Chapter Twelve

Darcy hadn't even been in her own room for five seconds before she was enveloped in a bright light. Heat bore down on her like fire and she lifted her hands against the blinding intensity as the world fell away at the speed of light.

She couldn't keep herself steady from the sudden thrust of the atmosphere from one place to another and she stumbled to the side, or at least thought she did. Her stomach dropped and nausea rose up. The ground rose up to meet her with a halting gravity that had her doubling over.

Jet lag like a bitch!

She'd just been pushed through time and space by Loki and then again in only a matter of seconds and her body wasn't ready for it. "Seriously, you've got to stop doing that." Darcy gasped out, squeezing her eyes shut against the swirling lights and dizziness. "I'm not good with earth's jet lag and God jet lag is twice the bitch."

"I'd think you were accustomed...to this form of travel by now."

Darcy lifted her head, her stomach plummeting when it wasn't Loki she heard—but Odin.

She wasn't in the desert, either. She was in the golden dome connected to the Bi-Frost. And Odin was staring her down like an insect. An insect that he wanted to squish.

What was it with God's transferring her from one bad ass realm to another? She may be talking to one more preferably than the other but they had a bad tendency to throw her into some spacey shit without warning.

He lifted the staff in his right hand and she was moving again. Moving wasn't even the right word. The thought that came to mind was The Wizard of Oz and she definitely wasn't in S.H.I.E.L.D HQ anymore.

She could see the ground rushing up to meet her as the tunnel opened up suddenly and light from somewhere coming at her. She landed on her hands and knees, which she was sure she appeared from out of nowhere from the looks of things.

Jet lag was a thing of the past. She dry heaved as her stomach tried to catch up, her hair falling around her face. Something rattled and clinked together before someone was beside her and a hand was on her shoulder while the other brushed the hair away from her face just in case something wet did decide to come up.

"What did you do to her?" Loki spat out from beside her.

Loki?

Loki? The very Loki who had sent her away not even five minutes ago? Darcy took a deep, shuddering breath and lifted her head. She was...back. She was back in the desert with a still chained and still tortured Loki.

"Nothing. Her human body isn't meant for our travel in multiple forms so quick together." Odin said and Darcy remembered—fucking Odinson. The too-good-holier-than-thou God-father had showed up with no invitation whatsoever and had dropped her...here.

Why?

"Why did you bring her here?" Loki asked, his eyes narrowed but he didn't leave her side.

Darcy would have sat up but her world was still spinning in her mind. She did, however, have to strength to rip into Odin. "Someone needs to rip you a new one. Or maybe poke your eye out. You could use some hind-sight." Torturing his own son and kidnapping a human, for Christ' sake. Because she was so calling it kidnapping and see if she didn't report THAT to S.H.I.E.L.D.

Odin lifted his free hand and spread his fingers. Loki shifted in front of her so fast that dirt rose up like a small cloud at their feet. Darcy frowned as she stared at the back of Loki's head. What the hell was he doing? But it was clear in her mind. Was he...protecting her?

From what?

Oh God, Odin was going to kill her! He was going to kill Loki to get through to her.

Darcy balled her fist and hit Loki's back before curling her fingers into the leather of his green overcoat and jerked him backward but he remained in front of her.

"Did you really think I didn't see her, Loki?" Odin waved his arm at their surrounding. He had eyes and ears everywhere.

"Do you really think I care, father?" Loki taunted back.

Darcy lifted her head and stared in sudden horror as the snake hovering overhead suddenly moved. She saw it in her mind. They snake was going to strike like a cobra and eat them whole before digesting them in it's slimy, long belly. She could hear the scales rubbing along the ground and the rocks that rolled downward from the movement. Her hands tightened around the back of Loki's jacket in sheer terror. Being eaten by a snake was the very last way she wanted to go.

But the snake was uncoiling it's body and moving in the opposite direction and taking its poisonous venom with him. What the ever lovin' shittles?

"Even now you protect her, Loki. A mortal. You treat her as a Goddess."

She felt his chest vibrate through his back. Had he just snorted? Or laughed? She peeked over Loki's shoulder. Odin stood there, looking thoroughly intimidating and horridly too calm for her liking. "He can protect who he wants." Darcy said over Loki's shoulder, but didn't release her hold on his coat.

The mighty God's attention shifted back to her and she stressed on the thought 'mighty'. Would anyone have believed her if she had said that Loki had shifted his stance to better align his body against hers? No—they would have laughed at her lie-truth.

The chains around Loki's wrist opened and fell to the ground heavily. He frowned and lifted his hands, looking at his chafed wrists that slowly began to heal with the glamoured cuffs bearing into his flesh.

Odin lifted the staff and sent a shaft of light towards Darcy.

Loki cursed and spun around. He shoved Darcy down one handed and she went down, her hands covering her face as the ball of light consumed her body.

"You protect her as if she's a revered Goddess." Odin's voice moved through her but Darcy remained on her knees, her hands over her face. Was he killing her? Was she dead? Was he going to beat her to death with that golden staff?

"So she'll be One...this Sigyn."

"What?" Loki snarled out so suddenly that Darcy wasn't sure if he was confused or angry.

Darcy spread her fingers, wondering exactly how she could have gotten into this mess between two God's when she saw another light. Loki shoved her again and she saw his face this time. He was confused and angry. But he was confused. Was that fear she saw?

And then the light burst past Loki and consumed her again, this time hotter. She hit the ground on her back and covered her face again, terrified beyond means. This was it—she was dead.

"Father!"Loki roared and Darcy had the distinct feeling that Odin was gone. One of those...Godly senses were gone.

She remained on her back because hell, she didn't want to get up. She was terrified. One moment Loki had sent her back to her room and then she was back. There hadn't even been a pause in time. As much as she was starting to like Loki, she'd about had it with God's period.

She counted to three mentally and then moved two of her fingers aside, peeking through the thin slit. Loki was still there and he sank to his knees again, hovering over her. Darcy couldn't read his expression so she closed her fingers again. "Am I dead?"

"No."

"Tell me I'm dead. I was hit by light. Godly, magical light." She'd been hit—my God, the irony! "I'm dead."

Loki caught her wrists and tugged them down and retained the hold, tugging her to feet. "You're not dead. Close your eyes."

"I'm not? What—"

"Close your eyes." Loki snapped out.

She didn't even want to know why he was telling her to close her eyes so she did. She closed her eyes and pressed her fingers against her eyes. She didn't want to see and she didn't want to know. She stood there, waiting in patient, horrified silence for him to speak and do whatever the hell it was he was doing.

She lowered her hands—she was back in her bedroom. And Loki was no where in sight. She hadn't even felt him teleport her. She looked up at the ceiling and lifted her hands. "What the HELL just happened?" She said to no one imp-articular, annoyed and confused beyond territorial means.

The mirror and windows in the room busted and crashed out of their frames with the tone of her voice and Darcy screamed.