Death Lord

23

His smile turned predatory. “I’ll tell you where the cave is, as long as you give me the key once you’re done with it.”

Eira opened her mouth, but I put a hand on her arm to stop her. There was no way I was getting Loki a key to Void. I said one simple word: “No.”

“It’s mine anyway,” Loki said, waving his hand idly. “I’m simply letting you borrow it for a while.”

“Yeah, after we go on a deadly mission to retrieve it for you.” I snorted. “How do I know you won’t turn around and use it on me the moment we hand it over?”

“Are you worried I’ll send you to Void for killing my son?” Loki asked, voice carefully neutral.

Eira looked between us, her jaw clenched. She still didn’t know how to feel about me, even after learning the whole story, and I wasn’t sure she’d defend me from Loki if he tried.

“It wasn’t personal,” I gritted out.

“You of all people should know that death is always personal,” Loki said, and his voice took on a sharper tone.

Touché, I thought. I met his gaze and stared him down again. This time the tension rose even higher, crackling through the air like lightning, and Eira’s presence beside us wasn’t enough to stop it.

She blew out a breath. “If you two are done having a d**k measuring contest, we still have things to resolve.”

Loki sat back, folding his hands on the table. “I give my word not to use the Void key against you if you give it to me. But I can’t speak for Eira, of course. If she wants to use it, I won’t stop her.” He seemed wickedly delighted by the idea of Eira using the key against me.

“Fine,” I ground out. “I agree to give you the key once we’re done with it. If it survives the encounter, of course.”

Loki frowned, as if he hadn’t expected that, and his eye twitched. But I’d learned long ago it was always wise to go above and beyond when bargaining with the trickster.

“Very well,” Loki said. “I give you my word.”

“Your word’s not good enough,” I growled. “We tried that once, or don’t you remember? I want blood.”

Loki rolled his eyes. “You’re always so dramatic.”

He pulled out a small knife from his suit and cut his hand, before he passed it to me. I slashed my skin in the same spot, and we clasped hands and met eyes.

“I swear on my blood,” I said, and Loki repeated the words. Power surged between us as we nodded, our bargain struck.

“Excellent,” Loki said, as he released my hand and used a napkin to wipe the blood off himself.

“Where exactly do we go in Faerie?” Eira asked.

“I’ll draw you a map.”

“Good,” I said. “Then Eira can open up the portal, and I’ll go through alone and get the key.”

Eira’s gaze snapped to me. “No f*****g way. I’m going too.”

“It’s not safe for you.” My chest tightened at the thought of Eira facing down a basilisk. Unlike me, she wouldn’t be immune to its killing gaze, and I was worried about her going up against it. I hated the idea of her being in danger. Why was I so worried about her? Wasn’t she about two decisions away from stabbing me in the back? But there was something that connected us. Are you my mate?

Eira snorted. “When was the last time you were in Faerie? You need me to navigate the place. You’ll never get to this cave without me.”

“She has a point,” Loki said.

I shot him a glare, and then downed my forgotten drink. Faerie was notoriously difficult to navigate, and I’d never been a fan of the place. Plus, other than that brief trip with my mother to free Famine, I hadn’t been there in years. “Fine. But you’ll do what I say when we fight the basilisk.”

“Deal. If you take these damn cuffs off of me first.” She shook her wrist in front of me, the silver of the cuffs catching the light.

Oh right, the cuffs. There was a good chance that the moment I took them off she’d be right back to flinging ice spears into my back again, but we needed her magic in Faerie. Could I trust her? I wasn’t sure, even though something in my gut told me to give her a chance.

“Fine,” I snapped. “But as part of that deal, you agree to stop trying to kill me.”

“Oh, please do keep trying to kill him,” Loki said, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

“I haven’t tried to kill you since that first time,” Eira said, raising her eyes to the ceiling in exasperation.

“Only because you haven’t had the chance to try again,” I said.

“I agree to stop trying to kill you. Happy? Or do we need to seal our deal in blood too?”

“I don’t think that’s necessary.”

Loki chuckled as he watched the two of us argue. “If that’s settled, I’ll make you a map.”

He grabbed a napkin and unfolded it, then waved his hand over it. The napkin turned to an elaborately drawn paper map that looked like it was a few hundred years old, featuring a big red X over a cave. I looked it over, but had no idea what most of the landmarks were, or where to even begin. Eira, on the other hand, gave it a quick glance and nodded, proving that I did need her after all.

“We’ll let you know when we’re done with the key,” I told Loki, as I slid out of the booth, eager to be done with this meeting. “If we survive.”