Sorcha's Secret World, Part 2: Mystery and Mischief.

Chapter 25, A price paid in blood.

(Trigger warning: Major character death)

I threw on a pair of jeans and my red sweater and knocked on Jessie's door.
"Mum?" a sleepy head appeared after a few moments.
"It's time sweetie. Grab your bag, and go with Hogun."
Jessie put on her dressing gown and a pair of boots over her pyjamas and picked up the bag we had packed for her a few days ago.
I knocked on Carter's door as well.
"Carter, wake up, you need to go!"
"Mum, do I really have to go?" Jessie asked looking worried as I walked her to the door.
"You do sweetie, it's not safe to stay here."
"But grandfather will be in Asgard, right?"
"No, I will not, my place is here." Odin walked in, an impressive sight in his full armour, his helmet under his arm.
"But Heimdall and a servant will be waiting for you there, Jessica."
"I won't know anyone there," Jessie looked at me in a panic, her anxiety getting the better of her.
"You'll be safe there, and I'm sure the people there will be nice," I looked at Odin in the hope he'd back me up.
The AllFather put his hand on Jessie's shoulder.
"Listen, you can not stay here, your mother and father can not fight and worry about you simultaneously. But there are rooms ready and waiting for you, and there is a huge library with plenty of books that you will be able to read."
He smiled, his cragged face suddenly kind.
"The cook in Asgard makes the best honey cakes in the realms, ask a servant to bring you some.
And if anyone tells you no about anything, remind them you are my granddaughter and the AllFather has decreed you shall not want for anything during your stay."
Jessie looked at me again and I nodded at her.
"Go with Hogun, you'll be safe there."
I held out my arms and held her tight for a moment.
"Be careful mum, and keep an eye on Loki. He always runs into danger without thinking," Jessie's voice was muffled as she buried her face against me.
"I will," I smiled. "Now go. And Jessie, I love you."
"Love you too, mum."
Carter came running out of her room.
"Go with Hogun and Jessie," I told her.
"But..."
"Go! I can not be worrying about you in the middle of a warzone, Carter, I need you to be safe!"
Without waiting for an answer I went back into our bedrooms to finish getting dressed. Loki was almost done getting into his armour. I put on my black leather boots and a short black leather jacket. It wasn't the same as the magnificent armour the others were wearing, but it was comfortable and it would just have to do.

One of the spare rooms in the hold had been converted into a temporary Situation Room and the others would already be there. Together, we walked through the hallway.
Loki's face was pale and drawn, his brow creased into a frown. Everything depended on the plans he, Matt and Odin had drawn up in the previous days. If this went wrong, the loss of life would be immeasurable.
I took his hand and gave him a gentle squeeze.
"You did everything you could. Now have faith in yourself, my love. I do."
Loki gave a little smile. Then, changing his mind, he shook his head. He handed me Laufey's Staff.
"There's one thing I haven't tried, and now is the time. Darling, tell Father I will join you all anon."
Loki let go of my hand and turned around to walk back.
"Where are you going?"
"Best you don't know," he said.
"Promise to be careful, okay?"
Loki gave an apologetic smile. "I'm trying not to make any promises to you that I won't be able to keep, so please, do not ask me that."
"Loki!"
I walked towards him and took his hands in mine.
"I can't lose you, you understand that, right? Please! You are my sun, my moon, my stars and my universe too! You light up my whole life and I would be lost without you!"
I blinked away the tears that suddenly burned in my eyes.
"I love you," I whispered.
"And I love you," Loki's voice was hoarse as he blinked away his own tears. "More than you will ever know, with my whole heart. I don't think you will ever fully understand what you mean to me."
His lips brushed tenderly against mine.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back, suddenly scared to lose everything we had built up together.
Loki gently untangled himself from my embrace. His eyes lingered on my face taking in each and every one of my features as if he was memorising them.
"You are so beautiful..." he whispered.
"Loki..."
"Never forget how much I love you. More than there are stars in the sky, until my heart stops beating, and beyond that.
Now go, you are needed in the Sit Room and I need to change. Hopefully, I'll join you soon with the news I have stopped this cursed war before it began."
I watched him walk back to the bedrooms. I had no idea what he was planning, all I could do was trust in him and that brilliant mind of his.