A Court of Thrones and Thieves (ACOTAR FANFIC)

Chapter 23

~~~~LOKI~~~~

The sound of the roaring crowds and music around her felt far away when Nyx wrapped his arms around her. He dug his nose into her hair and inhaled her scent. His own scent surrounded her, the smell of leather, paints, and pine dulled all other senses. 

She waited for it.

For that agonizing moment where her brain would register that flesh was carressing her skin. That someones hands were on her. 

She waited for that skin crawling sensation that made her want to vomit, that made her scrub her skin raw everytime it happened. 

She waited to see Jordies body, feel his blood and corpse on her. Waited for that sinking feeling that lead her to kill others who touched her before.

She waited. 

And waited.

But it didn't come. 

He was touching her bare skin and she didn't feel repulsed or that self-hatred driven rage. All she felt was him, those sparks illuminating from the bond between them. A warmth she had never experienced before. 

He was touching her.

And she didn't stop him.

She felt her muscles relax in his hold, allowing him to pull her closer. She could feel the scorching looks from Inej and Nina, but refused to meet their eyes.

"Holy saints." Inej whispered under her breath.

"Sweet mother." Nina said at the same time. 

They stared in a strange mixture of awe and horror. Waiting for Loki Brekker to snap and kill her own mate for having the nerve to touch her. 

They watched her relax into his grip and tears filled Nina's eyes, Inej just stared wide eyed holding back tears of her own. 

They never knew Loki's past, hell before today only Inej had seen her hands without gloves. All they knew was Loki Brekker hated to be touched, she hated to be handed things, and she refused to touch anyone with her bare hands. 

They had seen the effects of when Loki was touched. Not only the anger that usually resulted in a death. But they remembered holding her hair back as she puked up her guts, they remembered watching as she scrubbed off the top layer of her skin, they watched as a haunted look always entered her eye.

So when Nyx moved to hold her, they held their breathe, waiting for the moment she would turn on him. Waited for the moment that haunted look would enter her eyes. And then it didn't. She relaxed and let him hold her. 

Loki Brekker allowed for Nyx Archeron to hold her. 

A sob escaped Nina's lips as she watched the scene. Inej and Nina knew then that they would give their lives to protect Nyx Archeron, if only so he could keep their beloved boss from falling into the darkness of her own mind. 

"Uhhh... Are you guys okay?" Finch asked watching the crying girls. 

Inej quickly wiped away her tears, her shadows in a frenzy as she turned away from the curious male, "We're fine!" 

"I'm not! OH MY SAINTS!" Nina continued to sob as she too tried to wipe the tears from her eyes. 

Finch didn't know what to do when Nina pulled him in crying into his shirt, he just akwarly patted her back praying to the Mother for help.