Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 46

Loki turned to look to Heimdall, desperation in his gaze, which made him more formal and commanding. He was taking charge and would do everything in his power to save Morgan. "The Allmother gave you the approximate location?" He asked of Heimdall. This was the prince of Asgard addressing one of his subjects, not Loki addressing the slightly terrifying Heimdall.

Heimdall inclined his head, looking at Loki with a newfound respect for the younger prince. It seemed Loki had learned and grown in both his time on Midgard and his time ruling Jotunheim. "She did, prince," Heimdall replied formally. Loki had kept his title of prince of Asgard, even while he ruled Jotunheim, even while he was stuck in Jotun form. At Loki's nod, Heimdall moved to the sword and opened the Bifrost.

Loki and Amora went straight for the Bifrost, not wasting any more time. They landed in the middle of suburbia. Loki had no idea where they were, but that didn't matter. This was the spot Frigga had narrowed down for them. It was up to Loki and Amora to find Morgan from here.

Loki looked to Amora, hoping she really was on her best behavior that day. "Did mother tell you how to find Morgan?" He asked hopefully.

Amora nodded and put her hand on Loki's arm. "Just give the order, Lolo," she said with a teasing smirk, dragging up an old nickname for Loki from the bowels of Hel where Loki had thought it was safely buried away. He loathed that nickname, but he wouldn't deny her the use of it at the moment, not when Morgan's life was on the line.

"Take us to Morgan, Amora. Please," he added the last as an afterthought. It wouldn't do to be rude or cruel to the woman helping him, even if she was enslaved by Odin, even if this wasn't her choice.

The royal command was enough. The collar glowed with magic before Amora teleported them. Loki understood immediately. The magic in the collar force Amora to obey Loki's order. He'd ordered her to take them to Morgan. The magic worked even though Amora didn't actively know where Morgan was. She would still obey the order.

Loki practically sighed in relief when the teleporting took, then they actually disappeared. It was going to work.

They reappeared and Loki immediately saw Morgan sitting on the ground in an empty park, propped up against a tree. She had clearly decided to sit down for a moment to recover from teleporting before she sought help. Which was the absolute worst thing she could have done.

She looked so drained and pale and so very, very lifeless. She didn't move and Loki couldn't see her breathing. He was too far away, but she still looked so very, very dead.

Loki's heart fell and he raced over to her, beyond desperate and frantic. "Ana!" He cried. He knelt beside her, but she didn't move, didn't stir, didn't acknowledge him. He reached to touch her pulse. He sighed in relief. It was weak, but there. She wasn't dead, but she was in a magic-drain coma. She needed to be treated immediately. Loki swept her up into his arms and cradled her close to his chest. She still didn't move or stir at all, not acknowledging him and barely breathing. "We must return to Asgard!" He told Amora with panic in his voice. Amora nodded and the two moved to an open area where the Bifrost could be opened safely.

Loki looked up at the sky and cradled Morgan closer to him, desperately willing her to hold on until Frigga could help her. "Heimdall!" He cried, not caring that Amora was watching him and could see in that moment exactly how much he loved Morgan. How he had moved on from Amora.

The Bifrost opened around them a moment later, Heimdall must have been watching them. Loki wasn't surprised. They reappeared in the Bifrost chamber after the trip up the Bifrost. Loki held Morgan closer in his arms, not wanting any accidents on the Bifrost. The moment they had safely arrived, he teleported to the healing wing, calling out for his mother. He wouldn't dare order her around, but one of the princes in the healing wing bellowing "MOTHER!" At the top of their lungs tended to get the result of Frigga coming running to help.

Frigga did come into the room, though maintained the air of her eternal calm. She didn't rise to Loki's panic. It wouldn't help. "Here, darling," Frigga told Loki gently. She turned, expecting to be followed and obeyed and led the frantic Loki into one of the private rooms.

Loki laid Morgan down on the bed when Frigga gestured to it. "Can you help her?" He asked his mama with pain and terror in his voice. He knew this was terrible. He knew how unlikely it was that a new mage could teleport safely. Magic comas were beyond dangerous.

His heart hurt with the state Morgan was in, with the uncertainty of her future. This was all his fault. He'd left her without protections. And now she could die from over stretching her abilities.

He didn't know what he would do if he lost her.

He wasn't sure he could survive losing her forever. The months he'd been in Jotunheim had nearly destroyed him. He couldn't face an eternity without her, not when he finally had her back, had finally started to find love.

Frigga looked Morgan over for a long, long time, her magic flowing over the girl.

Loki waited with baited breath, hoping against hope for any answer besides certain death. He could handle anything, her hating him, anything but her being taken from him forever.