When Loki's consort and soulmate marries his rival to save their son from a curse, a prophecy leads to consequences even the God of Chaos couldn't predict.
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The Unseelie Goddess of War's revenge against Asgard's Dark Prince puts him in a no-win s...
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Between one moment and the next, Loki slumped in front of me, boneless as his hand fell from where he'd pressed it against his head. Reacting with reflexes still hyperalert, I caught him before he slid sideways.
The extent of his injuries had the breath freezing in my lungs.
I'd only gotten the briefest glimpse during the chaos of battle. Blood matting the right side of his face, temple, and above his ear was a black cancer on his pale skin. The bone moved under my fingers and alarm spiked my veins. Blowing out a shaky exhale, I traced fingertips over the deep gash running across his right eyebrow, down onto his cheek. Blood still seeped over the swollen, bruised flesh.
Shells, could he even see out of that eye?
The pit in my stomach deepened as my fingers lightly catalogued his other injuries. Twisted at an unnatural angle, his right wrist was broken and swelling. Although not broken, his right shoulder was dislocated, pushed down and forward of the socket.
Blasted barnacles. How had he managed to raise his hand to his head earlier? He had to be in agony. No wonder he'd passed out.
"Shannon, where's the white dragon taking us? Loki is badly hurt, and I can't access my first aid supplies and keep him from falling while we're in the air."
Turning to look behind her, Shannon gasped. "Oh my god!" She dove into her pack and pulled out supplies as she flipped around to sit backwards. The air that had been flowing over us became still as the dragon continued to fly.
Light flared, encasing us in a warm glow and illuminating the true horror of Loki's injuries.
"His shoulder is dislocated, and he's got a broken wrist. I can help with those, but he also has a skull fracture. Do you have anything for that?" I asked, trying to swallow against the choking sensation that had me by the throat. Seeing him so broken... it was unsettling. He seemed so invincible.
She bit her lip, blinking rapidly. "We've discussed using my earth ability to shapeshift. In theory, that means I can restructure and heal living matter... but I've never done it. My earth abilities are weak. What if I do something wrong? What if I make his injuries worse?" As she talked—words coming out too fast, one on top of the other—she cleaned the gash on his face, then applied a yellow cream that sealed the edges when she held the sides together for a few minutes.
Her eyes sought mine, wide and glistening with unshed tears.
"Just do what you can. We need to stabilize him." I took a few careful breaths in through my nose and out through my mouth, trying to calm my racing pulse. "Brace his body so I can pop his shoulder back in place. It's better to do it while he's unconscious."
With her hands holding his torso, I manipulated his arm, then jerked it back into the socket. Although the pain had to be excruciating—having dislocated my shoulder sparring with Elada—Loki didn't so much as flinch. Pressing my fingers to his pulse, it was strong and reassuring, despite his continued unconscious state.
