Time in Flames (Book 1)

Chapter 3: The Deal

What was left of Estrid's scream left her mouth as the soldier shot her once more with the gun that had froze her in the first place. The young princess collapsed to the floor, her vision dancing with stars. Lights blinded her as she slowly lifted her head off of the hard concrete surface. Footsteps sounded in front of her as a moan left the woman's mouth. By Estrid's best guess, there was another presence other than the man and woman who had taken her ungracefully away from Asgard.

"Agent Mobius, she is secure like you asked, sir. Although, there was some resistance before transport." The man's voice said from nearby.

Her head tilted up as her arms let her slowly lift herself into a sitting position.

"As long as she has arrived unharmed. Her profile said she was...unstable." Another male voice said.

Estrid could tell he was nervous, his demeanor and tone radiating unease at her presence. Her vision finally began to clear revealing a man with salt and pepper hair spiked with hair gel and a mustache on his upper lip to match. His blue eyes turned to her, noticing her attention on him. Estrid glared at him, her lips curling into a snarl.

He had ordered them to take her away from her home.

She was here and not with her fiance because of this Agent Mobius.

The soldiers beside him turned towards her, their hands immediately grasping their weapons. One was holding the gun while another held a baton that glowed an eerie orange.

"Hold your fire! Don't attack!" The man named Mobius commanded, standing in front of her to block the soldier's aim.

Estrid slowly rose to her feet, her head pounding almost as fiercely as her heart. Her brown eyes glowed an almost hazel tone in the lamplight as she glared at the three.

"You imbeciles think you can keep me here? I will burn this place to the ground and watch you burn with it!" She snarled in Old Norse.

The female soldier frowned, her brow knitting in confusion.

"What is she saying?" She asked Mobius.

The Agent only smiled as he stared at Estrid.

"What you'd expect her to say." He slowly began to walk up to her, and Estrid continued to watch him.

He pulled out a remote and clicked a button. The young woman felt a buzzing sensation around her neck and reached toward the originator of the problem. There was a collar fastened around her throat. An electric energy seemed to emit from the little electronic box at the end of the leather and metal device.

"Leave us. She won't cause that much harm with the collar around her neck."

Estrid stared daggers into the two soldiers who put away their weapons and left the room.

Once the doors shut behind them, Mobius spoke once more, "Estrid Michelle Sigrid Odrsdottir. Second in line to the throne of Vanaheim and ex-fiance to Loki Laufeyson."

Estrid's attention shifted at the sound of Loki's name, let alone the sound of ex in front of the title fiance. The mind altering numbness was returning to taunt her like a bad dream as she watched Mobius sit down in a nearby chair. Her hand involuntarily went to her chest only to find nothing there. Her face paled as nausea began to gnaw at her stomach.

Where was it? No. They couldn't have taken it. They wouldn't.

Estrid's eyes grew wide as her breathing became uneven, the breaths shallow and fast.

"Looking for this?" Mobius said, making her look at him.

Hanging on his fingers was a gold chain with a beautiful silver and gold banded wedding ring attached. There were two gems protruding from the center, a amethyst and an emerald. It was Loki's and her colors. Seeing her engagement ring in his hand made Estrid snap, launching forward with only one goal in mind. The agent only clicked a button on his remote, sending a shockwave through the young Vanir.