The Origin of Fear

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“So, how did you not know a tribe of lycanthropes was living in your forest?” Fera asked, trudging through the thick underbrush behind Loki. They were no longer on any sort of set path; instead Loki had decided cutting through the forest altogether was the fastest route, blasting away low-hanging branches and tangled bushes in their way. “I thought your tree friends ‘destroy the unwelcome on the spot,’”

“They do,” he answered, nonchalantly sending a fallen tree trunk flying to the side. “But that does not apply to creatures of the forest, even bloodthirsty lycanthropes. It is their home,” 

“That’s rather compassionate of you,” Fera remarked. 

Loki chuckled. “You sound surprised,” 

“Do I?” she replied. “Can’t imagine why,” 

Loki said nothing, but the thick foliage before them was blasted away with more gusto than was necessary, leaving the forest floor completely barren. He stopped in his tracks, and Fera kept distance from him, frowning at his back. 

At length, he turned to her, his lips pursed. “When I convinced my brother and the others to duel you, I didn’t know that you would almost kill Thor,” he said, a hint of apology in his tone. “It was not my intention to put anyone in danger,” 

Fera crossed her arms over her chest and regarded him carefully. “I didn’t think it was,” she conceded. “But intention or not, it was a cruel thing to do,”

“I know,” Loki said. “I--”

He paused, staring at her as if warring with himself over what he was going to say next. Fera raised her brows at him expectantly. 

“--Apologize,” he finished with a hiss. 

Fera broke into a wide grin. “Sorry?” she said. “Didn’t catch that,” 

“Please don’t make me say it again,” he groaned, turning on his heel and continuing through the path he had just cleared. 

“Oh, come now,” she quipped. “Was that really so bad?”

“Yes,” Loki said scathingly. The trees had begun to thin out, and sunlight had begun to shine through the treetops above them. Fera thought she could see a faint outline of the palace far in front of them. “Relish this moment, because it will never come again,” 

“You’d think it physically pained you, the way you’re going on about it,” she said, rolling her eyes. 

“Apologies are mortifying,” he replied. “And never worth it,”

“Well, you’ve apologized to me,” she replied. They were approaching the edge of the forest, and the palace loomed just in the distance. “Was it worth it?”

He said nothing, but a small, reluctant smile formed on the corner of his mouth, and Fera dropped the matter. 

“So, I never did ask, why did you decide to invent a spell that allowed you to look me in the eye?” she asked after a few moments of silence, save for the creaking sound of the foliage being blasted out of their path.

“Would you rather I didn’t?” he asked with a smirk. “Does it alarm you that I am immune to your spell?” 

“I am puzzled why you would go through the trouble to invent a new branch of magic just to be able to look at me,” Fera answered. “What exactly is the point?” 

Loki raised a brow. “Must there be a sinister agenda behind my actions?” he began. He shrugged noncommittally. “You interested me,” 

“You mean my abilities interested you,”