Chapter 22

"I've made a list of people who'd have the benefit of Lorelei's death... But all of them had opportunity before..."

Maybe she ended her misery.

"She spent six hundred years waiting for a chance..."

And she succeeded, but was caught. Surely, she realized she won't ever get out of the cell.

"You don't know her like I do."

You knew her. Past tense. She is dead and completely irrelevant.

"I needed her."

You needed a woman who can enslave men... Ridiculous.

"Not from my point of view."

Of course he said that. I was aware of his plans and Lorelei seemed to be the key for them, but I won't lie: She is better off dead. I don't need a threat like her anywhere near me and if Loki wanted her to work with him he would have to give her freedom. Maybe Loki was ready for that, but Asgard not so. The witch wasn't a favourite of anyone, men hated her for controlling them and women for taking their husbands. She was only good dead, but Loki didn't give her peace.

"Isabella?"

I rolled my eyes. Loki was ready to start yelling at me seconds ago, but as soon as I cut him access to my thoughts and stopped replying, his voice appeared gentle. Slime git. I gave too much of myself to him and in return I got more talks of impossible and at the moment about Lorelei. It was hard pretending I know nothing and that I'm fine. My hands were shaking. Why did he want me dead? Loki puts me in a position in which I am sure, I'll soon lose my mind.

"Why are plates floating?"

And books, and cutlery and bed... Sole look at my still shaking hands gave all answers. My skin was raging in blue. I was connected to that stone like... I ran out of silly comparisons. But the point is, whenever I was upset the stone was too. My hands were shaking so the whole room was. It stopped when I calmed down. Luckily, with no major damage, but Loki was staring at me as if I grew horns on top of my head. I had no patience to explain myself.

"Talk to me, Isabella."

I can't.

I left Loki to worry about Lorelie, treasons and whatnot. I visited Frigga's gardens, but the beauty had no appeal. What did a rose mean to me? Well, it could be used as flower you put on my grave, but that was off the point. Hungry, I picked one of those damned apples and headed to the library. I don't understand how the environment works in Asgard, but from what I've seen, they have apples all year. If only they tasted as good as on the Earth...

The library wasn't empty, but only Lady Sif was in and I didn't think she would be a problem. For the fifth day in a row, I had yet again spent hours among books about Frost Giants. At this point I doubt any of real knowledge ever came from the book, but I wasn't keen on asking questions. I couldn't exactly come to Loki and ask him how to kill him. Others were of no use, Lady Sif for example, would lend me her sword to fight with it in the best case. Not useful at all.

"Lady Isabella..." Mentioned Lady approached me, much to my surprise. "I've noticed you spend a lot of time here... When you're not with Allfather."

This should be interesting. I do wonder what she'll accuse me of.

"Thor might be gone, but he didn't leave Asgard to burn."

Actually, he did just that...

"I am aware of human strange nature, but you are more than strange and Allfather hated you at first, but he now spends all his time with you."

So she thinks I am his Mistress.

"You could be his mistress, but you're not."

Do enlighten me then. What am I?

"Frost Giants..." She pointed at my book. "Everything you read is about them... I've been watching you for a while and I was watching him, our King."

I smell brainwashing on the way.

"What did Loki do with Allfather?!" She pulled out her sword on me. Cute.

Lady Sif... She heard my voice in her head.

"You witch!"

The bitch pushed me against the shelf. I hit her with a book. I couldn't fight against her, she was way stronger and a fucking warrior. If Loki and I were so easily revealed by Sif, that was a problem. She was observing us for a while, but I never noticed. I got in her head and saw that no one else knew what she was up, but in the process she brushed my forehead with a sword. I had to fight against her, because if she wins then I will sink down along with Loki.

"Out of my head!"

If she isn't she could be goddess of war, Lady Sif knows how to punch. I was sure she could beat me to death, if I didn't have a stone. She was fast and good at avoiding my touch, but as I said, when I am upset so is the stone. The books flew from shelves at her, but she still held on that stupid sword of hers. I had to pry it from her hands and she slipped from my control. Sif jumped at me and went for my neck. She could have killed me on the spot.

Blood splashed me.

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