₣łⱤɆ฿ɎⱤĐ

Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Wall

╟╫╫╫╫╢

I was out of my cage. Upstairs, celebrating with them all. I was happy, I was dancing, I was laughing. But even then, I couldn't control the fire. I couldn't stop it from engulfing the grand hall, even when the screaming started. I didn't even try to stop it. I just gave up and let it out.

The fire climbed up the wooden banisters, ate the garland hung from the ceiling, boiled skin, and spread to the rest of the palace.

And my father was there. My father, who did not scream like the others as I watched the flame devour him. He simply looked at me with his large, hollow eyes. Looked at the monster he'd created as he crumpled to the ground in a lifeless heap of ash and bones. I could smell it.

I could smell the burning flesh even as I woke up to the sound of someone screaming my name.

I was disoriented at first in my dark cell, drenched in a cold sweat and heart racing a mile a minute. My whole body was shaking. Across from me, I heard Loki pound the glass of his own cell, and scream my name.

"Alivia!" I could hear anger in his voice. Though whether that anger was directed at me or at the cells that kept us apart, I couldn't tell.

Wearily, I pushed myself out of bed and drew my curtains open a fraction. Across the hall, Loki stood with his fist against the glass of his cell, hair mussed from sleep. I folded my arms against the chill that enveloped my body.

"Are you alright?" he asked, pressing his palm against the glass.

I frowned, nausea rising in my throat. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You were screaming," he answered flatly.

"I—" Had I been screaming in my sleep? The nightmares were quite common lately. None quite as violent as that. And my father had never appeared in one until now. And that smell... I could still taste it at the back of my throat. I didn't think I would ever forget that smell.

Loki watched me from his cage, head angled down. "Come here."

I wrapped my arms closer around me. I could go to him if I wanted. Odin had had a latch built into the cage so that it could be opened from either side. And I wanted nothing more than to be held by somebody. By him, my chest ached at the thought. But could I forgive myself for it?

I looked down at my scarred arms. Swallowed back my hesitance. And I opened my cell door, padding barefoot across the hall toward Loki's own cell. I went quickly, so as not to allow myself time to think about how stupid I was being.

But I wanted so desperately not to be alone. I could even tolerate his company so long as I had company at all. I tried to convince myself that was all it was. That I hadn't longed to be in his arms again for the past year. But the truth lurked at the back of my mind. I shoved it away, as I pressed open the door to Loki's cell.

We stood across from each other, him looking down at me, and me looking down at the floor. Slowly, I lifted my eyes to his. He opened his arms to me, brow turned down in a concerned frown. The last I'd seen an expression so sincere on his face had been months ago.

And I let myself fall into him, the warmth of his body soothing the aching cold of mine. His stillness calming my violent shaking.

"What did you see?" he asked, pulling back to look me in the face.

Eyes wide and frozen, I responded uneasily, "Asgard—burning. It was burning because of me. I saw my father too, he..."

I shook my head. Loki pulled me back into him. I crumpled like some broken creature against his chest.