3 | 𝐃𝐎𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐃 ▹ LOKI LAUFEYSON

ix. the reunion

A M O R A

Amora did not bother entering through the doors of the throne room. That would give Loki too much time to think of a clever or smooth response.

When she materialized inside the golden room, it was empty. The guards were gone, and the throne sat vacant.

Loki stood at the balcony, slumped over the rail, running his hands through his dark hair. No illusions disguised him now.

Amora was behind him in an instant. "You shut me out of Asgard?" she seethed, making Loki jolt, "Out of my home?"

He whirled around, his eyes wide. "Amora—"

"How dare you?" Amora took a step closer, and Loki leaned back into the railing.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I was just..." He sighed. "I was scared."

"Scared," Amora deadpanned, "Of me?"

"Yes."

"Good," she snapped.

Even under her glare, Loki's face softened. "It's a good look," he said, motioning to her black cloak, "Different, but good."

Amora's anger faltered, losing its fire. Although it was far from gone.

She glanced down and ran her fingers along the hem of the dark material. "Frigga left it for me."

"I know. I remember giving it to you."

Amora's head snapped up.

The sympathetic look in Odin's eyes from that day resurfaced in her mind. He had mourned with her. He had listened to her beg for her sister's life. He had seen her off before she left for Yggdrasil. Had it really been Loki all this time?

"I'm such an idiot," she muttered, shaking her head. "How did I not see it before?"

"Well, you were emotionally compromised." Loki pressed his lips together and frowned as soon as the words came out. They hardly sounded good.

"So you decided to use that to your advantage?"

"No." The word rushed out, but at Amora's raised brow, Loki sighed. "Yes," he said, lowering his gaze.

Amora felt her throat constrict. "Why did you send me away?" she asked, her voice quiet.

He closed his eyes and spoke, his voice heavy. "I was afraid that you would tell me 'no'."

Amora scoffed. "That's hardly stopped you before."

"It would have this time," Loki murmured. His jaw clenched. "But I wanted this. I've wanted this longer than I've wanted anything else." He glanced up. "Well...almost anything."

"So you decided to get it by lying? By deceiving an entire realm?"

"That's the only way I know how," Loki exclaimed, his eyes pleading for some semblance of understanding.

"And I think I'm doing well!" He motioned a hand out to the city before them. "Asgard is prospering. The people are happy."

"Yes, but you are not just king of Asgard. You are to be protector of all Nine Realms."

Amora rubbed a hand across her face, closing her eyes to Loki's remorseful gaze. "You're lucky that there are more pressing matters right now," she muttered.

"What pressing matters?"

"Ragnarok."

Loki stiffened. "That's a myth."