“Tillie!” my mother called up the stairs. “Is everything okay?”
Panicked, I slid to the right, away from the tempting man in my bedroom. “Just fine, Mother. I tripped over my boot.”
“You should learn to pick them up, clumsy girl.” But my mother fell blessedly silent after that, going back to whatever she had been doing.
“Tillie,” Loki murmured, smiling triumphantly. His hand still hovered, as if he didn’t realize I had moved away from his reach. And then he noticed how far I had moved, putting some distance between us, and his eyes narrowed. “You have no need to fear me.”
“It seems like a bad decision to trust a trickster,” I pointed out.
“Ah, but we’re the best to have on your side.” He let his hand fall and backed further away, giving over more distance to offer comfort. Reaching into his breast pocket, he pulled out a crème-colored card and laid it on the writing desk. “Meet us here tomorrow, and we will discuss our bargain.”
“I didn’t agree.”
Loki met my eyes as he moved towards the window. That must have been how he got into my room in the first place, though I wasn’t sure how. I was above the ground floor and I had removed anything that could be used to climb outside of it. Nevermind the locks I had installed personally.
“You will,” he answered, the corner of his lips curling. He looked around my room again, studying the pinks. “I think you would be more of a dark purple or the color of crushed blood rubies.” Then he winked, said, “See you tomorrow, Tillie,” and jumped out my second story window.
I rushed to the open dormer and stared out, searching for any sign of him, but it was fruitless.
Loki was already gone.
Chapter Ten
It was far colder than it should have been for spring, and it was only getting colder. I had been prepared for rain after judging the sky before I left the house, but I was not prepared for snow. There should not have even been a chance for snow, and yet the sky had that pinkish tint to it that told me there was.
I pulled my coat closer around me, even though it didn’t do a bit of good, and stared down at the card in my hand, at the thick, ornate cardstock that only held an address and nothing more. If I tilted it in the light, it would sometimes carry a green sheen that I associated with Loki’s eyes, as if he could not help but leave a reminder of himself. It annoyed me that I didn’t need the reminder at all.
The address took me into a rougher section of town than I had assumed Loki and Thor lived in, though I supposed it was far more inconspicuous for them to do so. The elites talked and had their nose in everyone’s business. Just leaving my house, I had to discuss with three different ladies where I was heading off to. Of course, I didn’t tell them the truth, but they didn’t know that. A bunch of nosy birds, the lot of them.
In contrast, those in the lower classes had a penchant for not speaking at all, especially to people in any sort of power to cause trouble. It was a clever distinction, one that could benefit someone who didn’t want eyes on them.
I know all about illusions, little spy.
Those words were starting to make more and more sense.
I had no problems with the rougher side of town. In fact, it was where I came to relax often and without worry of someone telling the whole community about it, but I had not been prepared. If I wore anything but my finery during the daytime hours, I stuck out leaving my home. But in this part of town, my dress made me stand out worse. I couldn’t very well wear my trousers and corset during the day, not without drawing eyes, and I was normally one to blend in completely, but this day called for something else. Because I had little choice, I became nothing more than a lady lost in the wrong part of the city.
“You lost, crumpet?” an older gentleman asked. He stood off to the side, leaning against the wall. With his weathered skin and the tattoos peeking out on his forearms, I figured him for an old sailor or airship jockey. He seemed kindly enough, but I didn’t relax. Even the kindest smile could hide a serpent.
“Oh, I’m so embarrassed,” I replied in the smooth voice I had been trained to use at balls and around others of the elite. “I’m trying to find an address, one my friend insisted was the best place to find handmade china, but I’ve gotten myself all turned around I’m afraid. Can you point me towards Channel Street?”
His eyes looked me up and down, and though I didn’t feel no ill-will from him, I still felt him cataloguing each item that could be worth money. “A lady like you ought not to be walking the streets by yourself. There’s lots of people out here willing to take advantage.” He tapped his chin in thought. “Lucky, Channel Street is only up one more block. I’d suggest going and getting back to your part of the city before it gets dark. Perhaps, I can call a stagecoach for you?”
“No, no. I appreciate the gesture,” I said, smiling warmly at him. “I’ll be quick and on my way. Thank you for your kindness, sir.” I kept up the façade, smiling, before I continued in the direction he pointed. Of course, I had known exactly how much further Channel Street was, but men only wanted to see a vulnerable woman. They didn’t want to see one that could kill them before they ever knew they were dying. They didn’t like their masculinity questioned, and a lady in distress was too prime of an opportunity to show off that masculinity to pass.
The moment I was far enough away, I dropped the false smile and glanced up at the numbers stamped into the bricks, searching for the one on the card. When I paused outside of the perfect match, I simply stared at it. It looked no different than the rest of the city, the same exact stonework as those around it, and it looked rather run down, as if there had been no maintenance done on it. It wasn’t the same house I had escaped from. The grass was thick with weeds and thistles, a patch of earth where a garden used to be laying barren. Even with the unseasonable cold, flowers should have been growing without any maintenance at all.
Slipping the card away into my pouch, I moved up the stairs and knocked on the paint-chipped door. For a moment, no sound came from inside, and then when it did, the heavy foot falls echoed. What sounded like at least six locks were unlatched before the door opened on Thor’s striking face.
His eyes widened when he saw me, and then widened again when he looked down at the column of my throat and the clothing I wore. “I thought Loki was full of shit when he said you were coming.”
“He’s still full of shit,” I reassured him, “but I decided to at least give you my ear.”
Thor smiled and stepped back, gesturing for me to come inside. I moved up the last step and brushed past him, taking in the luxurious inside of the home. The outside had made it appear as if the house would be practically crumbling but inside, it was the complete opposite.
“Illusions,” I mumbled, staring up at the crystal chandelier that was far more expensive than the one my mother took pride and joy in.
“Yes, Loki is fond of them.” Thor stared at me, studying the clothing I wore and the gentle twist of my hair. The last time he had seen me, I was dressed in my covert clothing, meant to blend into the night. Now, here I stood dressed as a lady of high society. I bet it was rather confusing. “It’s no wonder he likes you.”
I tried not to let the subtle warmth that spread through my chest at those words show. These people were from a different world, had caused a lot of bloodshed the day prior, and just because they wore attractive faces didn’t mean I should be worried if they liked me or not.
I shot a grin over to Thor as I picked up a silver candlestick. The metal was heavy and shined with some sort of chameleon effect. I had never seen anything like it. “Does that mean you don’t like me, muscles?” I asked him, watching for his reaction.
“You tried to stab me,” he pointed out, an amused smile curling his lips.
“But I didn’t.” I shrugged, as if I attempted to stab people all the time. He didn’t have to know that I did. “And you’re avoiding the question, big man.”
Something about him, about Loki, made me want to dro
p the mask I was always forced to wear. These two men were not from London, did not care for social etiquette or rules, and if I slipped, they wouldn’t know who to report it to. For once, I felt like being myself, and so I found myself turning to the large man, watching as he crossed his arms across his considerable chest. Bloody hell, I had never seen so many muscles on a man before.
Thor’s eyes narrowed as he looked me up and down. Perhaps, he was just studying me, but I saw the interest that flashed in his eyes, and I waited like a cobra ready to strike.
“I do not like playing with knives like Loki does,” he gave as a reason for why he didn’t like me, but I had already seen that for the lie it was.
I moved across the marble floor, coming to a stop right before the mountain of a man. “What do you like playing with, Thor?”
“Hammers.”
I raised my brow. That made perfect sense with the muscles and the large hammer I had seen him wield during the battle. “A good pounding does a woman good.”
Caught off guard by my words, Thor choked, his eyes narrowing further on me as he looked at my smiling face. I kept my expression pleasant, innocent even, held it in place as Loki strode into the room, his fiery hair catching on the soft light filtering through the windows.
“Don’t let her get to you, Thor. I have no doubt she’s searching for weaknesses.” I was, but he didn’t need confirmation.
“It’s no different than you did last night when you came inside my bedroom uninvited.”
Thor turned his gaze on Loki. “You went into her quarters?” There was annoyance in his voice, as if it were common practice that Loki ignored social etiquette. A soft growl came from his throat and I refused to think about how attractive of a sound it was.
“Calm down, Thor. It was only so I could confront her and convince her to meet us. We did nothing of note.” Loki turned and gestured over his shoulder, dismissing the conversation.
I looked up at Thor again and saw the frown on his face, the annoyance, and I saw an opportunity to stir up trouble. When Thor met my eyes, I tilted my chin up and I winked conspiratorially, planting the seed that Loki had just lied to him, that we had shared something other than a brief conversation. The frown deepened.
“Since you’re here, I assume that means you accept the bargain?” Loki turned back around, a crystal glass in his hand that he offered to me. I moved across the room and took it, smelling it carefully.
“This isn’t drugged, is it?” When he shook his head, I took a sip of what turned out to be whiskey, and probably some of the best whiskey I had ever tasted. “I’ll only accept that bargain if it means certain people are protected and safe.”
“They’ll be safe from us,” Thor murmured.
“However,” Loki added, “once you hear what we have to say, you might realize that it was never us you had to fear, anyways.” The green fire in his eyes ignited again and he took a step closer to me. “There are things in this world that don’t belong, things set in motion that we tried to prevent and failed.”
“Ragnarök,” I nodded. I still didn’t understand what it meant, really, but the two men seemed to take it very seriously.
“Yes. If you agree to this, you’ll learn of things you never dreamed of.”
My mask dropped completely. I was intrigued, that was certain, and the temptation to tease the two men, to see what else I could obtain from them, was too tempting to pass up. It had been so long since I could forgo my mask with anyone besides my mother. It had been so long since I could speak without judgement.
“I have a pretty good imagination,” I argued, my eyes crinkling. “One time, I dreamed that Lady Smith down the street invited me to another one of her atrocious balls, but here’s the real horror. When I arrived, I realized I was naked! And then when I looked closer, we were all naked!” Loki’s face scrunched up in confusion whereas Thor tilted his head as if I had grown a second set of arms. “And let me tell you,” I continued as if I didn’t see their looks. “My imagination is the devil, because I can never get the vision of Lady Smith’s saggy tits and her husband’s even saggier—”
“Whoa!” Thor interrupted. “We don’t need to go any further with that conversation.” He seemed flabbergasted with my story, as if he had never expected those particular words to come out of my mouth, and that was the kicker. It was why I couldn’t be myself around most people. No matter how many lessons I had, no matter the new masks I wore, my true self was boisterous and crude. My mother hated it. But I could tell that Thor and Loki didn’t mind so much.
Attempting to hide my smile, I turned to meet Thor’s gaze before shrugging. “Will we take tea in the sitting room, or would you prefer to clear my mind of Lord Smith’s naked flesh and replace it with the sight of your own?”
His brow raised, and for a moment, he didn’t speak, as if he were truly considering the option that he had not realized was an option at all.
“She’s jesting,” Loki laughed, shaking his head.
“Like hell, I am,” I growled, turning to the trickster. “Have you seen the muscles on this man?”
Thor straightened, his chest puffing out like a peacock, his ego stroked as thoroughly as the other things I would like to stroke. I almost expected him to flex said muscles, but he never got the chance.
“We’re never going to get anything done,” Loki grumbled, shaking his head. “I’ll go make tea.”
I watched him go, before grinning up at Thor. I wiggled my brows at him. “So, how strong are you, exactly?”
Chapter Eleven
Thirty minutes later and I was wishing I had paid better attention in the mythology lessons Thod had attempted to drill into my brain. I didn’t do well with theories and Gods, didn’t believe in myths, except, two of those very myths were apparently sitting before me.
“Wait,” I said, holding up my hand and stopping whatever Loki had been about to say. “Can we start again?”
“Which part do you not understand?” Loki asked, not angry in the slightest at being asked to repeat everything.
“It’s not that I don’t understand it. The two of you are Gods. The world is ending. I get that.”
Loki looked at me expectantly. “Then?”
“I just don’t know if I believe it.”
“But you’ve seen what we can do,” Thor pointed out.
“I saw a woman with trained wolves fighting like I do. I saw a man wielding a hammer that shot out lightning. I saw a magician.” Thor and Loki’s faces twisted in annoyance at the same time. “Contrary to what you think, there are weapons made by a man named Tesla that also shoot electricity.”
“Not like mine,” Thor huffed, crossing his arms.
“And I’ve seen magicians throw ‘magic’ and illusions to fight. I took down a ‘warlock’ just two weeks ago that went around and scared people while he picked their pockets.”
“Neither of those examples are the same as our powers.” Loki tilted his head. “What exactly is it that stops you from believing us?”
“It’s just so far-fetched.”
“And yet, a lady who dresses in fancy attire during the day and becomes a spy at night is not absurd?”
I opened my mouth to argue before clamping it shut. That was true. While my mother had been in the same situation, there were not many of us. Many women decided to go into a different field altogether, but I liked the adrenaline of being a spy, liked the feeling of slipping through the shadows.
“Precisely.” Loki leaned back, smug at my silence.
“A double agent is hardly the same thing as a God.” I adjusted my skirts around, getting more comfortable.
Thor leaned forward and my eyes went to his biceps where the muscle flexed. “Haven’t you noticed how cold it is?”
“Sure, I have. It’s an unseasonably cold spring, but this is England. The weather is a sore subject.”
Loki stood as if he could no longer sit still and began pacing along the length of the room. “It’s not just an unseasonable cold,
Tillie. It’s the first stage of Ragnarök.”
I was really going to have to ask Thod for his book on Norse mythology when I got the chance. Some of the words that were coming out of Thor and Loki’s mouths seemed familiar, not in the sense that I had heard them before. There was something about the word Ragnarök that made my bones ache in some way, but otherwise, I was a blank slate. “If this is the first stage, then how many stages are there altogether? How many do we have before the world ends completely?”
Pausing his pacing, Loki turned and met Thor’s eyes. For a moment, neither spoke, as if they were both counting the stages in their heads. “We only have our own myths and legends to go on, but the best we can tell is there are around twenty stages. That could be wrong, however, and there could be more or less than that.”
“Lovely,” I grumbled. More non-information.
“Some of the stages are small,” Thor continued, watching me closely. I wasn’t sure if he watched me because he was worried for my sanity or because he was waiting to see if I would ask to see him naked again. “Like the everlasting winter. That is relatively small. But some are big, like the stage that supposedly follows the absolute winter.”
I leaned forward. “And what is the stage?”
“The twin wolves, Skoll and Hati, will swallow the sun and moon.”
I stared at him for one beat, two beats, before I burst out laughing at the absurdity of such a sentence. It was a full belly laugh, one that I couldn’t control in the slightest. It continued to tumble from my lips until my stomach hurt, until I finally got it under control. Still, small giggles slipped out as I met Thor’s eyes.
“Twin wolves will swallow the sun and moon! Do you hear yourself?”
Thor’s expression didn’t change, didn’t even show a hint of amusement. “Yes, and I’m not jesting.”
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