Tears stung my eyes, and I put my hand to my mouth. I’d never seen Loki shirtless before, but he even had scars on his forearms, and they weren’t there before. This had al happened since I saw him last.

Worse stil, Loki had Vittra blood. Physicaly, he was incredibly strong, which is how he’d pounded at the door so hard it shook the front hal. That also meant he healed better than most. For him to look this terrible, somebody realy had to beat the hel out of him, over and over again, so he wouldn’t have time to heal.

A jagged scar stretched across his chest, as if someone had tried to stab him, and it reminded me of my own scar that ran along my stomach. My host mother had tried to kil me when I was a child, but that felt like a lifetime ago.

I touched Loki’s chest, running my fingers over the bumps of his scar. I don’t know why exactly, but I felt compeled to, as if the scar made us kindred spirits.

“You just couldn’t wait to get me naked, could you, Princess?” Loki asked tiredly. I started to pul my hand back, but he put his own hand over it, keeping it in place.

“No, I – I was checking for wounds,” I stumbled and wouldn’t meet his gaze.

“I’m sure.” He moved his thumb, almost caressing my hand, until it hit my ring. “What’s that?” He tried to sit up to see it, so I lifted my hand, showing him the emerald encrusted oval on my finger.

“Is that a wedding ring?”

“No, engagement.” I lowered my hand, resting it on the bed next to him. “I’m not married yet.”

“I’m not too late, then,” he smiled and settled back in the bed.

“Too late for what?” I asked.

“To stop you, of course.” Stil smiling, he closed his eyes.

“Is that why you’re here?” I asked, failing to point out how near we were to my nuptials.

“I told you why I’m here,” Loki said.

“What happened to you, Loki?” I asked, my voice growing thick when I thought about what he had to have gone through to get al those marks and bruises.

“Are you crying, Princess?” Loki asked and opened his eyes.

“No, I’m not crying.” I wasn’t, but my eyes were moist.

“Don’t cry.” He tried to sit up, but he winced when he lifted his head, so I put my hand gently on his chest to keep him down.

“You need to rest,” I said.

“I wil be fine.” He put his hand over mine again, and I let him.

“Eventualy.”

“Can you tel me what happened?” I asked. “Why do you need amnesty?”

“Remember when we were in the garden?” Loki asked.