Helka Lokidottir

Prologue

Evelyn's POV

I held my not yet swollen stomach and took a breath. Loki was still asleep next to me in bed, one arm tucked under his pillow, the other draped over my legs. There was still plenty of room in our bed, enough to fill the room in my apartment back on Earth. The bed was normally covered in fur blankets and other pillows, but the blankets were pooled around on the floor and most of the pillows were on my side. For now, there was one silky green sheet covering us both.

"Pillow Thief," Loki had called me the first night we spent together. When he brought me to Asgard, he made sure to have more than enough pillows for my arrival.

I watched him take in a deep breath and move his arm across my leg, reaching for more of the sheet. I took the time to calmly and quietly slip out of bed and over to my robe that was draped across the chair.

"What are you doing, my love," He mumbled into the pillow, not making any effort to move or open his eyes.

I brushed his hair with my fingers. "Shh," I whispered. "I'll be right back."

Before I could come up with a lie the god of lies would believe, he had readjusted the sheet and fallen back to sleep. I tip-toed down the golden hallways towards the healing room. The ladies jumped when they saw me.

"What is the matter dear?" Hertha asked. Her hands clasped around mine as she pulled me to the table.

"I wanted to be sure before I told Loki but", I looked down at my stomach. "I think I might be pregnant. I'm over a week late."

Hertha's old eyes twinkled. She helped me lay back on the table as the other ladies got the equipment ready. I looked up and saw the gold outline of my shape. From the sides of the table, Hertha and another woman began messing with the magic as one helped me drink an orange slush. I choked it down, surprised that it didn't taste better like everything else here did. A small smudge became clear in the center of the magical silhouette. The ladies began to clap, and Hertha's smile gave way for more wrinkles around her eyes.

"Congratulations dear, you can present your husband with joyful news today."

As I walked back to our chambers, I couldn't stop smiling. I tried to relax my face before I got to our chambers. As I turned the corner, Loki was just leaving. He was shutting the door faster than he could leave the room before he saw me.

"Where did you go," he asked, bringing me into an embrace. He smelled like burnt cedar from the night before, when we were standing on the balcony, watching the horizon. The torches and the glow of the Bifrost acting as our sources of light.

"I told you I would be right back."

He pulled my hands up and kissed the back of my fingers. "I must have been asleep when you told me." He brushed my bangs that brushed my face. They were not quite long enough to hook behind my ears.

"I have news." I tried to hide my smile again, not to give away the surprise.

He furrowed his brow and opened the tall golden doors for me. I led him over to the edge of the bed, seeing that he didn't pick up the blankets before leaving to search for me. I picked up the one at the foot and threw it onto the bed, careful not to step on the soft fur. It was my favorite blanket. The soft, black fur kept me warm when Loki was away on battles with Thor.