Fix You (Loki Romance)

Chapter 35

Kenna slid to a stop in front of the gate, grinning widely. She looked around, searching for Rowan. Her smile died away as she waited alone for twenty minutes. Pacing back and forth, she lifted her head and smiled again at the sound of every set of approaching footsteps. But it wasn't him.

Disappointment colored by a bitter anger - you should have known better, she thought - Kenna turned to go inside.

"Kenna?" A small voice said.

She whipped around and found him standing behind her, hands in his pockets and his eyes hidden behind his hair. She grinned and motioned for the gates to be opened. He stepped in, looking around him in awe.

"Wow." He whispered. "I've never been in the gates."

"Would you like a tour?" He nodded vigorously and she led him inside. "It's just a lot of empty hallways and windows and such. Odin might let you see the throne room if he's not busy. This way."

Odin was too busy to give Rowan an overview of his grand room but he allowed Kenna to briefly walk her guest around it. They left as quietly as they could so as not to annoy him.

The council rooms were in use and they stopped briefly to say hello to her mother. Ebony looked up from her notes to see them peeking into the doorway. Smiling, she waved.

Kenna took him to the kitchen. "Are you hungry?" She asked. Rowan nodded. Smiling slightly, she motioned for him to follow her. Peeking into the windows at the top of the doors, she saw Cook hustle her assistants and bustle towards the great pantry. Kenna nudged the door just enough to slide through. Ducking quickly, she crawled behind the large counter in the center of the room. Rowan followed, giving her a quizzical frown.

Holding a finger to her lips, Kenna pointed to the plate of sweets just above them.

"Oh." Rowan whispered.

Lifting herself and turning, Kenna watched Cook move towards an oven. A kitchenmaid looked up. She grinned at the sight of two small heads peeking up from behind the counter. Kenna met her eyes. Assured that there would be no trouble, she slid the plate from the counter and into her lap. Rowan held the hem of his shirt out so she could pour some of the cookies and chocolates into the makeshift pocket. A cloth that was covered in flour floated down to them. Kenna looked up to see the kitchenmaid focused intently on kneading dough.

Kenna wrapped the rest of the cookies in the cloth. She nodded towards the door. As they crawled back, with Rowan moving awkwardly on one hand to hold his shirt with the other, they smiled to each other. It was just a few more feet.

"Oi!" A voice boomed.

"Run!" Kenna leapt to her feet and sprinted through the doors. She looked back to see Rowan just behind her, grinning wildly. Cookies fell haphazardly from his shirt. "This way!" She slid around the corner.

They ran even after Cook's thundering steps and shouts faded away. Kenna slid to a stop outside the worn and heavy wooden doors. She leaned against the wall, panting heavily and laughing hysterically.

"Won't we get in trouble?" Rowan asked. He was panting and smiling, inspecting a cookie before shoving it into his mouth.

Kenna waved the thought away. "My dad used to make me sneak in to practice my invisibility. I stole a whole cake once. I haven't gotten to sneak up on Heimdall yet. He's too good. C'mon! This is the library. You'll love it."

She leaned on the massive door until there was enough space for them to slip through. It closed with a dull boom that seemed to echo for miles into the cavernous stone interior. Lined with books along every wall and pillar and nook, the Asgardian Royal Library was one of the largest centers of information, second only to the great cavern walls of Vanaheim that overflowed with books and ancient scrolls.