Chapter 10

The search for Thor had taken Kagome deep into the labyrinthine corridors of the Asgardian palace. The further she ventured from the opulent chambers where she had spent the night, the more the grandeur of the palace gave way to an eerie, foreboding atmosphere. Torchlight flickered ominously along the cold, stone walls as she pressed on, her heart pounding with a mixture of determination and trepidation.

Every door she passed seemed to hold secrets, and the palace's ancient architecture whispered stories of battles, alliances, and betrayals that had spanned eons. It was a place where history and myth converged, and Kagome couldn't help but feel like an intruder in this world of gods and legends.

Finally, after what felt like hours of aimless wandering, Kagome stumbled upon a corridor that seemed different from the rest. The torches were spaced farther apart, and a heavy iron door stood ajar, revealing a dimly lit room beyond. Curiosity drew her closer, and as she cautiously entered, her footsteps echoed ominously in the narrow passageway.

The room she had entered was filled with rows of empty cells, each one more foreboding than the last. The atmosphere was heavy with the weight of despair, as if the very walls absorbed the suffering of those who had been imprisoned here. Kagome shivered involuntarily, suddenly aware of the chilling isolation that must have afflicted the souls confined within these cold, stone walls.

As she walked past the empty cells, her senses tingled with a growing unease. There was a presence here, something otherworldly and unsettling. It wasn't until she reached the last cell that she saw him—a man, dressed in tattered and grimy clothing, sitting cross-legged on the floor.

He turned to look at her, his eyes filled with a predatory gleam. His sharp, angular features and dark hair framed a face that exuded a sinister charm. It was Loki, the God of Mischief, the very mention of whose name had sent shivers down the spines of mortals and gods alike.

Kagome's instinct was to retreat, to flee from the presence of such a dangerous being. But her curiosity and concern for Thor overrode her fear, and she steeled herself to engage in conversation with the enigmatic prisoner. Licking her lips in nervousness she could only offer him a small polite smile.

"Have you seen my husband?" Her words were polite, welcoming even, yet her words lacked true warmth. She knew of his transgressions against not only her people, but those close to her, and she wanted to make him pay for hurting them. To make him regret raining down war on her realm but the fact of the matter was that he was now her brother in law and because of that fact alone she owed him at least a bit of courtesy.

Loki leveled her with a bland look, he could tell from the small twitch of her lips that her words while sweet still held a bit of dislike. He didn't blame her, he had after tried to take over her realm. She, while being a priestess of legend, was still mortal, thus she was flawed. It was a pity really. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm locked in a cell. The only way I would have seen my dear brother is if he decided to grace me with his almighty kingly presence. Something I can not see happening anytime soon, as he has forgotten all about me."

Kagome blinked, hearing the small tinge of sadness in his words, despite the front he was putting on deep down the fact that his brother was too busy to visit him, hurt. Which meant the supposed hate he held for his brother was just for show. Deep down he still cared about his well being.

It was like Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru all over again. Recalling her past comrades made her smile lightly. A fondness warming her eyes. "He hasn't forgotten you Loki. He could never forget you, you're his brother. He's just been busy." She hoped that he would believe her words, for they rang true. While she hadn't known Thor long she knew he regretted the way things had turned out between him and his brother, it was part of the reason she agreed to the marriage proposal.

His heart was pure and loyal. He would stand by those he loved even if they were in the wrong.

The second her lips pulled into a smile Loki's anger flared up, she was laughing at him! Who was she to speak to him on behalf of his brother?! She had known his brother for a mere few months. He had known his brother for hundreds of years, and yet here she was talking as if she knew him better?!

He didn't know why he disliked it, simply that he did and so he would make her well aware of his displeasure.

"If you know my brother so well then wouldn't you know where he is and what is doing? Hm?" His voice was mocking as a light flush dusted her cheeks.

"You don't have to be rude. I only asked because while I assume he is attending to his duties, you might have more concert information. Clearly I was mistaken, so I'll leave you to enjoy the rest of your day." Her tone was even and diplomatic, it made him bristle even more.

She was looking down on him, judging him. It made his jaw clench and his blood boil. Why was it everyone always came to his brothers defense and always cast him as the protagonist?!

"My dear brother is no better than I yet it is me that sits here locked up like an animal. The dirty secret of the Odin house." He snorted, his gaze on the woman that his brother was using. "At least I didn't lie to myself, everything I did, I did for me."

Kagome frowned, not liking the way he was talking about her husband, the man she had grown to love. "You're just bitter, you're so caught up in your own little world of hate that the fact that others can be happy...can love is foreign to you."

He snarled at her, not liking the way she was talking to him.

"You are a pawn in a game, a means to an end." She glared right back at him and pulled the necklace from under her dress, shoving it against the glass so hard it clinked.

"He gave this to me the night we became engaged." The conviction in her voice made him pause yet he let a rueful grin slip over his features as he read the engraved words.

What a fool this woman was!

"Ha! You think that trinket means he loves you? What a fool you are...that is a sign to everyone else that you are a lover, a common concubine! I bet his human lover will wear the one that marks her as his true wife!" She froze.

He took in the shocked look on her face and gave a gleeful laugh. "You don't know!" What a foolish young woman!

He would take joy in this!

"He is in love with a human woman, Jane, he vowed to go back for her. Swore eternal love for her! She is the only reason he agreed to marry you! He used you to bind your two worlds together just so he could be with her. You are nothing more than collateral."

Loki's words were laced with venom and bitterness as he mocked her and belittled her position as Thor's wife. He reveled in her pain, using his silver tongue to cut deep into her heart. However, Kagome had faced countless adversaries and challenges in her adventures, and Loki's insults were like child's play compared to the trials she had endured.

He gave a snarky grin, loving the way her face paled and tears gathered in her eyes. To his surprise she didn't let them fall, didn't run off crying like a mewling quim, she merely leveled him with a gaze that shook him to his core.

She looked so tired, so worn, so broken. It was an eerie sight to behold.

Her lips trembled as she spoke, her voice low. "Why are you so hateful?" She paused, trying her hardest not to crumble in front of him, to not give him the satisfaction. "Maybe it's your own self hate that makes you lash out and hurt others..." She closed her eyes and looked away from him. "All it will do is make you hate yourself more." With that she left, walking with as much dignity as she could. Once again her heart had been shattered and her happiness torn away.

Loki's gaze followed after her even after she was out of sight, he had never once in his long life felt guilt over letting his silver tongue run free. Yet as he ran over her words in his head he could only glare, turning those feelings into anger.

How dare she stir up his feelings and thoughts like this? The foolish wench.