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I backpedaled, dodging his frenzied attacks, desperately scanning my surroundings for anything to gain advantage. There - a broken chair laying nearby. I dove and snatched up a leg, whirling just as Falka rushed me. I smashed the makeshift club across his face. Cartilage crunched wetly.
Pressing my waning advantage, I closed in. We crashed into shelves, exchanging blows amidst the hail of ancient pages. I gasped for breath, the tainted air searing my lungs. A lucky blow sent Falka's dagger skittering away. Before he could recover it, I seized him by the throat and slammed him against a bookcase. My fingers squeezed, tightening inexorably. His pale eyes bulged, thrashing weakly.
"Surrender, snake," I hissed through gritted teeth. "And I may let you live.”
Mad laughter wheezed from his crushed windpipe. "Go on and do it! Do it and your worthless father will die a slow and agonizing death, which is no less than what he deserves.”
Before I could respond, Váli burst into the room. "Thorsten! We found Skadi, she's alive." Relief surged through me, only to curdle to dread at his next words. "But there's no sign of Loki yet."
I whirled on Falka, my fingers digging into his throat. "Where is my son?!" I bellowed.
That loathsome grin never left Falka's face. "I'll tell you, but first you must let me go. Unhand me and you’ll have the boy before sunrise."
I wanted nothing more than to crush the life from him. But Loki's safety came first. With a disgusted noise, I flung Falka away from me. He collapsed to the floor, wheezing and massaging his abused throat.
"Talk," I spat. "Where is my son!?"
Falka's mocking laughter echoed through the room. "I hid him well, in a place only I can access. But I will only lead you there if you guarantee my freedom." His pale eyes glinted with malice. I expected an imposing King, not the dishevel wreck I saw before me. His black and grey hair was wild and filthy and his beard, something Udnvik Titans treasured, was an unkempt matted nightmare. "Leave now! And I vow your son will see another sunrise."
My hands clenched into white-knuckled fists. How I longed to beat that smug look off his face, to feel his bones crack and lifeblood spill. But the desperate sound of Loki crying out in the distance somewhere in this castle stayed my hand.
“Your haste to save your son could be the very thing that kills him.”
In that moment, I hated Falka more fiercely than I thought possible. To make a father choose between vengeance and his own flesh and blood...it was monstrous.
"Damn you," I spat. I tore my gaze from him allowing him to leave, Falka's mocking laughter drifting as he attempted to run from the room. Skadi appeared before I knew it, dagger in hand and charging for Falka. “Wait!” I called out but it was too late. One jab of the blade into Falka’s eye and into the brain was all it took. He didn’t have time for a death rattle, he crumpled to the floor, dead.
“Bastard!” Skadi spat on his corpse.
“What have you done?!” I shouted.
“What are you talking about? I killed the evil wanna be tyrant!”
“I was letting him go!”
“What?! Why?”
“My son is trapped somewhere in this area of the castle. There’s igniting gas everywhere.”
“And you believed he would just return him? Don’t be naïve brother! I heard he pulled this same game with father when he first attacked! We will find your son without him!”
“Váli, leave no room unsearched but be careful, he may have set a trap for us.” I ordered.
“Yes, your majesty.” He bowed slightly and ran off in the direction of Loki’s cries.
I turned to Skadi who smiled looking up at the ceiling of this room. Her braided silver hair was filthy but other than that and the new scar across her cheek, she was the same sister I left centuries ago to explore a new realm. I felt suddenly, like the younger brother again. I wanted to reach out and hug her, but now wasn’t the time. I followed her gaze to the ravens perched above, Kal’s ravens, I knew it without a doubt.
“Huginn and Muninn!” I called out to them. “Kal! Do you know where to find Loki?!”
“Whoa, you’re familiar with these ravens?!” Skadi finally glanced at me. “So, that lover of yours actually did take them with him.” She laughed. “Or more like they took a chance and escaped Innangard with him.”
“It would seem so.” I breathed. My eyes unable to ear away from the ravens as they flew out the door. I followed behind along with Skadi.
Guided by the ravens, we desperately searched until we came across a hidden door, Loki's weak cries was closer than ever and they were coming from within. But as I stepped closer, the noxious scent of leaking gas met my nose. The lock sealing the door was rigged to containers of the deadly vapor. Loki would suffocate before we could reach him!
In that moment of despair, Váli and Gunnar arrived.
"Loki's trapped inside!" I cried out hoarsely. "The gas will kill him!"
