Pairing: Thor-era Loki + Gender Fluid original character
Warnings: None needed for this chapter. Mostly introductions and, of course, thirst when Loki arrives.
Length: 1.3k
Summary: In which we meet Venn and Venn meets Loki and things don't go entirely to plan.
Chapter List
Full Master List of all works
“One drop of your blood will take you to Asgard. One drop of his will return you both to me. Complete the mission and the girl goes free. Fail me and it is her blood that will be spilled.”
That threat still echoing through my head, I blink my eyes open and take careful stock before I try anything as risky as moving. Cocooned in a warm blanket of gentle sunlight with a pillow of soft grass supporting my head I’m loath to move at all for fear that I might disturb the unfamiliar sense of peace. The only discordant note of tension in my entire body is the fierce grip I’ve managed to maintain on the ice cold marble in my left palm. Despite my attempts to ignore it, cramp soon starts to set in and I wince as I force my frozen fingers to release the priceless trinket from their grip. Rolling onto my back I hold the orb to the light, the faintest smear of my blood already drying to a muddy brown.
There is no need to confirm my current location. This charm is Amelie’s creation and even if she was forced to create it under duress, she’s far too skilled to fail at such a simple task. My legs are a little wobbly as I haul myself to my feet and send her silent prayer of thanks for her forethought in calibrating the orb to transport me to a deserted stretch of coast line, well outside the main city of Asgard, allowing me the precious time needed to gather myself and prepare for what lies ahead.
Shading my eyes with my hand I gaze out over the sea towards the shining city in the distance. Asgard looks beautiful from this vantage point, the angle of sun burnishing the golden walls and pillars until they gleam. Given different circumstances I’d love more time to explore its cobbled streets and leafy thoroughfairs but time is a luxury in short supply.
How long will his patience last?
A little to my left, an irregular opening in the cliff face catches my eye and further exploration swiftly reveals a small cave. Clearly at some point it has been used as a hideaway or bolt hole; there is a makeshift bed, musty from lack of use and no sign of recent visitors. Unconcerned by its dusty state, I take ownership, crossing my legs in front of me on the lumpy mattress.
Closing my eyes I breathe out slowly through my mouth and make a feeble attempt to gather my thoughts, but now that I’m upright, there is too much nervous tension flowing through my limbs to stay still for long. I need information more than I need rest and I’m not going to find it sitting here. Decision made, I shift my focus to the image of the shining walls of Asgard and teleport myself to the outskirts of the city. Slipping quietly and unseen through the gates, I make my way towards the centre.
My original intention is simply to mingle with the townsfolk and glean as much information as I can. A useful extension of my siren abilities is the ability to invert my glamour, reversing its effects and rendering me so insignificant that I’m almost invisible to everyone around me. Hidden by this illusion of mundane normality I allow myself to be drawn into the excited crowd.
There is to be a party, I learn: excited whispers swirling through the crowd speak of a grand ball to celebrate some victory or battle. Some of the details escape me, but the why is far less important than the when. By pure good fortune the event is planned for this very evening. I send up a silent prayer of thanks. If this good luck continues I can be in and out of Asgard and on my way within a few hours.
I’m about to leave to start my preparations when the crowd suddenly eddies around me and a fanfare sounds in the distance. A frisson runs through the assembled throng and the whispers intensify.
The Princes are riding out with their entourage!
Despite myself, I find the excitement infectious and suddenly I’m as keen as everyone else to catch a glimpse of the young princelings. My blood-soaked career has brought me giants, monsters and dark elves, but I’ve never seen an actual god and I have to admit, I’m curious.
The riders draw level and sweep past, the sun gleaming from Thor’s burnished armour and bronzed muscles. But I have little interest in Asgard’s shining son, my attention is firmly fixed on the younger sibling riding a pace or two behind, his expression thrown into dull relief by his brother’s brilliance.
Tall and lean, there is a stillness to his frame that is out of place within the jostling crowd. His pale features look starved of sunshine, as if the rays are playing favourites and choosing to illuminate the elder brother, while leaving the younger to the shadows. However, the belligerent set to his jawline makes me reconsider - maybe this one generates his own darkness.
Without warning, he reins in his horse, head tilted as if listening for something. Quite how he can hear anything over the cacophony of the crowd I have no idea, but that isn’t the only contradiction nor even the most compelling. My attention is snared by his broad shoulders which radiate a warrior’s strength, and the comparison to his hands which are almost gentle as they caress the reins, controlling his horse through will, not brute force.
Long, lean thighs taper around his mount, muscles clearly defined through the expensive leather. There is a lot of power in that rangy frame, but it isn’t fear that makes me wet my lips.
I’m staring at him…
I’m still staring at him…
What the hell?!?!?
More flustered than I like to admit, I jerk my eyes away. Get a grip, I tell myself, now is not the time for daydreaming. But against my own wishes and my better judgement [which appears to have deserted me for the moment] my eyes are drawn back to his lean frame and those deeply corded muscles. As I glance up at his face I freeze in shock. His gaze is now burning directly into mine - curious, challenging and disconcertingly direct.
An arrogant smile kicks up the corner of his mouth, as if daring me to be the first to look away. I have no idea how he is able to see me, but as the crowd streams past, leaving us alone, I’m not about to waste an opportunity. I return his grin at the exact moment I release the tight leash on my Siren side and turn up the volume. Now all I have to do is wait for the inevitable reaction. At this range he should be babbling oaths of love and adoration within seconds. However, Loki’s expression merely tightens and his gaze traces an insolent path down my body to my feet before returning slowly to my face. To my horror it’s my cheeks that flush! Then the arrogant smirk becomes a sneer and he wheels his horse around, setting off after the other riders without a backward glance.
What the hell just happened? That was… well… rude! Am I losing my touch?
A lone guard marches past, detached from his platoon. Taking the full force of my unleashed Siren, he stumbles, drops his spear, trips over the pointy end and winds up on his knees wearing a vacant, goofy smile. I shake my head. Nope, I’m just fine, clearly the issue lies with Loki.
It doesn’t matter. I saw Loki’s expression as he watched his older brother, and fortunately lust isn’t the only deadly sin I can manipulate.
Tags: Love triangle / Romantasy / Norse Mythology AU / Shapeshifting / Magic Realism
Warnings: I don't think there are any (apologies if I missed anything)
Length: 3.8k
Summary: In which Dee puts on her big girl panties and meets the Jericho Elite, en masse.
Chapter List
Full Master List of all works
Amelie was the first one to break the awkward silence which had developed. “What are you going to do?” she asked.
“I don’t know.” Dee gave a helpless shrug and glanced across at Liv. “Have you told anyone else?”
Liv shook her head. “No. I wanted to speak with you first.”
“Thank you.”
Shifting awkwardly in her seat, Liv bit her lip and grimaced. “But you should tell someone,” she said, adding in a rush, “Marcus has a dozen teams in the field, searching for a doorway and that’s spreading their resources rather thin. If he knew that you…”
Dee stiffened. “That I what? I don’t know where the doorway is?”
“No, but you must have a connection to it. Maybe you can help them search.”
Feeling railroaded by the hopeful expressions on the faces in front of her, Dee got to her feet with some reluctance. “Fine. I’ll talk to Sy.” Both her friends remained ominously silent. She cocked her head. “What? That’s what you want, isn’t it?”
Liv and Amelie exchanged a glance. “We think you should talk to Loki first,” Amelie said.
“Loki? Why?” Dee was aware that her tone was sharper than needed, bordering on shrill, but the memory of Loki’s casual dismissal still hurt and she was in no hurry to speak with him again.
Blithely unaware of the toll on Dee’s still fragile self worth, Amelie ticked off the reasons on her fingers. “Well, for one, he’s the boss man around here; Two, he’s a God, so duh–”
“And three, he’s the one who’s been running himself ragged trying to deal with all this,” Liv added. “While you and Si were off…” She didn’t actually say the word ‘galavanting’ but Dee could hear the accusation hanging silently in the air between them.
Her eyes narrowed and she took a step back. “Since when did you both become ‘Team Loki’?”
Liv had the good grace to look uncomfortable, and adjusted her glasses. “I admit, I may have been guilty of jumping to unfounded conclusions, early on. He’s not always had the best press in the history books.” She stared at the toes of her pale green converse boots. “But he’s been very polite since we arrived and most hospitable.” Her eyes flicked guiltily towards the towering pile of leather bound manuscripts on her desk.
Dee folded her arms. “He bribed you with books!”
“Not bribed exactly.” She flapped a hand towards the nearest shelf and dropped her voice to a whisper. “But look at this place!”
If she’d rolled her eyes any harder, Dee would have been able to see the inside of her skull. “You can’t judge someone’s character from the size of their book collection.”
Chin jerking up, Liv folded her arms and met Dee’s gaze. “Yes you can and I do.”
“No, I agree with Dee,” Amelie announced. “Books can be tricky. Anyone can buy books. I, on the other hand, choose to judge people by their friends.” She pressed her lips together, in an attempt to control the wicked grin threatening to break free. “And he has some seriously hot friends!”
Eyes screwed closed, Dee shook her head. “That’s not better! Lustworth friends does not mean– Wait! Are you talking about Sy?”
Liv gave a long suffering sigh. “She’s not talking about Sy.”
“Edwin??”
Amelie pulled a face. “Noooo. Edwin’s a sweetheart, but way too nervous. I think he’d have a coronary if I so much as smiled him.”
Thoroughly confused now, Dee shook her head. “Who then?”
“She’s talking about Linc.”
Dee blinked, running the name through her memory and coming up blank. “Who’s Linc?
“He’s head of the Jericho Project.”
“Have I met him?”
“If you have to ask, the answer is no.” Amelie snickered. “Trust me, you’d remember if you’d met Linc.”
From the looks being exchanged, Dee was aware she was missing some fundamental piece of information. Knowing better than to expect any kind of clarity from Amelie when she was in this mood, she turned her gaze on Liv. “Have you met him?”
“Yes.”
“And? Who is he?”
“I told you. He’s head of the Jericho Project.”
“What’s he like!”
“Large.”
Dee snorted. “Not sure that narrows it down very much in this place.”
“Oh and he’s a werewolf.” Liv added, by way of additional information.
“A werewolf..” Dee repeated the word slowly, to make sure she hadn’t misheard.
Amelie tsked loudly. “He’s not a werewolf, he’s a shape shifter.”
“Who shape shifts into a wolf.” Liv said in a dry tone.
“Entirely at his own control. No lunar involvement.”
“Oh well that’s… good?” Dee said weakly. “Really? A werewolf??? Are you sure that’s a good idea? Is he safe? Housetrained?”
Amelie snorted, “That’s a bit rich, coming from the woman who's been wrapped around bird-boy for the last week!”
Mouth open in outrage, Dee took a step forward, “Hey that’s… that’s–” she broke off and her shoulders slumped. “Yeah, that’s totally fair. Okay then. So are we saying werewolves are now on the approved list?”
“God yes,” Amelie murmured. Reaching out she clutched Dee’s hand. “He’s got these icy blue eyes and when he stares at you, I swear he can see straight through to your soul.”
Liv returned to her desk. “And don’t forget the growling,” she said in an undertone, as she settled her glasses more firmly onto her nose.
“Growling?”
Amelie closed her eyes and her fingers tightened on Dee's wrist, “She’s not kidding. The man growls. I mean he literally growls! The first time he did it, I–”
“Oh my god! You’re blushing!!” Barely able to believe her eyes, Dee gestured to Liv for confirmation. “She’s blushing right?”
Not looking up, from her book, Liv shrugged. “Apparently that’s the effect growling has on a grown woman.”
Amelie groaned and buried her glowing face in her hands.
Feeling immensely cheered, Dee chuckled softly. “Never thought I’d see the day.”
Amelie made a rude gesture and then jerked her head towards the door. “Weren’t you supposed to be leaving? Thought you were going to find your feathered friend?”
Dee took a deep breath and nodded. “Yeah, I guess I should get this over with.” She set off at a determined pace but after a dozen steps she hesitated. “Anyone know where Sy might be? This place is huge and I haven’t exactly been given the guided tour.”
Liv glanced up, frowning in thought. “If an alarm has been sounded, they all normally convene in the Jericho wing.”
“And where’s that?”
Amelie leaped out of her chair and linked arms with Dee. “I’ll take you!”
“No!” Liv wagged a disapproving finger. “Leave the poor man to his work. I’m sure Linc has enough going on without being ambushed by your cleavage every time he turns around!”
Amelie pouted but Liv’s glare never waivered. Sinking back into her chair, Amelie rattled off a stream of seemingly random directions. After what sounded suspiciously like the fifth left turn in a row Dee held up her hand. “Forget it, I’ll find it on my own.
Unsure if the room was bugged or monitored, Dee tiptoed to the entrance and eased the door open. Once sure the coast was clear, she glanced back at her friends for one last boost of support before edging into the corridor. Sadly, her attempt at a stealthy exit came to an abrupt halt as Edwin materialised from around the corner. Dee backed up sharply, but it was too late to pretend she hadn’t been caught sneaking out. Stuffing her hands into her pockets she shifted her weight. “Has Loki stationed you here to babysit while everyone else gets to play soldiers?” she muttered. “Sucks to be you.”
Edwin frowned in confusion at her tone and then his expression cleared. “Not at all, I simply thought you might need assistance in finding the Jericho wing.”
Dee blinked. “The Jericho wing?”
“You are looking for Mr Sy are you not?”
She took a step back. “How did you…?”
“Oh don’t mind Edwin.” Amelie joined her in the doorway and delivered a flirtatious smile with enough potency to send a brief flush of pink up the poor man’s throat. “He always knows what’s about to happen or when he might be needed.”
Dee’s eyebrows rose. “You can see the future.”
Edwin dry washed his hands and shook his head. “Only an hour or so. Not the true gift.”
“Handy though.”
“It has been useful from time to time.”
“So, you knew I wanted to see Sy.”
“Yes.”
“Is he going to be pleased to see me?”
Edwin hesitated. “Not at first,” he said carefully. “But only out of concern for your safety.”
“I just want to help.”
“I know that. And he will too, once you’ve explained.”
Dee chewed on her lip. “Will I be able to?”
Edwin paused and inclined his head in question. “Explain? Yes?”
“No, I meant, will I be able to help?”
He spread his hands in apology. “Alas, I cannot see that far. I know you try.”
His tone suggested he hoped that would be encouraging. Sadly it fell somewhat short of the reassurance intended, in Dee’s opinion, and she could feel her palms dampening as they turned down yet another long corridor and she began to pick up the sound of raised voices in the distance. Another two left turns drew them closer to a heavily fortified doorway which was shielding the source of the disturbance.
Before she had the chance to change her mind and retreat the way they’d come, Edwin seized one of the intricately carved door handles and threw his full weight back, dragging it open. Dee flinched as deafening voices screamed through the gap, bouncing off the walls and echoing down the long corridor.
Holy shit! It sounded like they were about to walk straight into a battlefield, she thought as shrieks and screams reverberated down her spine, setting off full blown panic in her system. What the fuck was going on in there?
Seeming unconcerned by the cacophony wailing around them, Edwin gave her an encouraging smile and gestured her into the room.
For some reason, Dee felt obligated not to let him down, since he’d taken so much trouble to bring her here. Tamping down her fear, she took a deep breath and stepped through the doorway. An instant later she was enveloped in a wall of noise. Feeling like Gulliver in the land of giants she craned her neck and looked up… and up… and up! Who were these people?? They were all enormous! Every single one of them, male and female, had to be well over six feet tall, some of them almost as broad as they were high.
Peeking between the heavily muscled torsos it took her a few seconds to spot Sy, standing in the centre of the room, barking orders at the fractious crowd surrounding him. Her nerves dissipated the moment she saw him, melting into a now familiar feeling of tingling excitement. He’d swapped his casual shirt for a leather breastplate which extended to cover his shoulders and arms, but left the long sweep of his back deliciously bare. Distracted by the play of his muscles beneath his skin, it took Dee a moment to notice the quiver of arrows hanging from his shoulder. He was ready for battle, she realised with a lurch, not entirely sure how she felt about that scenario. But she had to admit, the mental image of his strong fingers curled around the taut string of a bow, was highly compelling.
Her lustful thoughts were interrupted by another, all too familiar voice. Loki’s words echoed around the seething chamber, but Dee couldn’t tell the source. He sounded stained, unable to form full sentences. “Outnumbered,” he gasped. “Send more men.”
A second man stepped up to Sy’s shoulder. He was an inch or two shorter, but considerably heavier in build - his broad shouldered frame packed with muscle. As his icy blue gaze swept through the room, the crowd melted back, giving him space.
And that must be Linc, Dee decided, mentally giving Amelie a thumbs up for ambition. The man raised his face, addressing the unseen presence of Loki. “We have three more teams ready to deploy. When can you get back to transport them?”
“I-I can’t leave.”
Sy and Linc exchanged a worried look. “Why not?” Sy asked, “It’ll take you moments.”
“Barrier is failing.”
Their concern now morphed into alarm. “What do you mean, failing?” Sy asked.
“What do you think I mean?” The familiar authoritarian snap had returned to Loki’s tone. “They’ve ripped a hole in it.”
“Can’t you put a patch in place?”
“That’s what I’m trying to do, Sy! It’s not holding. I can’t leave or it’ll tear wide open.”
Linc moved closer to Sy and dropped his voice. “We don’t have anyone else who can teleport a team. Jackson and Evans are tapped out, they’ve done three trips each, they won’t manage another.”
“What about Compton?”
“She might manage one more jump, but she can only take two people at a time.”
“That’s not enough!” Loki interrupted.
Linc glared at the ceiling, and addressed Loki directly. “We don’t have anyone else.”
“Then get the plane in the air.”
“That will take hours. You’re in Alaska for fuck’s sake!”
“I could take them.” Dee wasn’t aware she had spoken until the words had already left her lips. Suddenly she was the centre of everyone’s attention as every head in the room snapped round in her direction. Fingernails digging into her palms she fought the instinct to turn tail and run.
A ripple of interest ran through the room, a few eyes widening in surprise and curiosity at her appearance but she sensed no hostility directed at her. Well, no hostility except…
“What are you doing here?” barked Sy at the exact same moment Linc asked, “How?”
Choosing to ignore Sy, she turned to the other man. “Through the shadow.”
He gaped at her, his jaw working silently until he finally managed to say, “You want to take them into the Inbetween? Are you mad?”
“Not the Inbetween, not fully, just the shadow at the edge.”
“Absolutely not!” Sy’s tone was final.
Linc ignored him. “How long would it take you?”
“Should only be a few minutes.”
“To Alaska?”
Dee shrugged, “The distance overland doesn’t really make a difference. Everything runs differently on the other side of the barrier”
Scratching at the stubble lining his jaw, Linc narrowed his eyes. “How many can you carry?”
“Probably a dozen.” Dee was just spitballing now. She really had no idea how many she could take, but twelve sounded like a reasonable number.
Sy folded his arms and took a step towards her. “What’s the most you’ve ever taken before?”
Dee swallowed hard. “Four,” she admitted in a small voice.
His expression hardened further. “Including you?”
Dipping her face away from his furious gaze, she dragged a toe across the flagstone and nodded in silence.
“So, three, if we’re being strictly accurate.”
She nodded again.
Sy dismissed her with a wave of his hand. “We’re not doing this.”
“Please, Sy! I’m different now. Stronger. You’ve seen it. You know I can do this.”
The silence in the room stretched out and then Loki spoke. “Let her try.”
Fists clenched, Sy glowered at the ceiling. “What happens if you’re wrong?”
Unsure if he was addressing her or Loki, Dee shifted her weight and decided to answer anyway. “Then we pop straight back out again. Probably half a mile down the road.”
“It doesn’t work like that. You, yourself said as much. Distance overland makes no difference. If you miss your intended destination you could just as easily reappear in the middle of the Australian Outback!”
Loki’s voice cracked through the air around them. “I said, let her try!”
Linc grimaced and rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “I’ll take that risk–”
Sy swung around, toe to toe with the larger man. “But that’s not the risk. Is it?” Without looking back at her, he pointed a finger at Dee. “Tell them, Dee. Tell them what the real risk is.”
Shoulders hunched, she kept her gaze glued to the floor. “The main risk is that I lose my grip on whoever I’m carrying and they end up scattered through the Inbetween.”
Sy glowered at her and then shifted his attention to the ceiling and addressed Loki. “I’m not ordering anyone into the Inbetween.”
Linc threw up his hands in defeat. “I’m sorry,” he said to Dee, “But I can’t do that either. Sy’s right.”
Deflated, she pulled at her sleeves, dragging the cuffs down over her hands. Stupid! Why did she think she might be able to help? Sy was right, it wasn’t like she’d ever tried to carry that many people. Even with the nightshade she’d been almost wiped out just taking Amelie. She was backing towards the door when an unfamiliar voice broke through the chaos.
“I’ll go.”
One hand on the door knob, Dee froze. The room fell into an unnatural silence and she turned her head to see who had spoken. A younger looking man folded his arms across his broad chest, jerked his unshaven chin in her direction and gave a lazy smile. “If you think you can do it, I’m game.”
Dee gaped at him. “Really? You trust me?”
“Sure.” He cocked his head and gave her a grin that would have melted the knickers off a nun. “What do you say, Blue? Wanna take me for a ride?”
“Thank you Ward,” Sy snapped, “But we’ve agreed, we’re not sending anyone into the Inbetween. The risk is too high.”
Ward shrugged and ran his fingers through his long, blond hair, tying it into a loose bun behind his head with a thin strip of leather. “I heard you say you’re not ordering anyone to go. But I don’t need an order, I volunteer. And I bet I’m not the only one.” Spinning round he threw his arms wide and addressed the seething mob. “Who’s with me?!”
The words had barely left his lips before a least thirty of the assembled throng surged forward, high fiving each other with whoops and cheers, and cat calling those who hesitated.
“I think you’ve been outvoted.” Linc said, giving Sy a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.
“You’re not serious!”
“You really want to try and stop them?” Linc tilted his head in question. At Sy’s momentary hesitation, he added, “We have enough problems, we can’t start fighting amongst ourselves. If you have a better option, I’m all ears but, right now, I think she’s the only game in town.”
Eyes screwed closed, Sy took a deep breath and then hissed. “Fine. Twelve. No more.”
Linc nodded and started picking the lucky dozen from the horde of volunteers. There were some growls of frustration as people failed to make the cut, but one look from Sy silenced most arguments.
“Okay done. Decision is final. Everyone else back to the break room,” Linc barked.
Dee frowned, eyeing the men and women lined up in front of her. “That’s only eleven?”
“I will be number twelve,” Linc replied. “Not sending anyone to do what I’m not prepared to do myself.”
“Not a chance!” Sy grabbed the man by his armoured vest and dragged aside. “One of us needs to stay here,” he snarled, “And if you think I’m letting Dee out of my sight you’re insane.”
Linc flexed his hands, clearly weighing his chances in a one on one fight with Sy and possibly liking those odds. Before he could make a move, Sy stepped into him, glaring him down as he growled, “Out of the two of us, which one has actually survived the Inbetween?”
There was a tense moment of near silence and then Linc capitulated with a grunt. “Fine. You go with them.” Turning to Dee, he asked, “What do you need?”
Dee blinked and swallowed hard, she really hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I..um…just the Wayfinder… I think…”
Sy released a breath, looking oddly relieved. “Sadly, I have no idea where that is. Do you?” he asked, turning to Linc.
Shoulders slumping in defeat, Linc turned to Dee and shook his head in apology. “I’m sorry, I don’t know where it’s being kept.”
Sy turned on Dee, “And don’t even think about trying this without it, that would be a suicide mission.”
From his silent station by the door, Edwin cleared his throat. “If I may…” He stepped forward, edging his way around another giant member of the Jericho Project. “I thought this might be needed.” From his pocket he produced the familiar slim case.
Dee had to resist the urge to kiss him. Becoming the unwanted centre of attention was already enough to turn his ears pink with embarrassment, any further displays of affection might make him spontaneously combust. Taking it from him, she confined herself to a quick smile and a quietly murmured, ‘Thank you.”
“So what now?”
“First I’m going to need a few more shadows.” Dee glanced up at the twelve hulking figures now encircling her. This was going to take a hell of a lot more shadow. Shifting her attention to the bare light bulb hanging from the centre of the ceiling, she narrowed her eyes and focussed. The bulb gave a quiet hiss and its glow intensified, increasing the intensity of the shadows cast against the walls. The formless dark shapes grew taller and sharpened into silhouettes - replicating their hosts and then dwarfing them.
Holding the Wayfinder tightly in her fist, Dee extended her arm and then carefully released her grip, balancing the figurine on one shaking fingertip. “Everyone hold on,” she said, “Either to me, or to each other.”
Without hesitation the chosen men and women moved closer, big hands encircling her arms from wrist to shoulder. Sy was the last member to join the party. Moving up behind Dee, he looped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, plastering his armour covered chest to her back.
Dipping his head, he nuzzled the point where her throat met her jaw and whispered, “You can do this. I have faith.” Dee smiled. That was the reassurance she needed. She closed her eyes and a frown creased her brow as she concentrated. As one, the shadow soldiers stepped away from the wall, forming a solid battalion and growing larger with every step.
On the tip of her outstretched finger the Wayfinder began to spin. Dee closed her eyes. “Everyone, hang on tight,” she said, as the shadow army closed ranks around them, merging into an impenetrable barrier. Focussing her thoughts on one face, she bit her lip, trying to summon every detail, from the haughty tilt of chin to the glints of fire in his dark green eyes.
“Loki,” she whispered to herself.
The Wayfinder stopped spinning and the room around them vanished.
Tags: Love triangle / Romantasy / Norse Mythology AU / Shapeshifting / Magic Realism
Warnings: I don't think there are any (apologies if I missed anything)
Length: 3.4k
Summary: In which Dee fights for the shadow while Sy and Loki fight each other
Chapter List
Full Master List of all works
Dee floated, weightless in the unending darkness; everything around her, such perfect, seamless black, she couldn’t tell if her eyes were open or closed.
“What were you thinking!”
Distant voices swam through the darkness, disturbing the unnatural silence that had settled around her.
“I’m sorry!!”
Dee didn’t think the second voice sounded very sorry at all. Quite the reverse in fact. Oblivious to her opinion, the speaker continued, volume steadily rising as they drew closer.
“What was I thinking?? I was thinking that Dee was about to get dragged back into the Inbetween and seeing as she was barely able to stay on her feet after carrying us all here, she was in no shape for a second visit. So, the question should be, what the hell were you thinking, sending her back in there?”
It took her a moment to process the name used. Dee. That was her… wasn’t it? They were talking about her! They knew her! Did that mean she knew them?
“I didn’t send her anywhere, she was acting entirely of her own accord.”
She recognised that voice, she was sure of it. But full recollection of its owner, sat just out of reach.
“But you let her!”
“You might not have noticed this, Sy, but I have my hands full right now, trying to hold the barrier together. I don’t have time to babysit your latest fling.”
At the mention of that name a jolt ran through her system and without warning, a face suddenly surfaced from the sludge of her memory. A shock of dark hair tumbling over his forehead and into his eyes. Eyes that warmed her as their gaze touched her skin. His lips curved in a perpetual smile; a smile filled with joy and mischief.
Sy! She remembered Sy!
Wait! Fling? Rude!
There was a sound of a fist connecting with something solid followed by muffled–and then not so muffled–cursing.
“By the Norns, Sy! What in the name of Hel was that for?”
“Dee is not a fling!”
“Fine. Tell me then, what is she to you?”
Dee strained to hear the response. All she could hear was a dismissive sniff and then Sy added, “You might want to dial down the jealous outrage and check your needlework.”
That prompted a snarl, followed by a muffled explosion that shook the ground beneath her.
She could feel the ground beneath her!! She was back in her body!! Cold pierced the numb swaddling that surrounded her. But where the hell was her body? For one horrible moment she wondered if she was still in the Inbetween, summoning voices from her memories to keep her company as she drifted lost. Fear of drowning in the endless darkness spurred her into action and she thrashed her limbs, until a weighted blanket of steady pressure descended, pinning her in place. Unable to move, barely able to think she whimpered.
“Shhhhhh,” whispered a soothing voice and despite her terror Dee felt herself relax beneath the sound. Swallowing the sob she could feel rising in her throat she pulled in a deep breath. That helped. Not only did the fuzzy coating to her thoughts start to fade, but the weighted blanket smelled good!
Very good.
Instinctively she snuggled closer.
A worried note replaced the barely suppressed anger of the earlier exchange as Sy asked, “What’s wrong with her? What happened to her in there?”
Dee felt cool fingers brush over her forehead and press lightly against her temples.
“I’m not sure, but I believe it might be ‘projection’.” Loki’s voice was barely more than a hesitant whisper, as if he didn’t truly believe the word himself.
“Astral Projection?! I thought that was a lost talent. That you hadn’t been able to rekindle it?”
“Apparently I was wrong.”
Dee missed the response to that statement, distracted by the warm fingers lacing through hers. Summoning every thread of concentration, she squeezed the unseen hand as tight as she could.
“Dee!”
The relief in that single word clutched at her heart and she almost sobbed as firm hands took hold of her shoulders and lifted her gently into a sitting position.
Desperate to connect, Dee focused on simple words:
The words ran on a loop through her head, but it took another dozen repetitions before they finally rasped from her throat.
Any further attempt at speech was derailed by the rib crushing hug that immediately followed.
“Loki,” Sy said, a warning note entering his voice.
“What?”
“The barrier.”
The arms holding her tensed as Loki snarled,“Bor’s teeth!” towards the latest threat. Reluctantly the vice-like embrace eased and Dee felt herself seamlessly transferred into a second pair of waiting arms. Another volley of explosions followed but she noticed that the ground shook less and less with each detonation.
Feeling braver, Dee took a breath and blinked her eyes open, instantly regretting the rash act as the brilliant Alaskan sunshine seared her retinas. Clapping her hands over her face she huddled into Sy’s broad chest. A soft rustle disturbed the air around her and cool shade replaced the vicious sun. Warily she cracked one eye to discover that Sy had extended one broad wing above her head, shielding her from the unrelenting sunshine.
“Better?” he asked, as she finally raised her face.
“Much better, thank you.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes until she felt strength gradually returning to limbs and was able to sit upright unaided.
Reluctant to release her, Sy maintained a steady, reassuring arm around her shoulders. Dee could see a question rippling beneath his smile.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Where did you go?” he grimaced. “Scratch that, I know where you went, I don’t understand why? Why would you do that?” His voice sharpened a fraction, his worry showing through the words. ”Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to separate from yourself like that?”
“I didn’t think,” Dee confessed, with a hiccup. “I-I didn’t even know what I was doing until I was already doing it.”
“That just makes it worse!”
She tugged at his sleeve. “Sy, I’m sorry, but I needed to follow the shadow.”
“Follow it where?”
“Into the Inbetween.”
“And,again, I’m back to… why?”
“Something was happening to it. To the shadow. Something unnatural.”
Sy gave a snort. “Everything about the Inbetween is unnatural.”
“But I saw someone. In the Inbetween. I saw a man!!”
“Who?”
“I-I don’t know, but he was controlling the shadow. He had a rod made of Nightshade and was using it to draw the shadows towards him.”
“Who was it, Dee? What did he look like?”
Dee jumped, she hadn’t heard Loki approaching. Raising her head, she squinted into the harsh glare of the sun and focussed for the first time on the two concerned faces hovering above her. “He looked a little like you,” she said to Loki. “His colouring was darker and his eyes were amber, not green but he looked like you… if you had a scar, here.” Reaching out a finger, she traced a line down Loki’s cheek.
Sy and Loki exchanged a look above her head.
“Fenris,” Loki growled.
Behind her, she felt Sy shudder at the name.
“Are you sure?” she asked. “I thought Fenris was a wolf.”
“Sometimes he is. Sometimes he’s not.”
“But…but I thought you couldn’t shift in the Inbetween.”
“Clearly he has learned how. The Nightshade you saw might make it possible.”
Shrugging out of Sy’s embrace, Dee struggled to her feet. “I have to go back in there.”
“What? No!” She wasn’t sure which of them had spoken, but it didn’t matter; from the expression on both their faces, they were in total agreement.
Dee waved a tired hand towards the pale patch which Loki had placed over the rip in reality. Untended, it was now starting to bulge; the careful stitching struggling to withstand the pressure from the otherside. “We have to do something about that or it’s going to tear wide open.” She gave a shudder. “He’s not alone in there. There are hordes surrounding him, just waiting for that to happen and when it does…” she trailed off.
“You can’t go back in there. He’s too strong. If he gets hold of you–”
“I’m stronger.”
“But he has Nightshade. From what you said, more of it than you do.”
Dee shook her head. “He might have Nightshade, but the shadow is fighting him. He looked exhausted by it.” One shoulder twitched and she rubbed the back of her neck. “I can’t explain it, but the shadow likes me. It wants to come to me, I don’t need to force it, I just have to ask.” She bit her lip and added, “Nicely.”
Neither man spoke and she could feel their indecision. Taking advantage of their silence, she moved closer to the tear in the barrier and settled herself cross legged on the frozen ground.
“I promise I’m not going to…” What was the word he’d used? “Project. I’m going to stay right here and just reach through the barrier. All I need to do is touch the shadow. I promise.”
Sy fixed her with a level stare and folded his arms. “I seem to remember promises being made before. Back over there, if I’m not mistaken.” He jerked his chin towards their original landing site.
Dee hadn’t realised she’d wandered so far down the slope. Guilt heated her cheeks. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I heard Loki’s voice and I thought I’d be safer with him…”
A guttural snarl echoed through the tear, followed by another and another. Long claws punctured the seam, tearing at the magical sutures until the rent was big enough for a distorted, nightmare creature to begin forcing its way through the barrier.
Without looking, Sy swung his bow from his shoulder and loosed an arrow. “Stellar plan,” he muttered, “head straight for the danger.”
Dee flinched as the arrow passed an inch to the right of Loki’s face and sank into the misshapen eyesocket of a horned creature trying to claw its way into their reality.
“A little warning next time,” Loki snapped.
“I think you mean thank you.”
Hoping to derail the argument that was clearly brewing, Dee wiggled her fingers at Sy. “You can hold my hand,” she offered, by way of compromise. “If you think I’m in too deep, you can pull me out, just like you did last time.”
Loki and Sy exchanged a look.
“I’ll hold her,” Sy said, “You repair the barrier.”
Loki looked like he was searching for some counter argument but another howl, emanating from the depths of the Inbetween, silenced his words. He heaved out a sigh and straightened his shoulders and spun around, eyes fixed on the task in front of him.
“Make it quick,” he said, “I won’t be able to hold this for much longer.”
Ignoring Dee’s proffered hand, Sy dropped to the ground behind her, his long legs bracketing hers and wrapped his arms around her waist. “If you get snatched, I’m coming with you.” She could feel his cheek pressed to the top of her head. “And you have no idea how much I hate the Inbetween, so please don’t let that happen.”
Dee gave his arm a brisk pat, and then transferred the Wayfinder into the hand that would be staying in this realm. Extending the other she slipped it through the barrier into the shadow beyond.
Closing her eyes she dipped her fingertips into the darkness and focused on drawing the stream towards her. Slowly she felt the tide shift. The shadow was no longer pouring through her fingers, it steadied, gathering around her hand, and then she felt the direction change, the current carrying it back towards her.
“Breathe,” whispered a voice in her ear and she smiled as tried to follow that instruction.
A jerk ran through the shadow, followed by a pained ripple as it shivered under competing instructions.
Fenris was fighting back.
Ready for this, Dee stretched out her legs and dug her heels into the icy tundra, bracing her back against the immovable wall of Sy’s chest. If Fenris wanted a fight, she’d give him one. Wrapping a coil of shadow around her fist she set her jaw and began to pull. At first it felt like she was trying to pull the Inbetween itself. Nothing moved and beads of sweat broke out on her forehead. Then slowly, inch by inch, she felt him starting to give ground.
“It’s working,” she whispered and a few seconds later she heard Loki echoing her words with relief.
“It’s working, the repairs are starting to hold!”
Breath coming in short pants, she pulled harder, feeling the density of the shadow thickening around the barrier, becoming more solid with every gasp.
Without warning, the tension on the coil she was holding suddenly vanished and a tidal wave of darkness rushed towards her. Dee screamed, caught off balance as a vicious tug lifted her from the ground, dragging her headfirst through the barrier and it was only the heavily muscled arm wrapped around her waist that prevented her from being consumed entirely.
Blazing amber eyes appeared out of the darkness and a face surfaced from the shadow, so close she could almost feel his breath on her skin. Morphing from man to beast in front of her eyes, his jaws opened, long teeth sharp white against the enveloping gloom.
Opening her mouth to scream, the air was crushed from her lungs as long fingers dug into her hips and wrenched her backwards, away from the ravenous beast and out of the Inbetween.
Unable to even lift a hand to break her fall, Dee landed heavily on the solid form of Sy, lying beneath her and any remaining breath in her chest emerged as a weak “ommph”.
Seconds later, Loki crashed to the ground next to them, flinging one protective arm around Dee’s waist as he sprawled motionless in the snow.
“Did we do it?” Sy asked. “Is it over?” Dee wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or Loki and didn’t have the energy to answer him.
Fortunately, Loki was in marginally better shape and managed to gasp, “For now.”
“Thank God!” Dee whispered, closing her eyes.
“You’re welcome.”
The absurdity of her situation–sandwiched between two literal gods–suddenly struck Dee as hilarious, and she barked out a laugh. Seconds later the pendulum of her mood swung wildly into reverse and she dissolved into tears. She was still crying as the rescue team arrived and transported them with some ceremony to the private jet waiting for them at the nearest airstrip. Anticipating that their magic users would be tapped to capacity, Marcus must have pulled who knew how many strings to provide a less draining form of travel home.
For her part, Dee was barely aware of the flight. Exhausted to the point she could barely open her eyes, she had only a faint recollection of being carried from the battle field and buckled securely into a leather seat. She wasn’t even sure who was doing the carrying. Probably Sy, but it could just as easily have been Loki or even one of the other members of the Jericho Initiative.
Beyond caring at that point, she relaxed against the anonymous broad chest and let sleep take her and it wasn’t until they hit a patch of turbulence that she jolted awake.
“Good morning,” said a familiar voice. “Feel better?”
The shoulder, which had been acting as a pillow for her, apparently belonged to Sy. Dee gave it an apologetic pat. “I think I drooled all over you, sorry.”
“You did. But still not the worst flying companion I’ve ever had.”
“You’re kidding!”
“Sadly not. There was one time Loki angered the Norns so badly they cursed him. He oozed acrid green gloop from every pore for the entire flight home. I nearly dumped his ass into the nearest lake but he–” Sy broke off, a pained expression flickering across his features.
Dee glanced past him to the empty seat by the aisle. Craning her neck she scanned the cabin. “Where is Loki?” she asked, giving his fingers a gentle squeeze.
Sy shifted in his seat. “He’s in the back. Needed some space and privacy.”
Disentangling herself from the comfy circle of his arms, Dee cleared her throat. “I really appreciate you looking after me, but I totally understand if you want to spend the rest of flight with–”
“I really don’t.”
“Sy,” she said, giving him her best Paddington stare. “Four hundred years, remember! You can’t just–”
“He wouldn’t welcome my presence either.”
“You don’t know that!”
“I do, actually.” Holding up his hand to stall her immediate protest, he shook his head. “He’s not himself. Literally. He was pretty banged up and he heals faster in his wolf form.”
Dee blinked. “Wolf form? He’s a were-wolf?”
“No!” Sy sounded highly offended. “He’s a shapeshifter, like me, but his totem animal is a wolf. Don’t lump us in with your weird Midgardian folklore.”
“Sorry, did realise it was such a touchy subject!”
“So, he’s a wolf… right now? Can I see him?”
Sy gave a brusk shake of his head. “He can be a little unpredictable in his animal form, particularly when he’s healing. That’s why he shuts himself away. It’s safer.”
“Oh.”
“But he should be shifting back soon.” Sy gestured to the window. “We’re coming in to land, so I’m sure he’ll be back on his feet and ready to start issuing orders.”
“Shhhh,” Dee said, nudging him firmly in the ribs. “Don’t be rude when he’s not around to defend himself.”
“Wouldn’t risk it if he was. Not with the mood he’s been in recently.”
Her lower lip quivered. “That’s my fault, isn’t it.”
Sy gathered her up in a hug. “No, that’s a Loki issue. He needs to get over himself before he hurts someone.” His nose nudged into the hollow beneath her ear. “For the record, the only person I’m worried about him hurting is you.”
Tilting her head to give him better access, Dee closed her eyes. “He wouldn’t hurt me.”
“He might not mean to, but he’s–” Whatever Sy was about to say next was interrupted as the internal door at the back of the plane slammed open and Loki emerged, studiously avoiding eye contact with everyone as he stalked towards the cockpit.
He was as impeccably dressed as ever, no sign of the frantic battle he’d endured, only hours earlier, but he looked paler than usual, Dee noticed, dark shadows visible beneath his eyes.
“We’re here,” he stated, addressing his comment to some unidentified point above their heads. Looking more uncomfortable than Dee had ever seen, he turned to the window and peered out into the darkness. “Hopefully Marcus will have cars waiting for us.” Stretching to his full height, he rolled his shoulders and cricked his neck to one side. “Shouldn’t take more than an hour before we’re back in the compound. Acknowledging Dee for the first time, a look of concern ghosted across his face. “How are you feeling?”
“Better,” she said diplomatically. “Or less tired at least.”
His eyes narrowed. “That wasn’t even close to the truth.”
Dee shifted in her seat and winced. “Okay, I feel bruised from the inside out.” A sigh lifted her shoulders, “And still tired, despite the sleep.”
“You shouldn’t have woken her,” he snapped at Sy.
Dee felt the growl rumble through Sy’s chest and quickly grabbed the hand that was clenching into a fist. Last thing they needed was another fight.
Ignoring Sy completely, Loki crouched down and raised his hand in front of Dee’s face. “Focus on my face.”
Dee tried to comply, but pain throbbed through her skull and she winced.
“As I suspected.” Loki said in a brisk tone, getting to his feet. “You need more sleep. A lot more sleep.”
“I should be able to manage–” Before Dee could finish the sentence, Loki whispered something under his breath and lightly touched her forehead. Her mouth dropped open in outrage, “Loki! Seriously? You can’t just–”
Tags: Love triangle / Romantasy / Norse Mythology AU / Shapeshifting / Magic Realism
Warnings: none really, mostly fluff unless you have an extreme fear of heights.
Length: 2.6k
Summary: In which we discover where Sy has taken Dee and explore her new talents a little further.
Chapter List
Full Master List of all works
The cave was empty when she woke and Dee was sure she should have felt more alarmed. But a few lingering flames still licked at the charred logs in the fire pit, eliminating the last of the chill from the air and the bedding swaddled around her carried Sy’s reassuring scent. For a moment she was tempted to snuggle back under the covers, close her eyes and pretend the day hadn’t started yet, but the shrill whistle from a kettle, strung over the flames, argued loudly against that decision.
Giving a soft huff of defeat she wormed her way out of the warm, soft nest and padded across the uneven floor to the firepit. The set up was basic in design and it was simple enough to swing the kettle away from the flames. As she did so, she noticed a couple of mugs and a canister on a low ledge. Popping the lid she gave the contents an experiment sniff and deemed the coffee fresh enough to risk making herself a mug. She debated pouring the second; clearly Sy hadn’t been gone that long but she had no idea when he’d be back.
Selecting a lovingly carved rocking chair, she curled her feet under her and gazed up at the ragged ceiling. The last ragged remnants of red-tinged sunlight filtering down from the cave mouth above told her she’d slept through the entire day, but she felt little urge to make the most of the remaining light and explore any further.
The firelight was much more pleasant, she decided, adding another couple of logs to the pit. It still generated sound in her head, but unlike that relentless note from her cell, this was more of a soft melody gently playing behind her thoughts. Closing her eyes she rocked in time to the song of the flames and let the unfamiliar sense of peace wash over her.
A heavy thump, followed by an unexpected gust of wind from the cave mouth broke into her drifting thoughts, and Dee blinked as Sy lowered himself through the entrance. In one hand he held a thick sweater and in the other, a small cloth bag. Careful not to drop either, he picked his way down the steep incline into the cave. Once he’d reached the almost level floor, he gave himself a brisk shake like a dog, dislodging the last flecks of snow from his hair and shoulders, dropped the bag next to the fire and pulled on the sweater. Holding his hands out to the flames he moved closer and gave a sigh of relief.
“You kept the fire going,” he said, giving her a grateful smile. “I was worried it might have gone out.” He winced, and ran his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t mean to be gone that long, but the village was further away than I remembered.” He pulled a face. “Or I’m not quite as fast through the air as I used to be.”
“There’s a village?”
“Yes, in the valley on the other side of the forest. I brought breakfast!” Glancing back over his shoulder at the fast darkening sunset staining the sky he shrugged, “Or possibly dinner. But food at least. Are you hungry?” Dee’s stomach growled loudly before she had the chance to answer and he chuckled. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Starving,” she admitted, recovering the bag from where he’d dropped it and rooting through its contents, “what did you bring?”
“I didn’t want to be gone too long, in case you woke up, so I just grabbed the basics: knekkebrød, brunost and raspberry jam.”
Dee stared at the rich, brown cheese with suspicion. “Cheese and jam?”
Ignoring her scepticism, he began layering slices of the cheese onto the crispbreads and topping with the sticky fruit preserve. “Trust me, you’ll love it. Sweet and salty, a bit like you.”
“Hey!” Thumping his arm in mock outrage, she accepted the first heavily laden slice and took a hesitant bite. Flavour exploded over her tongue and her eyes widened. “Oh my god,” she mumbled around the mouthful.
“Told you it was good.”
“Good! This is amazing.” Devouring the first slice in a matter of seconds, she greedily reached for a second.
Sy watched her with a soft smile on his face. “It is,” he agreed, reaching over to collect a crumb from the corner of her mouth, sucking his thumb clean before helping himself to a slice of his own.
Dee froze with the slice of cracker halfway to her mouth, the intimacy of the gesture impossible to ignore. She swallowed hard, unsure if she wanted to lean into the moment or back away.
Giving her a sidelong glance, Sy gracefully avoided any potential awkwardness by moving across to the opposite chair, its frame creaking beneath his weight. Dee released the breath she’d been holding, her relief tinged with just a hint of disappointment. In an attempt to hide her confusion, she flashed him a quick smile and took another bite. A comfortable silence settled over them as they both gave their full attention to food before them.
Breakfast consumed, Dee wrapped her hands around her second mug of coffee and stared at her fingers. The indigo shade was darkest over her nails, lightening to a pale lavender as it ran up and over her wrists. A shadow in the corner of the cave caught her eye and she twitched an experimental finger towards it. It gave a shiver as if responding to a caress and curled a little higher up the wall.
Sy blew on his coffee before asking, “Are you getting used to it yet?”
Nodding slowly she turned her hand over, staring at her lifeline, inked deeply into her palm. “I think so. I guess you can get used to anything, given enough time, but…” she trailed off, her teeth sinking into her lower lip.
“But what?”
Unable to meet his gaze, she stared into her mug as if it contained the answers to all her questions. “Am I evil?” she whispered.
“What? No!” Setting down his cup on the edge of the fire pit, he pulled her chair around to face him. “Why would you say that?”
Dee swallowed hard, twisting her face away from his intense gaze. “Loki called me Shadowspawn. And that was before…”
“So?”
She blinked and met his eyes for the first time. “You think I’m Shadowspawn?”
“Maybe. Why does that bother you?”
“I’m sorry? You don't think that’s a big deal?!”
“Not really.” He cocked his head to one side. “Do you even know what it means?”
Dee shuffled her feet. “Well no, not exactly, but…but the way he said it… it didn’t sound good. And a thing spawned from the shadows filled with darkness and evil…”
“Whoa!!” He grabbed her hands and held them against his chest. “I will say this again, because you clearly weren’t listening the first time. You are not evil nor are you filled with darkness.”
Unable to meet his gaze she stared at their intertwined fingers instead, but the contrast between them was so stark she had to close her eyes against the tears she could feel threatening to spill down her cheeks.
Sy waited a moment for her to respond and then rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand. “You may well be touched by the shadow, perhaps filled with it or even created by it. But that doesn’t change who you are, who you have always been. Nobody is born entirely good or entirely evil. You get to choose that for yourself. And yes, you are different now. Changed. With new powers you didn’t have before. But how you use them is up to you.”
Dee choked back a sob. “But the only thing my powers seem good for is running away.”
He cocked his head to one side. “They may have enhanced your ability to run, but you still get to pick the direction.”
Unwilling to let him comfort her, Dee pulled away and hunched her shoulders. Hiding her hands within her sleeves she shook her head. “But shadows are bad.”
“Are they?”
Her gaze skittered to the darkest corner of the cave. “Ever notice that whenever there are monsters, they always appear from the shadows?”
“You could look at it a different way,” he said, folding his arms and keeping his tone brisk. “Maybe the shadows are keeping the monsters at bay. Protecting you from them, keeping you safe.”
She sniffed and rubbed her nose on the back of her sleeve covered hand. “Not doing a very good job. The monsters always seem to break free.”
His face scrunched as he shook his head. “But you don’t see all the monsters that don’t make it through the shadow. All the times that the shadow wins and keeps them out.”
She frowned, meeting his gaze with narrowed eyes. “So you’re telling me there are even more monsters out there? Monsters I’m not even aware of?”
Smile tinged with a little sadness he shrugged one shoulder. “There are always more monsters.”
“Not making me feel better!”
He laughed at her expression and pulled her into a hug, long arms looping around her waist as he lifted her out of the rocking chair. “Dee. Do you know the single thing that shadows rely on for their entire existence?”
Her frown deepened. “No. What?”
“Light. Without light, shadows cannot exist. And you, my darling girl, are filled with light.”
Muffled into his shoulder, her words were almost inaudible. “Then why do I feel stronger when I’m in the darkness?”
Sy was silent for a few seconds and then got to his feet, lifting her with ease. “Come on,” he said, setting her down and taking a step towards the entrance. “I want to show you something.” He held out his hand. “Something else that is stronger and more vibrant in the darkness.” One large hand wrapped around hers he towed her firmly towards the mouth of the cave above them.
The clouds and mist which had hidden the view during their arrival had disappeared and as she emerged from the cave, Dee could see a snow-filled valley beneath them, sparkling in the moonlight. A string of lights, most likely from a road, wound its way between the trees disappearing towards a small glow in the distance. She gasped, her breath turning into a delicate plume of mist. “Where are we?”
“Norway.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“It is, but it’s not what I wanted to show you.” He raised a finger. “Look up there.”
Dee followed the direction he was pointing and her mouth fell open. The wide sky above them rippled and danced: swathes of blue and green glowing bright against the night. “Oh my god,” she whispered.
“Aurora Borealis. The Northern Lights.” He squinted upwards. “It’s been a few years since I last saw them, but they always take my breath away.”
She blinked, struggling to find the right words. “It’s like the sky is playing music.”
Sy took her hands. “Want to dance?”
A smile stretched across her face and she leaned closer, squeezing his fingers. “Sure.”
His wings unfurled with a soft thump and Dee took a step back in surprise. “You mean, up there?”
“Closer to the music.”
“Won’t it be cold?”
“Absolutely. But it’s about ten below zero down here and I don’t see you shivering. So I don’t think a little cold is going to bother you.”
Her gaze dropped to her bare arms where she’d pushed back the sleeves of her fleece in excitement. Dee could feel the chill wind passing over her skin, but there was no corresponding sense of cold, no shivers, not even a hint of goosebumps. “I don’t feel the cold,” she murmured. A lopsided grin curled her lips. “I do have super powers!”
Sy pulled her back into his arms. “You do! Now you just need to decide if you’re going to use them for good or for evil.”
Biting her lip, she threw him a look from under her lashes. “I’d like to use them for dancing. Does that sound like good or evil?”
His words had a little more growl to them as he slid his hands to her waist. “That sounds good to me. Very good indeed.” Face hovering above hers, he smiled. “Dance with me, Dee.”
Her smile now threatening to split her face, she nodded vigorously. “Yes! Yes please.” Standing on tiptoe, she laced her fingers behind his neck.
There was a soft whoosh of feathers as her feet lifted from the ground and a shiver of excitement rippled through her.
Wrapped securely in his arms and standing on his feet, like a toddler dancing at her first grown up party, Dee laughed as he spun, swooped and dipped them through the air, the bright colours shimmying around them.
“Hold out your hand,” he said, “I want to show you something.”
Aware of their altitude, Dee hestated, unwilling to release her grip on his shoulders.
“It’s alright, I’ve got you, you’re safe. Go on!”
One glance down was enough to confirm all her worst fears about the altitude they’d reached, the ground barely visible beneath them. Dee screwed her eyes closed and had to swallow hard before she was able to unclench her fingers from the deathgrip she held on his shoulder. Biting her lip to stop it quivering, she stretched out her hand and held her breath.
Instantly, a sharp charge, like static electricity, zipped up her arm and her eyes snapped open. Around them, the swirling colours shifted, their pattern changing as every strand now streamed through the air and converged on her fingertips like lightning drawn to a conductor.
The purple hue of her hands faded into blue and then green, slowly rotating through the colour wheel until it reached a brilliant, golden yellow.
“What’s happening?” she gasped, her skin tingling from the light show currently playing out around them and through them.
“I told you. You don’t just attract the dark and the shadows Dee. You are so much more!”
It was the strangest sensation, the colours playfully shimmering around them and sinking through her skin. It was like being filled to the brim with pure joy and a giggle bubbled from her lips creating new sparks of light in the multihued air.
Suddenly feeling stronger and more powerful than she had in her life, she turned her head and without thinking, pressed her lips against his in gratitude.
Sy remained motionless for a few seconds, then one hand slid up her spine to cup the back of her head, gently tilting her face and the kiss deepened.
A rainbow of colour exploded behind her eyes, stilling her thoughts and bathing her whole body in radiant silence. Fingers stroking the soft hair at the nape of his neck sent rippling jolts of excitement spiraling up her arms and a host of brightly hued butterflies burst into life and fluttered through her chest. Eyes closed, she smiled into the kiss as her stomach flipped with that faux sense of falling you sometimes get in dreams.
Wait! Not faux falling… actual falling!! The wind tearing past her face pricked tears from her eyes as she snatched her lips from his and whipped her head around. Terrified, she watched the ground rushing up to meet them. Just as she dragged in enough breath to scream, Sy’s eyes snapped open and his wings stretched out, battling the air and halting their descent.
“Sorry,” he said, pulling an embarrassed face. “Forgot to fly.”
Tags: Love triangle / Romantasy / Norse Mythology AU / Shapeshifting / Magic Realism
Warnings: Angst.
Length: 3.2k
Summary: Three's a crowd.
Chapter List
Full Master List of all works
He really was impossibly beautiful, Dee decided, as she studied Sy’s profile. Lying next to him in the bed without reaching out to caress those features was becoming more and more of a challenge. It really wasn’t fair for a man to have lashes that long or cheekbones that pronounced. Stifling a jealous huff, she ran her eyes down the column of his throat to where a tattoo of a feather curled over his collarbone and resisted the urge to trace the intricate design with the tip of her tongue.
Quite why she was putting so much effort into restraining herself, she couldn’t say, but despite her need for distraction and the tempting specimen sprawled next to her, she was unwilling to disturb the quiet harmony that had developed between them. Somehow, Sy had managed to pull off the intricate footwork required to back off without backing away; creating space around them and allowing Dee to move closer in her own time. And it had worked. During the day they had explored the forest in the valley below, even venturing as far as the bakery in the nearby village and at night they had snuggled together beneath the weighted mound of bedding, safe to sleep and free to dream.
In that moment, however, neither of them were asleep and Dee was aware that despite the warm wedge of his shoulder, beneath her cheek, both their thoughts were drifting some distance from their cosy cave.
For her part, guilt was starting to seep into their perfect world, blurring the edges and darkening the image. Between snowball battles and midnight flights, she’d tried to push all thoughts of the outside world away, but in the quiet moments between sleeping and waking, she couldn’t pretend that it wasn’t there. Somewhere out there were the friends she’d abandoned and as their faces surfaced in her mind the guilt coiled tighter making it difficult to breathe.
The three of them had spent so long trying to avoid the Manaz Project, she couldn’t imagine the horror of being trapped there, alone and with no hope of escape. Were they okay? Were they in pain? What was happening to them?
Sy had repeatedly assured her that they were fine and Loki would never let any harm come to them, but did he really know that?
In an attempt to redirect her guilt, she turned her attention to whatever was causing the sombre expression on Sy’s face. “What’s wrong?” she asked, pressing a hand to the solid wall of his chest.
His fingers traced a complex and indecipherable pattern on her bare shoulder. “Nothing, I was just thinking about Loki.”
Giving his ribs a light slap she chuckled. “And that’s exactly what every girl wants to hear when she wakes up in bed with someone.”
He rolled his head and dropped a light kiss against her temple. “Sorry. It’s just…”
Dee snuggled closer, her gaze joining his, fixed on the ceiling above. “It’s fine. And you should be able to talk about him.” Searching for a suitable topic, she asked, “How long have you been married?”
He stretched his free hand towards the ceiling and rotated his wrist. “A few hundred years. Must be nearly…” Fingers clenching into a fist his hand dropped heavily against his forehead. “Fuck!”
“What?”
“I think I may have missed our 400th anniversary while I was trapped as a crow.”
Dee shook her head, the concept of 400 years, in itself an anathema to her. “I’m sure he’ll forgive you. There were extenuating circumstances.”
“Maybe, if it was a one off. Unfortunately Loki is the one with the head for dates. Things like that tend to get away from me.”
“What do you give as anniversary gifts on Asgard? I mean, we start with basics like paper and tin and work up to fancier celebrations like gold and diamonds. But I guess it’s different when you’re talking about hundreds of years. Must be hard to come up with something new.” She grinned at him, trying to lighten the mood. “Monogrammed toothbrushes or his and his pinking shears?”
Sy huffed out a laugh. “In my case, normally an apology for forgetting.” He turned on his side to face her. “I combine that apology with flowers and he usually forgives me.”
Dee giggled, trying to imagine the Loki she knew, being presented with flowers, let alone being charmed enough by them to forgive an important lapse. Sy sank back into silence, clearly worrying at something else in his thoughts. Nudging him with her shoulder, Dee dropped the attempt to jolly him out of his mood and decided to address it head on.
“Cummon, what is it? I’m a big girl, I can take it.”
Sy frowned and then let out a heavy sigh. “Okay, I have one question and then I’ll never raise the subject again, I promise.” He waited for Dee to nod and then the words came out in a rush. “When exactly did you kiss Loki? My memory may not be the finest, but I would have remembered that!”
“In Edinburgh.”
He propped himself up on one elbow, a puzzled expression creasing his brow. “In Edinburgh? But I was with you the entire time.”
“It was just before we got to Amelie’s place. You’d gone on ahead–”
He jerked upright, his mouth falling open in outrage. “He waited until I’d turned the corner?!”
“Well, yes, but I don’t think it was deliberate.”
Sy collapsed back into the nest of furs and threw an arm over his eyes. “Oh, it was deliberate.” With a groan, he hauled himself to his feet and began pulling on his clothing. “At least now I know why he’s in such a vile mood.” He held out one hand. “Come on, we need to get back before he does something stupid.”
Fumbling her way back into her t-shirt, Dee scraped her hair free from the neckline and shook her head. “I don’t understand. Why does that matter?”
“It matters because there are rules. I saw you first and, more importantly, he knew that!”
As soon as they landed, Sy wrapped a large hand around hers and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “It’s going to be alright,” he whispered. Dee appreciated his confidence but she couldn’t help but question the sense of returning to Manaz Project headquarters so soon after their hasty departure. Sy had been quite insistent they hadn’t escaped, Loki had deliberately let them leave but the fact that he’d needed to kick down the door to her cell and not to mention that their exit route had been via an eighth storey window did make her wonder how much of his reassurance had been to convince himself.
Nonetheless, she let Sy lead her across the courtyard and up the main steps. Regardless of the reception waiting for them, she needed to be here. More importantly, her friends needed her to be here. She had to fight for them. God only knew what they’d been through in the last few days and if she had any leverage with Sy–and by extension, Loki–then she needed to use it on their behalf. Whatever happened next, she wasn’t leaving without them. Taking a deep breath, she tightened her fingers around Sy’s hand, drawing strength from him as she straightened her shoulders and raised her chin. She could do this.
The ornate doors swung open at their approach and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of dozens of individuals, many of them armed, who were milling about in the main foyer. But no alarm was raised at their appearance. And no armed guards leapt forward to detain them. Dee was just starting to relax when they turned a corner and came face to face with Loki.
He ground to a halt, shock and relief visible on his face for a split second, then the familiar stony mask slid into place and he drew himself up to his full height. “You’re back,” was all he said but Dee nearly flinched at the chill emanating from those words.
Seeming unconcerned, Sy shrugged one shoulder. “We are. Something came up which requires discussion.”
Loki arched an eyebrow but said nothing. Sy matched his frosty expression and nodded. “Yes, the small matter–” he broke off as another platoon of heavy armed individuals clattered past them at a jog, almost barging Dee out of the way as they passed. His eyes narrowed. “What is going on?”
Waving towards a doorway behind them, Loki ignored the question. “It might be best if we take your discussion to my office.
The heavy door closed behind with an almost inaudible, but nonetheless chilling, click. Dee swallowed hard in an attempt to unglue her tongue from the roof of her mouth as she followed Sy into the centre of the room. Seeming intent on ignoring them, Loki took his time settling himself behind his desk and straightening the scattered files which littered its surface. Finally he leaned back in his chair and raised his chin.
“What was it you wanted to discuss?”
Cutting straight to the chase, Sy scowled at him. “You kissed Dee.”
Loki stiffened and then inclined his head, giving the merest suggestion of a nod. “I did.” With an exaggerated air of nonchalance he brushed at a non-existent speck of dust on his desk and laced his fingers together. “It was an impulse. It meant nothing.”
Dee flinched and then frowned at her own reaction. Given that she was standing hand in hand with Sy and that they had steadily been growing closer over the last few days, she was surprised by how much that casual dismissal stung. The words repeated through her head, cutting a little deeper with each pass.
It meant nothing… she meant nothing…
“Liar.” There was no volume behind Sy’s word, but the tone was an unmistakable rebuke.
A muscle twitched in Loki’s jaw. “I beg your pardon!”
“It was deliberate. Don’t insult us by pretending otherwise. You knew I liked her and, more than that, you knew I’d seen her first.”
“You were a crow!”
“Still counts!”
“How was I supposed to know!”
“Oh, you knew.”
“Sy–”
“You waited until I was out of sight before you made your move!! You waited!”
The tension in the room was so strong Dee felt the hairs rise on her arms. Any second now she expected Loki to manifest a dagger and hurl it across the room at Sy. But the moment passed and Loki dragged a hand down his face, muffling words that sounded suspiciously like an apology.
Sy cupped a hand behind his ear. “I’m sorry, what was that?”
Loki glared at him for a long moment and then closed his eyes. “I said: I am sorry. You are correct. I was aware of your feelings for Dee and in that moment I chose to ignore them.” Gaze now fixed on the leather surface of his desk he shook his head. “I genuinely cannot explain what possessed me, but I give you my word it will not happen again.” He raised his eyes, searching Sy’s face for a reaction. “You know I would cut off my own hand, rather than cause you pain. You are my world and we have never let our feelings for anyone else come between us. Let’s not start now. Dee is yours. I acknowledge and accept that. Please can we move past this?”
Dee could feel the tension draining from Sy’s arm and he ducked his head, shooting a teasing glance in Loki’s direction. “Well, that’s a good start, but I may need to hear you say it a few more times over the next couple of days.”
The first hint of a smile crept over Loki’s face. “I will say it as many times as you need to hear it.” He heaved out a sigh of relief. “I’m just so glad to have you back.”
“It’s good to be back.” All the aggressive posturing vanished and a wide grin split Sy’s face. “Now come over here and welcome me home properly!”
As he moved towards Loki, the hurt in Dee’s chest slowly morphed into anger. They were discussing her like she wasn’t even in the room, treating her like the trophy in some endless game they were playing; as if she was nothing more than a notch on a bedpost and another point scored.
Dragging her hand free she backed towards the door. Sy turned, concern creasing a deep groove between his brows. “Dee?”
“Is this just a game to you?”
“What? No! Dee, please. It’s not like that!”
“It sounds exactly like that. Loki has conceded the point - congratulations you win! I guess I’m first prize.”
“That’s not–”
“Do I get any say in this? Or am I just the spoils in your endless petty war?”
“No! Of course you get a say. You’re the only thing that matters–”
“Really?” She advanced on him. “What if I said, I choose Loki?”
Sy flinched as if she’d slapped him. Recovering himself, he swallowed hard and nodded. “Of course. If you choose Loki then there’s no more to be said.” He hunched one shoulder in an awkward gesture. “But if that’s the case, then I think it might be best if I make myself scarce for a while. Give you both some space while you–”
“Sy, no!” Loki was on his feet now. “That’s not what I want!” Taking a breath he continued in a quieter tone. “This was not how I wanted to celebrate your return.” Leaning his knuckles against the desk, he tilted his face towards Dee. “Dee, I am so sorry and all I can do is apologise for my actions. I was acting on an impulse I don’t entirely understand and…” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “It’s complicated….”
“No, actually, I think it’s very simple.” She raised her chin, “You and Sy are married and I’m just some ‘freebie’ that you use to spice things up a bit–”
“No!” Both men responded in unison.
Loki took a step towards her. “I am truly sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but you and I cannot–”
Heat flooded her cheeks as humiliation took hold and she lashed out in response. “I don’t want you! I never wanted you,” she lied. “I was just making a point!” Taking a breath she squared her shoulders and raised her chin. “I have no interest in either of you! As far as I’m concerned, you two deserve each other and I want no part of it.”
To her frustration, Loki ignored her denial. “Dee,” he said in a softer tone. “I understand that you are hurt and I wish we had more time to talk properly. I was rude when you first returned, there is no excuse, but I was not prepared for the conversation and I reacted poorly.
Jaw clenched, Dee took a step back. “Well I’d hate to be an inconvenience to anyone–”
“Dee, please–”
“Forget it. Right now, the only people I want to see are Liv and Amelie.” She folded her arms and glowered at him. “Please can you take me to wherever they’re being held.”
Loki sank back into his chair. “Of course.” He waved a hand to the figure in the doorway. “Edwin, please could you show Dee to her friends. I believe Ms Thorne is in the main library and Ms Dubois is in the rose garden.”
Dee blinked. “The library and the rose garden?” she repeated, sure she had misheard.
Loki gave a faint smile. “Yes, we have some very rare specimens in both, which your friends are finding enchanting.” He tilted his head and a spark of amusement twinkled in his eyes for the first time. “Did you think I had them locked away in some dungeon, chained to the walls and pining for the light?”
Dee shifted her weight and resisted the urge to stare at her toes in embarrassment. If she was being honest, that was exactly what she’d thought. Making some noncommittal sound she scratched the back of her neck.
Thankfully Loki chose not to force the subject further, instead directing his attention to Sy. “Both Ms Thorne and Ms Dubois have agreed to put aside our differences and lend their support to our quest.”
Sy gave a soft grunt. “Silver tongue still working for you, I see.”
“Silver tongue not needed, thankfully. We’ve had the opportunity to talk at some length and to find common ground. I have explained the need and purpose of the Manaz Project and they have both agreed to help.” His eyes slid briefly to Dee before returning to pin Sy in place. “Can I assume that you have had the same conversation?”
A faint blush crawled up the side of Sy’s neck. “Not exactly.” He cleared his throat. “I was more concerned with helping Dee understand and accept the transformation that has recently taken place. So we have been exploring…” he trailed off beneath Loki’s blistering gaze.
“I see.” Loki shuffled the papers on his desk. “Well, let’s hope her friends do not get distracted in the same way and can take the time to bring her up to speed.”
Dee stared at the floor and felt her spirits sink. This was not how she’d imagined her return. Here she was, thinking she’d swoop in and rescue her friends from imprisonment, when it turned out they were doing just fine without her. Yet again she felt totally out of the loop with what was actually going on. Giving Edwin a weak smile she ignored both the other men in the room and turned to the door, mentally bracing herself for both the interrogation and lecture about to be delivered by her well meaning friends. But before her fingers could touch the door knob, a siren wailed through the air loud enough that Dee could feel it rattling her teeth. Clapping her hands over her ears she swung round to give Loki a look of horror.
“What the hell–” she started, but both Sy and Loki were already on their feet, matching expressions of grim finality on their faces.
“Incursion?” Sy asked and at Loki’s nod of confirmation, his eyes narrowed. “That explains the state of readiness here. You were expecting it?”
Loki heaved out a heavy sigh. “Not exactly, but it’s the third attempt this week, so we’ve been preparing for the worst.”
Mouth agape, Sy stared at him in silence for a moment, then his jaw closed and he shook his head. “The third this week? How did I not know?”
“You weren’t here.” Loki snapped, then relented a little at the hurt expression on Sy’s face. “The first was the night you left and then a second a couple of days ago.”
“He’s growing bold.”
Loki nodded, “And far too proficient at evading our defences.” Snapping his attention to Edwin, he gave a brisk nod. “Edwin, please take Dee to collect Ms Dubois from the garden. I think it would be safer if they all remain together in the library until this threat has passed.”
Edwin nodded, and quietly ushered Dee from the room.
Tags: Love triangle / Romantasy / Norse Mythology AU / Shapeshifting / Magic Realism
Warnings: I don't think there are any (apologies if I missed anything)
Length: 3k
Summary: In which Dee watches a fight and is then engaged in a battle of her own.
Chapter List
Full Master List of all works
Sweat broke out along Dee’s brow and a shiver of concern trickled down her spine. Dislodging a salty droplet with an annoyed shake of her head she frowned. Normally, the Inbetween was cold enough to freeze the tits off a witch and sweating had never been an issue, so why now? The temperature hadn’t changed, but something had.
When she was alone, the process of skating along the edge of the Inbetween felt like skimming a pebble across the smooth surface of a pond–exhilarating and effortless–but this time, however, the shadow felt thinner and less substantial than she was expecting.
A current of darkness eddied around her ankle and she stumbled, almost losing her footing. Were they sinking deeper? Alarm sparked through her system. Was that because of the size of the team she was trying to carry or had the consistency of the shadow beneath them subtly changed? Her knee scraped against some unseen obstacle, tearing a yelp from her throat. Clearly something was different, but it was too late to turn back now. Swallowing back the tears, she focussed on the steady pull from the Wayfinder and summoned every remaining shred of strength to drag them clear of the murky undertow.
Had she been over confident? Twelve was a lot of people, far more than she’d ever tried to carry before. And it wasn’t like these were just regular sized humans either. She was attempting to shift a metric tonne of pure muscle, not to mention the additional baggage of all that ego and attitude. What if Sy was right and she couldn’t manage it? What if she wasn’t strong enough and lost her footing in the dangerous terrain? What if…?
As if sensing her internal doubts, Sy’s arms tightened around her waist and through the rushing air and the howling chaos she heard him whisper, “You’re doing great. It can’t be much further.”
Shutting down the terrified thoughts of failure she leaned back into his steadying embrace, closed her eyes and summoned the image of Loki to guide her. The pull was stronger now, telling her they were getting closer. A few seconds later she could see the tear in the barrier. Teeth clenched, she forced them over the final few yards and when they were a finger tip from the shimmering rent, she changed direction, wrenching them back through the barrier and out into the clear, crisp, Alaskan air.
Barely giving their feet time to hit the hard packed snow, the soldiers were immediately preparing to join the battle. A wave of unnatural energy crashed over Dee, taking her feet out from under her, as they seamlessly shifted from man to beast without even breaking stride. If it hadn’t been for Sy’s firm grip on her waist, she would have ended up in an inelegant heap on the floor.
“Are you okay?” he asked, turning her around so he could scour her face.
Summoning her bravest smile Dee nodded. “All good,” she said, relieved that her voice didn’t waiver. “Just glad to be back out in the fresh air.”
Despite her breezy tone, Sy looked unconvinced and a sharp line drew his brows together. “It was too much for you,” he muttered. “I knew it was too much. We shouldn’t have–”
Dee patted his arm and took a breath, praying that her head would stop swimming. “I’m fine. Give me a few minutes to recover and I’ll be ready to take everyone home again.”
His expression didn’t change as his eyes searched her face. “You’re pale.”
This time her laugh was real. “How can you possibly tell?” She waved a grey-blue hand through the air. “This is just my natural colouring now!”
He leaned closer and pressed his forehead against hers, his voice a low growl. “I can tell.”
His words rippled through her and her skin tingled. Dee closed her eyes, instinctively leaning into the unspoken offer of support when a blood-curdling wail from the other side of the hill interrupted the moment, bringing a sharp reminder of why they were here. Her stomach lurched. The fresh wave of troops she’d just transported had reached the battle ground and engaged the enemy. Sy cast a worried look over his shoulder in the direction of the noise.
Carefully disengaging herself from his grip, Dee managed a weak smile and took an unsteady step backwards. All her remaining strength was now focussed on remaining upright but she kept her expression firm as she met his gaze. “You didn’t come all this way to babysit me.” She jerked her chin towards the sounds of fighting in the distance. “You’ve got a job to do, Mister.”
Sy took a step forward, guilt and concern battling for control of his features. “I…”
Tremors were starting to shake her legs but Dee held her ground. “They need you.”
He shook his head and moved closer. “They’re fine. You need–”
Holding up her hand, Dee halted his progress. “I repeat. I’m fine. The quicker you get this over with, the quicker we can all get out of here.” Another howl tore through the air and her smile waivered. Swallowing the lump of fear in her throat she said, “Just keep them on the other side of that hill and I’ll be perfectly safe.”
Sy’s gaze whipped back and forth between her face and the crest of the hill. His jaw clenched. Cupping her chin in his palm he tilted her face to his. “You’ll stay right here?”
Dee nodded as far as his grip would allow. “Right here.”
“And if anyone comes over that ridge who isn’t me–”
“I’ll dive straight back into the shadow.”
“Promise?”
Gently disengaging his fingers from her face she nodded again. “I promise.”
His hand dropped to his side as he took a reluctant step back. “Okay then.” With soft whump of feathers his wings unfurled and Dee felt a wave of heat sweep through her, battling the chill Alaskan air. Damn! Who knew that watching your boyfriend spring new appendages could be so hot!
Boyfriend??? That word jarred her thoughts to a standstill. Where had that come from?
Before she could question the random thought any further, Sy crouched, bracing his bare feet against the hard packed snow and then launched himself skyward. In one fluid motion he swung his bow free and reached for an arrow from the quiver slung over his shoulder.
Dee swallowed hard, forcing moisture back into her mouth. Even at this distance she could see the muscles in his shoulders flexing with every beat of his wings and the look of grim determination on his face as he notched an arrow, taking aim at his unsuspecting foe.
Oh she was in so much trouble!
Closing her eyes she finally released the death grip she’d held on her exhausted muscles and tumbled boneless into the snow. Utterly spent, she rolled onto her back and watched Sy’s spiralling ascent against the pale blue sky. Circling over the battleground he was immediately barking orders to the soldiers on the ground before swooping low and disappearing below the ridge line.
She groaned and closed her eyes again. She’d never felt this bone crushingly tired before, like she could sleep for a week and still need to snooze her alarm for five more minutes when it went off.
For the first time since suggesting they venture into the Inbetween, she allowed herself to relax, sinking into the soft blanket of snow and was about to surrender to the lure of sleep when a vicious snarl from somewhere beneath her on the hillside snapped her awake. Where had that come from? Was there a second battle site or was that the walking wounded trying to make their escape?
Her muscles screamed in protest as she pushed herself into a wary crouch. Injured they might be but potentially still dangerous. A low growl of curses reached her ears, steadily increasing in volume and Dee tilted her head. The distinctive voice was all too familiar. Loki!
Not questioning why the sound of his voice sent a sudden burst of energy through her tired limbs, Dee jumped to her feet and a smile tugged at her lips as she took a tentative step in the direction of the one-sided argument being conducted in at least three different languages. Belatedly, she remembered her promise and the smile faded as she cast a guilty look over her shoulder. Shifting her weight, she hesitated and engaged in a swift heated debate with herself. Yes, Sy had wanted her to stay right here, but he just wanted her to be safe. Surely the safest thing for her to do, would be to find Loki… right?
Maybe it was just a side effect of her utter exhaustion, but she couldn’t form a cohort argument in either direction. Abandoning any attempt at logic, she decided to ignore the original question and follow the siren sound of Loki’s voice.
It took her a second or two to spot him, a few hundred yards from the main fight, but clearly engaged in a desperate battle of his own as he wrestled his magic against the rippling tear in the barrier separating the realms.
Gathering the last of her strength, she limped towards him. Her knee was already starting to stiffen up; she must have given it a real whack during the journey. Ignoring the pain, she picked her way with care over the icy ground.
Loki jerked his head around at her stealthless approach; his expression immediately morphing into one of concern as he took in her state.
“You’re hurt!” he said.
Dee shrugged one shoulder. “Took a knock on the way in. Nothing too serious, but it’s probably going to slow me down for a while.” She cocked her head towards the rip in reality and her eyes narrowed. “What’s going on here? Is there a problem?”
Loki returned his attention to his work and growled, physically trying to pull the edges of the tear together. “Something has changed,” he muttered. “It’s not holding.”
He didn’t need to explain further; Dee could see the issue for herself. He was attempting to use the same suturing technique he’d employed before, back in London but this time the stitches weren’t holding. The edges of the tear were fraying with each attempt and the rent grew wider.
“Let me see if there’s something I can do.” Without giving any further thought to her actions, Dee dropped to her knees and sank her hands into the barrier, feeling for the shadow.
She hadn’t imagined it earlier! The shadow felt thinner, much less substantial than the barrier she was used to. What was happening to it? Closing her eyes she ignored Loki’s bark of alarm and thrust her arms deeper. Somewhere in its depths she could feel a strange, unnatural current eddying around her fingers. Her brow furrowed as she followed the tide, where was it going?
“It’s being drawn away,” she murmured.
“Drawn away? By what?” Loki moved closer but Dee was fully absorbed in her task of tracking the energy flow and paid him no attention.
What was left of the shadow streamed through her fingers and she let her thoughts drift, allowing her consciousness to be carried by the tide.
She’d never done this before. Not intentionally at least. Deliberately allowing her mind to venture into the Inbetween while her body remained firmly in this realm was an unsettling experience; the armour of her physical self stripped away, leaving her fragile thoughts unprotected and exposed.
Somewhere in the distance she heard Loki’s voice. “Dee? What are you doing?”
Unable to answer, unable to even shake her head she pressed on. Here and there, through the gossamer thin strands of shadow, she could glimpse the gnarled and twisted trees of the Inbetween.
The current of darkness jostling around her thoughts suddenly dipped downwards and her breath caught as she was dragged along with it. As her consciousness plummeted through the twisted branches of the forest she caught a glimpse of a tall figure, hunched over, resting his weight against a distorted trunk with one hand, while the other clenched around a slim, dark rod.
Who was that? she wondered, trying to slow her descent enough to get a proper look. And what was he holding? It didn’t appear to be a branch hewn from one of the trees, for one thing it was far too straight. It occurred to her that she’d never seen anything approaching a straight line in the inbetween. Everything in that space was warped and twisted. But the rod was so linear it almost hurt her eyes. Ultimately, however, it was the colour that gave her the clue she needed: an intense black that seemed to attract and absorb all the darkness around it, feeding on the shadows streaming in its direction. Somewhere far away from her conscious mind, her fingers tightened around the tiny figurine in her hand and she gasped.
Nightshade!
As if hearing the unspoken word, the stranger’s head snapped up and he growled into the darkness, his blazing, amber eyes searching the gloom. The fist holding the rod tightened and Dee felt a tremor run through the shadow surrounding her.
She froze. She was sure she’d never laid eyes on him but there was something uncomfortably familiar about the imperious tilt to his chin. His eyes narrowed as his gaze swung in her direction and his lip lifted in a snarl. Could he see her? Slowly releasing a breath, she let herself sink into the darkness, praying she could hide from that vicious gaze.
Without warning, a distant, unseen arm wrapped around her waist and jerked her backwards. Someone was trying to pull her free of the barrier. Frantic to break her connection with the shadow, Dee collected her scrambled thoughts and tried to disentangle herself from the cloying darkness To her horror, she found the task of peeling herself away from the dark realm far more challenging than she’d expected. The shadow had welcomed her presence and freely allowed her to drift along with the current but it seemed less happy at the prospect of her wanting to leave. Tendrils of darkness wound themselves around her thoughts, snagging on her wishes and diverting their intention. Without the physical strength of her body, it was becoming harder and harder to tell where her thoughts ended and the shadow began.
Did she truly want to leave? It had been so long since she last visited the Inbetween...
Were those her thoughts or the shadow’s tempting whisper, promising she’d be safe, welcoming her home?
Confused, Dee stumbled and her thoughts spun. What was she doing? Where was she going?
Somewhere in the distance a familiar voice whispered her name and she instinctively moved towards that sound. It was Sy. The magnetic north to her thoughts, tugging on her internal compass and giving her direction.
But he sounded so far away?
How long had she been in here, she wondered? She hadn’t realised she’d wandered this deep! The steady pull on her physical self grew more insistent. Long fingers digging into her hips and trying to drag her bodily back through the barrier. “Wait!” she wanted to scream but she could no longer force her vocal chords to obey.
She had to get back before that happened!
Dee was absolutely sure that if her corporeal body was wrenched free from the barrier before her mind had the chance to return, the tenuous connection could be severed, leaving her consciousness adrift in the dangerous sea of the Inbetween, her thoughts scattered and lost in its ever growing darkness.
Summoning every ounce of failing control she focussed on the voice, dragging her thoughts free from the shadow and forcing herself back the way she’d come. But it felt like wading through thick sludge and her strength ebbed.
Help me! Her thoughts were almost lost in the chaos and swirl of the Inbetween but she tried again. Help me, please!
The shadow swelled and then settled, almost like a heavy sigh, but it stopped fighting her, at least. An instant later, she could feel it rallying around her, lifting her thoughts and carrying her back through the darkness.
Ahead she could see the tear in the barrier and the darkness weeping through the rent which had been made. So much pain, so much fear. Another thought occurred to her, although she wasn’t sure of its provenance. If she stayed, she could repair the barrier. She could seal up the Inbetween and stop anyone passing through from the other realms. That would keep them safe. That would keep them all safe.
It was the sibilant hiss at the end of the final word that told her the thoughts were not her own. Even so, she found it hard to argue against them. How much damage were they doing to the barrier with this unending war? How long before it failed entirely and unleashed the full horror of the Inbetween on the unsuspecting world.
Pale grey arms extended through the divide, the Inbetween leaching all colour from their skin. Dee hesitated. Was that her? One hand curled into fist around a precious object while the fingers of the other were clawing at the shadow, trying to find purchase in the remaining wisps of darkness. Even from this distance Dee could see she was losing the battle against the strong arms trying to pull her away.
“Wait!” she screamed in silent plea. She was so close. She just needed another few seconds and she’d be able to–
The barrier flickered and glowed as the small hands vanished, and for one, brilliant moment, so did everything else. Then the glow faded and her world faded black and silence.
Tags: Love triangle / Romantasy / Norse Mythology AU / Shapeshifting / Magic Realism
Warnings: Angst / Bad language / major plot download
Length: 2.8k
Summary: In which we discover more of Dee's origins (kinda...maybe)
Chapter List
Full Master List of all works
A/N: Sorry for the delay - life is lifing very hard at the moment which is destroying my routine and productivity. Can't promise it will get much better anytime soon, but keep your fingers crossed.
Amelie flew across the courtyard towards her with a scream of delight. Talking nineteen to the dozen, she pulled Dee into a hug tight enough to make her ribs creak.
“You’re back! Oh my god, you’re back!! Where have you been? Loki said Norway. Is that true? Have you really been all the way to Scandinavia? What’s it like there? Was it cold? Did it snow? Are there reindeer just roaming around? Next time, you have to take me too!”
Questions piled upon questions but thankfully she didn’t seem to expect a response to any of them, which was a good thing since Dee couldn’t draw enough breath to answer her.
Still fizzing with excitement, Amelie barely seemed to notice Edwin shepherding them with silent efficiency back into the building and through a maze of corridors until they reached the ornate set of double doors.
“We have to tell Liv!” she shrieked, “She’ll be so excited. I wonder where she is? What time is it? I’ve totally lost track…” She frowned in thought. “We could try her rooms but she seems to be spending most of her time in the…” Amelie rattled to a halt as she became aware of their surroundings. “...the library!” Releasing Dee from the boa constrictor hug, she spun around and launched herself at Edwin. “Oh you clever thing! That’s exactly where she’ll be!”
Edwin gave a soft cough of embarrassment and extricated himself from her embrace. Straightening his tie he opened the doors and ushered them both inside.
The silent splendor of the room was enough to mute even Amelie, at least for a few seconds. Dee took full advantage of every single one to absorb the space. Built on two levels, the library had a broad central aisle that stretched from the intricately tiled floor to the high, vaulted ceiling two floors above. Craning her neck, Dee let out a gasp at the stunning fresco painted between rafters. Belatedly remembering why she was there, she dragged her eyes away from the glorious artwork and scanned the regimented ranks of bookshelves.
It took her a few moments to spot Liv, hunched over a desk and almost hidden behind an enormous stack of books. At the sound of their approach she got to her feet and pushed her glasses onto the top of her head. Ignoring Amelie flapping in excitement she gave Dee a wide smile of relief.
“Glad to see you back.” Her soft voice carried easily through the intense quiet.
“Glad to be back,” Dee whispered, unsure of the rules of the place. Returning the smile, she nodded towards the pile of leather bound books teetering on the desk. “Nice to see you’ve made yourself at home and are settling in. How are you coping?”
Liv raised her eyebrows and released a sigh. “It’s been an interesting couple of days,” she said, with her usual understatement.
An awkward silence followed. Fumbling for something to say, Dee stuffed her hands in her pockets and rocked back on her heels. “I was half expecting to find you both under lock and key,” She admitted. Then she frowned. Edwin had closed the doors behind when he left–and was probably hyperventilating on the other side as he recovered from Amelie’s assault–but had he locked them too? “Or maybe you are… just in a bigger room than I was expecting.
Liv grinned and turned slowly, running her eyes over the towering bookshelves. “There are worse places to be imprisoned. But I’ve been told we are free to explore.” She pulled a face. “Can’t say I’ve been tempted much further than this desk, but Amelie has been quite the free range chicken and has been scouring every inch of this place and keeping me updated with what she finds.” Returning her attention to Dee, she cocked her head to one side. “But enough about me and my well documented book obsession, where have you been?”
“Norway,” Dee and Amelie answered simultaneously. Dee glared at her friend in mock annoyance. “Hey, my story!”
Gracing them both with a smug smile, Amelie unwrapped a cherry flavoured lollipop she’d discovered in her pocket. “Sorry, but Loki told me earlier. So now it’s my story!”
“Told you she’d been interrogating everyone and gathering all the gossip,” Liv said, smiling at Dee.
“And with Sy!” Amelie added, popping the lollipop into her mouth.
Eyes wide, Liv reached out and uncharacteristically grabbed Dee’s hand. “Noooo! What’s he like? We didn’t really get to meet him properly before..” she flapped a hand, “...everything went boom. But those eyes…. and that smile…” Her cheeks flushed pink and she clapped a hand over her mouth.
“Forget his eyes, did you see his arms!” Amelie lowered her lashes. “I just melt for tattoos. Plus, big hands, have I mentioned how much I love big hands. Just imagine one of them wrapped around your–”
“Noooo!” Dee slammed her hands over her ears. “Stop it! Please stop it!” Recent events piled in on top of her and a wave of emotion shuddered through her chest.
Pulling the lolly from her mouth with an audible pop, Amelie pouted. “I’m only teasing. I know you’re going through a lot of stuff at the moment, I was just trying to lighten the mood.” Expression morphing into concern she stepped closer. “Are you okay?”
Dee had no idea how to answer that, no idea what the answer was, so instead she said, “I kissed him.”
Both girls shrieked at this. “You kissed Sy!” said Liv at the exact same moment Amelie asked, “Was it good???”
Dee choked back a sob, so it ended as a hiccup. “Yes, I kissed Sy.” She gulped and then admitted. “And yes, it was very, very good.” As the squealing reached an earsplitting volume she waved a hand through the air. Once her friends had settled down she took a breath. “But… but… the thing is… I kissed Loki too….” she added in a rush
This time the shrieks threatened to shatter the windows and Dee sank into a chair, burying her face in her hands. “Not at the same time,” she replied to one of her interrogators, she wasn’t sure which. Probably Amelie. “And yes, that was good too. Both of them are excellent in the kissing department. Would thoroughly recommend.”
Amelie perched on the arm of the chair and stroked a strand of hair away from Dee’s face, tucking it behind her ear. “Then why are you crying?”
“Because it’s all fucked up. I fucked it all up.”
“Dee?”
“They’re married!”
The fingers still threaded through her hair stilled. “Both of them?” Amelie asked.
Dee swallowed hard. “To each other.”
“Oh… OH! And you kissed… both of them? Do they know?”
Dee took a breath and scrubbed a fist over her eyes. “You know what? I refuse to fail the Bechdel test for my own fucking life! So let’s talk about something else.” She dragged her chair across the tiled floor with a screech and planted herself firmly in front of Liv’s desk. “Tell me what you’re working on?”
Liv fumbled for her glasses, found them on the top of her head and returned them to her nose. She cast a surreptitious glance over her shoulder and said, “Doorways.” Dropping her voice she added, “At least that’s the official answer.” Her eyes flickered back towards the door. “And I am. I mean I was... I did. Well… as far as I could.”
Taking a shortcut through Liv’s ever present ramble, Amelie tapped her fingernails on the desk. “Doors to the Anywhen. Yes?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ve found one?” she asked hopefully.
“No.”
“Oh.” Amelie turned to Dee. “Well that was somewhat anticlimactic.”
Dee frowned. “Is that it? Have you given up looking?”
“I haven’t given up, but I’m not sure how much more there is to find.” Train of thought thoroughly disrupted, Liv ran her fingers through her hair and shuffled through a pile of hand written notes. “Apparently there was one doorway in each realm, but there was no location given for them.” She frowned, squinting at her own writing. “I found one random mention that ‘those destined to use them will know how to find them’.” Pushing her glasses back onto the top of her head, she sighed. “I get the impression the information was deliberately never written down but was handed directly from Guardian to Guardian.”
“The Voktere,” Dee said.
Liv beamed at her. “Yes! The Voktere!” Her brow furrowed, “Did I mention them already?”
“No.” Dee shook her head. “Loki told me about them.” She chewed on an indigo tinted fingernail, trying to remember exactly what he’d said. He’d ruled out the possibility of her being Voktere, based on the fact that she exhibited none of the physical changes they shared. Lowering her hand she stared at her colour-shifting skin. Was that still true?
“Could I be Voktere?” she asked.
Liv looked at her in surprise. “What? No. I don’t think so.”
“But Loki said their appearance was affected by living in the Inbetween.”
“Um yes.” Liv nodded. “But those changes also prevented them from passing through the barrier into the other realms. Hang on…” She reached down and collected another pile of books which had been neatly stacked at her feet. “There’s a picture in here somewhere.” Choosing a book seemingly at random, she flicked it open to a marked page and held it out. “I put these to one side for you, I knew you’d have questions.”
Dee stared at the image of a colourless, insubstantial figure with enormous, dark eyes, pointed face and long attenuated fingers. “That’s what they look like?”
“If they attempt to pass into this realm, yes. What they look like in the Inbetween is anyone’s guess and probably varies from one Guardian to the next seeing as they come from different realms. But I have no images to support that hypothesis.”
“So they’re ghosts?”
Liv rocked her head from side to side in indecision. “Meh. I think they’re probably the template on which our folklore of ghosts was built.” She ran her finger over the image. “And possibly alien abductions. First hand accounts from those who have met them are sketchy at best, most describe them as shapeshifters or shadowshifters–shaped from shadow, that kind of thing–the translations are a little unclear in places.”
Dee slumped back in her chair. “Okay, so that’s probably not me.” She wasn’t sure if she felt relieved or disappointed.
Amelie wound a curl of vivid red hair around her fingers and frowned. “Did you want that to be you? I thought the Voktere were the bad guys in all this.”
“That’s up for debate,” Liv murmured, returning her attention to her pile of research.
Eyebrows raised, Dee leaned back in her chair, “Really? From what Loki said, they did a lot of dodgy shit.”
“Not least of which, releasing Fenris and starting this whole nightmare,” Amelie added, pointing at the pile of reference books. “That’s what you told me at least!”
Shoulders hunched, Liv nodded slowly. “I know that’s what I said and all my research supports that storyline but you have to remember the phrase: history is written by the victors.” She sighed and laid a hand on the top of the pile. “The Voktere were definitely not the victors in this war, they were basically wiped out. Every scrap of information we have was written by Asgardian scholars.” She shrugged and dropped her hands into her lap. “I’m just saying, we don’t have a balanced viewpoint, so take everything written with a pinch of salt.”
Dee stared at her colour shifting fingers. Grey clouds rolled down her arms and over her wrists, darkening her skin further. “It doesn’t matter who’s right or who’s wrong in all this. It’s not that I want to be Voktere… It’s just that it would explain a lot. I want to understand who I am and why this is happening.”
Liv fiddled with a pencil. “Well, I might have a theory about that …”
Dee felt concern churn through her stomach. It wasn’t like Liv to be hesitant about sharing her research. Normally, she was the dispassionate, logical member of their trio, but right now, she looked distinctly uncomfortable. Folding her arms, Dee raised her chin. “Come on, Brains, spill. Whatcha you working on there?”
Liv closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Raising one warning finger she shook her head. “Bear in mind that this does not come from what I would consider a trusted source.” Warning delivered, she shuffled through the books until she came to a slim, brightly coloured paperback. Dee squinted at the cover. The title was in an unfamiliar language, but the central image spoke volumes. A nubile, young woman, with a long sweep of silvery blonde hair was wrapped around a tall, heavily muscled man wearing a small amount of black armour and a large amount of tattoos.
She raised her eyes to Liv, “What in the ever loving fuck are you reading?!”
“Like I said, not exactly a verifiable source.”
“No shit! What the hell is this??”
“As far as I can tell, it’s a Norwegian translation of Elven folklore.” At Dee’s blank expression she continued, “The original story is from Alfheim. But the Light Elves rely on oral tradition rather than printed texts, so this is a rather lurid retelling. Allowing for translation issues–of which there are many–it’s a love story.” She winced. “Closest comparison… it’s basically Romantasy… only less spice and more choral chanting.”
“A love story?” Dee repeated, wondering where in Hell Liv was going with this.
“Yes. An Elven princess cast into the Void as part of some magical ritual meets tall, dark, handsome Voktere. It’s like their version of our arranged marriage trope.”
Amelie plucked the book from her fingers. “That sounds awesome!!” She frowned at the text. “Is it any good and do you have it in English?”
Clearly embarrassed, Liv snatched it back from her. “It’s about as good as you’d expect and no, I haven’t bothered to translate it fully.”
Giving an exaggerated pout, Amelie flounced back to her chair, slung her legs over one of the arms. “Shame, that sounded like half the books on my tbr list.”
Trying to get the discussion back on track, Dee waved a hand in front of Liv’s face. “Wait! Rewind to the ritual part? Like human sacrifice?”
“Well, not human or not exclusively human, but yes.”
Brows pulled together in a frown, Dee nodded as the various jigsaw puzzle pieces began to fit together. “Loki mentioned something about that too. Blood sacrifice, living children being cast into the Inbetween as payment.”
Excited now, Liv nodded three times in rapid succession.“Yes, that much I was able to corroborate from other, better regarded texts. The Voktere, while long lived, were apparently not immortal and nor could they reproduce. When that became an issue they decided to solve it by demanding a blood tithe from the various different realms.”
“So what brought you to this literary masterpiece?”
“Because in the epilogue it talks about their union being blessed with a child. Skygge Lys - born of both light and shadow.” Barely giving Dee the chance to take in what she was saying, Liv rushed on, producing another three books. “All these books–with much better provenance–mention Skyggelys as the Warden or Gatekeeper of the Anywhen.” She paused and raised her eyes to Dee. “And she’s described in these texts as–.”
Dee froze. “She?”
Meeting her gaze fully for the first time, Liv nodded. “Skyggelys is always talked about in the singular and the designation is always feminine.” Holding out a book, she tapped a finger against a black and white block imprint. The image depicted the silhouette of a young woman. Although it wasn’t possible to see her features, two details jumped out. One was the outline of a crow, perched on her shoulder and the other was the giant wolf, padding along by her side, her fingers gently buried in the thick fur on the back of his neck.
“Is that supposed to be me?” she asked.
Liv reached out a hesitant hand and gently touched Dee’s forearm, sparking a swirl of colour and a faint starburst beneath her skin. Retracting her finger she gave a helpless shrug. “I think so. One description of her reads: And the entire starry sky contained within.”
Tearing her eyes away, Dee stared at her shimmering hands and swallowed hard. “Well, shit!”
Tags: Love triangle / Romantasy / Norse Mythology AU / Shapeshifting / Magic Realism
Warnings: None. Most plot as Loki attempts to get both Amelie and Liv on side.
Length: 3.3k
Summary: In which apologies and reparations are made.
Chapter List
Full Master List of all works
It was almost noon before the endless stream of staff knocking on Loki’s door finally slowed to a trickle. Giving himself a moment to simply enjoy the silence he closed his eyes and laid down his pen.
“Am I disturbing you?”
Biting back the honest response of, “Yes. Yes you are Marcus,” Loki took a breath and composed his features into a rough approximation of a smile. “Not at all.”
“I was just wondering if you’d had the chance to speak with Ms Dubois?”
Loki waved a dismissive hand through the air, returning his attention to the report laid out in front of him. “I’ve spoken with Amelie twice, as you well know.”
Marcus crossed to the vacant chair, much to Loki’s disappointment and made himself comfortable. “I meant since then. Have you had the chance to follow up with her regarding the Anywhen? I was hoping for an update.”
Loki sighed and resisted the urge to sink his head into his hands. “I’ve been a little busy today, Marcus, as you may have noticed.” But the excuse sounded weak, even to him. The need to extract the boy had been rushed, but ultimately successful…for the most part. And it wasn’t that he was avoiding Amelie, he’d periodically checked in. to ensure she was heeding his warning with regard to Jericho. Or rather, he’d instructed Edwin to check on her, which amounted to the same thing. And, according to the subsequent reports he’d received, she was following his instruction, after a fashion. She’d stationed herself outside in the quad with an easel, ostensibly painting the exterior of the building, but the fact that she was facing the windows leading to the Jericho wing, had not escaped his attention. The young boy had gone home first thing the following morning, so Loki could only assume she was monitoring someone else’s comings and goings. A faint smile twitched the corner of his mouth. Perhaps he should warn Linc that he was generating unwanted interest.
A thought struck him and his smile faded. Or perhaps the interest was not so unwanted. There had been a noticeable softening in the man’s demeanor around the inimitable Ms Dubois. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad one.
His friend and longtime confidant cocked his head to one side and broke the silence, a somber expression on his face.
“How many did we lose, rescuing the boy?”
“Two,” Loki replied shortly, closing the file in front of him. “Both experienced and seasoned agents.”
“And we’re sure it was Fenris?”
“Not himself, but certainly a pack loyal to him.”
“An entire pack?” Eyebrows raised, Marcus waited for confirmation.
“Over a dozen, so yes an entire pack or near as makes no difference.”
“He’s growing bolder.”
Loki nodded. “Bolder and more adept at avoiding our barriers.”
“Which makes it all the more imperative that we get all the information we can from Ms Dubois, regarding the Anywhen.”
Loki sighed again. He understood the need for those answers, but was uncomfortably aware that Amelie had questions of her own. She’d been peppering poor Edwin non stop with demands to see Dee and Loki was, as yet, unsure how to handle those enquiries. Telling her that Sy had spiriting her friend away to parts unknown, was unlikely to make her more cooperative. He glanced up at the clock on the wall. He’d hoped they would have returned by now, but the hours slid by bringing no word of their arrival.
“If you will excuse me, Marcus, I have to return this report to Linc.”
“But you will speak with Ms Dubois?”
Tone sharper than he’d intended, Loki replied, “Can’t you have one of your minions do it?”
Marcus templed his fingers. “I would…but, so far, you are the only person she will talk to.”
His shoulders slumped in defeat and he got to his feet, tucking the file under his arm. “Fine. I will speak with her.”
Steeling himself, he retraced the familiar path that ran between his office and the heavily fortified door, marking the beginning of the Jericho Initiative. As he feared, he’d barely turned the corner before Amelie appeared in front of him.
Not bothering with any greeting or preamble she asked, “How is Dee?”
Loki was tempted to ignore the question, but Amelie had placed herself firmly in his path. Arms folded and chin raised, she clearly wasn’t going to let him pass without an answer. Or a scene. The attempt at intimidation was somewhat undermined by the fact she was about a foot and half shorter than him and had a thick smudge of charcoal running up the side of her face and into her hair. Nonetheless he ground to a halt and took a slow breath.
“I have no idea,” he admitted honestly. “She’s with Sy.”
“Where?”
Loki spread his hands. “If I had to guess, probably Norway.”
She blinked, her arms dropping to her sides. “Norway?”
“It’s where he tends to head when he needs some space.”
“Is she safe?”
His shoulders slumped around a sigh. “I have to believe so. I know Sy would die before he let anything happen to her.”
Amelie nodded twice. “Follow the Crow.”
Loki frowned. “I’m sorry?”
“That was the instruction I had for her. If in doubt, always follow the Crow.” She nodded again and stepped back, out of his path. “Thank you,” she added after an awkward pause.
A little surprised and immensely relieved that she seemed to accept his vague answers, Loki took the opportunity to raise the subject they’d been avoiding. “Will you now answer my questions?”
Amelie stiffened and backed up a pace. “Questions?”
“About the Anywhen.”
She shifted her weight from foot to foot. “I’ll try, but I’m not sure how much help I’ll be.” Rubbing her nose, she smeared the charcoal further across face. “I’m afraid I don’t know as much as you think I do.”
“You know more than I. Which is a good place to start.”
Biting her lip, she took a breath and nodded. “Okay, I’ll give you what I can.”
Relief swept through him, but the sensation was immediately tempered with caution. This wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have in the middle of a corridor. Taking her elbow, he gently steered her back towards his office. Amelie squeaked in alarm, but scurried beside him, keeping up with his long strides. Once the doors had been closed, she hovered in the middle of the central rug, her fingers plucking at the cuffs of her brightly coloured shirt.
Loki gestured towards the vacant chair, waiting until she was perched on the leather covered cushion before seating himself behind the desk. Opening his notebook to a fresh page, he uncapped his pen.
Nib poised over the pristine sheet, he asked, “How did you find the doorway to the Anywhen?”
Amelie gave a guilty twitch. “I didn’t. It found me.” At his puzzled look, she explained, “It was the door to my closet, in my bedroom. One night it opened and the Wendy-Lady walked out.”
He raised his face and frowned. “I have to wait for someone to let me in??” His frustration had clearly bled through into his tone and Amelie flinched deeper into the chair.
“No! Not necessarily.” The words rushed from her in a nervous torrent. “We–that is, Liv and me–think there are fixed doorways and temporary doorways. When you’re in the Anywhen, you can open a door to literally anywhere. But on the outside, there must be certain fixed access points.” Forced into silence by lack of oxygen, she paused, taking a couple of deep breaths and then dropped her chin. “I’m not great at explaining how it works, I was just a kid at the time and the memories all got jumbled up for me.”
“What do you remember?”
Her gaze drifted away. “I was there for a long time. Months… maybe years. It’s hard to say. Time runs differently and when I returned, none had passed at all.”
“And there were other people there? You said you saw me.”
“So many people!” She chewed on her fingernail. “Some just flashed through so fast I barely saw them. You were there for longer.”
“I was?” This surprised him. His intentions regarding the Anywhen were to pass through it as quickly as possible, considering it merely a tool to get him and his men from point A to point B.
“You were injured. It took you a long time to recover.” She threw him a guilty look from beneath her lashes. “I was cross that you were there. Everything stopped while we waited for you to get better. It was really boring.”
“What were you doing the rest of the time?”
“Helping the Wendy-lady find all the lost boys and girls.” She raised a finger to halt his next question. “Before you ask, I have no idea who they were. They were children, lost in the Inbetween. I haven’t seen any of them since–” she broke off with a frown. “Well except for… Have you spoken with Kayla yet? She might know more about this than I do.”
“No, sadly we have not been able to track down Ms Frayne.”
“Figures. She’s a bit unreliable. I’m sure she’ll show up, eventually.”
“Sadly, that might be too late. I need to find a doorway now.”
She shrugged. “Then speak to Liv. If there are permanent doorways, then someone will have mentioned them in a book, somewhere. And if it’s in a book, Liv can find it.” She got to her feet but hesitated before leaving. “But I’m not sure you could use a doorway, even if you found one. You can’t go back into the Anywhen.”
Loki blinked at her in horror. “I’m sorry?”
“You’ve been there. The version of you I saw was younger. You can’t go back. The only person who can come any go as they please is the Wendy-lady. Everyone else, it’s one trip only. Once your journey is complete, that’s it.”
Loki tapped his pen against the page in thought. “Maybe my journey isn’t complete…”
Amelie gave a tiny shrug. “Maybe,” she said, and slipped out into the corridor.
Taking Amelie’s advice, Loki closed and sealed the door to his office and headed for the main accommodation wing, where he was unsurprised to find that Olivia Thorne was still in her secured rooms. He’d lifted the containment order on her at the same time he’d released Amelie, Sy and Dee–and yet, according to the regular reports he received, Ms Thorne had failed to explore further than the four walls she’d been staring at for the last seventy-two hours.
Liv stiffened as soon as he entered her room and retreated behind a large armchair. Loki hesitated in the doorway, unsure how to proceed. Fresh start. That was what he’d been telling himself and he’d done a good job of convincing himself it was the right course of action. Convincing others, however, might pose more of a challenge.
“Ms Thorne, I wonder if I might have a moment of your time.”
Arms wrapped around her chest, Liv glowered up at him, but said nothing.
Loki tried again. “I am aware that we got off to a poor start but I would very much like–”
“A poor start? You set fire to my shop!”
Loki swallowed hard–mending fences required effort, he reminded himself. “I did and I apologise for that overreaction.”
“You think an apology is going to make up for the damage you caused?” Her voice had risen to a pitch that made him wince.
“If there is anything I can do to make it up to you–”
“Like what?” she snapped. “You’re going to offer me a book token? Forget it.” She tightened her folded arms and increased her glare. “Some of those texts were irreplaceable.”
Loki’s head tilted to one side as a thought struck him. “Maybe… maybe not…”
“I beg your pardon!”
“Ms Thorne, if you would be so good as to accompany me, I may be able to provide something more substantive than a mere apology.” Stepping to one side, he opened the door and waited for her to walk through ahead of him, his posture making it clear that he had no intention of leaving before she did. Liv’s glower told him that she’d got the message and after an equally obvious internal battle, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Fine,” she muttered, giving him a wide berth as she stalked out into the corridor.
Satisfied that she was on the move, Loki quickly took the lead, guiding her down less used corridors, so as to minimise the number of people they might encounter. Despite his best efforts, the rigid set of her shoulders informed him of just how uncomfortable she was to be away from her rooms and he kept up a running commentary as a distraction from her discomfort.
Ending their journey in front of an ornate entrance, he repeated his earlier promise once more for emphasis. “Any texts that were damaged, we will replace...” Bracing his hands against the double doors, he swung them open with a flourish. “...from our own library.”
It did bring him some small measure of satisfaction that Liv’s jaw nearly hit the ground as she stepped through into the high vaulted space.
“Oh…My…God!” she whispered. “This is incredible!”
“We have been curating this collection for a few centuries now. I believe you should be able to find a copy of any text you’re missing from your own.”
From behind a desk on the far side of the long room, Marcus got to his feet, an expression of curiosity on his face.
Loki inclined his head towards Olivia. “If you would excuse me for one moment, I believe one of my staff would like a word.” He wasn’t sure if she even heard him. Mesmerised by the siren call of the books, she drifted towards one of the aisles. Loki watched as she reverently skimmed her fingers over the spines, his smile growing when he saw her gently crooning to each tome.
Behind him, Marcus cleared his throat.
“Are you reduced to the role of tour guide now?”
Loki shrugged a shoulder, his attention still fixed on the small figures flitting like a shadow between the aisles. “I thought it might tempt her from her rooms.”
Marcus gave a soft harumph. “This area is normally off limits to anyone without senior security clearance.”
“We damaged her books,” Loki murmured, “It’s only right we replace what was lost.”
Taking a step back, Marcus stared at him in astonishment. “You’re giving her some of our books!”
“They’re my books, Marcus. And yes, she can take anything she wants.”
Clearly discomforted at the idea of a civilian wandering the hallowed aisles of the main library, Marcus adjusted his cuffs and cleared his throat. “I take it you were unsuccessful in your attempts to glean any further information from Ms Dubois?”
Not taking his eyes from the slim figure, flitting between the shelves, Loki shook his head. “She doesn’t know anything of use. She never found a doorway.” He stretched out a crick in his neck. “So it’s time for a new plan.”
“Excellent,” Marcus replied with dry humour. “Do we have one of those?”
“You’re looking at her.”
Both men fell silent as they watched Liv stretch up on tiptoes to reach a particular volume.
Marcus winced as the book teetered and then fell into her hands, the weight of it nearly taking her off her feet. “Do you have any idea what she might stumble across?”
Loki swung around, a smile twitching the corner of his mouth. “That was the point, Marcus.” At the man’s confused look, he spread his arms. “Somewhere in here lies the answer to the problem we’re trying to solve. But so far, we haven’t been able to find it.”
Marcus muttered something about looking for a needle in an enormous pile of identical needles.
Ignoring his interruption, Loki turned back to the rapidly vanishing figure in the distance. “Perhaps she’ll have better luck.”
“Does she even know what we need her to find?”
Loki’s smile grew wider. “I was hoping you might fill in the details for her.”
“Me?”
“It would probably take me longer to convince her. Seeing as I am the one she blames for the destruction of her shop.” He winced, remembering the damage report, “and possibly her home.”
Marcus rolled his eyes. “Fine. I will do my best.”
“That’s all I ask, Marcus. Now let me make the introductions and I’ll leave you both in peace.”
Determined not to spook the nervous Ms Thorne, Loki chose not to follow her between the stacks and instead lingered in the central aisle and cleared his throat to attract her attention. Once she’d turned in his direction, he raised one hand. “Before you start exploring, there is someone I would like you to meet.”
Clutching a large, leather bound volume to her chest, Liv took a hesitant step towards them.
On cue, Marcus moved forward, extending his hand and greeting Liv warmly.
“Ms Thorne, it is a pleasure. I am Marcus Sloane, the Administrative Director for the Manaz Project.”
Liv eyed him warily before shifting the heavy book to her hip and accepting the proffered handshake with reluctance.
Smile never wavering, Marcus stepped back smoothly to give her space and then gestured towards a small grouping of chairs set around a low table, which was almost groaning under a pile of ancient books. “I understand that you are eager to explore, but if I might have a moment of your time?”
For a moment, Loki thought she might turn tail and run, but the scent of ink and parchment proved too much of a lure and she took another step forward.
Careful not to rush or crowd her, Marcus led the way to the armchairs. In a conversational tone he said, “I have been reviewing the transcripts from your tests and interviews–”
Liv stiffened and ground to a halt, but Marcus continued smoothly, “--they really are remarkable. We do not have anyone in the provenancing team who can hold a candle to your skills.” He settled into the furthest chair and waited until Liv had perched awkwardly on the edge of one opposite. “I was hoping we could prevail on you for help. There is something we’re looking for.”
Liv fiddled with her glasses, cleaning the lenses on her shirt before replacing them on her nose. “And what exactly would that be?”
Marcus smiled and dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Secret doorways.”
Loki watched in silence as Marcus laid out their efforts so far and permitted himself a small smile as Liv reached for the file he was holding. He was about to make his apologies and leave them to it, when he sensed a presence at his elbow. Not even bothering to turn his head he said, “What is it, Edwin?”
“I have a message from Mr Mulvaney.”
“And what does Linc have to say for himself? Has he found Kayla Frayne yet?”
“No. Well he didn’t mention… ”
“Spit it out, man.”
“He said there’s been another incursion.”
Marcus was on his feet before Edwin spoke the final word, his expression one of concern.
Loki returned his attention to his assistant. “The Jericho division has been alerted?”
“Yes Sir. They are assembling in the briefing room.”
“Right then.” The air around Loki shimmered as his civilian garb gave way to battle ready armour. “I had better join them.” Halfway to the door he paused. “Thank you, Edwin. And would you be so kind as to keep an eye on Ms Thorne and Ms Dubois in my absence. Just to ensure their safety.”
Edwin bobbed his head, a blush rising up this throat. “Yes, Sir. Of course.”
