𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕦𝕟 𝕚𝕤 𝔾𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕃𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣- completed but editing

Chapter 17

Loki stirred from beside me, his hair tickling my neck. I sat up, my tank top wrinkled. A guard was walking toward the cell.

"Quick," Loki said, his voice thick with sleep. "Don't make a sound." His hand pressed me back down onto the daybed where we had fallen asleep and he lay, unmoving, his hand still on me.

The guard stopped at the cell, I breathed quietly. He nodded at a blank spot in the wall, where the illusion was.

A sob caught in my throat. The queen. Loki lay limp on the bed next to me, silent tears rolling down his pale cheeks. I snuggled closer to him, tears of my own pooling.

"She told me," I choked. "To tell you that she loves you more than anything."

He rolled over. "No, she didn't. She gave up on me." Loki moved the dagger dangerously close to the veins on his left forearm.

I closed my eyes, cloud swirling around my head.

The image in the cloud was purple tinted. My memory.

She handed me a dagger. "I'm sure your own powers will protect you. Give this to my son. Go to the prisons and hide in his cell. Keep him safe. Tell him that I love him more than anything and that I'm sorry."

"Your-" I was cut off.

"Please. The Dark Elves are sure to come for you too because of your abilities. I will take care of Jane. Now go! I will send Thor to retrieve you when it's all over."

My footsteps echoing in the hall.

Loki had sat up and watched, his hand touching the face of his mother in the silky cloud. "She's really gone."

My head lay still on his chest. "Yeah."

A fresh wave of sobs drove through his body, shaking his chest and my head. "She taught me illusions. And her magic."

"She was so kind to me when she first met me."

"Once, she took me out to the water and showed me images of other worlds to teach me. She said I deserved to rule something one day."

And on it went, Loki sharing memories, me affirming them, tears spilling, the occasional desperate, salty kiss.

After about two hours, Loki sat up, wiped his sad eyes, and turned to me. "They're having a funeral. Will you go for me?"

I looked over at him. "Of course. When will it be?"

"In Asgard, deaths are remembered the same day, always at night."

I stood up. "Then I have to go now." My cloud covered me fully, leaving me wrapped in a long purple dress, so dark it was almost black. My hair fell in long curls, pinned up and cascading down my bare left shoulder.

Loki stood, his jaw dropped in what appeared to be shock. He took a step forward. "You are beautiful. You look like a queen."

I blushed. "Thank you."

He closed the space between us and kissed me, a sweet, tender one, gently brushed on my lips.

I stepped backward, my eyes still on him. With a little wave, I left the cozy cell and headed upstairs.

Thor was by the dungeon door, about to open it. "Lady Lavender! Are you alright?"

I nodded and gave him a hug. "I'm so sorry."

He hugged me back. "Thank you. Are you coming to the funeral?"

"Of course."

He led me by the arm down the rainbow bridge to the ledge. It was a waterfall, seemingly endless. A large crowd had come together there and a large fleet of boats sat on the still water.