When Darkness Falls - LOKI - Book One (Editing)

44. Suffer

     "Thor, this is a bad idea." Athelia shook her head as she held Thor's hands in hers, still not sure if including Loki was the smartest thing to do. "Are you absolutely certain you want to do this? You can walk away. I can get information from him myself and go, you don't have to come."

     "Do you not trust him?"

     Athelia pursed her lips, not knowing what to say to him. Loki was still a very sore subject and something they both avoided like the plague, until now.

      "I promised you I would do whatever it took to help Freya," he said squeezing her hands. "I may not trust my brother, but I trust you and even though you will not admit it to it, but I know you trust him."

     Athelia pursed her lips as she tried to push away every doubt she had. It wasn't that she didn't think she could trust, she would trust Loki with her life, but she wasn't certain that she could trust herself around him. She knew she was vulnerable around him and that  more susceptible to emotion with him, which made including him on this mission much more daunting.

      She couldn't look at him. She couldn't talk to him. She couldn't even be near him without feeling some type of way and though she knew she would betray Thor, she still feared she would be distracted and unable to keep everyone as safe she had promised.

     "We can find another way," Thor said, cupping her cheeks. "I know this is hard for you. It is hard for me as well. Just say the words and we will find -"

     "I'll be fine," she cut him off. She leaned up on the tips of her toes and placed her lips gently against his as he wrapped his arms around her tightly, resting his chin in her head. "This has to work Thor. I don't know what will happen to me if I lose her."

      Thor opened his mouth to speak, but before he could the fierce breeze the wrapped around them as they landed in dungeon corridors, sent him stepping backwards. Athelia grabbed hold of him with a light chuckle as he steadied.

    "I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

     She smiled at him as they stud down the hall. She had not come back down to the dungeons since her attack, but her eyes were glued to the faded blood stains on the marble floor. Thor's hand fell to her shoulder as he noticed the shift in her demeanor.

     Thor pulled her away from the scene that was playing her head and with every step she took towards Loki's cell, the more on edge she became. She stood back, waving him ahead as she leaned up against the wall the blocked her from his view. Guilt flooded over her as she watched Thor's half hearted smile fade to stone as he nodded and approached Loki without her.

      She couldn't see him. Not like this. She had yet to see him since their last moment together and she could still feel his cool lips against hers and the wetness that dropped onto her skin. She knew Thor had seen it all and that most of all was what kept her still as the sound of Loki's footsteps echoed around her.

     "Thor. Have you lost your wife again?"

      Her stomach clenched at the venom in his voice, but Thor didn't find the humor Loki had buried within his tone.

     "I'm not here for Athelia," he grimaced as he began to pace back and forth in front of the cell, Loki watching his every movement.

     "Then why? Why after all of this time have you come now? To mock? To gloat?"

      Thor wanted to look back at Athelia to make sure she was still holding herself together, but he couldn't risk sidetracking Loki with her presence even though he knew he would never help him, only her. So he played on the deepest darkness Loki possessed.

     "Loki enough." He demanded softly, shaking his head at him. "No more illusions."

      Athelia pushed her self against the wall, away from any glimpse she could have of him. She wanted to remember him as his fierce, valiant self but she watched in the reflection of the parallel cell as Loki stepped back away from the glass and allowed his brother to see him.

       Athelia's chest twitched as she saw the mess of a man crumpled against the wall. His slick locks were frazzled and unkempt and his dark lounged attire was stained and unwashed, much like the blood that stained his hands.

      "Now you see me, brother," he muttered, unashamed if his form. A deafening silence fell between the three if them and Athelia watched as Thor's strong stance faltered as Loki leaned back into the darkness that surrounded him.  "Did she suffer?"

     Thor's fists clenched as began to pace once again, his meeting Athelia's for a moment. "I did not come here to share in our grief."

     "Did she suffer, brother?" Loki's demanded, his voice dripping with venomous guilt. Though Thor couldn't bring himself to answer. "And Athelia?"

     "What of her?"

     "Is she still herself?"

     Athelia broke at the sound of her name and Thor glanced down, grimacing as she stepped forward into his view. Loki's stance stiffened, but he didn't move from his spot on the floor as he stared up at her. For a moment he didn't believe it had been her, but as the stern look on her face fell, he found familiarity in the concerned look that replaced it.

     "I'm glad you are well, Athelia."

     She shifted uncomfortably, wishing she had stayed in the shadows as her words failed form. She watched his eyes drop to her bare wrist and his lips pursed rightly as he realized the burn from his icy fingers still lingered on her skin. Athelia looked away quickly, pulling her hands behind her back as she looked up to Thor who had turned away from the awkwardness that subdued them.

     "Loki, we need your help," she said, forcing herself to stand straighter.

     "We?" He chuckled. "What could the two two of you possibly need my help for?"

     "We need to take Freya somewhere safe, but the Bifrost is closed. You're the only person who knows how to get off of Asgard without your - without Odin knowing."

      Loki's eyes widened. "You want to sneak out of Asgard? At a time like this?"

     "It's the only choice we have."

    "I know you seek vengeance as much as I do." Thor finally spoke up and stepped forward. He walked slowly around the corner of the cell, eyeing his brother as he tried to find the words that would motivate him. "You help us escape Asgard and I will grant it to you. Vengeance. And after, this cell."

      "You must be truly desperate to come to me for help." Loki grinned, but didn't dare look back at Athelia, knowing she was boring holes into his head with her gaze. "What makes you think you can trust me?"

      "I don't." Thor muttered. "Mother did."

      "And you?"

      Athelia pursed her lips as she teetered on the heels of her boot. She didn't like the way he looked at her as if she was just some annoying pest that wouldn't go away.

     "You betray me and I will kill you."

     "There she is," he cooed, matching her stubborn glare.

     "Are you going to help us or not?"

     "When do we start?"