A Child of Mischief (Loki/Avengers story)

15. Training the Mind

As the three of them walk back into the throne room, they each look toward the view screens. Cora shudders as she hears Ruby scream and watches her scoot on the floor to a corner of the all white room. All eyes fall on Cora as she fully enters the throne room. Cora lightly curtsies, and bows her head at everyone who looks at her.

"Darling Cora, are you alright?" Queen Frigga asks coming up to Cora and Peter.

"Yes, your Majesty. Ruby has the power to incapacitate any victim whom she feels threatened by, with her screams while she is awake or asleep. That's what was happening just a moment ago." Cora explains, Queen Frigga gives Cora a concerned look.

"It seems the only way Cora was able to shake the screams in her mind, was to remove her limitations cuff. And focus on muting the screams." Loki says to Queen Frigga as he walks out from behind Cora and Peter, and over to the view screens.

"Not to rush the test of reality that is taking place with the others, but are we able to get something to eat? I'm getting a little hungry." Cora asks, Queen Frigga gives a small smile.

"Of course. Head over to the great hall, food will be waiting for you there." Queen Frigga says, and gestures toward the doors of the throne room. Cora and Peter both bow and curtsy to Queen Frigga before they head for the great hall.

Just as they reach the great hall, Cora stops and looks back in a different direction. Peter looks behind him and see's Cora looking somewhere else.

"Everything alright, Cora?" Peter asks as he walks up to Cora.

"I need to go get something real quick." Cora says as she turns back and looks at Peter.

"What did you need to get?" Peter asks, as he looks in the direction that Cora had been looking in.

"Just a book, from the library. I promise, I'll be right back." Cora says, Peter looks back to her with curiosity in his eyes.

"You need to get it now?" Peter asks, and Cora gives him a pleading look.

"I wanted to get it now, cause if I wait till later, I may forget about it." Cora says, Peter nods and heads into the great hall. Cora turns away from the great hall and proceeds to walk to the library.

As she enters, she realizes she has no idea where the book that she is looking for is. Just as she is about to turn a corner and begin looking, Loki comes around the same corner and nearly bumps into her.

"What are you doing in here, I thought you went to the great hall?" Loki asks curiously, and sees the determination in Cora's eyes.

"I wanted to get a book." Cora simply says and steps around Loki to begin searching the shelves.

"Was it this book?" Loki asks, Cora turns and see's Loki holding up the How to Control Fear and Other Things book. Cora takes the book, and stares at the cover.

"How did you know, I would come for it?" Cora asks and looks back to Loki as she holds the book to her chest.

"It was only a matter of time, before you would decide when to take control of your powers. With what just happened, I figured you might come looking for it." Loki smirks and says.

Cora nods her head and starts to walk back toward the library entrance, but then stops and turns back to Loki.

"What are you doing in here? I thought you'd be watching and waiting to see when the others were going to wake up. Or did you know I would come for the book, and you wanted to be the one to hand it over, since you started things yesterday by telling me that I needed to do this." Cora asks and looks at the book.

"Waiting for the others to wake, is like waiting for paint to dry. It will take them each a good while before they come to. And yes, after my behavior towards you yesterday, I felt as though I needed to redeem myself and earn your trust." Loki says and places a comforting hand on Cora's shoulder, Cora looks up at Loki curiously.

"But, why? You're the God of Mischief, the one that most of the time doesn't care what happens to others, the one who plots multiple ways on how to somehow become king. Why start caring now?" Cora says confused.

Loki lightly laughs, takes his hand off of Cora's shoulder, turns away from her, and then turns back to her with a crooked smile.

"After what I thought was death came for me at the start of the battle with Thanos, I started to see the realms and those who inhabit them a whole lot differently, than I had before." Loki explains, Cora's eyes go wide ever so slightly.

"Thor had mentioned something about you not actually dying, just before Thanos wiped out over half of the world's population. I'll admit, I was nearly a goner as well. Something happened, just before Thanos did what he did, and I still can't understand why it happened." Cora says, Loki looks at her with both curiosity and concern in his eyes.

"What happened?" Loki asks intrigued, at how easily Cora is opening up to him.

"Something an unseen force of some kind had crushed my throat, at first I thought there wasn't enough air getting into the bunker that I had been housed in. But, then I felt something snap my neck. According to the team that was stationed with me, I turned blue and dropped to the floor. For Ten minutes, I was clinically dead. After the Ten minutes, I suddenly shot up gasping for air. No one can explain how that happened, or why it happened." Cora explains, and Loki's eyes nearly pop out of his head as he hears Cora explain the exact situation that had happened to him.

A green glow coming from inside Cora's bodice catches Loki's attention. Cora looks down at the same time Loki does and shakes her head.

"What is that?" Loki asks, his eyes go wide as Cora pulls the amulet out and let's it rest against her chest.

"It's the only possession that was found with me, when I was taken in by the Avengers. I thought maybe I could do research here, and see if there was anything about it in the books." Cora says, as she clutches the amulet. Loki's eyes lock onto the amulet as he makes a realization. Getting rid of the shocked expression on his face, Loki looks at Cora, who just stares at him as he looks up at her.

"I may know someone who might know where that is from. But, you'll have to trust me, because I'm going to need—" Loki says, and gets cut off by Cora.

"You need to take it, don't you?" Cora asks keeping her hand around the amulet, Loki nods and begins to reach for the amulet when Cora stops him.

"I wouldn't do that. The amulet has a mind of its own... if it senses any threat to me or to it, it pushes out a blast of energy that sends the would be attacker flying back in to the air." Cora says, and Loki puts his hand down.

"It's almost as though the amulet acts as a protection barrier for you." Loki says as he looks at Cora, Cora nods. Not taking long to decide if she can trust Loki, Cora takes the amulet off from around her neck and holds it out for Loki to take.

"How long do you think it will take before you know something?" Cora asks as Loki takes the amulet from her.

"No more than a few days. Once I get any type of information, I will let you know and return the amulet to you. But, for now you should get back, before the spider comes looking for you." Loki says wholeheartedly, as he places the amulet in a hidden pocket in his jacket. Cora nods, turns, and begins to leave the library. Just before she fully leaves, she turns back to Loki.

"Thank you, for the book." Cora says and turns back to leave the library. Tucking the book under her arm, Cora makes her way to the great hall.

"You're welcome, Adamaris." Loki says to himself as he watches Cora round the corner out of sight.