Page 43 of Stuck with my Frenemy
Gods and their damn magic.
It was for the birds.
We weaved through the crowd and the machines until we reached a set of tall double doors—red, of course, to match the theme—and Loki shoved them open with a simple touch of his hand. I peeked at Ebony because nervous energy fluttered in my gut, and I didn’t really like it. She grabbed my hand as if she could sense I was ready to make a run for it and pulled me along with her. “It’ll be okay.”
Would it, though? I was starting to think it would as long as Ebs was at my side.
Smiling like I’d just won first prize in a chili cookoff, I beamed at her. “Thanks, Ebs.”
Her feet faltered, and she raised a brow at me. “For what?”
Before she had a chance to see me move, I was on her, my graceful arms wrapping around her middle. And then I squeezed. I clutched her so hard she had no chance of getting away. I knew she wasn’t a hugger, but I needed this, and if I did, so did she. At least that was what I was going with. “For being my best friend. I always wanted a friend like you, and here we are, together because of Karma and her crazy ideas. Pretty wild, right?”
The doors closed with a whoosh, fluttering the hair around my face.
“Karma cannot take all the credit for this one, I’m afraid. I’d like to think I had a hand in it as well.” Loki’s words made no sense.
Ebony wriggled free from my hold and stomped forward, her fists clenched at her sides. “Start talking because I’m not in the mood for riddles, Loki. Did you know that she likes singing while she drives? Hades should hire her to be his master torturer.”
His snicker seemed to bounce in the cavernous room. “Denial, my dear. You were always very good at that, were you not?”
He had a very good point, but I wasn’t about to say that out loud. I should get bonus points because I didn’t believe it at the beginning of this assignment, but there would be time to rub that in her face later.
“Are you calling me a liar, Loki?” she spat, moving right in his face. Good thing her hands were still at her sides, because if she was that close to me and radiating all that anger, I’d be running.
Loki, though, just stood there and laughed at her. He kept guffawing for a few minutes, and I thought Ebony would choke him, but instead, she just stood there and waited him out. I, on the other hand, decided to check out the room. It was so pretty. Wide like a conference room, with two long, rectangular tables down each side, and many chairs lining each one. There was a podium where Loki stood at the front of the room sitting on a small stage, and of course everything was decorated in royal red.
How original.
“The two of you, for all intents and purposes”—He stared at me then—“are polar opposites. An unlikely duo that could throw any of the gods for a loop. War and love working together. Quite genius, don’t you think?” His chuckle froze the air in my lungs. “As the humans like to say, gods work in mysterious ways. It took longer than I anticipated, but finally whispering in Karma’s ear paid off. Very stubborn, that one.”
Ebony was stiff as a board and trembling. Seeing her like that fed my anxiety, so I was shaking in my stilettos too.
“One’s weakness is the other’s strength. And together, you will be a force very few will dare to stand against. That is if you learn from each other rather than all this childish behavior I’ve seen so far. You, little warrior, need heart so you understand it is not a weakness to care. Love does not make you vulnerable. As a matter of fact, it makes you unbeatable. Our beautiful Cherry here needs to learn strength, and who better to teach her than the one with war in her veins? When she learns that being different is not a lack of greatness but what makes one shine, her power will be like no other.”
“Oh my goddess,” I exclaimed, rushing forward in anger. “You’re going to take credit for putting us together so we can learn to love and fight? Are you for real? Because that makes no sense at all. Ebs here can kick your ass with one arm tied behind her back. And I have enough love for all the realms put together. So, there.”
“After all I have seen you endure, I thought it was time for some change. And, I like you both. Opposites are the perfect balance if done right. You have what it takes, and your natures will only add strength for you both. For what’s coming, you will need it. We all will.” Loki leaned on the podium, eyeing both of us intently.
“Why would you do this? How could you be so cruel, you fucker.” Ebony breathed through numbed lips. “You know my past, and you know how important it has been for me to—” she cut off then, probably because each word cracked with emotion.
In a swift move, Loki stepped forward and placed his hand on Ebony’s cheek, his thumb grazing her cheekbone. “It’s because I know that I had to take matters into my own hands. Don’t you see, little warrior? You were a child then, a youngling easily manipulated for someone else’s gain. You are no longer that child. You deserve to be whole, and you no longer have to hide your magnificent powers. You are both worthy and meant for greatness.” His eyes fell on me. “I will not stand back and let them do to the two of you what was done to me.”
I stepped forward and slapped his hand away from her cheek. “Get away from her. I don’t trust you.” Crouching a little and glaring, I held my ninja hands in front of me, and he backed away slowly.
“Cherry,” Ebony groaned. “That was actually a really good mean look,” she told me in a straight voice.
“Really?”
She burst out laughing then, and I wanted to kick myself because no matter how many times she did that to me, I always fell for it.
“So not funny,” I bit out, stomping away and slumping in a chair.
After Ebony regained control over herself, she turned to Loki with a narrowed look. “Okay, let’s say we believe you, and that’s a big if, why in all the hells are you messing with Karma? When she finds out all this is your doing, all of us will be going down in flames. You know that, right?”
I sat up a little straighter and pounded the table with a fist. “Damn right we are. And red does not look good on me, let me tell you.” My hand throbbed, so I rubbed it with my other.
Loki chuckled.
