confused about anything that is happening, just ask. I feel like my descriptions of what is happening is just getting worse.

Anyways, the real reason I'm writing this is because I got a new cover! This was created by Buchjj

Please, go check them out. Their stories are amazing, and they are incredibly kind. I can't thank them enough!

Finally, if you're still reading...thank you guys so much for the support I'm getting on this story. It makes me very happy <3