Loki After Endgame: Cheating Death

Chap 17: Death Comes Swiftly

Kamilla:

I'm startled from my heavy sleeping pill induced sleep the next morning by a painful tingling sensation, and a ferocious tightness around my chest. Immediately I open my eyes and see Loki standing over me with a haughty expression; the pale light casts his face in dark shadows as his eyes gleam dangerously.

"Here's a little lesson in trickery for you; don't start a fight you cannot win!"

My heart starts racing and I can't breath, I try to sit up but something pins me down. I glance at my chest and realize that three brightly colored snakes are coiled tightly around my arms and chest constricting me. They hiss violently as they tighten around me, squeezing the air from my lungs. I try to escape their grasp but I can't move an inch. Panic shrieks through my mind, and a small whimpering part of me wants to beg, please don't hurt me, please Loki. Please, please. Please don't, I will do anything if you'll just make it stop.

Loki's eyes glisten as his angular cheeks are illuminated from the dim cabin lights. "You didn't actually think you could outwit me, did you? I've had years of practice. I am a master in trickery." He leans forward to flash his perfectly white teeth, "I always win."

I shove that small pathetic and fearful part of me away, I will not be a victim!
"I've escaped worse," I snap cooly, as I struggle against his enchantment and call forth my own magic to break his spell.

He sighs, looking at me as if I'm a child, then smirks, "I'll let you go, if you admit that I'm better than you."

I rail against his magic but it's too strong, I can't seem to break the spell. Panic trills up my spine once more and my blood boils, I want so badly to prove him wrong but instead I swallow my fears. "Fine." I grumble, "You're better at everything. You win. Are you satisfied?!"

He grins smugly his arms crossed, "For now."

Then he snaps his fingers and instantly the snakes vanish, and air rushes back into my burning lungs.

I jump to my feet, anger coursing through my veins. "Fine, maybe I had that coming. But now we're even." I take a deep calming breath, trying to push the terrifying panic from my mind, "But don't ever creep up on me while I'm sleeping!"

"Oh, I do apologize, if I frightened you Little Witch." He sneers, "But why would you assume that I would ever play by your rules?"

I ignore his taunting and sit back down on my bed, trying to steady my trembling hands. I close my eyes to rub my temples, and try to push the resurfacing memories aside, as I remind myself what's real.
It's okay. I'm perfectly safe. I am not a victim.

I fix my mind on the noises Thor's making in the kitchen, and the knot in my stomach unclenches. I'm not crazy.

I take a deep breathe and force myself to think rationally just like my therapist taught me.

I know Thor won't let Loki hurt me. Just like I know Loki's only trying to get a rise out of me, likely because he's bored. I hope he doesn't remember much about last night, or he'll resent that I got him drunk and peeked through his slumbering mind. I made him dream of Sif because I wanted to know how he felt about her. I wince, feeling guilty. It was actually pretty sad, she was his first love; he was enamored by her. He tried to get her to notice him, but it was no use, she only seemed to have eyes for Thor. He would awkwardly try to flirt with her, by teasing her relentlessly, but that only made her dislike him more. After he cut off her hair she mocked and teased him mercilessly, clearly resenting him. His pain and rejection eventually hardened into a sharp blade of obsessive hatred, until they became bitter enemies.
I let my mind wander, letting the tension in my limbs fade away as my breathing grows steady.