The Sacrifice: Forgotten | Loki | Book 1

Chapter 30: Paradise

(Caroline's P.O.V.)

Incredible. This place was incredible, in every way. The English language didn't have enough words to describe how beautiful this all was. If my hand hadn't been stinging all the while, I'd have been damn well sure, this was but a dream. 

Loki had brought us to what seemed like a forest, and we were standing at the edge of it. In front of us some meters away was a beach and then came the huge, open ocean. Geological extremes collided here. How was this possible? The beach could be from the Maldives. The forest could be one from Brazil.

It was night, and I knew in the daylight it would be even more magnificent. The sand looked softer than cotton candy and the plants so colourful, they couldn't be real.

"Welcome to Earth's paradise."  Loki whispered into my ear. I slowly loosened my grip around his mid-section and blew at my palm. There was a small cut that burnt like hell, I had fallen a couple of times during our run.

"Th-This -Where are we?"  I stuttered quietly and looked up to him. He smiled this devilishly handsome smile before walking past me. We were still a tad wet, and Loki only wore what thin clothing belonged beneath his armor. We could be glad it was almost tropical temperatures here. He sat down on the sand. 

Since standing around like an idiot was no help for no one, I followed. He entwined his hand with mine. I withdrew and curled my legs up to my chest, locking my arms around them.

"A dream haunted me as a child. I saw this place, and wondered how my mind had conjured such a wonderful place. I wrote it down, even painted it. And when I was ready, I created it."

"You did this?"  I gasped.

"There is even a little house in the forest."

"Your powers allow you all of this beauty. How could you use them for - "

"Tricks? Evil? You have no idea what goes on in my mind. Not even I comprehend."

"But why? Why all of this?" 

"Your research has not been profound if you can ask me such questions. I was the son of a Frost Giant, but unworthily small. I was abandoned on a frozen rock, left to die. Odin took me, allegedly in his mercy, but I was never more than a means to an end."

"That sounds horrible. But - have they not raised you as their son?"

"Oh, they have. "  Loki scoffed, it was bitter. "And everyone believed it, including me. But I was never equal. I had always been the second choice. For missions, for women, for the throne. 'Tis not enough for me, you must understand." 

"No one wants to play second fiddle."  I sighed and rested my chin on my arms. 

"Not even the son of a Frost Giant." He added. "I had feelings, too. But my name was used as an insult. I had been figuratively lying in filth all of my life, my actions here could not have made it worse." 

"You still have feelings - "

"I'm insane, don't you comprehend?" Loki snarled at me suddenly. I flinched. "My mind is a feather on a peak of mountain! I can snap any second, Caroline, do not make the mistake to trust me!" 

I was shocked. Had he not talked about how nothing was ever going to happen to me with him? That I could put my life into his hands? It dawned on me then, Loki's state of mind was not stable yet. Now, he was driven by love and the desire to protect me. And Tom's voice of reason was inside him. I never wanted to get on Loki's bad side.

"Don't make the mistake to make me regret trusting you."   I retorted.

The water didn't reach us and the moon was the only light source. My eye lids got so heavy and I felt very uncomfortable in my drenched gown. It was soaked and dirty, my body was aching for a shower and fresh clothes. The minutes went by and we just sat there in utter silence until my head unconsciously fell onto his shoulder and the rest of my body went slack.