The Man in the Iron Mask

Chapter Thirteen

It seemed I was drawn to trouble. Had I always been like this? I couldn’t think of anything else in my life I’d messed up with as much as I had with releasing Loki from the institution. My eyes followed him as he paced backwards and forwards in front of me, a worried expression on his face.

“Tell me again. Tell me exactly what you said,” he demanded, stopping in front of me and waiting with little patience.

“I only said that I missed my family, Loki.”

“Well you can’t go around saying that! It goes completely against the story I made up for us! I told you, you’re escaping Earth with me because you hate your family. It’s something we bonded over. We have to bond over something!”

“Maybe if you’d just told the truth…”

“The truth doesn’t set anyone free. I needed a sob story. I needed them to think forgiveness was on my mind.”

“And it isn’t? I saw you with your brother this morning… you seemed happy…” Loki didn’t say anything to that. He gave me a sharp look before leaving the room, probably going back to read beside the window. He was always reading, and I was always alone.

I’d taken to Sylvessa, though it was something I had to keep most secret. I was sure Loki wouldn’t want me talking to her. We often met up when I was berry picking as she escorted me around. Loki had insisted I take someone with me, since my last incident. The burn on my arm was healing nicely, though slowly. I wondered if I’d have a scar.

We talked about her world, then my world, and then a great deal about Loki. She seemed to have a very formed opinion of him and I was already starting to see how it had occurred. He was… distant. Cold. Yet, I could see something soft in his eyes, just sometimes. It was enough to keep me obedient, for now. I wanted to believe I’d made the right choice in freeing him from his situation on Earth. I wanted to believe that he cared for the sacrifices I’d made for him. Surely, he had a few more cards hidden up his sleeve. He wouldn’t leave me here…
I shivered as Loki crawled into bed with me, smothering the flame of the candle with a simple waving of his hand. He had explained to me the differences of his world and mine. He had told me of his abilities and yet, I was still shocked to see it in motion. It seemed impossible, that something so small had just happened. I smiled, then turned to my side to sleep. I wondered what else he could do with his mind, using his hands like that. I almost squeaked as I felt his cool fingers snake along my waist and settle on my hip, something he hadn’t dared to do before. It was something I wasn’t comfortable with. I shook him off.

“What, you’re not lonely for a little companionship? I didn’t mean anything else by it…”

“I don’t want your hands on me.” I heard him chuckle before he, too turned away, though fell asleep a lot sooner than I did.
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