Visitations

19

Naomi had never felt more relieved in her life, especially considering she had no idea where she was or how she got there. Her memory, for the moment, was scattered, but one thing above all else was perfectly clear: Rurik was dead. She hadn't seen it, but there was nothing more reassuring than seeing his body with the neck twisted all the way around. It was over. It was finally over. Of course, with that memory reestablished, the rest of it started to come back.

She expected her next movement to be jarring. Last she knew, she had a broken leg only partially healed and a very large stab wound through her midsection that she'd probably only survived by force of will alone. But when she shifted to look at her surroundings, she didn't feel it. The lights of the room where dimmed and warming. If there were any windows, they were completely covered so that no natural light seeped in. It felt like night, but she couldn't be sure. She was lying on firm cushions and the ceiling seemed closer than it would've been if she were lying on a bed.

She ran a hand across her abdomen, carefully searching for the wound she thought she'd find. But she didn't find it. She could barely even find a scar. She sat up almost halfway with no pain at all; until the sudden change in altitude made her head spin.

"Take is slow." Things were a bit foggy right now, but Naomi immediately recognized her voice. Loki's mother was really the only other person on this planet she knew. Her hands were suddenly guiding her shoulders until she was finally upright enough to slouch forward. Her muscles were taught like she'd been asleep for at least a whole day. So she just hung forward and enjoyed the stretch. It gave her time to stare at her previously broken leg. Even the bruises were gone.

"Did you heal me?"

"Yes. I worked on some older injuries as well. You are far too young to have endured so much physical pain. But it has made you very strong."

"Thanks."

"I see Loki has shared some of his gifts with you."

"Some of them. It's a bit of a learning curve." Naomi had almost forgotten. After she'd been stabbed everything sort of went silent between them. But when she looked in on him this time, she found his quiet reassurance – his meticulous train of thought right where it should be. "Magic really messes with my head," she said with a small laugh.

"You have a natural affinity for it," Frigga said. She busied herself double checking some of the wounds she'd repaired. "No matter how strong the connection he created, not everyone can harness sei∂r so easily. You managed to temporarily heal yourself having never done so before. It saved your life. And you did it on your own."

"Not really on my own – I just borrowed from him. Didn't I?"

"It's difficult to say for sure, but it appears that the blade Rurik stabbed you with severed you and Loki's connection, for a short time, at least. He either believed that would be enough to kill you or make him believe that you were already dead. Either way, you kept yourself alive."

Naomi mulled it over a moment, but her brain was too fried to form any real opinion of that. "I guess I'm getting really good at not dying."

Frigga chuckled. "That's one way to put it."

Naomi pulled herself to the edge of the table she'd been sitting on, letting her legs dangle before she stretched her back in the other direction. "Where's Loki?"

"He's assisting with the funeral preparations, but he'll be along shortly."

She'd completely forgotten, but she'd bet that had something to do with her source-less feeling of relief. Odin was dead. The monster that had started this whole mess was finally gone. "I'm sorry for your loss," she offered quietly. Her sympathy was genuine, but Frigga would know better. All the same, she just smiled.