The Man in the Iron Mask

My eyes hurt from staring up at the bright sky for far too long. Loki had been paddling a tiny, terrifyingly run-down canoe since we had indeed seen the shoreline as sunrise came, and still, he hadn’t got anywhere. It might have helped if I’d known where, exactly, we were supposed to be headed.

“Loki… you know I don’t mean to question your method but–”

“Then don’t,” he snapped, clearly ending the conversation before I could express my doubts. My stomach lurched once more as I saw the fins of something in the water around us, and my mind jumped to all the scary alien movies I’d ever seen. I’d pointed them out to Loki a few hours ago and he hadn’t said anything. His eyes had glanced to the water and his face changed slightly, but I couldn’t read it. I couldn’t see what he thought. I didn’t really want to know, I gathered. I needed to distract myself. I figured that pissing off Loki would do the trick.

“Why couldn’t you have found a better boat? I’ve seen the buildings here; I find it hard to believe that this is the best way you know how to travel by water.”

“Would you rather swim the rest of the way?” he questioned, slowing his paddling a little to stare intensely at me. “Of course there are better ways, but this is much safer. It’s quieter. And closer to the water, we are far less likely to be spotted. Besides…” He looked away for a moment, and a smile graced his lips.

“What?”

“I used to go out here a lot on this same boat. I realise it’s seen better days. I used to take my books with me and practice my spells, and I would read until the darkness of the night no longer allowed it.” I didn’t have anything to say to that. For a moment I just enjoyed the peace that surrounded us as I tried to picture Loki actually enjoying himself, once upon a time. “But you’re right to be a little mad with me, I guess. I’ve forgotten the way.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’ve forgotten the way. I think it may have been coincidence I ever found it in the first place, those few years ago…”

“You mean you can’t remember how to get me back home?” Loki stopped paddling as my voice had risen slightly. I wasn’t sure if he was trying to warn me to calm down, or if he was genuinely worried for himself as I frowned across at him with all my might. “You promised!”

“I do apologise, Madeline. Please calm down.”

“So now what are we supposed to do?! I’m stuck here in the middle of the ocean with you in a realm I can’t even begin to accept as my own and you want me to calm down!? I can’t go back there and pretend like everything is okay, Loki!”

“I expect you to stop being such a shrew and to stop yelling at me before I make you regret it!” he yelled back at me. I should have listened.

I knew I shouldn’t have, but I slapped him hard across the jaw. His face dropped and I watched as his eyes hardened to match the cold glare he was giving me. In that moment, I knew he was going to hit me back. I knew he wouldn’t have that little restrain he always kept for me because I was just a silly human and he was somewhat of a god. In my panic and sudden regret, I found myself leaping into the water, surprised by how cold it felt. Under the water, Loki’s screams sounded like gurgles. It wasn’t until I surfaced a few feet from the canoe that I could hear his distress.

“You can’t swim in this water you’ll die! Get out!” He was reaching out as far as he could for me but was still a little off. I wanted to giggle at his fear and splash him, more to annoy him than anything else, but the look in his eye was something I couldn’t ignore. I was suddenly aware of a pain at my ankle but the water was too murky to see through. I remembered those fins Loki had refused to explain, and the look that had passed through his face as I mentioned them. I failed to remember much after that as a dizzy blackness came over me. I could feel myself sinking, drowning, and then nothing at all.