XVIII

Loki ducked his head as he entered the surprisingly large potion room, smiling at the equally surprisingly comforting earthy scent. In the center of the room, a large bubbling cauldron was guarded by a raven, who watched the god a little too knowingly for an average bird. Loki merely smirked at it. "You remind me of Odin's ravens when you do that." The raven merely cawed at him in response, clearly unimpressed by the deity before it. "Where is your mistress, Diaval? I know you don't typically stray from her side."

"I am here, Loki." A loud whooshing sound caused the god to nearly jump out of his skin. He turned to face the laughing woman, glaring as she smirked at him. "I'm sorry. Did I frighten you, Oh Great God of Mischief?"

"Damn your wings, woman! You know better than to sneak up on me like that!" The horned fae laughed, her great eagle wings tucking into her back.

"Yes. But it's just so much fun to see you flustered. How many get to boast that they have inflicted mischief upon its patron deity?" She nodded to her raven, who was barely managing to maintain his precarious perch from squawking laughter. "Even Diaval finds it amusing." Loki rolled his eyes at the pair.

"I am soo glad I amuse you, Maleficent. And, you." He turned to the still squawking Diaval, jabbing at the bird. "I hope she turns you into a yippy little Chihuahua." That quickly silenced the cackling bird.

"Loki, don't torment him. What brings you here?" The fae brushed past the god, setting her basket on a nearby herb infested table. "Have you come to gloat about your engagement? Or are you personally delivering the wedding invitations?" Almost as an afterthought, Maleficent waved her hand towards Diaval lazily, allowing the bird to take on his human form.

"So who will be wearing the dress then, Mischief?"

"Diaval, play nice."

"It was merely a question, mistress. You wouldn't believe some of the strange things mortals will do."

"If the idea of a man wearing a dress is the strangest thing mortals can do, I have to question how much you know about them, birdbrain," Loki commented. "Why is he even here?" The god, despite having a strong bond (and, ahem, intimate history) with the powerful fae, never got along very well with her raven manservant. The cackling fowl reminded Loki far too much of Odin's nosy ravens and boy, did he know it. And he far too greatly enjoyed tormenting the god. He could get away with it as he was favored by Maleficent. Loki couldn't just kill him though he had plotted it on more than one occasion. "And here I thought ravens were supposed to be intelligent."

"Boys, do I need to separate you two?" The fae interrupted before Diaval could make a retort or action he would regret. "Again?"

"Depends on if your birdbrained henchman here can keep his beak shut long enough for me to speak." The occasional raven stuck his tongue out at Loki childishly but didn't say another word. Now that that was done, the god could actually get what he came for. "I need that spell now, Maleficent." She looked up at him, any shock or concern deeply hidden in her eyes. "I can't wait any longer."

"Diaval."

"Yes, mistress?" Maleficent sent a wave of yellow smoke at the man, returning him to his natural form.

"Go keep an eye on Loki's human." The raven gave his mistress a small bow before leaving the god and fairy alone with each other. "Your human," Maleficent began after a tense pause. "He is dying then?"

"No."

"Is he deathly ill then?"

"No. But his life is in grave danger." The formerly dark fae began to sort out the herbs in her basket, absorbing Loki's information.

"It is not ready. Unless he is at Death's Door, I cannot give it to you." Loki frowned, resisting the urge to shove those herbs out of her hands.

"Maleficent, this is urgent. If I don't get that spell now, Sherlock will die within two months."

"You said he wasn't deathly ill. Or were you using your Silvertongue on me?" The Lie smith was tempted to say yes just to ensure he would get the spell from her. But he also still had a scar on his side from the last time he tried to trick Maleficent.

"He isn't. But he is being targeted by a powerful enemy."

"And you cannot protect him with all of your own spells and charms?" She did not look away from her task but Loki could hear the condescending note in her voice. "Surely a powerful god can protect one little mortal from other mortals."

"I'm not sure he will let me."

"Like he really can stop you."

"That's not the point, Maleficent. And you know it."

"It's only a fair point, Loki. A simple mortal versus an all-powerf-"

"Maleficent." The growl finally elicited silence from the fae. It may have also prompted her to contemplate his assassination but he had far more important things to worry about. "You know as well as I that being a god may not always be enough. I need that spell now."

"I can't give it to you."

"Why not?"

"It is not ready yet." Loki's fist clenched on the wood table, his frustration causing it to creak and strain. "Don't get upset about it. The spell you requested is very complicated. Making mortals immortal is not an easy task… Nor is it a particularly safe one…"

"Do not start that again," he interrupted through clenched teeth. "I know the risks well enough!"

"Do you?" He met the fae's venomous green gaze with his own. "Do you really?"

"It may kill him."

"Yes, it may. Or it may do far worse." Loki gave her a confused look, as he couldn't imagine what could be worse than losing Sherlock. Well, he could but his old friend's magic wasn't it. "You really don't know." Maleficent's annoyance and ill-timed humor faded, replaced by genuine concern. "He could go mad and gain immortality. He could go mad and remain mortal. His personality could be drastically altered, the man you love destroyed…" Loki said nothing as this new information processed. "Are you sure it's worth the risk?"

Loki didn't answer right away as this new information boiled in his mind. He had been hoping to make Sherlock immortal for quite some time. Even with the chance that Sherlock's body might reject the gift, the god couldn't imagine the alternative. The detective had far too many enemies for it to be feasible that he would live to an old age. And the god did not want to even consider how many of his own enemies would target his beloved. However, could Loki truly risk Sherlock's sanity for his own comfort? Risk condemning his mortal to a half-life? "… I have no other way to protect him…"

"The apples?" The sharp undertone of disgusted disbelief had faded from Maleficent's voice, in its place soft notes of concern. Loki sighed.

"He'd never give me those and certainly not for Sherlock. And I don't have time to try and steal them." Any ire that had fired his blood began to fade as the serious nature of his plans began to settle in his mind. "You know I wouldn't be here if I had any other options."

"Yes. But I also know you make poor decisions when you're desperate." She used her hand to silence him when he would have protested. "This is a serious and difficult thing to ask of anyone, Loki. That is the only reason I'm pressing you so hard." Much to his annoyance, she was right.

"You would have done the same for Aurora." It had the risk of being a low blow, but it was the only way the god could think of to get his point across. It definitely seemed to work as Maleficent paused in… whatever she had been doing with her wicked looking herbs. Loki hadn't really been paying attention. "I'm not going to slip it into his morning tea if that is what you are worried about."

"Meaning your practice attempt failed."

"No!" She just frowned at him, clearly not believing his protest. "… Yes…"

"Loki… do you know why I always send Diaval away whenever we speak of this spell?"

"Because he's an idiot?" The faerie shook her head as she began to rummage through a nearby cupboard.

"Only you think he's an idiot, Loki." Loki would have made a clever retort if it weren't for how sullen the fae had become. "No, he knows this spell exists, he just doesn't know I can make it."

"And why not?" Though the god had a distinct feeling he already knew why. Maleficent had that guilty note in her voice that accompanied memories of the aforementioned Aurora. "You tried to give her this spell, didn't you?" She simply nodded, her usually cold green eyes telling him everything he needed to know. "But it didn't work, did it?"

"I wouldn't know."

"You wouldn-"

"She never took it." For once, Loki was rendered speechless. The revelation explained why she seemed so nervous about his purposes for this spell. "I offered it to her for her 21st birthday… She wanted to wait until she was older but…"

"I know the rest." The young queen had succumbed to a mysterious illness at a young age. "Diaval doesn't know you offered it to her?"

"No. He had flown away for the winter when I made it. If he knew of its existence he'd assume I simply refused to offer it to her. Even with the dangers."

"What does this have to do with Sherlock?" The fae turned to him, a small vial of some vibrant sapphire blue liquid in hand.

"I know how your mind works, Loki. I know you're not prepared for him to not want this."

"He'll take it."

"You don't know-"

"He will!" Loki knew exactly what the fae was playing at. "You don't know him like I do, Maleficent. He will take the spell. Maybe not right away but he will."

"Loki, you can't know that."

"I do know that." He wasn't quite sure how he knew. She was right after all. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Sherlock could very well reject the whole notion of immortality. And if that happened, Loki would… eventually… be alone again. Somehow though… a voice told the god his mortal beloved would not condemn him to that fate. "I'm not sure how… But I know he will choose it. I won't need to force it on him. Unless his life was in danger…"

There was a long silence between the two as Maleficent considered what Loki had admitted. This only increased the god's anxiety as he began to believe he had failed whatever test she had set before him. Maleficent had always been critical of his intentions to romance the consulting detective, but surely he had proven any concerns unfounded by now. What more could he possibly do to prove himself? Finally, the fae smiled.

"Well, well… And here I believe your heart to be ice." Loki released a sigh of relief at his old friend's teasing.

"Yes well, don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to maintain."

"Would never dream of it." She carefully wrapped the vial in a protective cloth before finally handing it to him. "It needs to be kept cold for at least two more weeks." Loki nodded ecstatically, taking the fragile package.

"Thank you. Thank you so much…"

"And Loki?" He turned from his present course towards the door, confused. "I'll be waiting for my invitation." The god of mischief smirked.

"Of course. I'd never forget."