The Last Shifter (a Loki romance)

Chapter 43

When Loki and I got back to the hangar, we found is completely deserted.

"Something is wrong. There should always be a guard on duty."

"We'd better get back before they miss us." We left the speeder where we found it and ran off down the hall.

Normally, I am not easily distracted but when I hear a whispered conversation going on behind a closed door, I tend to get suspicious. Only this time, the door wasn't completely closed. There was a sliver of light coming from a crack. I knew every second we delayed increased our chance of getting caught away from duty but I just couldn't resist stopping. Especially when I heard my name.

"Arista–"

"Shhh." I moved as close to the door as I dared in order to hear the conversation.

"The Shifter is losing her touch. There is no great threat on Vanaheim, merely a group of marauders, something I have been assured can be taken care of without our intervention. However, we will not be telling her that. We will give her the impression that we are prepared to march into Vanaheim at a moment's notice."

"What of Loki?"

"What about him?"

"Are we going to tell him this?"

"We cannot. He has fallen into the snare of the Shifter. Tomorrow, one of you will sabotage the map while on watch and we will take the army through the Bifrost to 'confront the enemy'. However, we will not be going to Vanaheim but to Muspelheim, where a raging fire demon has been advancing rapidly towards the capital, obliterating any obstruction in its way. It is our job to put it down." I gasped softly, but not soft enough to avoid glances by everyone to the door. Fire demons were giant fire dragons, the most powerful dragons that existed. To kill one was a crime. Normally, they were very peaceful and often aided those they deemed worthy. They were never aggressive unless they had a very good reason. Trespassing was one of them but it would only kill the trespassers. If some got away, it may or may not pursue but it would never leave its territory unprovoked. I had never encountered one myself, but that was the general legend I had learned about in history class before the Great Destruction. Fire demons were immortal and it literally took eons for one to reach full size. The age of this one would make me look like an unborn infant!

My attention was drawn back to the present, when Loki yanked me out of the way of a swinging door. Odin had come to see who had made the noise. Soundlessly, Loki slipped into the room with me in tow. A few seconds later, Odin shut the door.

"And what of Arista and Loki? They will wish to come and fight."

"Then it will be your job, as Loki's brother, to distract them long enough for us to get away."

"This is outrageous! How could Father do this to me!?"

"Come on, we have to get back. Since we can't open the door without getting busted, I'll hold the invisibility while you transport us. We can make this work to our advantage." Even mentally, Loki had sounded close to tears but he did as I asked.

When we got back to the War Room, our clones stood up.

"Was anyone here?"

"Thor came briefly with the list." Loki's clone gestured to the slip of parchment on the map controls in front of him.

"Is that all?"

"Yes." We ended the clones and collapsed in their places.

"Were we really just here an hour ago?"

"Closer to two I think." It was silent for a moment.

"I can't believe Father would do something like this to me." Loki whispered, almost to himself.