Tabula Rasa (Unlike Loki: Book Two)

Chapter 43

"You have done well, child." He said, his large form casting a dark shadow over the children.

"Thank you, Master." The girl said robotically. She was young and beautiful in a terrifying way.

"Much better than the other one that I sent." The large man turned to look at the woman by his side, who grumbled.

"I gave you valuable information. And I got them all out of the In-Between. Without me, they'd still be stumbling around in the dark." The woman said, holding her head high and crossing her arms tersely.

The man growled low in his throat, and then turned back to the two children. The girl held the hand of a boy who looked younger than she. Had had jet black hair and a pale face. He was beautiful, the kind of child you could only hope to produce. His eyes were the same black as the girls, meaning the child was under the man's complete control. Both children stood still as statues.

"Take them away, start training the boy. Leave the girl to her own devices, for now." The man said to the woman beside him. Her hips swayed with purpose as she led the children away. They followed obediently. "I will see to it that you will not go lightly on him." The man said.

The woman turned around and bowed sarcastically. "What do you make me out to be?" She scoffed. "Of course I will not go easy on the little cretin." And she continued on her way.

"Sire," said a small, wheezy male voice. "What exactly are your plans from here?"

The large man chuckled. "Great things." He turned to the small, shriveled, hooded figure. "She will come for him, and so will the disloyal frost-giant. Loki will go wherever she does. And then I will make my bargain. In the mean time, the boy will be trained, turned into a better assassin than any of my previous children. He will be unstoppable. He will grow and his powers will be perfected. He belongs to me now. He will fight against his parents, no doubt." The man laughed horribly. "And then they will come for him. And they will either die trying or surrender. Either way, I will get what I want from the girl. Make no mistake about that." He grinned to himself.

The hooded man sniffled, his version of a laugh. "And the frost-giant prince? The one who left Jotunheim to serve you?" he asked.

"He's doing wonderfully. Soon, his part will come. And he will be rewarded. As will you, if you succeed. Send the wretched whore to Asgard, let her work her magic. If she succeeds, you may keep her." He turned to the small man, and nodded, shooing him away.

All the pieces continued to fall into place, and soon, the prize would be won.