Part One - A New Beginning (Loki x Reader)

Chapter Three - Library Magic

     Loki stops in front of two huge doors and asks, "Do you remember how to get here from your chambers?"

     I nod. "This is the second most important place in the castle. I will definitely remember."

     He tilts his head to the side a bit. "What is the most important room then?"

     "The place where we can eat! The third most important is my room because it has my bed and a bathroom."

     Loki looks at me like he's trying not to laugh by squishing his lips together. He takes a deep breath and says, "You have quite an interesting placement on that list."

     "If I didn't need food, the library would be first."

     Loki looks down, trying to hide his small smile, and opens the door. I take a few steps quickly before stopping. I gasp as I look around and see the biggest library I have ever seen. It smells comforting and I calm down to the most calm I've been since this morning. I take a deep breath as I touch the books next to me. I grab one and hug it to me, then I open it and smell it, taking a deep breath. I open my eyes and Loki is staring at me like he's trying to figure something out.

     I close the book and say, "If you say you've never done that you're lying or you are crazy for not doing this before!" I hold the book out to him and say, "Try it! Just try it."

     He doesn't move for a second before he takes the book. He copies what I just did and smiles a half-smile at me then puts the book back.

     "Have you really never smelled a book before?" I ask, surprised.

     "I have noticed some books smell different than others before but I have never put my face inside a book to smell it."

     I smile and say, "Now you have. Doesn't it smell really good?"

     Loki nods. I keep looking around the library and see that some books are in languages I've never seen before. There's one that I feel like it's calling my name. There's no title on the spine so I go to pull it out but it's heavier than I thought. Loki comes over to help me and puts it on a nearby table for me. Its brown cover looks old but new at the same time. I see that I can't read the title and I sigh.

     "Something wrong?" asks Loki.

     "I felt like this book was asking me to read it but I can't." I pout before continuing. "It looks like it would be very interesting. What's it about?" I look up at him. "What? Oh. Did that sound weird? I forgot that you don't know me. Sometimes what I think doesn't sound weird in my head so I say it. And sometimes people look at me funny and I remember what my dad says."

     "What does he say?"

     "That I think differently than many people but that doesn't mean I shouldn't say what I'm thinking. They will either understand me or they won't."

     Loki nods slowly then says, "I understand what you meant. I was just surprised."

     "Why?"

     Loki gestures to the book on the table as he says, "This book is about magic."

     I gasp and say, "Stories about witches and wizards and things like that?"

     "Not stories about magic, no. It teaches you about magic."

     "Oohh. Like history?" I ask.

     Loki thinks before he answers. "I guess some of it would. But more of how to use magic and make magic."

     I stare at him, my eyes big, and whisper, "Can you do magic like your mom?"