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Chapter 14 – Broken Promises
A bleak heaviness settled in Ophelia's chest. An intangible weight pressing down on her with no mercy, slowly dragging her to the depths of paranoia and helplessness. Her body looked relaxed from the outside; her forearms leaning casually on a balcony as she overlooked a courtyard of training soldiers.
But her hands frantically shuffled a deck of cards. The cards passing between her fingers at a furious speed, her tumultuous thoughts shown through the flickering deck.
After their eventful interrogation of Loki, Thor had gone to be with Jane. It was clear to the street fighter that his brother's revelation hit a nerve for the god of thunder. His muted hope of Loki being redeemable again clashed with the anxiety of a new enemy waiting for his moment to strike.
Thanos.
Even his name sent a shudder of unexplainable fear down Ophelia's spine. With Loki unwilling to give any more information regarding this Thanos person, her mind took the liberty of showing her the worst possible scenarios.
"The mind is a treacherous place to be trapped in." A woman called out from behind Ophelia, her long silk blue gown trailing against the marble floor as she approached the conflicted girl. "From my son's descriptions, you seemed the least inclined to brood."
"I have my moments." Ophelia straightened herself at the sight of the newcomer, pocketing her cards and plastering an easy smile on her face, "Even if they are pretty rare, Your Highness."
Frigga inspected the armoured brawler who'd been out on the balcony for the last few hours. Despite the attempted façade, the goddess of magic couldn't be fooled by a mere smile.
"What troubles you so?" The queen came to a stop on the balcony, looking steadily at Ophelia and silently urging an honest answer.
The silence that came from her was gaping, a never-ending canyon that swallowed sound like a black hole. Ophelia could feel, for the first time in months, her powers begging to be used. To be unleashed in a torrent of destruction and death.
"The dark elves, the relics, Thanos." Her voice was rough as she addressed the queen, fixing her eyes on the rapidly twinkling stars in the daylight as they responded to her emotions.
"It's beginning to feel like we're surrounded. That the enemy is slowly closing in. And I don't know what to do to stop them." Ophelia humourlessly smiled at herself, a bitter edge to her voice. "It suffocates me every time I think about it."
"You fear failure?" Frigga inquisitively asked, her voice mild and casual.
"I fear the consequences of my failure. If it only affected me, I could live with that. But if I fail my loved ones have to bear those consequences too. My family, my friends, the people I cherish most." Ophelia gripped the stone barrier in front of her, her jaw clenched to hold back tears. "Cap and Nat are the ones with the instinct for this hero shit. Sometimes I wonder what I'm even doing here."
