Page 34 of Tangled Fates

Loki glared at me from the floor, but I really didn’t care.

Why the hell was I in the guest room? I looked around to see the door closed, which I never did unless mother was home. Wait, was mother home? I got up quickly, stumbling a bit before I grabbed the door to open it. When it didn’t move, I pulled at it again.

Nothing.

“What the hell?” I said, yanking again so hard my head throbbed again.

I pushed myself off the doors, breathing slowly because I needed to heal this headache, which was getting worse.

“Flos nitor et rutilans tua virtus luceat,” I whispered, feeling my magic sluggishly pour out of me.

What would have been a really quick healing session, was long and drawn out, making me shake with exertion. I fell to my knees, my body shaking as I felt clammy from sweat. This was getting worse.

Dread pooled in my stomach; what was going on? Was I sick or just losing my magic? A hundred questions ran through my head, thinking it was time to tell Mother what was happening to me. What would she think? Would she still protect me, stay with me or would she feel free from the burden of protecting me.

It was no secret Mother really didn’t treat me like her daughter. She had always been cool with me, only giving me affection a few times. I don’t know if Mother didn’t have a maternal bone in her body or if the burden of my magic weighed heavily on her to protect me. Would she care about me when she realized I didn’t need her anymore? Would she be relieved? Now, losing my magic didn’t seem so appealing.

Being alone to navigate the world seemed daunting. I wanted freedom, but I didn't want it by myself.

The sound of voices made me perk up a bit. They were male voices that sounded oddly the same, like twins.

Oh shit.

Gray’s brother found him. That’s why I was locked in this room, I knocked myself out on a chair while I was trying to get out of his hold. I touched my head realizing where the bump on my head had come from. The throbbing had dulled tremendously, but if I paid attention enough, I knew it was there.

“I don’t know, Soren,” the voice snapped.

The other voice was now muffled until I heard footsteps retreating. The door abruptly opened with one of the twins standing in the doorway. It looked like Gray, and the last time I tried finding something physical to distinguish them by, there had been none.

I quickly stood, taking a step back, not trusting the twins because Gray’s act could have been just for me to lower my guard. He stepped inside the room; Loki hissed and growled at him.

“I’m not in the mood, devil cat,” he said, making me remember that Gray called him the same thing.

Loki hissed at him again, ready to launch himself at the twin.

“Try it, fucker,” he growled at Loki.

I scooped Loki in my arms, thwarting his attempt to get himself killed. He resisted me for a moment before settling in my arms. We looked at the twin as the twin watched us, almost as if we were in a standoff.

“I have questions.” He broke eye contact first.

I stayed quiet while he walked further into the room, taking a step back.

“I said, I have questions,” he reiterated slowly.

Silence; that's all he was getting from me.

“Just answer my questions and I’ll leave you alone,” he said, scrutinizing me.

There was no way I was going to answer anything he asked.

“Look Blondie, I just need you to answer a few questions. Help me out so I can help you out,” he said, looking frustrated with me.

This had to be his brother. Soren? He was a little more abrasive than Gray, but I didn’t know if Gray, the prisoner, was this same guy or not. He took another step towards me as I took one back until I was up against the window. Goddess, why did they have to be so fucking beautiful?

“Are we doing this the hard way, Blondie?” He crowded me, making Loki hiss.

I glared at him, raising my chin up in defiance, wishing he would just leave me alone.

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