Page 11 of Loki's Heart

Chapter Seven

Revna was so exhausted that she drifted off, lulled rather than exasperated by Loki’s chattiness. Interestingly, or perhaps nothing more than divinity, his conversation followed her into dreams. Or had he actually followed her? Because one moment, he had been talking about how impressed he’d been by her growing powers as a child. The next, she was reliving one of those moments.

One she had no recollection of until he reminded her.

“Never let anyone hold you back, Revna.” The most impressive man she had ever laid eyes on, Loki had crouched beside her and narrowed his eyes at her target. A tiny stalagmite she and her fellow seers were in competition to knock down. It was so small that it was impossible to target with magic. “Never doubt yourself for a moment.”

“But it’s an impossible target,” she had replied, finding it curious no one else seemed to see him. “A means to humble us from getting too competitive.”

“Humble you?” He threw back his head and laughed before waving it off. “You can still be humble without sacrificing your gift. Without proving every step of the way how powerful you really are.” He narrowed his eyes even more on her target. “Do what I do, child. See it for its simplicity. For the thoughtless effort it would—”

As if his very words incited her, she narrowed her eyes on the stalagmite as well, flicked her wrist, and cleanly snapped it off.

It had been that defining moment that showed all just how powerful she actually was. For so tiny a thing also possessed a protection spell cast by her own mother, formerly the most powerful seer on Midgard.

“You were there,” she murmured, still caught in a strange sleeping wakefulness without doubt caused by Loki, “for so much.”

“For much,” he granted. “For...”

One second he was with her. The next, his voice snapped away.

Everything went from pleasantly hot to searing cold. From affectionate to disgusting. She was being sucked deeper into the dream turned nightmare. Struggling against a terrifying, draining sensation that wouldn’t let go.

“Loki,” she roared, with all the fire demon rage she could muster. If he could lock onto anything, it would be that. The only way to catch her before she was lost in whatever kind of magic this was. Because it was strong. Near lethal.

“Revna,” he roared back. Blazing fire filled her vision, followed by an odd sizzling snap. “Revna?” His steamy hand cupped her cheek. “Wake up, woman!”

Her eyes shot open to his concerned yet furious face.

She was no longer on the ground but cuddled on his lap.

“What happened?” Svend skidded to a halt beside their alcove with Cian right behind him. He frowned from Revna to Loki. “What did you do to her?”

“Nothing,” she managed, swallowing hard. “If anything, I think he saved me.”

“Here.” Loki brought a skin of cold water to her lips. “Drink.” He met Svend’s frown. “Whatever magic just tried to take her mocked our beloved fire. It was a stain on our element.”

“Where was it trying to take her?” Cian ground out.

“To a place from which she might never awake,” Truthsayer said gravely, joining them. “For that was the poisoned touch of Yrsa in her mind. Influencing her without knowing she's actually in this world yet.”

“But I thought she merely meant to drain my energy until I was no more?” Despite the hopelessness of what she had just experienced, Revna was acutely aware of being on Loki’s lap. “Much like she intends to do with Loki.” She frowned. “But that felt like something else. Something far less quick.”

“Because it was.” Truthsayer’s voice sounded creepily like Yrsa’s. “She sensed something between you and the god worth harvesting.”

“Harvesting?” Svend’s brows swept up. “Like love?”

She shot him a look she hoped Loki didn't see. Way to point out something she did not want shared. After all, how could the enemy harvest love unless one of them felt it?

“Love would be the last thing she’s interested in as it could be used as a weapon against her,” Truthsayer said, saving the day. Sort of. Not really. He eyed how Revna's dark aura pulsed at her proximity to Loki. The erotic fire flickering over her skin. “No, Yrsa, our evil false queen, is a succubus at heart. And her sort prefers desire to love. Raw lust. A never-ending source of that would be quite a prize.” He gestured at the two of them. “Something I suspect you two might be able to offer her.”

“I don’t understand,” Revna murmured, though she suspected she did.

“I think you do,” Loki rumbled, making her aura, not to mention a few other things, outright throb. “Yrsa wants you to take a bite of her forbidden fruit. To give in to me. Once you do,she’ll cast you under her succubus spell.” He narrowed an eye, evidently seeing Yrsa’s intent easily enough. “After that, it stands to reason my heart will be hers.”

So as long as Yrsa was a threat, she could give her heart to Loki but not her flesh.

To that end, she didn’t have to think long to figure out what had just happened when she slept.