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Chapter Thirty: The Aether

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It had been months since I'd last seen the sun and I hadn't realized how much I'd missed it. It came through the windows, slanting into the hallways as Frigga and I made our way to the medical wing.

Inside, Odin was bent over the marble slab, examining a woman I assumed to be Jane. I came up behind him, peering over his shoulder. As Odin's hand passed over her skin, I could see something glowing red, writhing like a living creature beneath it.

"It's impossible," Odin breathed.

"The infection, its defending her," a healer remarked.

"No," Thor shook his head, eyes lifting to his father. "It's defending itself."

As Thor's gaze lifted, he finally noticed me. His expression pulled back in surprise.

"Alivia? What are you doing out—"

"Could it... Could it be like my powers?" I asked, cutting Thor off. I met Jane's gaze. She looked frightened. Much like I had been my first time in Asgard.

Odin looked at me long and hard, his lips forming a thin line. He looked down at Jane again. "Come with me."

Thor helped Jane up from the marble slab, and the three of us followed after Odin. We walked a familiar path, the same one I'd walked all that time ago when I had been the one being cared for by healers.

"There are relics that pre-date the universe itself," Odin explained, as we walked, entering into the room that adjoined his study. "What lies within her, appears to be one of them. The Nine Realms are not eternal."

The ceiling appeared to be under some kind of enchantment. There looked to be a forest of a galaxy above our heads, with stars spinning between inky-black leaves.

"They had a dawn, as will they have a dusk," Odin continued, as he pulled open an ancient-looking tome. The ink seemed to move on the page. "But before that dawn, the dark forces—The Dark Elves—reigned absolute and unchallenged."

Thor peered over the text and read aloud. "Born of eternal night, the Dark Elves come to steal away the light." He frowned, and there was something like amusement or disbelief in his eyes, "I know these stories. Mother told them to us as children."

He had a point. I mean, sure, I was imbued with magical powers, but Dark Elves seemed like a stretch.

"Their leader Malekith made a weapon out of that darkness, and it was called the Aether. While the other relics often appear as stones, the Aether is everchanging."

There were other relics? Could one of them be the source of the power inside of me? I balled my hands into fists and listened as Odin explained.

"It changes matter into dark matter. It seeks out host bodies, drawing strength from their life-force. Malekith sought to use the Aether's power to return the universe to one of darkness." Odin looked up from the pages, "But, after eternities of bloodshed, my father, Bor, finally triumphed, ushering in a peace that lasted thousands of years."

"What happened?" Jane asked, her voice small.

"He killed them all," Odin answered darkly.

"Are you certain?" Thor asked. "The Aether was said to have been destroyed with them, and yet here it is."

Odin looked at Thor, a challenge in his eye. "The Dark Elves are dead," he said flatly.

"Does your book happen to mention how to get it out of me?" Jane asked.

"No," Odin said, shutting the tome. "It does not."

In the corner, I stayed quiet. It felt like a weight had settled in my chest. Heavy, unrelenting. Jane's affliction would bring me no answers. If these so called relic stones were already known to Odin, he would have looked at them in his research, and found no answers.

I looked down, and realized my nails had left little crescent marks in my palm. I released my balled fists, ducking out of the room quickly. Thor watched me go silently.

Frigga was waiting for me outside, catching me by the arm.

"Nothing?" she asked. My expression was answer enough. She bowed her head, not releasing my arm. "I'm sorry, then."

"It isn't your fault," I said, "I had hope too when I saw Jane. But the relics can't be the cause of my powers, or else Odin would have found out in his research."

Frigga sighed. Then looked hopefully back up at me. "Will you walk with me? Before we return to the dungeon?"

I swallowed, looking to the sunlight that poured through the windows. I nodded.

The two of us strode from the hallway, making for the open-air arcade that wrapped around the palace. I breathed in the fresh outside air. I hadn't realized how strongly I'd missed being outside. I'd never been an outdoorsy person, but the sun on my pale brown skin was pure bliss.

"I won't ask that you refrain from going back to your cell, I know it is useless," Frigga began, "But I'm sure it would do my son good. You are a good friend to him, and he needs that now. He is close with that Midgardian girl. Might love her, even. This time will be hard for him."

I smiled, in spite of myself. Of course, Frigga knew better than to ask that I leave my cell for myself. Of course, Frigga knew to appeal to my sense of loyalty to my friends. And it was true. Just from one look at Thor, I could tell that he was afraid. Though he would never admit as much.

"I put the fire out by myself today," I told her.

I could feel the warmth in her smile. "I knew you would, eventually."

I looked down at me feet. "Loki helped me." I admitted, my face flushing a little.

Her smile faltered a little. There was a long silence before she responded. "My son and I were close as family could be. Learning of his true parentage destroyed him."

"Frigga..." I shook my head, "Why did he let go?"

Ever since Thor had told me, I couldn't get the image out of my head. I wanted answers. Wanted them so badly it hurt. But I could never ask Loki himself. Had he known he would survive it? I hoped beyond hope he had. But a part of me knew better.

"Though it pains me, I can't pretend to understand what my son feels," Frigga answered slowly, "There was a time I knew what he was feeling by only a glance at his face, or by the sound of his voice. Now, I couldn't hope to guess."

We rounded back inside as she spoke, and began to make our descent back into the dungeon. The subject of Loki was dropped when we entered the rows of cells. It was colder than I'd recalled. Darker.

I took short, hesitant steps toward my cell. Loomed at the entrance. Frigga stood behind me, still and patient.

And then a thought came to my mind.

Perhaps, what I was doing now—locking myself away for fear of what my powers would make me do—perhaps that was why my powers had become so foreign to me. Like something that didn't belong. Those negative thoughts I had to guard against, maybe they were fueled by my insistence that I remain locked away here. Because, after all, what had I told everyone—what had I told myself—to justify my imprisonment?

I was a danger to others, because these powers wouldn't obey me. But they wouldn't obey me unless I accepted that they were mine to command in the first place. And I would never accept that by locking myself away.

I took a step back, eyes glued to my cell. And I turned, taking Frigga's arm and going from the dungeon again.

I felt Loki's eyes on me all the way.

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