Tabula Rasa (Unlike Loki: Book Two)

Chapter 60

(Anna)

I hold on tightly to Loki's hand as the three of us walk in to meet Amora together.

This is it, the last leg.

The room is darker still, and there is suddenly a small table with four chairs set up around it in the middle of the room. We each take a seat, and I fidget nervously with my pants. Time was slowly running out, and I was feeling the pressure.

Loki smiled warmly at me, but the look didn't reach his eyes. He was as nervous as I was.

How did we know we could trust this witch? How would we know that what she told us would work?

I looked at By, but he seemed to be avoiding everyone's eyes.

He too, must be feeling the pressure on his shoulders.

I look now at Amora, as she taps her long, red fingernails on the table. I find her already gazing back at me.

"Are you ready to learn how this will work?" She asks me, and me only.

I nod my head. What other options do I have?

She exhales and folds her hands on the table. "Most of the work will rest on you," She says, keeping her gaze directly on me. "It will be dangerous." She chuckles, "Actually, that's putting it quite lightly."

"I am well aware that it is dangerous. But I've been through a lot, I can handle it."

She shrugs her shoulders, "Alright then." She makes a thin piece of paper appear out of thin air, and slides it over to me on the table. I pick it up gingerly, and scan the words on the page.

"There are certain steps to follow," Amora continues. I read along with her as she speaks, "First, you will be invited to meet with Him, and no, I still will not speak his name. Only when you are invited will you be able to meet with him. I will transport you there. Upon arriving, make sure you bow to him. If you treat him with respect, he will treat you civilly. He wants nothing more from you than the stone. After this initial exchange, you will tell him the incantation he must speak. It is the same as you, and you will say it together while joining hands. You will have to concentrate for it to work. You will probably feel as if something is trying to get out of you, don't worry. Also, the spell will come with a lot of wind and powerful magic behind it, ignore it. Once the stone is released from your body, it will go into his chosen vessel, who will burn and die, leaving nothing behind than a tangible stone. You will feel weak afterwards as well."

She paused, and gave each of us a necklace. They were made of thin black string, and had a small, circular jewel attached to them. "Wear these." She said. "After the stone is extracted, get the boy and get out. These are teleporation gems. They will take you to the nearest ship, one who you will have at least one friend on." She leaned back in her chair and brushed her hair behind her. "From there, good luck."

"That's it?" I ask.

"A simple spell, a teleporter, and a good luck?" Loki follows.

By fiddles with the necklace.

Amora sighes. "You needed to know what to do. I was the only one left who knew what that was. Once I told you, then he would send you the information. It's all about sequencing events. Certain things have to happen before others, and certain people have certain jobs." She shugged her shoulders, "My best advice is to lie low for a while, get Asgard's defenses up, prepare what armies you have."

"Why?" By spoke up for the first time.

Amora glacned at him. "Because. War will be upon us. It may not be today, may not be tomorrow. But it is none-the-less inevitable."

By looks down at his lap. Loki's face turns paler. And I cringe at the thought.

I had thought that, after we saved Leolin, we could live a happy, peaceful life.

I guess I had another thing coming.