Free Torn by Amanda Hocking

and Rhys.
    “Now what?” Loki asked, pausing in the center of the hall.
    “I go down and get them.” I pointed the large doors leading down to the basement.
    “No, I don’t very much care for that idea,” he shook his head.
    “Of course you don’t. You don’t want me to get them out,” I said. My heart beat rapidly, and I wondered exactly how far Loki would let me take this.
    “That’s not why. It just doesn’t seem very interesting.” He pushed up the sleeves of his sweater, revealing his tanned forearms. “In fact, I’m rather bored with the whole thing. Why don’t we do something else?”
    “No, I’m getting them out,” I said.
    “But you haven’t heard what I’d like to do instead.” His eyes gleamed, and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to know what he’d rather do. I didn’t think he would hurt me, but there was definitely something devious in his eyes.
    “I thought you said you preferred your princesses unsoiled,” I attempted to tease him.
    “But you’ve cleaned yourself up now, haven’t you?” His expression changed, and he looked at me in a way that made me feel funny.
    Not bad, and not the same as when he made me pass out. It wasn’t a magic Vittra power or anything. It was just a look that made me feel sort of… fluttery inside.
      Before I had time to analyze what I felt or what he meant, a loud banging at the main doors interrupted anything that might have happened. The hall had the doorway leading to the lower level, but it also had the massive doors leading outside, doors that dwarfed the ones on the King’s and Queen’s chambers.
    The banging came again, making me jump, and Loki moved in front of me. Was he protecting me? Or hiding me?
    The doors flew open, and joy surged over me.
    Tove had blown the doors open with his abilities, and he stood on the other side of them, looking astonishingly bad ass. Tove had been a rather foxy and very powerful Trylle I’d known in Förening. His quirky, anti-social personality had endeared him to me, but he was also about the last person I’d expect to see here. His abilities did allow him to move objects with his mind, though, so he was a very powerful ally to have.
    Then I caught sight of who had with him. Duncan and Finn stood behind him, letting him throw open the doors while they waited to rush in. As soon as I saw Finn, my heart wanted to explode.
    I’d been so afraid Finn had been hurt or I might never see him again, and there he was.
    “Finn! You’re okay!” I rushed past Loki without a second thought and ran to Finn.
    I threw my arms around him, and for a brief second, he hugged me. The strength of his arms embracing me let me know how worried he had been about me. But almost as soon I felt it, he cut it short, and pushed me away.
    “Wendy, we have to get out of here,” Finn said, as if I’d suggested that we vacation here.
    “Matt and Rhys are here. We have to get them first.”
    I turned to start telling Finn about the dungeon, and I saw that Tove had Loki pinned up high on the wall. Tove stood several feet back, holding his hand out at him, and Loki hung suspended in the air, his face grimacing in pain.
    “No, Tove! Don’t hurt him!” I yelled.
    Tove glanced at me but didn’t question my reasoning. He lowered Loki to the ground and released him, leaving Loki to gasp for breath. Loki held his side, bending over.
    Tove wasn’t a violent guy by nature, but after the horrible battle he’d done with the Vittra a few weeks ago, I didn’t blame him for being a little preemptive.
    “Let’s get you out of here,” Duncan said, and grabbed my arm, as if he meant to drag me out of here. I glared at him, and he instantly dropped his hand. “Sorry, Princess. But we need to hurry.”
    “I’m not leaving without Matt and Rhys,” I reiterated, and turned to Loki. “Loki, will you help me get them?”
    His eyes met mine, and his cocky demeanor had completely disappeared. He looked conflicted and pained, and I knew it