"Nope...nope still seeing rainbows."

"It'll pass."

I blinked furiously, crouching over a little as I fought hard to see my boots through the blinding colourful flashes that veiled my vision. Loki had extricated his arm from around my waist and I could hear him mutter something to someone in the room as I sucked in a breath and straightened up having gained most of my eyesight back.

I didn't feel nauseous as Loki had warned me I might, but he'd guessed my body would be more acclimated to it through the years of shifting my atoms from place to place. And clearly it was. The only thing that had suffered in my journey through that flashing beam of death were my poor eyes.

"Fucking gayfrost." I muttered to myself, fully intent on cursing loudly at the figure of Loki stood a ways ahead of me, before my eyes finally adjusted to my surroundings. Then my breath caught sharply in my throat and I stopped dead in my tracks, staring ahead right out of the odd spherical room to what looked to be the most majestic pieces of architecture I'd ever laid my eyes on. Miles ahead, atop a lively, beautiful looking town, gleaming brilliantly in the warming sun rays.

"You really rule over this place?" I queried, feeling a little breathless which I quickly blamed on the terrifying method of transport we'd just used.

"You seem surprised, I thought I'd told you already the full extent of my majesty." He recited smugly, his grandiose smirk as he watched me intently, doing nothing to quell my jumping stomach. I rolled my eyes and blew out a breath, turning to look back at the golden palace as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I guess I just expected everything to be decorated in green Y'know." I sighed dryly, and heard a scoff from beside me. The corner of my mouth quirked up a little but quickly settled downward again when I heard another pair of footsteps shuffle close to me.

"So this is the mortal bitch." I heard a gruff, harsh voice sound from beside me.

A frown pulled sharply at my brows as I clicked my tongue and bit back a laugh, assessing every suitable option to maim the guy in the most painful way possible. In a split second, I'd heard Loki let out a sigh that sounded vaguely like a "shit." And I'd whipped around to address the bastard.

His short frame barely overshadowed me and his violently outlined eyes narrowed as he caught sight of the smirk creeping up my features. I quickly dropped my well held posture and launched myself toward him, pulling a dagger out of my thigh holster as I did so.

I thrust it in front of me with a sickening grin on my face, but had barely grazed the front of his neck when a strong arm hooked around my waist, pulling me back and off the ground like I weighed nothing. I growled and flailed my limbs, glaring intently at the bald guy who now looked decidedly more scared of me than he had before.

He grazed his fingers over the tiny scratch I'd left and swallowed thickly, his brows furrowing as he tried not to show the blatant alarm in his face at what had just happened. The thought of that painted a sweet smile on my face which quickly faded when I realised I was still suspended above the floor, in Loki's tight grip.

I thrashed wildly and tore at the arm that clutched my stomach, not caring for the consequences as I spat profanity at the glowering man who'd swallowed most of his wariness now and glared at me with a crooked, smug smile on his face.

"I'm afraid I need this one alive little hex." Loki spoke warmly, his silky voice laced thickly with amusement. It took me a while before I realised the words hadn't come from directly behind me, and instead from a little farther away to my right.

What...

As soon as I'd gripped the realisation, my eyes widened and I whipped my head around to see Loki still stood near the entrance to the room, messing with something as my jaw went slack and I uncurled my hand from around the arm holding me. My eyes ascended and I leaned back as far as my neck allowed, just to see...Loki?

A-another Loki? Oh for god's sake.

My mind immediately went back to when I'd been kidnapped by him just before the big battle and I'd stabbed him in my cell. Then he'd faded away and proved to be simply a double of himself. That tricky bastard. The Loki holding me looked down at me with a guarded smirk, looking identical to the one who was pouring over something the man had given him. Identical except for one thing.

His eyes were an oddly veiled shade of emerald, dull and glazed, lacking the sparking light that flashed and flickered behind the real Loki's eyes. Ones that I'd spent hours looking into simply for a hypnotic grounding if nothing else, my lasting cling to something deeper and more mystical than the life I lead.

"Try not to kill him, my dear." Loki purred, referring to the heavily armoured man with the head tattoos that was currently occupying my head, sporting all sorts of different injuries that I'd inflicted on him.

"I wouldn't hold your breath." I muttered, before flicking my gaze toward baldy, shooting him a warning look.

"Not you. You can hold your breath as long as you bloody like. Preferably for the rest of your life." I spat at him, hearing a low chuckle in my ear that reverberated warmly against my skin, sending shockwaves down my spine. Loki then tutted softly and held me a little tighter.

"Save your aggression, little hex." He murmured softly for naught but my ears as I felt his other hand trail a lazy shape over the skin of my arm.

"My king, with all due respect, this prisoner should be killed for disrespecting a higher authority. Surely we should just throw her off the bifrost instead of wasting a perfectly good cell." The gruff, cockney accented man spoke harshly, slowly sauntering toward me as I stood my ground and raised a single, amused eyebrow back at him.

"Prisoner?! I don't bloody thi-"

Loki's hand closed hastily over my mouth before I could finish, silencing the words on my tongue as I felt my indignation flare dramatically. I flailed my arms and thrashed against him, pulling at the hand clamped to my jaw as I mentally cursed myself for not concealing any more daggers in easier to reach places.

"You seem to assume I care for how people treat you." The real Loki countered dryly as I heard the velvet soft voice of his double trying to calm me down, so close to my ear, I was wracked with goosebumps with every exhale and hush he sighed against me.

"And besides, I like her alive. She...intrigues me." He added smugly, shooting me a dark look as I rolled my eyes and struggled against my restraint again, growling under my breath as he stepped a little closer. His eyes blackened as he observed my form and his breathing seemed to deepen, becoming huskier as I fought for my own breath under his scalding scrutiny.

"Feisty little one isn't she?" He almost growled, running a cool finger over the skin on the  underside of my jaw that was still exposed. My stomach erupted into a flurry of movement and I narrowed my eyes in warning as a blush crept into my cheeks.

Bastard.

A few muffled insults and many passing glowers later, we were strolling down what looked to be a shimmering glass bridge? Glinting and swimming with iridescence that lead all the way up to the golden palace. Loki's double had finally let me free and I shook off the creases in my clothes, throwing a scathing glare at the real Loki that walked beside me as the other disappeared.

"Was that really necessary?" I queried blankly stripping my voice of the edge that seemed to have crept into it. He let out a low laugh and sent me a devilish smirk that set off a warm glow in my stomach.

"Well, a midgardian mortal on Asgard would raise a lot of suspicion if not for the excuse that you were my prisoner, and have done a great crime against the people of Asgard."

"What crime?"

"I don't know, I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll tell them you murdered Thor or something."

"I'd have a mob after me."

"And how much fun would that be?" He countered eagerly, grinning mischievously as I shot him a withering glance and tried not to reciprocate his smile. I chewed my cheek and looked ahead, picturing how the grand, golden palace would look from the inside.

"Fairly entertaining I'll admit, but that's not what I was on about." I bit back, my tone clipped and unamused as I scowled at the thought of being restrained by Loki's double no less. He turned to me as I walked a little faster to keep up with his long legged strides, his brow furrowing in confusion, before a flash of realisation ran over his face and his devilish grin returned.

"Well, you were about to kill my most trusted gatekeeper. And as much as I would've loved to see that, people like Skurge are hard to come by." He quickly justified as I sneered and turned away, watching the water beneath us ripple tiny shards of light back at us.

Skurge. What kind of silly ass name.

"And besides, I do love seeing you restrained." He spoke quietly by the side of my head, his low silky voice curling delectably around my ear and over my skin, puckering the flesh over my neck in goosebumps as I tried to quell the roaring fire that had started in the pit of my stomach, and ignore the raging blush licking at my cheeks.

I rolled my eyes and stepped away from him, cringing when I heard his low chuckle grow gruffer and become more of a cackle as it went on, prompting me to turn to him in wary confusion. I nearly stopped dead in surprise.

"Holyshittingcow." I exclaimed abruptly, pulling my dagger from the seam of my pants as I jumped back away from what had previously been the form of a chuckling Loki, and was now, a displeased, wrinkled looking old man.

The man just raised an unkempt, whiskery eyebrow at my stance, before a small, amused smile crept onto his face and he turned to continue walking along the bridge. Before he'd turned, I'd spied the unmistakable flash of an emerald brilliance stain his tired blue eyes.

"Come." He barked roughly and my brow furrowed even further as I mentally argued against him.

"That's- thats your father isn't it, Loki?" I breathed curiously, my eyes wide in awe as I took in the regally clad figure and the long, white beard that surrounded his mouth.

"It's Odin, little Hex. And you will address me as such." He countered brusquely, and I grimaced a little, disfavouring the sound of that name through this old man's lips and in the gravelly coarseness of this unfamiliar voice, As opposed to the smooth, smirking tone I was used to. A sly grin spread across the span of my face and I bit back a laugh as the situation was suddenly made known to me.

"You're only the king because they don't know it's really you, aren't you.." I stated brightly, my playful smirk widening as I shot him a knowing glance and tried to bite back my laughter. His stare narrowed as he walked, his beady eyes glaring straight ahead as I bit my cheek, feeling wholly amused by the entire situation.

"Silence, mortal." He muttered sharply, his eye twitching as he strode along. I bit my lip and skipped ahead a little, unable to keep back my delighted grin at the joy of seeing the irritation, sparking dangerously behind his eyes.

"It all makes sense now. No one would let you be their king." I mocked, skipping along as I laughed lightly under my breath.

"It would not be entirely wise to carry on, foolish Midgardian." Loki all but growled, his stare burning as he stared out away from me. My eyes narrowed in a playful challenge and I ran my tongue over my teeth, feeling a tight flurry of excitement twist at my gut when I spied the tense twitch in his hand as he flexed it by his side.

"I Bet everyone is still happy in the knowledge that you're six feet under-" I sniggered, my amusement cut short abruptly when a coarse growl spilled from the old man's lips and I suddenly felt a cold weight pull against my wrists, wrenching my arms behind me as a cool metal muzzle appeared against my mouth, tight and formed snugly against my lips.

His cold blue eyes finally addressed me, shimmering in amusement as I saw a green flash envelop his body and another Loki appeared from next to him, quickly taking the form of a guard that started towards me and  took a tight grip of my arms restrained behind my back. I shouted and cursed behind the confines of my muzzle, thrashing against the guard as the low cackle of the old man beside me rang out.

Asshole

We were approaching the end of the bridge now and the rest of the village had come into view, sporting dainty houses and flower gardens, stalls and families standing around, chatting. I growled irritably under the muzzle and shot the old man a furious glower that burned white hot with loathing as he just watched me, taking in my form and smirking whilst his eyes darkened playfully.

His slight smirk grew under the wispy wires of his moustache and I saw a familiar blackened shadow flash over his eyes as they hungrily raked over me.

"I really do love seeing you restrained." He spoke fluidly, his tone leaking with blatant similarity to the trickster god's, but his voice sounding grating and uncomfortable in emission. I frowned, sneering as I found a deep distaste for such things coming from this old dude's mouth. even if I did know who was really behind it, it just made me uncomfortable.

All eyes turned to us as we walked through the village, every citizen bowing to Odin and staring curiously at my restrained figure, being lead roughly along by the guard behind me. It seemed nothing would ever be quite as interesting in their dull little lives as a poor, arrested mortal woman and king Loki in disguise strutting through their residency, on their way to the palace.

My eyes narrowed as they zeroed in on a small child, staring up at me with wide eyes and a gormless expression. I grimaced underneath my mask and stopped dead in my tracks, Glaring right at the little fucker as I mentally accepted the stare-off.

"Keep moving, criminal." The harsh voice of the guard behind me spoke, pushing me forward a little as I kept my eyes firmly on this little kid who still stared back, unintimidated by my fierce glare. The guard pushed me forward again, a little harsher this time as I stood stock still in the middle of the path.

"Guard." Odin barked, a little ways ahead of us, and I heard a low chuckle from behind me, before I was tugged around to face the guard and hoisted over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I immediately kicked off...literally, swinging my foot into his side over and over while I tried to wrestle my hands out of their cuffs and shouted obscenities that only came out as muffled cries.

Everyone stared as I was carried along, whispering hushed words to their neighbours and painting their faces with looks of sympathy or disgust. And they were still yet to hear about my crimes. Lowering my head, I closed my eyes to shut them out, feeling vulnerable without the shield of my words or my hands to deflect their attention in a way I preferred. I was silenced and helpless. I despised it.

I didn't look up until I'd heard the telltale clang of a heavy door and a quick succession of footsteps approaching the guard that held me.

"Raoul, Kustaar, Take this mortal to the dungeons and lock her in cell 3871." Odin ordered brusquely and my eyes widened, my legs flailing as I tried to cry out and curse him. I was actually being taken to the dungeons? I would be his prisoner?

What was this? His punishment? A way to spite me for refusing his advances from now on? Or Something he'd planned from the very start? The guard dropped me on my feet and I was immediately dragged over the shoulder of a bulky guard, standing beside another who stared at me with a guarded expression, his eyes swirling with what I could've sworn to be amusement but I couldn't be sure.

I caught one last glimpse of Odin as they turned to take me to the dungeons, his eyes glazed and stained red with guilt as I glared at him with so much raging strength that I felt weakened in every other bone in my body, my only fight being the one I sliced through him with my stare. He held my gaze a while, his eyes flashing emerald as I watched him try to communicate through his expression, pleading with me something that I couldn't read, before we turned a corner and he slipped from my sight.

Bastard.

I continued to struggle in the hold of the guard, making carrying me as difficult as I possibly could as there wasn't much else I could physically do to release myself from his hold. His arm was wrapped around my legs like a vice and I couldn't for the life of me find the leverage to swing myself off of him, or even resort to kicking him.

It seemed like they'd been walking forever until I felt the guard's step slow down and heard a heavy door swing open. I took in a deep breath and tried to calm myself, picturing al the beautifully gory ways I'd carve my knife into Loki for being such an asshole. Leaving me here in a...dungeon.

I only got a brief glimpse of my very un-dungeon like surroundings before I was finally tossed off the guard's shoulder and I braved myself for impact, instead finding my ass connected with a soft, squishy surface as I quickly scrambled upright, realising I'd been deposited on what looked like a huge, four poster bed.

My brow creased in confusion as I knelt up and studied the two guards standing over me. Both stocky and well built, clad in the same well armoured uniform. The guard on my right stared back at me, his mouth pulling into a small half smile as his dark brown eyes searched my face. His complexion was a dark sienna colour and his glinting eyes flashed vibrantly with a playful challenge as I watched him. His strong jaw was scattered with a short stubble across the bottom half of his face, underlining the deep creases between his cheekbones. I would've guessed early thirties by the look of him.

The guard to his right, the one who'd carried me watched me carefully, a dangerously dark warning in his bright aqua blue gaze. His sandy coloured skin framed a light flush settled in the high points of his well structured face, hinting at his clear exposure to the unyielding sun outside the palace. He too had a magnificently sculpted jaw and well formed cheekbones that arced into a tight lipped frown. His expression was an illusive picture of nonchalance whilst his eyes battled in scorching glares of intimidation and professional sternness. Early thirties for this guy as well I would've guessed.

I quirked a single eyebrow and sat back on my heels, frowning as I looked down at the muzzle and back to them then down at the muzzle and back to them again in obvious gesture.

The guard on my right let out a low chuckle and stepped forward, releasing the clasp on the muzzle and moving to unlock the cuffs binding my wrists whilst I stared at 'the other', narrowing my eyes warily as I decided already I didn't like him. He didn't look easy to crack at all. More of a challenge for me I guessed.

"Well... this looks like the start scene to some shitty porno." I announced dryly, gesturing to the two guards as they stood over my form, knelt on the bed, their posture dominating and well held. The guard who'd uncuffed me let out a low laugh and stepped back a little.

"I'm Kustaar, this is Raoul." He spoke flatly as I looked around the room, really taking in the sheer size and the grandeur of it. It was decorated regally in white and gold and I looked around 'the other's body to see a door slightly open, leading to what looked like a bathroom.

"Well if this ain't the cushiest dungeon I've ever seen." I mused off handedly as I rearranged my position to sit cross legged on top of the mattress, studying the array of books lining the wall to my right.

"This is your room, midgardian. We weren't actually going to take you to the dungeons."

"Oh really?" I countered flatly, runnning my hand over the silky bedspread.

"It was all for show. The other guards don't know about you, about Loki. It would've looked pretty suspicious." He explained lightly and my head snapped up from looking at the design on the rug.

"You guys do?" I queried, looking between each of them as the stern looking one- Raoul I think he was called- rolled his eyes and shifted his stance.

"Yeah." Kustaar began.
"We've been his loyal guards since he was a prince here, before all of that New York shit."

I raised my eyebrow and sighed, rolling my eyes as I picked at the sheets.

"So why are you still here? I'm not his prisoner, you can go." I brushed him off, waving a hand at him as I tugged off my boots. There was a moment of quiet where I knew they were sharing a look and I tossed my boot off the edge, mentally groaning as I prepared for whatever their answer would be.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Loki has ordered us to guard you, to make sure you don't....get into any trouble." Kustaar said slowly, hesitantly muttering the last bit as if he were hoping that I'd just not hear it.

Trouble.

"Trust me, I really don't need you guys. you can leave now." I commented flatly, swinging my legs off the end of the bed and blowing out an uncomfortable breath as I was suddenly hit with a crashing wave of nausea that nearly blinded me as I crouched over, clapping a hand to my mouth to stop the flow of vomit that was about to make an appearance.

I heard a quick shuffling of feet, and then felt a cool metal press against the underside of my chin as I convulsed with the force of keeping it down. Swift, warm hands swept up the side of my head, gathering strands of stray hair as I heard a door slamming.

"Let it all out." A softly spoken voice muttered by my ear, the words harshly clipped but smooth and gentler as if it had been resentfully softened with restraint. I convulsed again but this time I pulled my hand away and choked out the long stream of puke as my body shivered uncontrollably.

It wasn't much, but each wave of vomit stripped me of any energy I had left and made me feel more and more like a sack of shit warmed up. I probably smelled like it too.

My eyesight slowly returned as I looked down, sneering at the sight of my stomach's contents just sitting in this gorgeous looking golden bowl that looked way too expensive and delicate to have my half digested lunch slopping about inside it. I cursed under my breath and held back another convulsion, knowing it would just be dry heaving at this point. The hand holding the bowl shifted to give it so someone else standing next to him. The hand that was curled into my hair shifted as well, quickly collecting a fallen lock that had curled around my jaw.

I raised my head, swiping my mouth as I looked up to see Raoul stood over me, holding my hair in a delicate hold as his gaze searched my face, his expression blank and unreadable. His brow pulled into a frown when our eyes locked and he hesitantly let go of my hair, keeping his vibrant, azure stare burning cold against mine with a fatal challenge. I sneered and rolled my eyes, turning away as I saw Kustaar's stocky figure approach, handing me a glass of water and a cloth that I took gratefully. Well...snatched...gratefully? I was grateful in my head anyways.

"I should inform Loki." I heard Kustaar mutter as I snapped my gaze to him with a dangerous frown, sipping at the water he'd given me.

"No. Don't bother. We inform him after his meeting. It isn't urgent."

"He's gonna be pissed."

"He'll be more pissed if we interrupt him simply because the girl was sick once."
I raised an eyebrow and sipped my water once again clicking and pointing a finger at Raoul.

"What he said." I agreed, frowning when Raoul shot me a disparaging look that paired with his judgemental raised eyebrow. I rolled my eyes again and wiped at my mouth with the flannel, sneering when I tasted the sour acid at the corner of my mouth.

Kustaar let out a heavy sigh and turned back to me, giving me a calculated glance as he rubbed the back of his neck, in deep thought.

"It'll wear off." Kustaar announced bluntly, gesturing to my sickly pale face.

"Got that a few times today." I muttered bitterly.

"It's the shift between realms." Raoul piped up, glancing at me with an unreadable expression on his face as he cracked his knuckles and leant against the wall.

"Difference in gravitational pull, air pressure, even atom size and the chemical oxygen structure. Your body's taking time to adjust to it, so nausea is normal." He disclosed, off-handedly, looking blankly out the window opposite. My brow pulled into a deep frown as I observed him carefully, looking to Kustaar for confirmation.

Cause that information wouldn't have been useful before...

He gave me a bright grin and a thumbs up as I sighed and flopped onto the bed, groaning loudly.

"Can I leave?"

"No."

"Can you leave?"

"Absolutely Not."

I sighed heavily and lifted my head from the silk bedspread, shooting them a devilish grin.

"I'm gonna get on your nerves so bad."

~~~~~~~~~~

Heeeeyyyy
Heyyyyy
How y'all doin 🙃

I'm SORRY this chapter was short my dudes, I really couldn't find much else to shoehorn in before I got to the next chapter. But here it is anyway we got Ace in ASGARD??!! like what a riot amaright?

Also guys wish me luck I'm going to college on Tuesday 😗😌✨ lowkey shitting it. And it prolly means updated miiiighhhtt be a lil slower 😪 I'm sorry I love you pls don't hate me ❤️

Thank you guys sm for reading you make my LIFE ✨✨✨ fr I ain't living w/o you

Also side note: ima leave the playlist for this book at the start so y'all should check that shit out cuz srsly it's bomb and it goes rlllly well with the theme of this.