When Darkness Falls - LOKI - Book One (Editing)

21. Darkness ✓

     Athelia couldn't get the darkness from her mind. Every time she touched Freya, trying to find the truth, she was blinded by a blood-thirsty cloud that swooped at her until she had to let go. She had never felt something more powerful in her life, not even the power that she had bound away.

     Thor had joined her shortly after, and despite the words he had exchanged with Stark, he was more optimistic about the pacing woman becoming queen than he ever had before. Something had clicked in his head when he stared upon her from the Bifrost. He had felt guilty for leaving her through the portal alone, and though he had gone to Heimdall for help, he found himself watching her as she became less and less demonized in his mind.

     He never thought Athelia could possess the ability of peaceful resolution, but watching her tell Stark that she meant no harm to them made him realize once and for all that she would indeed be a wonder of a queen. Which was why, despite the summoning by his father, he chose not to leave her side as they watched the young neophyte fall in and out of consciousness on the table.

     "This is not of Earth or Dorian," Thor spoke lowly with a young attendee. "What is it?"

     Athelia pretended as if she wasn't listening, and even though she was watching the healer pick through the floating golden cells of Freya's being, she hung on every word.

     "We do not know," the brunette admitted. "But the fact that she possesses a power of her own, however weak, makes us fear she will not survive the war within her body."

     "Are you saying that if I would have trained her properly - taught her how to harness her own magic, that there would be a chance that she could fight it?" Athelia found herself in a position she had never been in before. The emotions that rushed through her were unfamiliar, and she clasped her chest as the young girl shook her head.

     "Tell me the truth," she demanded, her eyes darkening as her cuffs burned bright.

     "There is no way of knowing for sure, but yes, if she knew how to control and manipulate the power she was born with, she could possibly have a better chance of manipulating the power surging through her now."

     Thor stepped forward, hesitating, before he placed his hand on Athelia's shoulder. He knew nothing he would say would help her because he couldn't lie. There wasn't a bone in his body that didn't think the same, and he couldn't help but feel at fault for this. 

     "I should have never-"

     "Don't," she interrupted him. Her voice was soft, and Thor could sense the defeat, but he didn't press her or try to speak further. "This is not your fault. I was the one that failed her."

     "Athelia," Freya groaned as Tria worked quickly above her. The young girl had no idea what was happening. One moment she was being sucked into the portal, and the next, she was falling to Midgard, and the world around her turned red.

     Athelia hovered closely, but Tria had warned her not to touch for fear of binding their souls, so she hovered from a distance as Freya's eyes flittered open.

     "What's happening to me?"

     Tria insisted she lay still and be quiet, so Athelia gave her a small smile, pushing back the unfamiliar sensation behind her eyes. She couldn't bear to see her look so broken and confused, but before she could find the words to comfort her, the door to the infirmary slammed open, and Odin barged in, followed by his guards.

     "My words are mere noise to you, that you ignore them completely?" Odin's voice broke the small conversations about the room, and everyone quickly scattered or made themselves look busy.