The Wrong God [Book 1] *Completed*

Five

Feeling a little lost after Thor's banishment, I trail after the Warriors in the healing room. I find them looking battered and shell- shocked, still reeling, as am I, from the day's events, in front of a roaring central fire.

I take a seat and watch as Hogun reaches into the flames and pulls out some healing stones before carefully placing them over Fandral's wounds. They begin to glow and he crushes them into a powder. Their magic works immediately and the warrior's injuries heal up at the touch of the glowing powder, but Fandral still winces in pain.

Volstagg looks at the blackened skin on his arm and I look to where the Frost Giant touched my own arm. The dark blue has faded away and returned to its normal colour and appears undamaged.

"We should never have let him go," Volstagg says, breaking the silence at last.

"There was no stopping him," Sif replies and she speaks the truth. The rage my brother felt would have only been quenched by victory.

"At least he's only banished, not dead," Fandral says. "Which is what we'd all be if that guard hadn't told Odin where we'd gone."

"How did the guard even know?" Volstagg asks. Still staring at my arm, I reply.

"I told him," I admit and the others look at me in surprise.

"What?" Fandral asks.

"I told him to go to Odin after we'd left," I explain. "Though he should be flogged for taking so long."

"You told the guard?" Volstagg asks in anger.

"I saved our lives!" I reply defensively. "And Thor's. I had no idea Father would banish him for what he did." It's true - if I had not gone to the guard when I did, there is no chance we would have all returned. 

"Loki, you're the only one who can help Thor now," Sif says gently. "You must go to the Allfather and convince him to change his mind!"

"And if I do, then what?" I ask, thinking back to Thor's reaction. He is no ruler - not when he is so headstrong. He has threatened the centuries of peace father slaved to build. "I love Thor more dearly than any of you, but you know what he is. He's arrogant. He's reckless. He's dangerous. You saw how he was today. Is that what Asgard needs from its King?" The others exchange glances and I can tell at least some of them agree with my point. I can't be here right now though, I need somewhere to think, where I can come to terms and piece something together. Without saying another word, I stand and leave the room.