Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Loki sat through the meal, allowing his hand to drift ever so subtly up Val’s thigh. The higher his fingers reached, the warmer her skin grew, and the more flustered she became.
More than once, she’d shoved his hand away, but he’d smiled and put it right back where he wanted it.
Teasing her was more fun than he’d anticipated.
However, when Fenrir sniffed the air and looked up at them, Loki finally stopped.
Having a bit of fun under the table was one thing.
Others at the table, knowing what was happening, was something quite different.
Fenrir shook his head and went back to his dinner.
Loki’s heart went out to him. As far as he knew, Fenrir had never had a woman of his own.
His feral and unpredictable nature kept him from getting too close to anyone.
Partly out of fear of being hurt, and partly out of fear of hurting someone else.
Loki’s vision clouded, and flickers of the future flashed in and out of view. Fenrir at Frigg’s masquerade. A woman. A fight and then… nothing.
Loki’s fork clattered to his plate, and he sucked in a breath.
“Are you all right?” asked Val.
Loki nodded and grabbed his ale, chugging the entire thing.
“Father?”
Loki stared at Fenrir, unable to voice what he’d seen. It’d been a while since he’d gotten flashes. The sensation confused and made him anxious at the same time.
“Loki, can I get you another drink?” Frigg’s soft voice floated down the table. His gaze connected with hers, and she gave him a tight, knowing smile. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s get you something stronger.”
Mutely, Loki nodded and stood, not bothering to look at Val’s questioning stare or meet Fenrir’s eye.
He walked to the bar and leaned on it. Frigg pulled out a bottle of mana and poured him a wide glass.
Loki chugged it without actually tasting it.
“Future flashes?” she asked.
Loki nodded and pointed at the glass. Frigg poured him half a glass, and he downed it. She corked the bottle and put it away.
“Any more of that and we will be carrying you out of here,” she said.
“I can handle my mana.”
She nodded. “Of course you can. All of you men can. Until you can't.”
Elle and Meili passed them and headed to the kitchen sink to wash dishes.
Loki stared at Frigg for a long minute before she squeezed his hand.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
He shook his head. “Not tonight. But… did you see it?”
She looked over at Fenrir. “I’ve seen… something.”
“A woman.”
She nodded. “It may not be bad.”
“And then again, it might be.” He shook his head. “Fenrir has been through enough in his life. Doesn’t he deserve happiness too? Me for a father… or lack of one. Odin’s punishment. Tyr’s betrayal. It’s left him broken and alone.”
Frigg smiled. “I always knew you were a softy on the inside.”
Loki barked with laughter. “Oh, really?”
Frigg shrugged. “You forget I’ve known you longer than anyone else. Even as a child, I saw who you were supposed to be. I know you, Loki of the Jotunn. And I love you all the same.”
Though the relationships between the older gods like him, Odin, Frigg, Heimdall, and Tyr were a bit hazy, they’d all been around almost since the beginning.
And Loki and Frigg had been closer than most when they’d been younger.
And despite everything, she’d always loved him like a sister.
Even after what he’d done to Baldur. He didn’t know how she did it.
How she’d put up with them all for so many centuries.
Her and Freya. Even Hel hadn’t put up with them and had taken residence somewhere else.
But not Frigg. She stayed with them. Cared for them.
Fought for them and their happiness without ever asking anything in return for herself.
Loki squeezed her hand. “Next week we will talk.”
She nodded. “I’m always here.” She had the gentlest, most nurturing nature of any being he’d ever met, and the day she received her own fated mate, he would cheer alongside all of the rest of them and protect her until the end.
Lightning hit the floor near the table, and Hodr flew out of his chair.
"Thor!" Odin yelled. "Enough."
Val jumped from her seat and rushed to Elle. Twin silver and golden blades protruded from her wrist bracelets.
Thor looked like he might strike Val next, and Loki appeared next to her instantly- blue magic skimming his hands.
Thor’s breath came out heavy as lightning flecked his eyes. He scanned the room where half the table had gotten up and moved away, and the other half remained in their seats, silent.
"Did all of you know?" Thor yelled. "Am I the only one not in on the joke?"
Thunder rolled louder above the building.
So he’d finally found out the truth.
"Thor." Frigg moved gracefully toward him. "It's not like that. Elle's mother was a dear friend who Surtr kidnapped at Ragnarok. We thought she had died. When Val sent me word about Elle, I had to help. I loved her mother like a sister. And Val is a Valkyrie. One of our own."
Thor looked to her. "You. You're the one who told me to come to your masquerade. You knew she would be there. You knew we would meet."
Frigg didn’t even stiffen at the accusation. "Your fate and the fate of the fire giants have been tied together since the beginning of time. Did I know it would be Surtr's daughter who would heal your heart? No. I only knew someone would. And that someone would be from the house of Surtr."
Val took a step toward, but Loki put his hand on Val’s arm to stop her from getting any closer. “He won’t hurt her.”
"And you." Thor looked to Odin. "You knew who she was when you saw us together, didn't you?"
Odin crossed his sinewy arms over his chest. “Yes."
Thor grabbed his hammer from inside his jacket and pointed it skyward before anyone spoke. His feet lifted from the floor, and he took off into the sky.
Elle set down the dish towel she'd been using and walked toward the exit.
Val grasped her arm and turned her around. Elle stared at her for a moment.
"I should have told him," she said.
Val's mouth opened and closed several times.
Elle peered around the group and offered a weak smile. "Thank you all for a lovely meal. I think I should go."
"Elle, stay," said Frigg. "Thor will move beyond this. Trust me."
Elle nodded. "Thank you, Lady Frigg, but I think I'd like to go back to my apartment."
"I'll take you," said Val.
"I don't want you to miss out."
"Let me take you," Meili offered.
Elle shook her head. "I'll be fine."
Frigg walked to her side and linked her arm with Elle’s. "I’ll go. I have to go pick up a few things at the Raven Weaver anyway."
"Thank you, Lady Frigg."
Frigg laid her hand on Elle's arm. "Frigg. Or Auntie Frigg, if you prefer. I meant what I said. Your mother was like a sister to me."
Elle nodded, and they walked out the door together.
Val sheathed her blades and went to follow them, but Loki grasped her hand.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Loki asked.
“To make sure they are okay.”
Loki touched her cheek. Always the protector. “Frigg's got her. They'll be fine.”
“But-”
“Let her go, Signe. She needs to stand on her own two feet. You can’t protect her forever, not from this. She needs to learn how to take care of herself, especially if she is going to be in a relationship with Thor.”
Val looked like she might protest, but then her shoulders slumped.
“Would you like to finish your dinner?”
She shook her head. “I’m not hungry. But I feel bad that all this food will go to waste.”
Loki snorted. “Obviously, you’ve never seen Fenrir and Tyr eat. I was afraid there might not be enough when we arrived.”
Val smiled up at him. “So, what was the deal at the table? You left so suddenly.”
“I just had some future flashes.”
“Of us?”
He shook his head. “No. I never have flashes of my own life. These were about Fenrir.”
Val looked back at the table where Fenrir continued to chow down as if nothing had happened.
“Is it bad?” she asked.
Loki stared at Fenrir. “I… I’m not sure.”
“But the flashes upset you.”
Loki tried to figure out how to phrase what he’d seen. “They were… ominous.”
Val squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry.”
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in tight.
The dinner had started out so well, and had then gone downhill so rapidly that he’d been caught unprepared.
He wasn’t sure what to say. He just hoped he got more flashes so he could get some more clarity before talking to Fenrir about what he’d seen.
“I’m sorry that this first dinner turned out to be such a disaster for you.”
She snorted. “Really? That was a disaster? I honestly expected so much more from you lot. You’ve all become almost boring in your old ages.”
Loki looked at her. “Old age? Do I look old to you?” He leaned in closer. “Do I feel old to you?”
She smiled. “You do not.”
Well, thank the Fates for that at least.
“Do you want to go and fight downstairs?” she asked.
Loki shook his head. “Not in the mood. But we could utilize one of the recovery rooms.”
Val sighed. “Not in the mood. But if you want to go catch a burlesque show while I head home, I understand.”
She understood? Understood what? “I’d think you should know by now that you are the only woman I want to see naked from here on out.”
Val smiled and then kissed him.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s return you to your apartment. You won’t stop worrying until you see Elle’s okay.” He raised his hand to snap his fingers, but she stopped him.
“I’d like to walk it,” she said.
“Your wish is my command, love.”