VAIN | Inside the Universe

Chapter Nine • Deep Cover

Agh. Fuck.

My face tenses, practically recoils, working to force out the noise that had awoken me from a deep R.E.M. I pull my covers over my head to shield myself, but the pounding had infiltrated the defenses.

"Open up!"

My eyes shot open, now realizing this wasn't a splitting headache. I wrap the bed sheet around my bare body as I walk to answer the door. The two aggressors basically fall in.

"Sorry to wake you, but also I'm not sorry at all. You're Safiya, right?" She takes a few more steps before turning around, realizing she had forgotten formalities. "I'm Sif."

My attention falls to her accessory who she carries so tenderly.  The girl bleeds in more places than one and is working hard to hold in her groans. I fix my sheet so it holds in place and I rush to get a wet towel.

"Yes, Ye-What the hell happened? Did I sleep through a war?" I take the girl from Sif's shoulder and lead her to my bed. She lies, basically whispering graces to my mattress as I start to clean her up. The tossing causes her shirt to fall, just enough to expose her broken collarbone, which she quickly acknowledges. She starts to cover it as I gently place my hand on hers, riding of any shame she had felt for injuries she had clearly not given herself.

Sif finally catches her breath and joins us at the edge of the bed. "War and Loki are basically synonymous."

My head shoots to the words as my eyebrows meet for a heated debate. "He did this? How is that possible?"

Sif rolls her head dramatically towards his victim, persuading her to speak of the account herself. The girl waits a few moments as her breathing slows and she musters up enough confidence to face us with the truth.

"I-I spent the night with him. He requested someone and I was chosen. I've never had a bad experience. They've been mind blowing actually-" Sif clears her throat to cut her off which puts the girl back on track.

"Sorry, that's not the point." She winces as she tries to move, revealing more bruises on her chest. "He's known for being rough, in the best and most tender ways possible, but not like this. He was fuming when I got to him. He said he needed to prove a point."

I quickly bring my towel to the area as I lay her back down. "How did you get in?"

"He has all the guards wrapped around his finger. They're all scared of him, even when he's locked up. A cell does not stop him from running everything. He has always held a hand behind the scenes." She gives a short laugh, which causes her to groan even more. "He told me to find you. I assume that you could help me?"

My face falls quicker than it ever has before. Guilt. An emotion of rare prevalence, making its weight even more burdensome. The feeling you build your fortress to avoid. It is my job to keep people out of his reach. I could have prevented this, yet I asked for it.

"He has his own government, doesn't he? How is it he can be absolved of all he's done? Odin cannot even control him properly." Sif scoffs at her before getting up to pace. "Don't tell me he will still have the townswomen on his side after this."

The girl smiles weakly and huffs a humorful sigh. "He's Prince Loki. If I was apart of a plan of his, it would be an honor-"

"Oh my god." I whisper under my breath before Sif starts to yell any other noise into submission.

"This is incredible! Truly incredible! I spend all my years fighting to defend the throne and the people of Asgard only for them to conspire against reason. Why am I here! This is insanity-"