The lack of light within the cloistered cell of a stone room meant that hours passed like trickling sand through a large sieve. I was the last person inside, studying the maps and memorizing the largest landmarks so I wouldn't need to look at them along the way tomorrow. Pluto connected with me in the dark, confirming our timeline as promised, and I left with a buzz of adrenaline that forced every hair on my body to stand at attention.
I hurried to the other side of the city, anxious to speak with Sigyn and turn in for what little rest we still had time for. Everything I'd wanted for us was so close I could taste it, like the sticky nectar fed to us by Hriedmar yesterday. Nothing could ever be as sweet as Odin's screams, nor would anything fulfill my life like Thor's defeat.
Mother's spirit pleaded at the back of my mind to reconsider, but I shut her out. I couldn't let even a drop of doubt soil my confidence.
When I reached the tent, I gingerly tugged back the sheet covering the entrance to peer inside. Though the few candles were bright compared to the streets I'd just walked, they tinged everything in a somber orange. Sigyn was no exception. She sat on the edge of the cot in the corner, not sleeping as I might've expected at such a late hour. Her hands busily weaved a line of thread into a round sheet—not too unlike how Grid did two weeks ago, somehow knowing where to place her needle even if she couldn't see it well.
"Up so late?" I asked, only cautious because an invisible draft flowed from her.
She didn't raise her face at all. "Of course. Waiting for my husband to return."
"I'm here now." Crossing the threshold from outside, I took notice of how bare the tent still was. "Did you spend all day inside?"
"Yes. I made an attempt to decorate so it would feel more cozy, though I understand there's little point in that." She tugged at the thread, frustratingly fighting with a knot. "Everything we own is now packed to leave, save for myself, what I wear, and the cape."
So you know. How she found out didn't matter, and it saved me some grief to explain from the beginning. "Wise to be ready to leave. Once the sun rises—"
"Were you going to warn me? Or did you presume I would wake up and follow you blindly?" Sigyn tossed her project to the floor and stood with a jolt. "Haven't we been through enough?"
My hands went up reflexively. The rush in my gut wasn't passion, but guilt, the same squeeze I tried so hard to avoid when we came here.
"After telling me you would leave their treachery behind, you still insist on challenging them." She shook her head and folded her arms. "Was that really why you wanted to be here?"
"Part of my intent was to gather allies, yes. I couldn't do that in the fortress. The sorcerers here have greater knowledge of what paths tie the realms together."
"Yet I wasn't trustworthy enough to tell, is that it?"
"No. Ginny..." I took her hands, shaking her arms out so she would relax. "You are the person I trust over all. I didn't want to frighten you. And truthfully, I wasn't sure if you should be involved at all, so I wanted to keep you separate from the plans to keep you safe."
"Again with the same lines you spouted on Asgard." She glared.
"It's not the same." I gripped her tighter. "Now I have confirmation that you will ride with me. The river...it showed me how much I need you. I need you. Ginny, you're to be my queen."
She jerked her hands away. "I never wanted to be your queen. I wanted to be your partner. Your equal. What happened to the man who spoke of a family? The one who said he wanted to watch his progeny grow above his expectations, hm?"
"You speak of a far-off future, darling. By the time our children grace Yggdrasil, we would've wiped the universe clean of all who would dare think ill of us."
"When will it be enough, Loki? When will you admit that what you want—respect and admiration from those around you—is not bought with the lives that refused to give it?" She shook her head slowly, unblinking, then snapped with both hands.
Instantly, the leather that covered me all day for the sake of the sorcerers was gone. The simple tunic was all that remained, and the candlelight intensified to show my true self all the more.
"This man, the one in front of me, shouldn't need to be assured of his power by ridding Asgard of the ones who wronged him. I worry when this is all over that he will continue to mourn what was lost and have no way to undo it."
"Mourn?" I narrowed my eyes. "What would I have to mourn?"
She sighed, reflecting back the kind of somber, honest message only Mother could've given me before. "If you destroy them, you cannot impress them. If they're gone, they will never approve. You will only confirm every fear they ever claimed. So when they are gone, yes, you will mourn them—because I heard you call for them when you thought all else was lost. Your heart, Loki, does not belong only to me, no matter how much you claim it does."
I clenched my fists. "It's too late. They had the chance to honor me."
"Did they? Or were you all equally driven by grief?" She tenderly put her hand against my cheek, tempering the anger that steamed from my ears. "This is your chance to let time heal those wounds. Can't you imagine how great things could be if you showed them how much the people here admire you?"
Her offer was tempting, but all for naught. "I can't. As I said, it's too late." My eyes went hot, though not enough to show it. "There are still monsters in the universe who seek to destroy me. Pluto—my accomplice—he'll clear the bounty on my head."
She hummed. "So that's the real reason. You don't have a choice."
I was afraid to say the truth out loud, so I have no response. But she could read my mind anyway, couldn't she?
"Do not mistake my understanding for approval, Loki." Sigyn dropped her hand, which dimmed the candles once again. "When must we leave?"
"As soon as the sun allows us to see the road ahead."
"Then I must sleep."
"Ginny, wait—"
"Don't Ginny me," she sneered. "You want affection? You must earn it. And I want a promise. This is your last chance to do what you wish on Asgard. Any other attempts, and I won't be involved. We will live the rest of our lives separate and alone. Do I make myself clear?"
I stared for more than an uncomfortable minute, trying to recall every last moment of what the river taught me, though now it was a blur. Was there some sign I missed that we wouldn't succeed, or that she would leave me to fend for myself? Or did the heat I felt so strongly it tingled my skin merely represent the passion of victory?
"I promise, Sigyn." I nodded with a heavy gulp. The ring on my left hand buzzed as if it recognized what I had said and would remind me. A curious charm. "We will rule Asgard, or we will stay here. You have my word."
She crawled onto the cot and wrapped herself in the cape, not leaving enough for me to share it. I was forced to rest flat on my back, staring up at the poles keeping the tent aloft, focusing on every crackle from the fires outside and the mumbles of strangers to lull me to sleep as fast as possible.
She shook my left shoulder. "Loki, it's sunrise."
I startled, sitting up with my hands poised to fight.
"Shh, it's me." Sigyn tied her hair back in the coif she wore often in Asgard. Her silhouette against the sunlight streaming in was lovely, reminding me of her omnipresent softness. "None of the men have come calling yet, but I presume you want to get moving."
"I...yes. Of course." I put my feet on the soft ground and wriggled my toes, making sure I had proper command of my whole body. The river helped heal any lasting numbness after so much time spent asleep, though everything still felt a touch foreign.
She stood and hoisted her satchel, letting it hang behind her. My own bag was smaller, but equally bundled and secure. "We're fortunate not to have many belongings thus far. Grid gave me a few things to stave off hunger and a healing balm if necessary, but I'm purposely keeping the load light. Not quite sure what we're getting into."
"Suppose you're due for the briefing I gave others yesterday." I put my elbows on my knees, shrinking to prove my meekness. "We won't have much fighting to do, truthfully. Pluto assures me he will destroy Asgard's soldiers swiftly. I'm needed to open the portal to Asgard and lead the way."
"And what shall I do?" she asked, sitting in the solitary chair to tie the sandals over her slender ankles.
I tore my eyes away from her shapely legs. "You'll go to the palace first and drive the attention to the judgment hall. The other sorcerers will help shield the rest of Asgard from what's happening and assist with subduing Heimdall. Once all is finished, I'll need their magic to win the people's trust again, only as myself instead of Odin this time."
She nodded, securing her other foot and rising once again.
I stood with her, barely grazing her shoulder. "Are there lives you wish for me to spare?"
She blinked a few times. "Do I need to make a list of servantry folk who are close to me?"
I hummed. "Not necessarily, if all goes as planned. And the Hawks might've been stationed in another realm since I was caught. But if there are souls dear to you whom I should be mindful of, please give me a chance to set them apart."
Sigyn's eyes lowered for a moment, but she returned my gaze and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "All the souls most dear to me stand together in this tent. If we survive, nothing else matters."
"Very well." I took advantage of her closeness and leaned down for a kiss. It stirred wings within my chest as if I hadn't touched her in weeks.
Indeed. Our future is what matters.
She cleared her throat when we were done, still soured by our circumstance, though the contact helped to repair the damage I'd done by keeping her in the dark. After I cast a new illusion over both of us—warriors ready in black and gold—we left the tent, our two bags in tow, leaving nothing behind.
The nine companions I planned for waited near the gates with their horses. I'd arranged for another two to carry myself and Sigyn, though this fact only made her more angry with me, as evidenced by the grumbles under her breath.
The same man who fetched me for the meeting yesterday approached with a bowed head. "Lord Loki, we should make it to the portal fields by moonrise, heading southwest from here. It's the fastest route, though the time of year, some paths might be flooded."
"A risk we have to take." I mounted the horse and waited for Sigyn to get settled before nodding to all in our company. "Charge ahead and do not stop. The sooner we meet with Pluto, the sooner Vanaheim can take its rightful place as the head of Yggdrasil. Forward!"
Together, we rode beyond the city's boundaries and through the valley to the south. Sigyn finally gained decent bearings on her steed and caught up with the rest of us, bonding with her animal enough to stop showing the fear on her face. I glanced at her every time we were forced to pass an obstacle one at a time. She refused to meet my eyes at all.
I righted my spine as if liquid steel had been poured into my bones, forcing me to be taller, unmoving, authoritative. She might've known precisely how to make me bend with ease, yet in front of this audience, that couldn't happen—if their respect for me demanded domination over her, she and I both played the part.
Even if, under the surface, I longed for this episode of life to end. If only I could've found a supply of Björn's sleeping tincture and wake up after it had happened.
Few words were spoken amongst all of us on the trip. Either their anxiety or mine kept us quiet, though it was a preferred way to travel. Sigyn eventually grew tired of the silence and serenaded us with a lovely tune at the back which no one dared interrupt. Her voice beckoned the moonrise faster, and soon, the wall of trees ahead welcomed us with ominous arms and beckoning gestures—from sentient branches or fingers, I couldn't tell.
"We're here," the man beside me said, slowing his horse to a trot. He'd lost a fair bit of pride since I threatened him yesterday and let me step ahead.
Just inside the forest boundary, the ground and life surrounding us was unremarkable, save for the height of the trees and the changing tune of birds flitting about. It was familiar in an uncomfortable way, like a dream I couldn't fully recall.
The rest of the men and women traveling with me lined up and disembarked from their horses, too wary of whatever lied under their feet to let the horses step alone. Sigyn made her way next to me, dismounting as I did.
"It's where we came in, isn't it?" she whispered, staring ahead into the thick unknown. "I can feel it."
"The whole area is where the realms converge. Boundaries are weak. It would make sense that this connects back to the chasm, though I believe we're at the far edge—it spreads beyond what we can see. It's why we could make it to the fortress on foot and remain days away from The Don City."
"Perhaps we should've gone the other direction and found our way there first..." she muttered, piercing the twilight darkness with the gleam in her eyes.
"You did well," I said, kicking my chin toward her in approval. "We're where we should be. Do not fret for something so far in the past."
"Where's your contact?" a man grumbled from the far left side Sigyn.
"I'll bring him to us when we find our desired path to Asgard. Start searching for the proper mark." I maintained an even temper despite my own uncertainty, hoping my memorized plans would still match the terrain.
"What are we looking for?" Sigyn asked.
"Odin's symbols, any of them. Ravens, valknuts, wolves. Things that remind you of home. But stay outside of any enclosed space—a portal to one place does not always reciprocate, and you may not be able to find your way back."
She nodded, heading off on her own. I certainly trusted her to recognize Asgardian runes more than I did the Vanir.
The moons taunted us. From above, they spilt purple and blue through the trees like beacons, yet the streams of light pointed to nothing. Fortunately for us, most of the portals were quite obvious—caves made of great boulders were too out of place to be natural. Sorcerers of old traveled through each one we passed. Some were decorated with impeccable stonework, worn with time and tools and magic. Their swirling patterns hypnotized me, and more than once, I let my fingers trail through the crevices to soak in their energy.
We were getting closer. Asgard's magnetic pull was unmistakable, but time was fast running out. I took longer strides, nearly galloping through the trees, forcing the horse at my side to stop grazing so he could keep up.
The trees grew wider as we ventured further in, and intricate flowers strangled their trunks in roots as thick as my fingers. Every one of us sneezed when we got too close, and it became an annoying soundtrack beneath the droning call of unseen insects. Yet my heartbeat grew louder, faster, anxious that if we couldn't find what we sought tonight, Pluto would renege on his agreement and come after me without warning.
"Aye, a valknut here," one of the women called from behind the thicket of trees to my right. "How do we know where they'll land?"
Someone replied out of earshot, though the flurry of feet in the dried leaves below said everyone ran for her position, myself included.
Our troupe stared at the monstrous cavern ahead that breathed like a beast. The draft pulling in and out bore no scent—it even sapped away the sweetness of the flowers surrounding us. It tingled like the walls in The Don City did—nothing was as it seemed.
"This is the place," I whispered. "We found it. The West Passage."
Sigyn sidled next to me again, staring at the symbols as if they would speak to her. "Something doesn't feel right about this. Where does it go?"
"At the edge of Vigrid, the battlefield of the gods. Odin told stories when I was a child of calling forth his Vanir allies to defend our universe in Ragnarok. They'd pass through this place if the Bifrost were to fail. It's a few hours' ride from there to the palace, but it's unlikely to be monitored."
"I don't know where that is...Vigrid?" she asked.
"The base of the mountains; the open space between them and the city."
Without warning, the skies crashed with lightning that illuminated the forest like daylight. The horses spooked and ran in all directions—some of their guides still clasped them tight and were now dragged behind them, screaming.
I reached for Sigyn and dropped to the ground, pressing her to my chest.
"Loki, what's happening?" she shrieked.
"I don't know. This isn't Thor." Still blinded by the flashing glare above, I couldn't focus on anything solid. Wind blew debris all around, scratching my cheeks and forcing my eyes shut again. The world shook, nearly toppling us both even though we were on our knees. "Hold on, Ginny."
What started as a heavy rumble settled into thumps falling at a steady pace. The gusts that stirred the air relaxed, though it now brought with it a stench that reminded me of the Orm's venom. Darkness enveloped us, uncut by the moons, bringing a dreadful end ever closer.
I squeezed her tighter. Don't let go.
"Loki," Pluto said behind me in his unmistakable voice, which echoed in several tones both high and low. It had no central pitch, as if the many throats at the back of his mouth competed with one another.
I jerked my head around to see him and stood, lifting Sigyn with me. "Ah, my friend." Once she was steady, I left her side to stand before him. "Forgive me for the, shall we say, unimpressive welcome?"
He grinned—but it was far from friendly or with even a tease of jest beneath it. In person, the aroma of brimstone followed him, laced with a sour note of putrid flesh or stagnant blood. It seemed to seep from his sharp, yellowed teeth. As he cackled to himself, the trees shivered.
I cleared my throat. "I hadn't expected you to find your way on your own."
He spoke slowly, yet it nearly blasted me backward with the strength of his breath alone. "My power would bury yours with a sneeze. You are needed to reach Asgard, nowhere else."
His subtext was clear, though he refused to say it. Fearing Thor kept him away, not any special skill I could offer. Still, I took the chance willingly, enthusiastically, ready to start my life anew and wake up in the soft Asgardian bed I made for myself.
"When would you like to begin?" I asked, opening my arms in a shrug.
"No need to wait," he said.
I nodded and turned toward the portal, where Sigyn remained standing frozen by the entrance. She stared at the ground and trembled. Two of the nine sorcerers remained—the man in yellow stripes from yesterday, and the one in maroon who wouldn't dare abandon me and bring my ire upon himself. Their screeching horses were wide-eyed the same way the men were.
"You two go ahead," I ordered, sending them and the animals through so we wouldn't lose the only transportation we had. Besides, if the river had shown me anything, it was Sigyn charging ahead to the city. She had a horse, therefore, we needed at least one.
All in place. All in place.
I stood beside her and waved Pluto in with a slight bow. "After you."
He closed his lips and kicked his head back, nearly hitting the cave ceiling as he entered. Behind him, as if appearing from the ether, ghostly forms of moaning creatures—some who looked like men and some like twisted monsters—followed with invisible but audible chains of servitude. They, too, would travel with us, as only their bloodless lives could win against everything Odin and Thor could throw at us.
Sigyn took my hand when they were past us. "Tell me why I'm here, Loki."
Was it fear? Love? An ask for reassurance, or for proof of what I knew would be the outcome?
I decided on the truth. "Because I need you. It's our turn."