All Hail The King // Loki - Book 2 ✓

Chapter 46

"I need to talk to the King," Anna whispers, her voice weak as she fights the servant's attentions to her wounds.

She's covered in cuts, burns, and bruises from head to toe, and - after trying to climb out of bed and collapsing instantly - the blonde woman has forced her into bed while she focuses on healing Anna's many injuries. Her strength is completely gone, her muscles weak, and she burns with a fever, but all she can think about is finding out what the hell happened to her. Whatever or whoever that thing is, she needs to make sure it isn't going to come back.

The servant doesn't respond, returning to the silence routine that has been the routine of the past several days. Anna sighs, letting her head collapse back into the pillow, and squeezes her eyes shut. Everything hurts - her head, her body, her heart - and all she wants is to see Loki. However mad she is at him, he's the only person she knows who might be able to make sense of what happened.

Clearly, whatever it was...it wasn't a dream. When she woke up, screaming and thrashing, the servant made it clear that she had been trying to revive Anna for quite some time. Her injuries were proof of the reality of her nightmare, from the cuts on her palms to the burns on her feet, but her nightgown and robe were still fully intact. How, she isn't sure, but that's why she wants Loki. He'll know the truth. He'll be able to tell her what happened, and - if she's lucky - he'll be able to keep it from happening again.

She shivers, remembering the laughing voice calling out to her in the darkness.

"Please," she begs the servant. "I know you're not supposed to talk to me, but I need to see Loki."

The woman looks at her, an eyebrow lifted, "Loki is dead."

"No!" Anna nearly cries from joy at the sound of her voice. "No, he's not. He's Odin. I mean, he took the appearance of Odin. It's an illusion of some sort. I just need to speak to him, please. Tell him it's urgent, tell him---"

"My lady," the servant interrupts, her brown eyes filled with pity. "The Allfather is dead."

Dead? So they know?

Anna's jaw drops, unsure of what to say. Surely the woman is talking about Odin. News of his death must've reached the public, no matter Loki's lies and trickery, which means Loki is probably in hiding or taking someone else's form.

"When?" She asks, "When did it happen?"

The young woman frowns, hesitating, "Over a week ago. The day you were set to return to Midgard, I believe."

Anna shakes her head, "No, I saw him. That morning, after Thor left, I spoke to him."

"There was an attack," the servant explains. "Shortly after Thor returned to Midgard, the Fire Demons of Muspelheim waged an assault on the realm. Lead by Surtur, they attempted to breach the weapon's vault in search for some great object Odin took from them many years ago. In the skirmish, the Allfather was gravely wounded. The healers were not able to revive him."

It doesn't add up, Anna realizes. Loki may have staged the attack - faked Odin's death - but where is he? If the servant is telling the truth, then it's been over a week since this happened. Why hasn't he returned to her?

"What about Heimdall?" Anna asks. "Can I speak to him?"

The blonde shakes her head, "After the attack, he was accused of treason. He assisted Thor and Loki in their escape to Svartalfheim - an offense Odin was willing to overlook for the time being - but because the Fire Demons attacked so soon after the departures of Thor as well as Lady Sif and the Warrior's Three, many called for his death. Instead, he was taken to the dungeons where he awaits trial. Asgard has been sealed until the tribunal makes a decision on whether or not to retrieve Thor.

"Oh my god," Anna breathes. "So everyone is gone? Odin, Heimdall, Sif and the Warriors? Why wouldn't they contact Thor?"

And Loki. Loki is gone as well. He wouldn't leave her alone for this long, not after what happened. She knows it, she can feel it. With Odin dead - with it being public knowledge - it would be the perfect opportunity to stage his return and reclaim the throne. Thor is gone, meaning there would be no opposition. Hell, part of her almost believes that Loki might have set this entire situation up if it weren't for the fact that he is nowhere to be found.

Sighing, the servant finishes applying a bandage to Anna's hand, "They are afraid, my lady."

"Of what?" The brunette asks. "Surely if they're afraid, that's a damn good reason to call Thor."

Silence falls as the servant collects her basket of ointments and bandages, moving them to the table next to the bed. Anna watches her carefully, wishing she could throttle the woman for not answering her, but instead she bites her tongue. Whatever is happening, it's certainly not good, and her dream or nightmare or whatever it was...she gets the feeling that it's only the beginning.

"Of Ragnarok, my lady," the woman says solemnly. "The end of the Nine Realms."

Now Playing: "Castle" by Halsey.