Desolate Beauty {Pure Illusion Series: Book 5}

Chapter 2

A/N: Welcome back! Well me more than you, as you've probably been waiting for the next chapter. Being done with college is amazing, but now the task of job hunting is taking a toll on me. Hopefully, I'll have one in the next couple of weeks and I can relax. It's sad to think the more I write for this story, the closer to the end we get. I'm excited for the new stories I'm writing and hope that you enjoy them as well. But back to our story. 

Introducing new characters and mixing storylines are hard, especially when all you want to do is wish the thoughts in your head to be perfect on paper. This chapter is a peak into Gamora and Loki, or at least what I think it would be like if/when they ever meet in MCU. Perhaps a bit more messy, or short but after all, just my thoughts! Anyways, on with the family soap opera ;) 

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"You're looking well." Gamora commented, leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree. 

She sharpened one of her knives, taking a couple hacks at the tree once in a while to test the blade before returning to sharpening it. Weapons had always been one of Gamora's favorite things to collect from the fallen warriors she defeated. They were trophies in a sense, something she used to prove her worth to Thanos. This however was not why they found themselves secluded away from the others.

"How did you do it?" Loki replied, wishing to skip the formalities. So many questions ran through his head, ones that only Gamora would understand, and hopefully soon, Sigyn.

"I just left. I found them, while chasing for an infinity gem and I took my chance when I could." Gamora sheathed her knife, nodding her head in the direction of the idiots she had landed with back in the clearing. There was no need to lie in front of a man she had spent many a night hearing the cries of. They knew each other far better than anyone else on this realm, and it was not under the happiest of circumstances. 

"Did you..." She continued, prying into her comrades mind. 

Loki shook his head slightly. "No. I am paying for my sins still, I fear yours is coming."

"How long has... how long as he had her?" Gamora questioned, ignoring Loki's warning. 

"Two months." Loki said quietly, watching as Gamora's face fell. She knew, just as he did, how precious time was.

"Why did you not go sooner?"

"I was tethered to the medical bay. My magic was not back to full strength." His green eyes looked up at her. "You can get us there, undetected?"

Gamora nodded a couple of times, producing a small disk in her hand that lit up into a projected map above her hand. "We're here," She pointed to a bright light on the map, "And the passage to Thanos realm is here." She let her hand drift down below Asgard to what looked like an empty pocket of space. "We can't see Thanos' asteroid on the map; technically it shouldn't exist."

Loki nodded understandingly. "We should leave at once. I can get us a ship."

"And leave us behind, brother?"

It was a tense atmosphere that Thor and the others stumbled across them. They had taken notice (Hogun had spoken up) that Loki and Gamora had moved away from the group and were plotting on their own. Gamora crossed her arms and huffed to which Loki delivered a glare with the same annoyance. Thor might have laughed at their equally annoyed expressions if the situation were not so dire. 

"You don't stand a chance against Thanos." Gamora replied, eyeing each of the warriors. "Loki and I know what he's like; we'll go."

Thor looked from the assassin to his brother. "May I speak with Loki, alone?"