A Familiar Foe - Book 5

Premonition (Loki)

Restless sleep. Frenzied dreams. Yet somehow I opened my eyes after Sigyn left the bedroom, alone with my thoughts and the looming day ahead. She'd snuck to the kitchen without disturbing what little rest I did achieve.

My girl—never ceasing to surprise me, even after all our years together. I chased her downstairs without lingering on the edge of the mattress to wake up.

As I guessed, Sigyn was busying herself by the sink, cooking a salty breakfast that filled the first floor of our small home with a savory cloud. The quiet tune she hummed while rocking back and forth was a spell that slowed the pace of my heart to match her. Even with her back turned to me, she was irresistible; I buried my nose in her long, silver hair and wrapped my arms around her belly.

"Good morning, Lo," she sang in tune with her song, continuing as if I hadn't interrupted.

"Morning, Gin." I sighed and squeezed her closer. "I take it you slept well with our children home?"

"Of course. And you?"

"I wish I had." I left her side and went to the icebox for a flask of water before sitting at the dining table; a routine we'd practiced many times in preparation to live alone, just the two of us, as we would surely have to in the near future. Not long now. "I feel electrified. Anxious."

"About today?"

"Not sure. Truthfully, I can't even articulate if what's bothering me is a message or simply a feeling. Whatever it is, it kept me from getting comfortable last night. I'm already wishing it was tomorrow so the council would be over with."

She got to a stopping point for whatever was in front of her and traded a small towel between her hands while looking at me. "Care to elaborate?"

I smirked. "You always see through me, don't you?"

"Wouldn't be your wife if I didn't. Come on. Spit it out."

I shut my eyes and focused for a few moments, hoping the lingering presence at the back of my mind would push to the forefront. "It's odd...uncertain. The energy conflicts with itself. Something positive, something negative. Could be anything, really."

"Hmm...very specific," Sigyn said with a sarcastic tilt.

"Hey." I eyed her with the side of my face. "These things aren't as clear as they used to be, you know."

"Well, you can't be fit with glasses for the visions in your mind. Speaking of which, what happened to your specs?" She went to the bureau by the far wall and pulled out a sturdy black case. Her sternly pursed lips were enough of an admonishment as she handed it to me. "You have to get used to wearing these, or you'll keep suffering at night with headaches."

I put the spectacles on with a grumble. "Of all the gifts Yggdrasil has given me, I couldn't have had Heimdall's eyes...maybe the idea of everyone at council seeing these is all that's plaguing me."

"Nonsense. You look distinguished. Be glad you're not losing your hair the way Thor is." She snickered and rubbed the crown of my head. "He's thinning. I've seen it."

"Yes. Must be grateful for the small things, I suppose."

"Where were we? Oh, right. Uncertain feelings. Go on; I'm still listening." Sigyn put out plates and cups to keep herself busy.

"Perhaps I'm more restless than anxious. We've been at peace with the universe for far too long. Sure, there are new ranks to earn for the soldiers, but if some threat comes to New Asgard, I don't think they're prepared to defend themselves like they'll have to."

Sigyn shrugged. "Try not to make that your burden to bear. It's Thor's responsibility to make up for their shortcomings if he hasn't trained them well enough."

"I suppose so."

"Are you worried, if he doesn't, that you'll have to take his place?"

"No, because I wouldn't be who takes his place anymore. I'm worried Thor hasn't properly mended whatever mess he had with his son. I don't trust that boy. Modi reminds me too much of myself."

She placed her palm against my cheek. "We cannot concern ourselves over Thor's shortcomings. We can only hope we've done what we can for this house. You've set an example for your brother to look up to—his fault if he hasn't learned from it."

On cue as usual since he was a babe, Vali cleared his throat noisily behind me, spurring Sigyn to step away from our intimate exchange and attend to the food.

"Good morning," he said while scraping his chair out to sit. "See, Father? I told you I could be trusted to wake up on my own."

"Yes, very impressive." I shook my head and gulped my water noisily. It didn't quell the uneasiness in my belly, but I didn't want to worry Vali when his own nerves likely pulled him out of bed. Something in the air kept us silent.

Hela joined us soon after, keeping to herself in typical teenage fashion. Whatever tension strung between her and Sigyn, neither Vali nor I wanted to be tangled in it.

So we ate to the tune of our forks and plates only, ending our breakfast as soon as it started before Vali and I retreated to ready. An unimpressive last meal for life as we knew it.