Page 19 of Loki's Heart

“How do we go about this?” Never so eager, he looked from Cian to Revna. “How do we bind our hearts?”

“With great care.” Cian crouched in front of Revna and met her eyes. “You understand it will be more uncomfortable this time?” He rested his hand against her heart. “Not only are you forfeiting a piece of your heart, but it’s merging with that of a god’s. With power far beyond what you’re used to.”

“Will she be able to handle it?” Loki might want to keep her safe, but not at the expense of hurting her with divine energy. “Will my power harm her irrevocably?”

“No,” she said softly. Her gaze flickered to him. “Not physically, anyway.”

When he frowned in confusion, she went on.

“Considering my feelings, there’s a chance my heart could break after this,” she responded. “Not in the sense that it stops beating but that it’s wounded in an emotional sense.”

“Because she loves you,” Cian went on, “you have the power to break her heart in a way that could prevent her from ever loving again.”

“Which isn’t something I’m prone to, anyway,” Revna clarified, “so little harm should be done in the end.”

“Assuming I break your heart,” Loki said.

“Assuming,” she concurred.

He had never loved another, so he had no idea how to break such a thing. It seemed she hadn't either, so only saw so much threat in it.

“Let’s just do it.” Revna rested her hand over Cian’s and took Loki’s hand. “Let us grow stronger before we face our enemy.” As the wizard bowed his head and began chanting in Gaelic, flames erupted in her eyes when they met Loki’s. “Are you willing to join hearts, god? To accept a piece of mine given of my own free will?”

“I am.” He couldn’t imagine saying no.

“Then so it will be.” She stood, raised her hands by her side, palms-up, and closed her eyes.

“Here.” Cian urged Loki to stand in front of her and then continued chanting along with her.

Loki had witnessed outstanding magic in his life, but nothing so deep and heartfelt than the power Revna used now. A fiery pink heart sparked to life beside her key. Bits of flame swirled inan arc over her head from palm to palm as if she juggled the best element known to mankind.

His own palms sparked as if feeling what she felt before his chest tightened, and her heart burned brighter. What happened next was hard to describe, other than it would forever change his life.

The flaming arc swept down through her chest before exploding into the fiery heart. His heart. He fell to his knees at the impact. The sheer indescribable privilege. The searing intensity of feeling her heart wrap around his. Feeling something he never had, not once, in his long existence, felt.

Another person.

Revna.

In a way that went far beyond what any godly powers had ever allowed him to feel. Raw humanity. Untouchable fire demon. Pure seer.

“Loki,” she whispered. The magic faded and a tear leaked from her eyes before she seemed to pass out, and he caught her.

“What’s happened to her?” He looked at Cian in fear. Her heart didn't seem to be beating. She had vanished from his mind. “Is she...did I...?”

When the wizard didn’t answer right away, he roared with such godly anguish the water sloshed from the ponds, and stalagmite’s crashed down. “Is she alive, Cian?”

He couldn’t see beyond the strange blur of moisture in his eyes. Couldn’t think beyond the staggering torture that he might have just ended her life without meaning to. That his divinity was too much for her heart.

“She’s alive,” Cian finally managed. His brows furrowed as he cupped her cheeks and pressed his forehead to hers. “She’s just...somewhere else.”

“What do you mean, somewhere else?” Svend asked when the seers joined them. Worry lit his eyes. “Tell me it’s not somewhere Yrsa can get to her.”

“I’m not sure,” Cian murmured.

“Can you reach her?” Loki asked. “Connect with her?”

“I don’t know.” Cian took her from Loki’s arms and sat on the ground, so his back rested against a log. “Give me a few minutes. Let me try to find out where she is.”