Stolen Relic ~ A Loki Fanfic

Chapter Thirteen

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There were about a million places Loki would have rather been than at the feast. There was so much to do before they left in the morning. As the time drew closer and closer the licks of self doubt threatened to overtake him. His mind raced as he tried to come up with a better plan, a different plan, one that didn't require Kenna to return to her homeland.

Kenna was to enter Alfheim through the pass, alone. Loki would stay with the main army until Kenna signaled him. Once he received word that she was in place he would teleport to her position. Together they would attempt to destroy or mildly disrupt the ancient sorceress's power. He didn't like the idea of having Kenna so close to the battle, but he could not think of another way. He could not be seen abandoning his place at his brother's side.

It was uncomfortable for him to think about the hours she would be by herself, surrounded by the enemy army. He had shown her the basics for how to defend herself and while she had certainly been a quick study, it was a far cry to being able to fight against one of Harokin's immortal legions.

He gritted his teeth as he resisted the urge to check on her through their connection. He could feel her presence in the back of his mind all the time. There was no way for him to block that out as long as she wore the amulet. All he had to do was stop thinking about separating her emotions from his and he could feel immediately that she was...annoyed?

It was distracting, feeling her annoyance, wondering what was going on that she felt that way, what was causing it. Lately the only thing he had seen annoy her was him.

He blinked and forced the wall back up between them. He had to focus. He wondered how the sorceress did it, with those hundreds of soldiers connected to her. Downing in their emotions would be maddening. He wondered if he had constructed the amulet incorrectly, if the connection was too strong. It certainly felt that way at times.

Loki didn't listen while his father gave his speech, nor when his brother stood up and did the same. He lifted his goblet at the appropriate time, but only sipped the wine distractedly. The mead girl was moving along the tables refilling the goblets of the men headed into Alfheim in the morning. Loki gritted his teeth. He wanted to tell them what was waiting for them on the dark, dead world. Anything to get them to understand somehow the danger they would all be facing. They were all acting like this was some grand adventure. But Loki knew otherwise.

Loki cracked his neck and swirled the liquid in his goblet, silently counting down how long before he could slip out and get back to the library.

"More mead my lord?" the serving girl asked. The connection tingled and he felt something. He frowned, trying to pinpoint what she was feeling now.

"My lord?" the serving girl asked again.

"No," Loki barked as her quiet words distracted him. Couldn't the daft girl see that his goblet was still full.

He felt the flare of anger rush through him like it was his own and he flinched. The girl leaned between him and Fandral on his right.

He scowled as he recognized the thick, silver braid hanging over the serving girl's shoulder. His inability to block her all of a sudden made sense. Proximity seemed to affect his ability to control what he did and did not feel. And right now she was inches from him and her emotions were a storm of annoyance and anger and...hurt.

He frowned. He hadn't intended to hurt her feelings. He hadn't even realized it was her. Why was she here? She wasn't part of the kitchen staff. Though as he thought back she had brought him a tray earlier. Perhaps she was working temporarily for the kitchen during the feast. Glancing around he tried to pinpoint if any of the other servers were from other parts of the castle, though to be honest he had never paid them enough mind to know one way or another.