Down below

Chapter 63.

   Loki took a deep breath, his hand on the door handle. He had the distinct feeling that he will enter into an empty room, that Lestat hitched his own ride back to Midgard, not waiting for him despite Odin's orders. He was relieved to find him staring out the balcony door with his hands clasped behind his back. He looked impeccable in the red suit he left him, his hair washed and clean, falling on his shoulders in delicate waves. He didn't acknowledge Loki's arrival.

'All sorted.' he told him, walking next to him, but keeping a polite distance.

'You can't tell Odin about what happened.' Lestat said without looking at him. 'I hope you're smart enough to realize that. If you do, there will be consequences.'

"Straight to the point." Loki thought with a feeling of impending doom. He came to the same conclusion and he had an idea of what was inside Lestat, but he had to hear it from him.

'Those books...some details are indeed a work of fiction.'

   Lestat let out a low exhale, turning his head to Loki, glancing at him briefly, his expression unreadable. They both stared out the window into the heavy darkness.

'It's in you.'

'Yes.'

'And nobody else knows about this, I take it?'

'Apart from a few ancient ones and we would like to keep it that way for obvious reasons.'

Loki didn't answer. His mind was turning around this vital piece of information along with all the events that went down just a few hours ago, trying to put them into perspective. Hades was reinstated as the Ruler of the Underworld, the treaties signed with Persephone under strict house arrest and Lestat turned out to be the leader of the vampires – if they had a leader, if they had a hierarchy. Well, did they?

'You need to give me your word, Loki.' he heard Lestat's voice.

'Before I do...'

Loki felt his throat close up. He grabbed his throat, looking at Lestat who was watching him, his eyes black and bright.

'This is not a negotiation. You are giving me your word. Nod, if you understand.'

   Loki was trying to fight back, but his magic was glitching and at that moment he understood that Lestat was tremendously more powerful than he let on. That he was in perfect sync with the darkness residing in him, fully in control of it. He nodded his head quickly, but Lestat's power didn't let him go straight away. Loki felt dizzy and stumbled against the balcony door, falling on the ground.

'Say it!' Lestat demanded, towering over, withdrawing his power, so Loki could speak.

'You have my word.' Loki rasped, looking at him as if he saw him, truly saw him for the first time.

   Lestat's gaze softened, his eyes melting back into their violet gray hues. He leaned forward, intentionally slow, offering his hand to help him up. Loki accepted it and cleared his throat.

'I guess that answered what I was about to ask.'

'Good.' Lestat said simply, looking perfectly unfazed as he turned away.

'I shall tell Father it was your bloodlust. Who was there when Persephone completed the ritual?'

'All dead. They won't speak.'

'Excellent.' Loki said. 'Let's fill Father in, shall we?'

✧

   Odin was utterly pleased with how the mission turned out and the treaty that Loki managed to get Hades to sign without any significant changes or addendums. He quickly ordered the spies who infiltrated his court to be apprehended and interrogated. There were only three of them, but they were positioned quite well –one page, one kitchen staff and one of his royal guards–, nobody would ever think of them to be compromised. Odin gave specific instructions to Sif and the Warriors Three on how to question them. Once that was out of the way, he asked Loki to give an account of the events. He roared with laughter when Loki made an offhand comment that it was actually Lestat who triggered Persephone's memories. The All-Father found it most hilarious, hitting the Marquis jovially in the back a couple of times, cracking a few inappropriate jokes at Loki's expense. Lestat was laughing with him, adding some of his own supposedly funny quips and Loki was really getting tired of the whole thing fast.