Maryn and Loki didn't leave their rooms the next day, choosing instead to spend their time lounging around in bed and enjoying the quiet company they only found in each other. By mid-afternoon, Maryn had convinced her husband to teach her new spells.

"You are distracting me, my lord," Maryn hid her smile as Loki dragged his fingertips over her shoulder, the sleeve of her white shift having already been pushed off her shoulder by his wandering hands.

Loki had agreed to a magic lesson but had then proceeded to turn it into an opportunity to tease her ceaselessly with gentle caresses of his hands and lips while he pressed his body to hers inviting all manner of licentious thoughts into her head. They were now seated on their bed, Loki's back to the pillows and ornately carved, dark wood headboard, Maryn settled back against his naked chest between his parted legs her hands held out in front of her, her palms glowing silver as she tried to enchant a length of silk so that whoever touched it would become invisible.

The Trickster didn't stop his gentle caress, "I believe it is you who is distracting me, my love. I was fully dressed a mere hour ago and didn't have a sumptuous maiden seated in my lap." He leaned in and spoke in her ear with enough velvet heat in his voice to make her heartbeat pick up and warmth start to pool deep within her, "I suppose I can no longer call you a maiden, however, as I have done my utmost to ensure that our…rigorous activities have banished that title forever."

Maryn's cheeks burned crimson and she lost her concentration once more, the magical glow ebbing away from her skin. Turning in his arms she reached up and fisted his hair in one hand, pulling his head down so that she could kiss him. When she opened her lips to allow him to deepen the kiss, Loki grabbed her waist lifting her slightly so that she straddled his thighs, her free hand sliding over the contours of his chest and shoulders.

When his mouth moved down over her jaw and to her neck, Maryn spoke breathlessly, "Can we use the spell I gave you now?"

Loki stilled smirking against her neck before returning to his open-mouthed kisses, "I thought as that was my gift I could choose when to use it?"

Maryn pulled back to look at him, his face emotionless as he waited for her to speak, "It is, I just…I thought you would want to use it tonight. We have…given…ourselves to each other completely and that is all that is required for it to work."

He studied her throughout her stuttered reply and enjoyed seeing her cheeks redden with embarrassment before he answered her. Reaching up he ran the backs of his fingers over her cheek, "I thought we had ridded you of this, sweet one," when her cheeks turned an even darker shade of crimson he smirked, "I am glad to see that I was mistaken."

Narrowing her eyes at him Maryn pushed his hand away from her cheek, "Do you wish to link our magic or not?"

Reclining back into the thick pillows behind him, the Trickster tilted his head to the side, "Will you be able to read my thoughts?"

Maryn shook her head, "Our thoughts are our own. When we wish to share them we will choose to. The spell only links us physically and melds our magic so that we are stronger." He seemed to be deliberating and Maryn felt her nerves pull taught at the thought of him refusing to link their magic. "If…if you do not wish us to-."

She was cut off by a sharp look from the Dark Prince, "I wish it, sweet one, truly," he murmured leaning in to kiss her breathless.

Before he could deepen the kiss further, however, Maryn pulled away, the spell conjured in her hands, "We must read it silently, our hands clasped."

"And that is all that is required?" Loki asked his eyes dropping to the piece of parchment in her hands and then lifting to her face again.

Maryn blushed deeply but kept her gaze locked with his, "And then we complete the spell by…physically binding ourselves together." Seeing his widening shameless grin Maryn rolled her eyes and forced her voice to stay steady. "Are we in agreement, my lord husband?"

He sat straight, one strong arm wrapping around her waist to draw her tight to his chest, "We are in agreement, little wife." Heart starting to quicken, Maryn nodded and dropped her gaze to the parchment, turning it so that he could read it, the words already ingrained in her mind. But Loki had other ideas. Crooking a finger under her chin he lifted her gaze to his, "I know the words, Maryn," he murmured gently.

They held each other's eyes as their lips moved soundlessly, reciting the words written on the piece of paper. Warmth filled them both emanating from the centre of their chests out to the rest of their bodies. Green, silver and gold swirled around them, wrapping around their bodies and soaking into their skin before settling back inside them as the innate power they were both accustomed to. Maryn opened her eyes, not remembering when she had closed them, feeling a little breathless at the sensation. Loki searched her face for a moment before leaning forward and kissing her so softly and then pulling slowly at the end of the laces tying her nightgown closed. She gasped against his lips and then moaned when his hand slipped down into the front of her nightgown. He swallowed her moan and slid his tongue along the seam of her lips begging entrance. Relaxing into his touch, Maryn ran her fingertips over his face memorizing every contour and plane, pulling away to look up into his eyes as he lay her down on their bed to fulfil the final step of the spell.