Chapter Sixty-Six
Rey
When I get back from Aric’s, I knock on Ziva’s door to make sure she got home safely last night, only to be greeted with an empty coffee mug and a glare. “Do not come back unless you fill this.” The door slams in my face.
“Glad you’re alive!” I call and decide maybe I need coffee, too. Coffee, and to think, and maybe a miracle. I chew my bottom lip and finally make the call I don’t want to make. Better I tell Father first so I have time to plan.
He picks up on the first ring.
“Daughter.” His voice is deep. “Do you have good news for me?”
It’s honestly no use lying. “He’ll be awakened tonight, like I promised.”
I wish I didn’t have to tell Odin, that we didn’t have to do this at all, but we don’t have a choice. We need to finish this, no matter what may happen. I need to hope for the best.
There’s that stupid word again. Hope.
“Good.” His voice is clipped. “Then I won’t have to kill Laufey. I do enjoy her company. It would be useless and tragic to spill her blood solely because you took too long.”
I stare out at campus as a chill washes down my spine. “What do you plan on doing first?”
“Where are you?”
Weird question. “In my dorm.”
“Go outside. I’ll wait.”
I don’t hesitate. I take the stairs down to the main lobby and walk outside. “Okay, now what?”
“Do you see the basalt arch?”
“Yes.”
“Imagine a bridge protruding from it, leading to a different realm, a perfect realm without war or pain, with ultimate power, where there is no more fighting, where I’m not forced to use people you love against you.
My plan, daughter, is to regain what is owed us and then pay back those who dared steal from us. ”
“Why—” My voice cracks. “Why did they steal the hammer in the first place if such a utopia existed?”
I think of the paintings, of Laufey’s stories. Of Aric’s.
“Did Thor betray the Giants?” I ask.
He is quiet.
“Father, did Thor betray them first?”
“Believe me when I say he had no choice. And leave it at that.”
Oh my Gods, did we start the war?
“Get Mjolnir before I lose patience. I’ll see you tonight for the Wild Hunt.
Insulting that he would attempt to steal my party, so I should at least make an appearance.
Besides, Laufey loves a party. She misses you so much; rarely does she sleep without crying.
Her soul breaks knowing you’re in danger, but don’t worry, I tell her daily—you’d do anything to save her. Right?”
Tears clog my throat. “Right.”
“See you this evening. I think I’ll dress…like a God.”
I turn and walk back in the building. Of course, Reeve’s at the front door to witness my mental breakdown. I can’t handle any more stress.
I force a smile. I’m sure it looks as fake as it feels, but I can’t be good at everything, can I?
“Good phone call?” Reeve asks.
Gods, I want to punch him. “Lovely, thank you.”
“Delighted to hear it.”
We walk through the lobby and into the elevator together. Please don’t press the emergency stop button, please don’t press the—
He presses the emergency stop button.
“I really need this to not be our thing.” I go to my corner of the elevator, and he goes to his. “What do you need to tell me that you can’t say in the dorm or at the party or in front of Aric or your little snake?”
“Cute.” Reeve folds his arms, looking at me with a serious expression. “Hunt’s in a few hours,” he adds.
“Yeah. So?” I ask. “Not exactly a reason to kidnap me in an elevator. What’s going on, Reeve?”
“I know what you did,” he growls in a low voice. “And now you’ll know what I can do.”
Something’s not right, not with the way his voice suddenly sounds gravelly, not with the gleam in his eyes.
I lunge for the button to open the doors, but at the same moment, Reeve is shoving me up against the side wall.
Heart pounding, I heave forward to get him off me, then kick him backward. He stumbles and then faces me.
“Is that all?” He laughs. “I expected more from the daughter of Odin.”
I throw my right fist. He spins out of the way, dodging me completely, and grabs me by the throat. His fingers tighten.
I knee him in the groin, and he immediately goes down, releasing my neck. There’s no time to regain my breath. I shove my palm against his chest and use my other arm to cut off his air.
“Don’t pick fights with someone stronger than you,” I say. “It’s embarrassing.”
“Stronger than me?” He laughs again. In the next breath, he vanishes.
What the fuck?
He reappears, standing on the other side of the elevator, arms crossed, leaning back arrogantly.
I blink and blink. Did I really just see that?
“Let’s try this again, shall we, Rey?” The air cracks and hums around us, and then his eyes flash a bright white as he whispers with a grin, “I’m Loki. Nice to meet you.”