Twisted [Degenerate Series, Book 1][Blackfrost] ✔️

Chapter 26

Heimdall turned his orange gaze to the end of the bifrost, watching as the king, Odin, approached him.

"My King," Heimdall said, quietly but surely, bowing his head slightly.

"Heimdall," Odin returned, "where have you sent Thor?"

Odin had seen the lights from the end of the bifrost. He knew Thor was gone.

Heimdall blinked slowly, "the prince showed a desire to return to Midgard, my king," he replied slowly.

The king stared daggers at Heimdall, fuming. He knew he couldn't change time and stop Thor from leaving, but at least he could handle the future. "You are to open the bifrost to no one. At least, until my say so," Odin paused. "You wouldn't disobey a direct order from your king, am I correct, gatekeeper?"

"You are," Heimdall agreed. He blinked, casting his gaze upon Thor and the mortal as Thor explained the situation to her. She didn't look happy. Heimdall returned his gaze to his king.

"Good," Odin said, and turned to leave.

*Loki*

Nothing about my punishment compared to the heat of the room. The heat was so horrible because I now had burns running up my body.

I could feel the room getting hotter and hotter each day. I noticed, after a while, a redness to my skin, as if I had been in the sun for too long.

After a few more days in the never ending heat, the burns started to become uglier and much more painful. I knew a week had passed when I was finally allowed to sleep. Though I had a nap earlier in the week, I was completely exhausted. Sif had not returned since her visit, and I had been nothing short of miserable since.

"You have an hour," the guard told me. Immediately understanding, I collapsed from my sitting position, my eyes closing. I was asleep instantly, whatever strength I had left completely gone.

A kick in the ribs woke me an hour later. It didn't feel like I slept at all. I clutched my ribs and sat up. The guard had my water and my food. I downed each as slowly as I could, trying my best to savor the sense of humanity.

Humanity, I thought, letting my eyes slip closed. The guard kicked at my hand, sending what was left of my water cascading onto the floor. I let a groan as I watched it spill. My mouth felt drier than ever, knowing I wasn't going to get any more water until tomorrow.

*Natasha*

The days were rushing by. The two week deadline was less than two days away. I felt sick with each passing moment. I asked Thor to call for Heimdall as much as he could, but Thor kept insisting that something must be happening, preventing the gatekeeper from opening the bifrost.

"Thor," I said in a pleading voice one late afternoon when darkness had already fallen outside. Loki's absence was feeling all too real. I didn't realize how much I cared about him until he was gone. "There must be some way to get to Asgard without the bifrost."

Thor was sitting on Loki's bed, munching on a frozen waffle and I felt a surge of annoyance. "I'm sorry, Natasha, but the only other way is by spaceship, and that would take months."

I bit the inside of my cheek. "Then we must check with Heimdall again."

"It's been an hour since we last did that," Thor argued, but stood anyway. I could tell that he, too, was worrying for Loki and was confused about Heimdall's silence.

We went outside and called for Heimdall, but received no answer, as always. I walked back inside and threw myself on the couch, having no plans to get up any time soon.