The Last Shifter (a Loki romance)

Chapter 57

Asgard

Arista's POV

"We should never have let him go!" Night had fallen and they still weren't over Thor's banishment.

"There was no stopping him."

"Well at least he's only banished, not dead. Which is what we'd all be if that guard hadn't told Odin where we'd gone."

"How did the guard even know?"

"I told him." Loki and I both claimed.

"What?"

"You told the him?"

"No, I did!"

"He should be flogged for taking so long, we should never have reached Jotunheim."

"You told the guards?"

"We saved our lives. And Thor's. I had no idea father would banish him for what he did!"

"Loki, you must go to the Allfather and convince him to change his mind!"

"If I do, then what? I love Thor more dearly than any of you but you know what he is. He's arrogant, he's reckless, he's dangerous. You saw how he was today! Is that what Asgard needs from its king?" He left and I went after him, only to find him in the hall staring at his left hand.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Loki, please. I saw it happen. You cannot tell me you're not troubled by it."

"Fine. I'm troubled. Now can you leave me alone?" He stormed away.

"Loki!" But it was no use. So I followed him at a distance. He went all the way to the weapons vault and I knew exactly what he was going to do. Exactly what I would do in his situation. Touch the Casket.

Once he got there, I could see him hesitating, but only for a few seconds. Then he grabbed it by the handles. And just like that, his hands began to turn.

"Stop!" Odin had been waiting.

"Am I cursed?"

"No."

"What am I?" Loki put the Casket down.

"You're my son." He turned to face Odin, and I could see the markings of a Jotun royal on his face.

"What more than that?" He began to advance and his skin turned back, "The Casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?"

"No. In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the Temple and I found a baby. Small, for a giant's offspring, abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey's son."

"Laufeyson." He murmured, testing it out.

"Yes."

"Why? You were knee-deep in Jotun blood. Why did you take me?"

"You were an innocent child."

"No, you took me for a purpose. What was it?" No answer, "TELL ME!"

"That thought that we could unite our kingdoms one day, bring about an alliance, bring about permanent peace, through you."

"What?"

"But those plans no longer matter."

"So I am no more than another stolen relic? Locked up, here, until you might have use of me?"

"Why do you twist my words?"

"You could've told me what I was from the beginning! Why didn't you?"