The Family Lokison (Part 4)

Refuge (SIGYN)

Loki said to stay in our chamber. Stay in our chamber. Stay in our chamber. The sun went up, came down, went up, came down—no word. No news. No blessed lull in the constant fighting weaving its way through the balcony. The upper floors of the palace were all but deserted; if I didn't know my way around Asgard's kitchens, we wouldn't have been fed at all. Agony of waiting. I always hated waiting.

Vali and Narvi switched their attention from me to the cat, buying me some relief, letting me marinate in the worry over Loki, our lost home, and the pregnancy. Hela stirred, jarring my gut every so often with contagious hiccups. She was alright—but would the war even be over by the time she arrived?

Freyr sat at my side and took my hand after the third sunset on our own. "What are you feeling?"

"Hmm?" I acknowledged him, but escaping my waking dreamland was difficult. "Sorry, Freyr. I'm too distracted to feel much of anything."

"Have you sensed Loki at all? Heard him coming through?"

"No." I sighed, trying to ignore how hard my belly flipped. "I've never been much good at conduction without your help anyway. Pairing that with poor sleep, constant distractions, the dreadful wailing from people in the city once they catch news of their dead..."

He interrupted my rambling and lowered his wrinkled eyes to mine. "Sigyn, he's alright."

My tumbling insides gave way to wings. "Are you certain?"

"He's still fighting. But things are changing quickly."

I waited for him to elaborate on his own. His restraint was artificial. "What aren't you saying?"

Freyr peered over his shoulder to be sure the children were still closed in their room and out of earshot. "The Allfather is dead. He and Surtur ended one another, as prophesied."

My jaw hung open. An undefinable ache settled over my heart—Loki would be mourning, surely, but I had known no other leader as an Aesir. As Allfather, he was parent to all of us in a way, wasn't he? "Now what?"

"Thor has been declared King. He's ordered all citizens to gather in the basement shelter and await more instructions. We cannot remain here any longer."

Why wasn't I comforted to know we'd at least be surrounded by people in our same predicament? Couldn't we at least commiserate with other folks that way? The children could do with more distractions and space, yet it didn't feel right. Going lower felt like voluntarily entering the dungeon. If the enemy came from above, where else could we go?

Grid came to my other side and pressed on my shoulder. "You've told her?" she asked Freyr.

"Aye. And we should move quickly. Who knows if they intend to lock others out to keep the people safe inside. We wouldn't want to be left out on purpose."

"Everything needs to come with us. We might never be allowed to come back here." I stood as quickly as possible, denying Grid's help and heading for the boys' room. "Vali, Narvi, can you hear me?"

Before I even reached the door, Narvi opened it and tossed his full rucksack to the center of the room. "We're ready to move, Mum." He quickly twisted and caught Tiwaz mid-run so the cat couldn't get too far.

Vali brought out his bag as well, hoisting it over his shoulder while glaring at Narvi. "He said we had to pack. Didn't you say Father wanted us to stay here?"

I furrowed my brow and looked at Freyr. "You already told them?"

He and Grid traded glances. "No, I said nothing. Came straight to you just now."