The Last Shifter (a Loki romance)

Chapter 138

I don't know how long I spent in bed trying to stop thinking about everything, but I had retreated so deeply inside myself that a knock on my door made me jump and reach for the dagger I kept under my pillow. Until I realized where I was.

"Who is it?" The door opened in response, revealing Loki. Well, Odin. The guise dropped as soon as the door shut.

"How are you doing?" That was a damn good question.

"Better, I think." I didn't feel great, but I also didn't feel as drained as earlier.

"Good, because we're going out in public." Loki said as he walked into our closet.

"Greeeeat. I suppose that means the usual servant disguise?" Loki emerged, carrying the bland, tan dress I always wore when I accompanied him in public. It was partly for safety, and partly so I could fly under the radar. It wasn't like the citizens had no idea I was on Asgard, quite the opposite, but my animosity toward Odin was no secret either. So when I was around at a public function, I wore the form of his head maid, whom he paid handsomely to keep quiet about it.

"Naturally." He replied, as he laid the dress out on my dressing table chair, "I'll meet you in Odin's chambers." Then, he replaced the guise and departed.

After taking thirty seconds to mentally prepare myself, I shifted into the maid's body and slipped into the simple dress. Then, using the 'secret' wall passages meant to make the servants invisible within the palace, I slipped into Odin's official chambers. Loki–as Odin of course–was waiting for me.

"Shall we go, my queen?" He said in Loki's voice. I cringed; I'd never become accustomed to seeing Odin look at me with anything but anger or contempt.

"Yes my King, we shall."

Several other maids joined us and the guards as Loki-Odin led the way to the main hangar in the palace. There, we boarded Odin's elaborate speeder and were flown out into the city. I was officially confused by the time we docked at the top of a tall building that had been under construction for months now. Seemingly overnight, the tarps and scaffolding had been removed, revealing massive structures of gold. A pair of golden horns not dissimilar to Loki's helm loomed over a gathering space of sorts, flanking the entrance to a larger space that contained a dais not far from a drawn curtain. But that was not what caught my gaze. That was managed by the massive statue that stood proudly in the middle of the gathering space. A massive statue of Loki, and in excellent likeness too.

"What is this?"

"You'll soon see." I could hear the laughter in his voice as he strode, with myself, the other maids, and the guards close behind, through the gathering area. It was already swarming with people. Many were smiling, some were laughing, and all the others were gawking at the massive statue of Loki. They all seemed....pleased to be there. Had I missed something?

The crowd parted for us as Loki went straight to the dais and splayed himself on the sofa–the only item of furniture in the space. The crowd was even thicker here–all vying to get a better view of the concealed stage. The guards spread themselves around the border of the dais, beyond the trellises while the other maids and I poured wine and selected a couple bushels of grapes. Once it was ready, I stood to Loki's right and presented him with the wine.

"Loki, what's going on?"

"Patience, my darling." He accepted the goblet and signalled to a man standing at the side of the stage. The man nodded and ducked behind the curtain. Then, a group of women came out from behind it and stood off to the right. A great hush fell over the crowd as the women began to sing an ethereal tune and the curtains were drawn back, revealing another Asgardian–dressed as Odin!