Broken

Glitnir

When I opened my eyes, everything was too bright. Gold and silver lights danced in the edges of my vision and my waist throbbed. Forseti was standing at the waterfall, staring into the crystalline depths. I looked around and found myself in an enormous cavern, made of silver and gold and glowing with the light of a thousand chandeliers.

"Where are we?" I asked Forseti's back. He lifted his arms as if showcasing a prize and turned around, sinister smile in place.

"You are in Glitnir, the hall of Forseti!" he cried, and his voice echoed from the rocks and precious gems. I sat up stiffly, wincing a little.

"Wow, you really went overboard with the gold," I commented. Forseti's eyes darkened and he strode over, hauling me to my feet. He dragged me to a nearby lump of gold that had threatening manacles trailing from the sides. I was thrown onto the rock and gasped as pain tingled like lightning through my midsection. Forseti got the manacles on my hands and feet and leered at me before walking away.

"Target practice," he called from the other side of the room.

Something thudded into the rock beside my ear. A dagger. A millimeter to the left and it would have given me an ear-piercing.

"How do you like my skills?"

Forseti threw another dagger, and they landed perfectly except for one, which knicked my arm and cut through the skin. I screamed and he laughed.

"I think... you missed... the target..." I gasped out as more daggers thudded into the rock around me. Forseti's laugh chilled me and I could feel his rage and excitement. I closed my eyes as the daggers thudded around me and tried to establish a connection in my mind. I hadn't tried telepathy for a long time but I was desperate. The magic fizzled and died.

"No magic here, my dear," Forseti called as if he could feel it. "Those manacles repress powers, just like the one on dear Loki's ankle that some silly agent made too tight... by accident of course."

"You monster," I muttered through gritted teeth. The daggers stopped and Forseti held out one threateningly.

"What did you say?"

"You monster!" I screamed, twisting and wriggling at the manacles. "He was in pain for years because of that! I thought you dealt with justice!"

The dagger came flying and hit me in the inner thigh, pinning the skin to the rock. I gasped in pain. Everything hurt. I was near unconsciousness, but the manacles were stopping me from falling into the forgiving darkness. In the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of green and gold and jerked my head around. There stood Loki.

But it was a very different Loki to the one who had rushed into my bedroom hours earlier. He was wearing a long green cape, trimmed with gold, battle armor, and a horned helmet glittering in the light of the precious jewels. 

"You will not touch her any longer," he said simply.

The fight was over quickly. Forseti lay on the ground, groaning, but as Loki made to finish him, he teleported with a flash of light. Loki cursed and then hurried toward me, the illusion transforming back into his usual clothes.

"Emilie! Are you hurt? What did he do to you?"

Loki saw the blood pouring from three places on my body and paled. He cut the manacles and scooped me into his arms and with a flash of light we disappeared.