II.

FOUR

terrible love

My partings with Jane and Darcy were shorter lived than I would've liked. We lingered for a time outside of Jane's defaced lodgings, waiting for the SHIELD agents to finish collecting particular pieces of the remnants. "I hope our paths will cross again someday," I said to them, Silvertongue in one hand and my satchel in the other. "Preferably in a much more pleasant manner."

Jane gave me a faint smile. "Thank you for... everything." She motioned to the disarray behind her, and I assumed she was referring to my defending them. I could not bear to think I was the harbinger of such destruction.

Even so, her words made my heart lift a little. I attempted to smile in return. "And you have my eternal gratitude for sparing me a place in your home."

Soon, we were being ushered off into two separate cars. Darcy gave me a hearty wave as we diverged, calling out, "Rain check on that ice-cream sandwich, okay?"

I sat in the backseat of a large vehicle with tinted windows and watched them go, Agent Coulson taking the seat beside me. I was told that we were going to an airport different from that of Jane and Darcy for 'safety reasons.' The very thought filled me with anxiety. What if the Chitauri struck again and they went after Jane and Darcy instead? I settled in my seat, my worries mildly allayed by the fact that they had a detail of two dozen SHIELD agents escorting them.

"I hope you're not afraid of flying," Coulson said.

I tensed and looked out the window, watching the vastness of the desert flicker by. "I suppose we shall see."

In a matter of twenty minutes, we reached the broad, paved expanse where numerous vehicles bearing wings waited to be taken to the skies. I climbed out of the car slowly, my hand laid on the scabbard at my side. Eyes darting about, I absorbed the sights and felt almost overcome by the fascinating display of human technology. I recalled Darcy's description of such crafts, but to see them in person was entirely different.

Several awaiting SHIELD agents approached to speak to Agent Coulson. "The quinjet is prepped and ready, sir," I overhead one saying.

Coulson nodded before turning to me. "If you'll follow me."

As he led me onto the aircraft, my trepidation swelled. I'd seen a variety of ships in my time, all of different sizes flying at different speeds. But this was no craft constructed by the finest engineers in Asgard. This was a Midgardian vehicle. My trust in these mortals is about to be tested, I mused.

I sat and strapped myself to the chair with the aid of a SHIELD agent before watching the ramp close. Coulson situated himself on the opposite side of the craft, fiddling with a computer screen and various buttons. My stomach lurched when the quinjet jolted and began trundling forwards, everything in its interior rattling and shaking. When it began to pick up speed, I realized this was worse—much worse—than being subjected to Jane's driving.

We rose into the air, and I clutched onto my harness so tight that my knuckles turned white. Once we were level, and the nerve-wracking shuddering ceased, I loosened my hold and let out a breath. The helmsman's voice sounded throughout the metal contraption, "E.T.A. three hours, sir."

Agent Coulson stood from his seat in a surprisingly steady manner. I took notice of the sheet of glass in his hands, images glinting in the gloom of the quinjet. "I'd like to brief you on the proceedings thus far," he said, handing me what I realized was a tablet; Darcy had spent hours teaching me how to use one, although hers was not quite as large. "We've been assembling a number of people to help us in the defence against a common enemy."

My intrigue was piqued as I read profiles, watched videos, and observed images of three humans: Captain America, a soldier who'd been frozen in ice for seventy years; Bruce Banner whose rage could transform him into an enormous green being—I watched the accompanying video with avid fascination; and Tony Stark, a very wealthy man who'd built a suit of armour that contained a tremendous amount of firepower and lent him the ability to fly.

I almost laughed at how much the humans continued to surprise me still. Coulson glanced my way, his features unmoved, but I saw the curiosity in his gaze. "Before I came here, I was under the impression that you'd be living in the dark, riding horses, perhaps even worshipping the Asgardians like gods still. But much of what I've read is outdated, and now I see I was wrong," I said, resting the tablet in my lap. "Now you fly and you fight with the spirit of the finest warriors the Nine Realms has ever seen."

Coulson nodded. "Things change pretty quickly around here."

"It is quite unlike the realms I have resided in." I peered down at the tablet again, quietly observing various images of Captain America. "Last I heard of Midgard, you'd been at war." I recalled Loki's less than flattering opinion of the mortals. Like animals fighting over a bone. "Seventy years ago, I believe."

"That would've been the Second World War." Coulson gestured to the tablet where I'd stopped at a picture of Captain America standing amongst his company of 'Howling Commandos.' They seemed a rather formidable group of mortals. "That was the war Steve Rogers fought in before he was frozen in ice. He's a... living legend, really. There's never been anyone quite like him until now." I raised a brow at Agent Coulson, and he cleared his throat before pointing to the tablet once more. "You should see what we have on Thor."

I did as he suggested and beheld the videos of Thor battling the Destroyer. It was just as Jane and Darcy had described to me: the Destroyer came close to levelling the entirety of Puente Antiguo. It had come close to killing my friends. With a faint voice, I said, "Yes, I have been told much of Thor's time in Midgard. I'm sorry for any of the harm that was brought to your people."

Leaning over me, Coulson tapped the corner of the screen. I sat back, my stomach roiling when images of Loki arose—images from the SHIELD facility that saw destruction by his hand. He appeared ill, his skin pale, his hair longer, bruise-like shadows settled beneath his eyes. He looked drained, to say the least. Like he had after I absorbed his magic during our time in Svartalfheim. It made me think he'd wandered the Nine Realms for a whole year with no thought to himself. Alone and uncared for.

I skimmed the report detailing how he'd teleported into the SHIELD facility bearing a sceptre of considerable might. A sceptre that he used to garner control over a number of SHIELD agents and, to my surprise, Doctor Erik Selvig. I wondered if Jane Foster was aware of what had happened to her friend and colleague, but I did not have the opportunity to ask.

"What can you tell us about Loki?"

Swallowing, I met Agent Coulson's unfailingly stoic gaze. "Likely nothing more than you are already aware of." I nodded to the screen. "He is of Asgard, brother to Thor... the destruction of the Bifrost was his doing, at least in part. I was tasked with seeking him out by the queen."

"Which queen?"

"Queen Frigga. She is Loki's mother." I frowned. "Or... adoptive mother, I suppose."

"So you spent time among the Asgardians?"

I nodded. "It was a very long time ago."

"Did you know them well?"

Worrying my bottom lip, I refrained from telling him about my rather intimate relationship with Loki; I very much doubted SHIELD would take kindly to that, especially now. "Not well enough, apparently."

"He's taken the Tesseract," Coulson said. "What do you know about that?"

That bit of news made my heart clench. I was surprised, to be sure, but it was not difficult to fathom. The Tesseract was a powerful relic that anyone would've wished to wield to further their ends. That being said, I could not guess as to why Loki would desire such a thing.

Lowering the tablet, I shook my head. "Very little," I admitted. There had been some notes about the Tesseract and the other Infinity Stones in one of Loki's journals. They'd been hidden in different places on different worlds—all of which was kept secret. Midgard seemed as good of a hiding place as any. It was, however, most startling to learn that the humans had long had it in their possession. "The Tesseract holds great power. It is not something to be trifled with."

He gave a curt nod. "We know. That's why we're doing everything we can to recover it."

The apprehension I felt only continued to grow. In times like these, I wished more than anything that I had someone at my side. Someone who could help me forge the right path. I'd been so accustomed to having the company of a familiar that I felt so... lost by my lonesome. Like a solitary bird meandering in the middle of the ocean. I had to find my own way and hope that it did not lead to disaster.

I thought of Castien and Faradei, Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three. All people I trusted. All people whom I cared for deeply. But, of everyone I ever loved, I found myself yearning for Loki's company most of all. It was his guidance and care that I valued most. It was a terrible irony.

I pressed a hand to my chest and felt the pattering of my heart. "You professed you needed my help. In what way, exactly?"

"You have a very particular set of skills that may be of use to us," he said. "And you know more about Loki than any of us do."

I gave him a wry look. "I am no match for Loki, physically or otherwise. I never have been, I know that well. I could not subdue him now, especially with this"—I motioned to the tablet— "this sceptre you claim he wields."

"There's strength in numbers," Coulson told me. "We'd like to have you there just to be on the safe side."

That was a request I could not argue against.

In the hours it took to reach our destination, I continued to peruse the files concerning persons and incidents of interest. More often than not, I found myself gazing upon the one image they had of Loki. It filled me with such conflict; I was elated to see him alive, yet horrified by what he had done. He had killed near a dozen SHIELD personnel within the span of a minute. In the moments that followed, he'd taken the Tesseract, along with a number of SHIELD agents, and destroyed the facility in his wake.

What had me rather perplexed was his supposed intention. According to SHIELD's records, he had come to conquer Midgard, to take away their freedom. I had a difficult time comprehending why he would wish to do so, after all that had happened. He wandered the Nine Realms for a year, and now he yearns to rule over the mortals? It was a baffling thought. The one thing I did understand was that his taking of the Tesseract could only lend to a very treacherous scheme. What that was exactly remained to be seen.

The deceleration of the quinjet was distinctive, and—now feeling much safer after hours of flight—I stood from my seat to hover behind the helmsman's chair. Agent Coulson joined my side, and together we watched as our port of call drew closer. Sometime during our journey, Coulson had said we were going to the SHIELD 'Helicarrier.' I hadn't understood what that meant. I certainly did not expect to see a floating airfield—a massive facility. Like a castle in the sky.

Though I clutched onto the bars overhead for dear life, the landing occurred without any disturbance. High winds howled as we exited the craft and crossed the landing area of the Helicarrier. I all but ran in Agent Coulson's wake to enter the flying fortress.

Everything inside was metal and glass and bright lights bearing down upon us. He led me through various corridors and doors, dozens of SHIELD agents passing us by. Although I felt extremely out of place, not a one blinked twice at me.

When we strode onto the bridge of the Helicarrier, my breath deserted me. The entire front was made up of glass, giving an unobstructed view of the sky and the clouds below us. Dozens upon dozens of SHIELD operators were striding back and forth, keeping the airborne castle in the sky. I'd always thought it a magnificent sight: the crew of a ship working together in harmony, like every root and leaf of a flower. But this was on a much grander scale.

"Sir." Agent Coulson walked to the edge of the upper platform where two men and a woman stood. I approached them slowly while Coulson spoke to the man in the black leather coat, "I've brought the princess in."

All four of the mortals turned to face me at once. Coulson saw fit to introduce the woman and the man that I recognized from one of the files. "Your Highness, this is Doctor Bruce Banner and Agent Maria Hill, Deputy Director of SHIELD." He nodded to me in turn. "This is Eirlys of Alfheim."

Agent Hill offered me a perfunctory nod and nothing more.

Bruce Banner shook my hand. "Hi, nice to meet you." His manner was serene for a man whose rage could literally change him—though I supposed that was a good thing.

"Likewise, Doctor."

"Agent Hill, see to it that Doctor Banner receives access to everything he needs," said the second man, whose name I had yet to hear.

As Agent Hill led Doctor Banner away, the man turned to me, watching me with his one eye—a look that reminded me distinctly of the All-Father. "Glad you could join us. I'm Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD."

"I am glad to be of service, Director," I replied, laying a hand over my heart as I bowed my head. "It is the least I can do... although I admit I am not entirely certain how much use I can be to you."

"You are familiar with Loki, are you not?"

I glanced at Agent Coulson who remained close by, his expression as passive as ever. "Yes, indeed I am."

"Then you know more about him than any of us," Director Fury said. "We have our people apprehending him as we speak. When we bring him in, I intend to do everything in my power to extract the answers we seek."

My stomach churned at the implication. "Everything and anything?"

"If it comes down to it," he told me. Tensing, I met his unflinching gaze. If they intended to unleash a torrent of pain upon him, I would have no part in it. But that did not mean I could stop them, even if I tried. "Will that pose a problem?"

"Would it make any difference if it did?" I asked.

"Probably not."

"Then let us hope that will not become our only recourse."

He had little more to say after that.

With our exchange ended, Director Fury returned to his duties, and I was escorted further across the bridge.

At Agent Coulson's request, I 'made myself at home.' By the far end of the bridge, just before the windows, I sat cross-legged to watch the clouds float past. Try as I might, the serene sight could not bring me any peace of mind. So, in whatever semblance of solitude I had, I drew my sword, cleaning and sharpening it without a word. Coulson hovered behind me at all times, a SHIELD tablet in hand. He feigned deep concentration, but I sensed his gaze on me time and again.

I could not help but wonder what it was the mortals intended to do with the Tesseract. At first, my assumption had been that they hoped to return it to safety and nothing more. But that was an admittedly naive thought. The mortals meant to use it themselves, and they could not be trusted to wield an item of such immense power in a just manner. I imagined Odin would have been disinclined to allow their use of it—not that I had any authority to act on his behalf.

As of now, my concern lay with Loki. After learning what he had done, I knew not what to think. It could not have been mere coincidence that the Chitauri would attack Alfheim days before Loki struck at the mortals. My worst fear was something I did not wish to dwell upon, but it was also the most logical assumption. The timing is highly suspect, I thought. Could he have allied himself with the Mad Titan? Staring down at my hands, I shook my head at myself. I wanted to see Loki before further entertaining such notions.

"We've got transport eight-one-five coming in."

Turning away from the night sky, I peered over my shoulder to gaze upon the SHIELD operator who'd spoken. The announcement was clearly significant, for a number of the crew began scrambling about to carry out various unspoken commands. They've apprehended Loki, I realized. And now he's here. Aboard this very aircraft. My heart twisted with a trepidation the likes of which I'd never suffered before.

Coulson remained nearby, his gaze meeting mine. "They're taking Loki into custody," he said to me. "And they've got an extra passenger." As he drew nearer, he flipped his tablet around to allow my observation.

The sight of Thor disembarking a quinjet made me launch to my feet. "Thor is here?" A momentary relief flooded me in spite of the lingering despair. The All-Father must have sent him. Though whether he was here for Loki or for the Tesseract, I could not be certain.

"You might want to see this too." He tapped the edge of the screen, and the image of a long, empty hall appeared. I furrowed my brow, to which he replied, "Wait for it."

And then I saw him—Loki.

My breath caught in my lungs as I watched over a dozen SHIELD agents escort him down the corridor. A dozen very well-armed SHIELD agents. It made him seem all the more intimidating. And yet, even with all those agents, I found myself doubting that they could subdue him if he attempted escape.

The moment he strode out of the camera's view, Coulson lowered his tablet and shut it off. I could feel him observing me, as if awaiting my reaction. But I simply nodded my thanks.

Without missing a beat, he said, "If you'll excuse me, I need to debrief certain members of our team."

"Of course, Agent Coulson."

He left me standing there, solitary and empty. The image of Loki being taken into custody was seared into my mind, cementing all of the horrors he had done unto these people. A true criminal brought in to pay for his crimes. It blotted out all other thought until Agent Maria Hill re-entered the bridge, shouting an order to a crew member who went about fulfilling the request with perfect efficiency. A second woman followed shortly after her—another SHIELD agent, or so I assumed. She had hair of vibrant red that reminded me of my fellow Vanir.

Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I sheathed Silvertongue and made my way across the room. Curious and unsure all at once, I lingered by the triangular glass table and awaited Thor's arrival. The red-haired agent spoke in low tones to Agent Hill before rounding the table to sit. She gave me scarcely more than a second glance.

A man strode onto the bridge next, and I immediately recognized him from the files Agent Coulson showed me. He seemed familiar with everyone else on the bridge, seeing as his regard skipped across all others before coming to a rest on me. There was a questioning smile tugging at the corner of his mouth when he made his approach.

"Well met." I held a hand out to him, hoping it was the correct gesture to offer. "I am the Lady Eirlys."

"Steve Rogers." I was relieved when he shook my hand. "Didn't know we had another Asgardian walking among us," he commented lightly.

My brow rose. "Well, I am not Asgardian," I replied. "Not precisely."

If he meant to continue the conversation, the opportunity was lost.

I heard Thor seconds before I saw him. The sound of his heavy footsteps was something I could never forget. The moment he entered the bridge, his gaze was quick to fall upon me. He blinked in apparent surprise at my presence.

For the first time in days, I positively beamed. "Thor," I breathed. "No words can express how glad I am to see you."

He smiled in return, sweeping across the platform to draw me into a hug. His embrace was so tight that my ribs ached, but I cared not. I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders and squeezed him in kind. It took all my willpower not to weep in his familiar hold. Neither of us seemed to want to move, and I would have clung onto him forever at that moment. But we both knew we had to face what lay ahead. At the least, we could face it together.

"Heimdall told me you were on Earth," Thor said, pulling away. I took a meticulous look at him and saw that he too had grown his hair longer—though he looked to be in far better health than Loki. "I did not think to find you here."

Tears brimmed in my eyes. "Then you have heard what has transpired in Alfheim."

"Yes." Whatever joy he'd possessed melted into a sombre mood. "I was most sorry to hear about Castien."

"We lost many that day," I said, my posture slackening. "And that is why I am here. I came to seek justice for what has befallen my people."

He placed his hands on my shoulders. "We should have been there."

I shook my head. "It was beyond your control. I would not have you fretting over what has already come to pass."

Although his expression was soft, I could see the underlying remorse. "How have you fared, Eirlys?"

"I am well."

"How have you truly fared."

Lifting my gaze to meet his, I tried not to allow my voice to tremble. "Truth be told, I do not know." At the very least, I felt exhausted, though perhaps not physically so. I hadn't allowed myself much time to grieve the death of a friend. Discovering the wrongs Loki had committed only added to my grief.

Thor's hands slid along my arms before falling to his sides. "Perhaps you should not have come."

I frowned at that. "What has brought you here? Did you come to seek the Tesseract or did you hope to bring Loki home?"

"I have every intention of doing both," he replied.

Our attention was diverted when Doctor Banner sauntered onto the bridge. He paused, looking at the two of us, seemingly startled by the sight. Nevertheless, he pressed forwards, going around to stand by the triangular table. "Fury's about to have a little chat with our newest intern," he said, jabbing at the glass surface. "Thought you all might like to watch the show."

Thor and I exchanged a look. A part of me was afraid to hear what Loki had to say. What I feared even more was the lengths Director Fury would go to wrest answers from him. I knew Loki to be steadfast in his resolve. The mortals would not retrieve the information they sought.

Despite my apprehension, Thor nodded to Doctor Banner who then prodded the tabletop once more.

A chill flowed through my veins when I heard Loki's voice echoing in the bridge. Thor became motionless, whereas I moved towards the table to see the image of Loki standing within a cylindrical glass prison. He was in the midst of a conversation with Director Fury, his words scathing.

While I listened, I felt that sense of discord burgeoning within me again. There was dismay at his remarks, yet I was overjoyed by the sound of his voice, the deep timbre I'd grown so fond of. With a quavering breath, I continued to watch as Loki mocked Fury, his conceit and contempt on display for all to see. When at last their exchange concluded with the humans no closer to finding the Tesseract, I averted my gaze and tried to ignore the thundering of my heart.

"Loki's gonna drag this out," Captain Rogers said, looking up at us from his seat at the table. "So, Thor, what's his play?"

"He has an army." Thor crossed his arms and spared me a glance; already, I discerned that the subsequent tidings weren't going to be welcome in the slightest. "It is he who commands the Chitauri."

The blood in my face drained away until I was utterly numb. "Are you certain?"

"Heimdall has assured me this is true," Thor replied.

There was nothing more I could say to that.

He looked round at the mortals gathered, expression grim. "Loki means to lead them against your people. They will win him the Earth in return, I suspect, for the Tesseract."

"So, he's building another portal," Doctor Banner said, "with the Cube..."

Even as the others in the room carried on with their discourse, I was no longer able to heed their words. Loki could not have commanded the Chitauri to besiege Alfheim. I refused to believe it. I held fast to the notion that the Mad Titan was the instigator, that it was this Titan who was the true commander of the Chitauri. The Mad Titan had a penchant for collecting objects of great might—the sceptre could have been one of those items. He has given it to Loki, along with the Chitauri. I was sure of it.

I rotated about, resting a hand upon the grip of my sword, as if it were the only thing keeping me steady. Agent Hill stood nearby, her arms crossed as she took in the proceedings. Her attention strayed solely upon my approach. "Agent Maria Hill." I paused to clear my throat. "Might I have words with Loki?"

She surveyed those at my back before nearing. "I'm sure you realize what Director Fury intends."

My jaw tensed. "Yes, I am fully aware. I wish to pose my questions first—about this army, about the Tesseract." I lifted my brow. "In a peaceful manner, of course."

"That's not my call to make," she said.

I assumed she was referring to Director Fury. In a gesture of respect, I placed a hand over my heart. "Please, ask the one whose decision it is to make. You summoned me here because of my familiarity with Loki. Allow me to exercise whatever sway I may have over him."

For a moment, Agent Hill did nothing more than regard me. From her dispassionate expression, I thought she would deny my request. But then she touched a hand to the device tucked in her ear and murmured some choice words that I could not discern. I shifted, ill at ease, until she called over the female SHIELD agent who'd been sitting at the table, "Agent Romanoff." Upon her approach, she spoke to her in hushed tones.

Hill stepped back, and the other woman turned to me and said, "Follow me."

I inhaled deeply and strode in her wake. Walking round the table, I paused when Thor stepped in my path. The look he gave me was most solemn. He had to have known that I was going to see Loki. And he must've known I would not like what his brother had to say, for he appeared on the verge of deterring me.

Before he could utter a word, I shook my head. "I have to see him, Thor."

Thor did little more than nod in return, though his visible concern did not wane.

Trailing behind Agent Romanoff, I took my leave from the bridge. We travelled down numerous corridors with only the erratic beating of my heart to fill my ears. The SHIELD agent escorting me said nothing, nor did she seem interested in acknowledging my presence. But I could feel her attention on me, as surreptitious as it was. They were not doing me a service, I knew. She was here to surveil me. I was nothing more than a means to an end.

After descending several flights of stairs, we slowed to a stop where Romanoff leaned over a device attached to the wall. I twisted my hands together and willed my stomach to cease its churning. When the door slid open, near soundless, I stood tall, my posture stiff. "I presume you will be listening," I said to Agent Romanoff.

She inclined her head to the side. "It's what I do."

"Most understandable."

Feeling oddly small, I peered through the door to catch a glimpse of the glass prison. From this angle, I could not see Loki, but knowing that he was there filled me with such dread. With a deep, quavering breath, I cast Agent Romanoff one final look before entering the room.

My steps were muted on the metal grating as I strode farther in. He sat, unmoving, on the bench built into the cage, set against the far wall. When I began making my way round his prison, he looked up at last. My gaze held his, and I remembered the last time I'd beheld his eyes. There had been such coldness... such pain. At a distance, I could see none of this. Only an impassive stare.

I came to a stop at the edge of the grating, where the metal touched the glass. At first, neither of us said a word. In truth, I hadn't any idea of what to say. I merely observed him, and he merely observed me. He didn't seem surprised by my appearance on this flying fortress in the slightest. "You look unwell, Loki."

He made no reaction to my remark. "Let me guess," he said, "the All-Father sent you."

"No." My brow dipped. "As a matter of fact, it was your mother who implored me to seek you out."

The slight downturn of his mouth vanished as quickly as it came.

Lowering my gaze, I took a step closer. "I spent the better part of a year searching for you. In my heart, I believed you alive. Just... not like this." When I peered up at him once more, my eyes burned with tears I refused to shed. "I should be happy to have found you. But now that I have, I know not what I should feel."

The smile he gave me was devoid of all humour. "I'm sorry to be such a disappointment. And you came all this way." He stood from his seat then, rising to his full height, and I fought the urge to back away. "But look at you. You must be so glad the Light Elves set you loose from your gilded cage at last."

Jaw clenched, I narrowed my eyes. "I left of my own accord." I grasped Silvertongue's pommel out of a need to tighten my fingers around something. "Castien is dead. The Chitauri saw to that."

"Oh yes, I've been told. Is it not tragedy at its finest? The death of a prince followed by the death of his king." This time it was he who drew nearer to the glass. "Did you weep for your husband at all? Here you are, mere days later. You haven't even bothered to go into mourning, I see."

The accusation burned. "Our new king lost a most beloved brother," I retorted. "He tasked me with discovering he who commands the Chitauri—he who struck Alfheim. And I have found you." I shook my head, desperately trying to subvert the idea that it was Loki who issued the order to strike Alfheim. No, he would never, I told myself. He would never let anything befall me. Not after everything we'd been through. Not after everything he did to protect me. "I know someone has granted you both the army and the sceptre. Was it the Mad Titan? What was his price?"

Loki laughed, the very act of it a mockery. Boiling blood seared through me while he spoke, "You are a simpleton to think that I would offer you the answers you seek. Did you delude yourself into thinking I would? Because we were once lovers?" My heart dipped when he glanced up at the camera lodged in the junction of the wall and the ceiling. He knew as well as I that the mortals were listening. He was trying to plant the seeds of distrust. "I admit bewilderment that they would allow you in here. Unless, of course, you did not enlighten them as to our shared past."

"I did not think it pertinent." My words sounded foolish even to my own ears. I could only hope that my voice did not shake. "After all, you have made it quite clear that my feelings for you mean nothing." Taking in a shuddering breath, I pressed my hand flat against the glass. "Loki... what happened to you?"

With the lift of his brow, he shortened the distance between us until he was within arm's reach. Yet I could not touch him. "I have seen things, Eirlys." The sound of my name on his tongue made my throat constrict. "I have learned things you could never possibly conceive. I expect you would never understand."

"And now you are here, unleashing war upon these mortals?" I questioned. "Just tell me... why are you doing this?"

He spread his hands as though the answer stood before him. "'Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.'"

I all but recoiled at the familiar human phrase. "You are not God, Loki. You are not their god."

"Am I not?" One of his well-known smirks made an appearance. "They are nothing but creatures to be lorded over. For as long as humans have had reign over Earth, they have slain one another and marred their beloved world. I have every intention of ending their folly."

"You are mad to think this is the solution." I felt a terrible prickling heat crawl up my neck. "Dominating them with war to keep them from warring? This is a confused logic."

"Is it?" Loki stood mere inches from me now, and I felt compelled to let my hand fall from the glass. If it hadn't been for the barrier between us, I was certain I would've felt the chill from his body. "We could put a stop to their senseless violence. With no power to take, the mortals need no longer oppose one another. Aren't you weary of the fighting? Of having to defend the innocent from those who seek to destroy?"

Outrage bloomed within me. "How dare you? I just witnessed my home—my friends—suffer devastation at the hands of the Chitauri. You would let innocents die to have your way." I backed away from him. "You are not yourself, Loki. You speak of ending their folly, yet you do not see the folly in this?"

For a moment, he did not say anything. He simply looked upon me, brow furrowed. And I thought for a second that he'd heeded my words. That he would conclude this nonsense and tell the mortals everything they wished to know. And maybe, just maybe, we could go back to Asgard together as I'd spent the past year hoping we would.

But he donned a smile and said, "It would be an even greater folly to turn back now." By then, I knew I didn't want to hear him speak any further. The world was spinning before me, and I knew I had to escape his company. He seemed to follow me around the room while I attempted to take my leave. "I was always meant to be a king, Eirlys."

Halfway to the door, I paused to look at him, to observe his pale features and cold eyes. How odd it was to look upon a face I knew so well and not recognize him in the slightest. "No, you weren't, and you know it."

He could not conjure a response to that, it seemed.

I couldn't say why I expected him to heed me. He'd failed to do so in the past, and he would no doubt continue to do so in the future. Perhaps my hope was born of nothing more than a desperate desire to steer him from the path he currently trod. But it was a path from which he refused to stray. Lowering my gaze, I forced myself to turn away and slip through the door without another word.

Agent Romanoff was leaning against the wall beside the doorway upon my exit. My voice shook when I murmured to her in passing, "I think I've heard enough."

As I walked down the corridor, not once looking behind, I wiped away my tears with the back of my hand.

Author's Note: Before anybody mentions it, I apologize for Tony Stark's absence in this chapter. I know some of you were looking forward to seeing him. But fret not, he shall be in the next chapter!

Special thanks to all my readers and to those who favourited, followed, and reviewed. Hr'awkryn, my dear beta, you are the absolute best.

The title of this chapter is a reference to the song Terrible Love by the National.