When Darkness Falls - LOKI - Book One (Editing)

23. Content ✓

Athelia sat with her back against the cool wall as the reality of what she was about to do finally began to settle. There was a good chance it would work, but she also knew there was an even greater chance that it wouldn't. The risk was well worth it in her eyes though, which is why she told no one aside from the man no one would believe.

Loki hadn't spoken a word since Athelia had verbally assaulted him with all of her problems. He was never one for listening. He always had a smart remark or retort to throw, but he found himself at a loss for words as he watched Athelia bounce a ball against the glass. Her possible death was playing heavy on the heart he had realized she had.

Neither of them knew what to say to the other. They weren't friends. They weren't enemies. They weren't even sure they trusted one other, but there they sat. Athelia talked and Loki listened like he was her own personal diary.

In the short amount of time they had spent together, they had found a comfortable silence. It had been two days since Athelia made her choice and the time she had promised Frigga was nearly up and she knew the Queen was now out of options. There was nothing else they could do except watch the girl wither away in front of them and Athelia refused. So she came here, while Frigga and her maidens, scoured the Asgardian library, trying to find anything that could help Athelia destroy the Aether, rather than absorb it.

She sighed heavily and gripped the ball tightly before striking the glass barrier once again.

"If you're attempting to break me out, you might want to throw it a little harder."
Loki chuckled, not taking his eyes away from the page he was pretending to read.

She ignored his comment and continued to toss the ball, watching the sparks of the electric barrier shoot through the glass pain with each hit.

"Fine, be mute... Again," he groaned as he leaned back against his bed. "But, if you are not going to entertain me than I would like to get some sleep."

Athelia kept her gaze away from him as he settled back into his pillow. She heard him flipping through the pages of the book she had brought him and finally stood. She had sat in silence for nearly two days, she couldn't blame him for wanting her gone.

"Do you think it will work?"

Athelia stopped pacing and turned back towards him, her emotionless eyes catching his. She was about to leave to find Thor, but an overwhelming urge to explore the concern his eyes took over. "I hope so."

"And if it doesn't?"

"Then it doesn't."

"Then you die," he said, biting back the anger that suddenly flooded him. He knew there was a chance that she could fail and still survive, but even then, he somehow knew she would lose herself completely. What he wasn't sure of, was why he cared. "Why do you care so much about saving her? You don't owe her anything."

"I owe her everything." She huffed and fell back against the wall again. "I never realized it until now, but she is one of the reasons I haven't tried everything in my power to return to Dorian and defend my kingdom the way I would have years ago."

"You would go to war rather than marry Thir" He chuckled, placing the book down on his nightstand.

She shook her head. "I thought about it for the longest time and then he took me back... But, it didn't feel like I thought it would." She inhaled deeply. "Maybe it is because I did not get to see what was truly going on, but, the only joy I found at that moment was watching your brother tumble over his own feet and Freya smiling. I can't watch her die."