CHAPTER 2

The events from a few hours earlier were still being processed once Loki and Celaena accompanied Sif and the Warriors Three inside the Healing Room. The movement of footsteps snapped them to life as Hogun marched over and slumped into his seat.

"We should never have let him go," Volstagg told them.

Hunching forward, Celaena listened.

"There was no stopping him," Sif explained.

"We did all we could," Celaena reassured them, "That's what matters."

With a slightly optimistic tone, Fandral added, "At least he's only banished, not dead. Which is what we'd be if that guard hadn't told Odin where we'd gone."

Loki said nothing. He stood the furthest back, aloof, alone, staring down at his hand. In that moment, he noticed Celaena looking at him. Then he realised why she was sitting hunched over: she'd been examining her leg.

"How did the guard even know?" Volstagg went on.

Loki said, "I told him."

"What?" Fandral stared at him.

"I told him to go to Odin after we left," Loki answered. "He should be flogged for taking so long. We should never have reached Jotunheim."

"You told the guard?" Volstagg shouted.

"Brother, how could you?"

"I saved our lives. And Thor's. I had no idea Father would banish him for what he did."

Celaena sensed that his words rang true. Even when Sif rose from her seat and began to approach him.

"Loki…" she started, "You must go to the Allfather and convince him to change his mind."

"And if I do, then what?"

Celaena felt her stomach turn to ice.

"What are you saying?"

He spoke to all of them, although he looked at her.

"I love Thor more dearly than any of you, but you know what he is. He's arrogant, he's reckless, he's dangerous. Is that what Asgard needs from its king?"

She flinched, then marched after him, shambling into a run.

"Is something wrong?"

He scoffed. "Does it matter?"

She drew in a breath and thought miserably, I wish you would tell me.

Celaena forced her legs to carry her down the passageways and when she followed him, her mind conjured up unlikely possibilities of how he'd become upset. Whatever it was seemed formidable. Maybe even sinister in a way.

She found him at the furthest end of the Vault, saw the Casket propped onto its stand. Loki paused a moment and there was something about it that he didn't like. He lifted it between his forearms and as he did, he was overwhelmed by a dark blue shade, spreading over his arms, his entire body.

"Brother, whatever it is, you can tell me."

He said nothing.

"Stop!"

At the sound of the voice, Celaena spun round, glancing up at their father.

"Am I cursed?" Loki asked him.

"No."

"What am I?"

He set the casket back into place. Odin looked at him gravely.

"You're my son."

When Loki turned, Celaena stepped back until she was closer to the steps.

"What more than that?" Odin didn't answer. Celaena saw how haunted his face looked, how tired. Loki's true form slowly began to fade. He sauntered towards him and added, "The Casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?"

"No." Odin glanced down, unable to deny it any longer. "In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the Temple and I found a baby. Small for a Giant's offspring, abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey's son."

Celaena felt her heart thudding heavily in her chest. Loki stared at him, wide-eyed.

"Laufey's son?" he repeated.

"Yes."

Loki's breath came in short, quick gasps.

"Why? You were knee deep in Jotun blood. Why would you take me?"

"You were an innocent child."

"No. You took me for a purpose, what was it?"

Odin didn't reply.

"TELL ME!"

Celaena felt a pang of empathy. This revelation was clearly a handful. Unfazed by his son's pain, Odin explained, "I thought we could unite our kingdoms one day, bring about an alliance, bring about a permanent peace… through you."

"What?" Loki croaked.

"But those plans no longer matter."

They shot him a look and saw it – the pool of betrayal shadowing in Odin.

"So I am no more than another stolen relic, locked up here until you might have use to me?" Loki said.

"Why do you twist my words?"

"You could have told me what I was from the beginning. Why didn't you?"

Exactly! Celaena wanted to scream. How could you never have mentioned this before? To Thor? To any of us?

As though understanding what both of them asked, Odin selected his words, and to Loki, replied, "You're my son. I only wanted to protect you from the truth."

His love for Loki was obvious. Celaena knew that. Odin knew that too.

"What? Because I…I…I…I'm the monster parents tell their children about at night? Which made it all right for you to tell Thor and Laena about slaying them? Is that all you've kept from us?"

"Don't," Odin groaned.

As he hunched forward, Celaena realised he was struggling.

"Father?"

She reached for him, but Loki's rage suspended her in terror.

"You know it all makes sense now, why you favoured Thor all these years. Because no matter how much you claim to love me, you could NEVER have a Frost Giant sitting on the Throne of Asgard!"

"Stop it!" Celaena yelled. "Stop it!"

She got between them and saw Odin's hand trembling. As he reached for them, she removed her cape and rested it beneath his head. Loki's gaze remained locked on him and his expression seemed lost. He hesitated a moment, then reached out and took Odin's hand.

"Guards! Guards, please help!"

When the guards carried him away, Loki and Celaena looked into each other's eyes. She didn't know what to say, but felt she had to say something. She was searching for the right words when the wake of devastation brought Loki to tears. Celaena's face had gone deadly pale, and she moved with such a jerky hurriedness that she almost stumbled over the stairs.

"Laena?"

She faced him and for a terrible moment, Loki thought she was going to run. Instead she stepped forward and, before he even had time to react, she embraced him and tightened her grip.

"It's all right. It's all right."

They stayed like that for a long time.