Fractures of Eternity

For the past month, I had been infusing my magic into Loki in small doses, as he didn’t notice what I was up to since my body usually always gave off a shine whenever we were together.

I don’t know if it’s a mistake not to tell you what I suspect, but… if you know what has to happen to prevent this, you wouldn’t let me do it. Something that can’t happen.

With Alistair acting all weird, I couldn’t help but prepare myself for the worst, while hoping for the best.

A contingency plan, which I hope I won’t have to rely on.

If it was to survive, or because of my emotions for him, there was no way for me to know anymore. These small injections of magic were too insignificant for anyone to notice, and I was storing them near the bond site, around his heart.

Call me paranoid, but that dream, where the god ripped your heart out, left me brittle. There’s no way to know if it’s a warning... a vision or a freaking dream.

Though what Edna said about the world turning on the older brother was new to my memory, it made me wonder whether she had given the entire prophecy or just part of it.

If the gods were involved in this… Papa wouldn’t have let me come here, but… Did you know?

My mortal mother was beyond my comprehension, but at the same time, I could tell she cared about me.

Mommy needs to make sure it is safe for you. Her words were still vivid in my mind.

Hah… Safe? Is that even possible? You placed me in the lion’s den, mother, unless this was the plan all along.

However, I had no way of knowing what she meant by them. All I could hope for was that nothing would happen in the next few hours.

If… something does go wrong, and it isn’t the gods… Can I eliminate Alistair?

This was a question I would’ve answered without a second thought before getting to know him.

But do I really? Or are you just some actor in all of this? No… That isn’t fair. Until this month… You… appeared innocent and kind, even when you were a bit of a douche at first.

Not that I could blame him for that, since ever since he was born, people who wanted to use him surrounded him.

Well, until you met your brothers, who at first wanted nothing to do with you.

Luckily, that turned out to be a blessing for him, since it lessened the burden of expectations while at the same time isolating him from the family who could care for him.

Alistair needs to survive this for my sanity, but what if it means my doom? Can I give up my current life for you, too?

Pushing himself against me, Loki deepened the kiss by moving his hands away from my hips and into my hair. First, my vampire found his release within me, causing me to follow along. His twitching member made me sway my hips on him until I also found it. Separating from the kiss, I mewled, pressing my hands on his chest, having lost count of how many times we had held one another within the hours before the tournament.

Lifting myself off his chest, I gazed up at the ceiling.

If this is the day where fates collide, there is no stopping it, but... will we survive everything that comes after it?

“I love you, Elias.” I breathed, glancing back down at my vampire, who seemed out of breath, too.

I had tried to say his name the past month, but no more of his memory came back. There were millennia to unlock, yet he could only remember the moments before his end. Though we managed to learn he was killed right after Valdios and before Midnight. The reason he and his sister had gone into Yama’s territory was to find me and to identify the threat to Midnight. The idiot god didn’t expect to feel emotions radiating within the book.

You were the first to feel me, to hear me, and I… didn’t…

Something he hadn’t allowed Yama to know, even as he killed him.

“And I love you.” Loki chuckled, pulling me into another kiss.

Though instead of continuing to make love, we cuddled within the sheets as Eli finally joined us, too. I always felt warmest in their embrace, so much so that I didn’t notice when I slipped into sleep. However, the alarm never woke me; no, what did was Loki trailing his fingers on my cheek.

“You need to get up, little love.” He breathed, as my eyes struggled to open, yet quickly found themselves wide when I saw the clock was on eight.

The troublesome prince had turned off the alarm.

“Argh! We’re going to be late!” I huffed, getting up from the bed.

Rem and Alijah would come to the tournament, too, which would begin at nine a.m. and end at eight p.m. Most of the royals were taking part, though none could actually beat Alistair or Loki, even if my prince had slacked off the entire month with me. There were places in Night City still being rebuilt, but the King and Queen made sure the colosseum would be ready for the event. However, there was no doubt in my mind that Andrea had spearheaded this event. Gerta said she heard a conversation between the two monarchs about not showing weakness, which made it seem as if they were about to be invaded. Still, it was more about internal politics than anything else.

With Cerberus around, no outside power could influence any other nation, as it would lead to war, yet that had nothing to do with the nobles within the country itself. A kingdom without monetary power is nothing.

Yet… Loki’s Grandfather Fenris was able to separate the elders from the politics in Lyari, but that happened because Cerberus already was the head of operations there, too. Something he tried to do with every other nation, but they were lagging behind the path he was painting for everyone. We can’t forget his biggest supporter and the head of witchcraft, Lilith, his beloved wife, and Loki’s grandmother.

Sadly, the way she ruled excluded our coven as the races couldn’t accept eternal witches, thanks to their dangerous magic. Not that it mattered, as there were only a few of us left. The couple’s son, Aiden, was going to continue their work in the hopes of gathering every other nation within them.

A silly wish. If I were Fenris, I would’ve taken over Astea and made it into a Lycan tyranny. Some people only listen to power, and thus should be shown as much, but for some reason, the mutt wanted to leave liberty to the people. They… never choose wisely.

Living within the Celnaer nation, I could see that freedom was a lie. Lexi, who survived the attack on the ball, was a thorn in our asses, this entire time, each day knocking on the door to take the Prince to the training hall.

Apparently, the girl Andrea was picking as a future wife for the tournament winner was her. There was another option, yet their name was irrelevant, as neither of them would survive a face-off with me if Loki somehow ended up with the crown.

No one is going to have you other than me.

Unlike Andrea, who ignored me, Lexi was looking at me like I was a burden in her path, and in her defense, she wasn’t romantically interested in the princes. If anything, she saw them as a donor for climbing the ranks and nothing more. However, that didn’t change the fact that Loki was off-limits to her, thanks to Rem. Though that didn’t mean they couldn’t convince or coerce him into doing it.

Fearing the annoying mosquito would come knocking to drag Loki to the tournament, I focused on getting ready for the day—something my troublesome prince didn’t make easy for me. I usually loved a steamy session in the bathroom, but today I was in a hurry, wishing not only to avoid the female vampire but to catch Alistair, who would be forced to be there. Unfortunately, this wasn’t something my beloved cared for while we were alone.

Before I knew it, my hands were on the wall as my vampire claimed me from behind. I had barely gotten out of the shower when he thrust himself into me.

Argh… If I hadn’t gone to pick up that towel, I probably wouldn’t be in this situation!

“You stupid vampire! We have to go!” I huffed, as he didn’t mind my words, instead focusing on making my legs jelly.

Every slam from behind knocked me off balance, sending my knees to the floor as he followed me down, not stopping his movements. His chest was on my back when I reached for the shower handle that was close by.

“Fuck you’re so tight.” Loki breathed, blissfully unaware of what I was reaching for.

His voice sent shivers down my spine.

“Jerk!” I mewled, feeling him kiss my womb, leaving me wanting much more.

Luckily, pushing himself into me, he found his release, prompting my body to follow along too quickly. Preventing me from falling, he gripped onto my chest before licking my neck and allowing his fangs to graze against my skin, leaving me trembling. I barely caught the handle before our release, allowing me to splash the vampire with cold water soon after my high came down, prompting his also to crash down.

“Oi…” He huffed, prompting me to stick my tongue out at him.

Letting me go, I ignored the chilled vampire while I placed my clothes on before storming out of the bathroom. The entire time Eli was by the door seemly like a lost pup, who I scooped up on my way out.

“Come on, Vivi, it wasn’t bad, and it isn’t even nine yet.” Loki sighed, following me out.

I couldn’t help but glare at the boy, who seemed not to have enough. Neither did I, but I could hide it better. Once again, though, my plans went haywire—a common occurrence when he was involved.

“You’re so full of yourself! It’s already nine!” I growled, pointing at the clock before stomping to my side of the room, unaware that we weren’t alone.

Luckily, I was dressed well enough, and all the staff who weren’t working on the tournament had the day off, so I didn’t have to wear a uniform. So, I had decided to wear a lovely dress my father had gotten for me before I came to Celnaer—a modest white dress that reached past my knees and ensured the golden mark on my breast was well hidden, as well as any love bites left by the ravenous vampire behind me.

“Are you two fighting again?” Oswald questioned, sitting in his usual place, prompting me to jump and squeal, startled by him.

Ah… Crap…