The Last Shifter (a Loki romance)

Chapter 6

Frigga spent a few minutes talking to Loki in private before he came out again.  We stood still and stared at each other for a few seconds and then both went to speak at the same time.

"Ladies first."

"I know were supposed to get to know each other but Frigga has forgotten that I'm not here on vacation.  I need you to tell me what's been going on in Vanaheim.  From the beginning."

"The one you should be asking is Hogan, one of the Warriors Three.  He's from Vanaheim and knows a great deal more about it than I do.  However, there will be another meeting tonight after the evening meal and you will be expected to attend that.  Father won't be happy about wasting time from you up to speed."

"He'll have no choice.  I'm his greatest ally, he just doesn't know that yet.

"Out of curiosity, how can that be?"

"You'll just have to wait and see.  Now, I do believe it is standard to offer guests a tour?"

The palace hadn't changed at all in the last thousand years.  Everything was in the same place.  Not even the guard patrols had changed, they were still at the same times in the same places.  Wonderful, that meant I would be able to sneak around unnoticed if I ever needed to.  Loki didn't see to notice that I wasn't paying attention, not that he said much anyway.  It was nice to be around him without having him constantly trying to break into my mind.  I learned that Loki was more of the quiet type and only said something when it was useful, he didn't ramble about random subjects.  The tour ended back at the royal hallway, in front of my chambers.

"The evening meal will begin shortly, you will have time to change should you wish."

"I think I'm good.  Thank you for the tour."

"It was my pleasure, Lady Arista." He took my hand and brushed his lips against my knuckles but then the most embarrassing thing happened.  I shocked him again.  Loki smirked.

"Well, well.  You certainly are electric milady." I didn't need a mirror to know that I was blushing.

"I think this dress will suffice.  Will you get me when it is time to go?"

"Of course." He kissed the back of my hand again, "Milady."  He disappeared into his chambers and I was reluctant to go into mine.  His absence was already starting to get to me.  I couldn't tell him now, it had to be soon.  I would just have to pull through until I could trust him and he trusted me.  I didn't really know what I should do until it was time for dinner, I didn't really feel like reading, there wasn't enough time to find anything useful anyway.  The only question was: what ring could a wear in public, with this outfit, without drawing unwanted attention?  I opened the box and laid them all out on my desk in a line.  Four of them worked like mood rings, there was the one with many colors, and another one, my nicest one by far, almost fit the bill but since the black opals didn't match the blue of my dress, that was out, I had the two gold ones but both of those had emeralds and diamonds, not sapphires, I had one made of a simple metal but since it looked like a piece of the rainbow bridge, I couldn't wear it.  My eyes fell on the last one.  It was made of purple glass with a small amount of silver, blue, and red.  Perfect.  It was rather large so I slipped it onto my right index finger and pulled my normal one off. 

"What are those?"

"What happened to knocking?" I didn't need to look up to know that Loki was standing against the doorframe with a smug look on his face. I swept my rings up and sealed them in the box.

"You left your door open again.  If you want privacy, I suggest you start closing it." 

"Is it time to go?" I knew I couldn't look up.  While I had replaced the enchantment on the white part of my eye, I had yet to put my contact back in.  I placed the box so that it would block his view of the lense but I feared he had already seen it.