The Love Of a Trickster

5

We leave the Hel soldier outside a city full of the dead. Before he even realizes he's free, Loki and I have disappeared across the Bifrost and are safely in Asgard again. We approach the palace and are escorted into Odin's throne room again. He stares down at us. Loki bows and I drop to one knee.

"It is done then?" He asks.

"It is," Loki replies.

"Has Feyre earned her wings?"

"She has in my eyes."

"Your opinion is not worth much," Odin mocks him.

I bristle at the snide remark. I stand, much to their surprise. I spot Frigga standing in an open doorway, listening in. "Your Majesty, with all due respect, why ask his opinion if you aren't going to accept it?"

Odin stares at me before laughing. "She really is like you," he says. "What else have you taught her, Loki? How to stab people?"

"As a matter of fact, she taught herself that one," Loki retorts.

Frigga now enters the throne room. She rests her hand on Loki's shoulder for a moment, before approaching Odin. "She has done everything asked of her. She just proved her worthiness by traveling to Hel and back. What else is there for her to prove?" Odin looks me over, thoughtfully. "You did say that was the deal, after all. It's time for Feyre to receive her wings."

Two days later, I am officially a Valkyrie. After hearing a long speech about the fallen Valkyrie, Frigha, I was summoned forward. I kneeled before Odin and swore the vows of a Valkyrie, with a few modifications to suit my life sentence. I swore to everything. Frigga strapped a silver breastplate on me. Thor presented me with my winged Valkyrie helmet. Loki slid my gauntlets over my hands, and, finally, Odin cut away the bottom portion of my dress and presented me with my sword. Then, with a snap of his fingers, my wings were born. Grey, large, and magnificent, they burst through my skin with a tingling sensation. The new weight threw me off balance for a moment, but not for long. Then, I was a full fledged Valkyrie.

I walk through the halls of the palace, on my way to Valhalla for my first reaping, when Loki catches up to me. He walks beside me, hands folded behind his back. "I am very proud of you," he says finally.

"Really? You're proud of me?"

He nods. "Don't make this stranger. I never compliment anyone, ever."

"So I've noticed. Are you going to tell me who I have to reap yet?" The questions rolls out before I can even process it.

"Not yet. They haven't died yet and you can only reap the souls of the dying. Speaking of which, you are on your way to your first reaping, are you not?"

"Yeah. I'm headed to Valhalla now."

"Well, I suppose it would be customary for me to wish you luck, but I don't think you will need it." I look at him, confused. All I get in reply is that infuriating smirk. "Ah, and I thought I should tell you that I'm leaving for a while."

"Where are you going?" This was news to me. I had no clue he was leaving.

"To search for something," he answers. "A stolen relic. Possibly on Midgard, and possibly not."

"Do you need me to come with?" I ask.

"No. Your place is here for now. I just thought you should know." We reach the palace gates.

"Well, thanks for telling me," I say. I'm surprised to feel a twinge of remorse for his sudden absence. "When will you be back?"

"Oh, here and there. It depends really. You don't have to worry, love. I'll come back."