Akira felt light. Lighter than she had since she 16. The pain she’d felt was gone. Her body finally felt like her own once again. But, it felt so weak. So heavy. She couldn’t even muster the strength to open her eyelids. But she could hear everything going on around her.

“Eir?” Loki’s voice was full of worry and sadness.

She hated hearing it like that. She wanted so badly to reach out and touch his face. To comfort him but again, she was trapped in her own body.

“She has grown stronger but her body was literally tearing itself apart to fight the curse and it had been doing that since she was 16,” Eir sighed. “It will take incredible strength of will and just strength in general for her to recover.”

“Is there nothing you can do?” Loki asked.

“Loki, I’m already giving her daily healing sessions. I don’t know if there’s much else I can do for her at this point. It’s up to her now.”

If it were up to me, I’d be dead,Akira thought cynically.

“Did you hear that?” Loki asked Eir.

“Indeed, but who said that?”

Did I say that out loud or did I just think it really hard?Akira wondered.

“There it is again!” Loki exclaimed.

“Hush or you’ll wake the boy!” Eir scolded.

Does she mean Ehren? Or is it Askel? Fuck! ASKEL!

As if he was summoned, Askel appeared in the doorway with a confused look on his face.

“Would someone care to tell me why I went from the library to my sister’s sick room?” he asked and Akira could tell he was thoroughly annoyed.

Thank the gods he’s ok,Akira sighed.

“Of course I’m ok you flea-bitten flap dragon!” Askel huffed.

“Askel, who are you talking to?” Loki asked.

“My sister,” he replied shortly. “She’s awake you know.”

“WHAT?!?!?!”

Akira flinched at the volume of Loki and Eir’s voices.

“See? She flinched at how loud you were being,” Askel pointed out.

“Then why hasn’t she opened her eyes?” Eir asked.

“Probably has something to do with her godly powers settling in,” Askel shrugged before turning on his heel and walking out of the room.

What her brother had said gave her pause. Godly powers? What in Helheim was he talking about? Was it possible she had the power of the gods because Loki was her father?

She hadn’t realized both Loki and Eir were bickering until Thor shut them both up. She hadn’t even heard him enter the room.

“The two of you need to shut up before you wake the entire inn!” he snapped in exasperation.

A chuckle sounded from somewhere near him, at least what Akira thought was near him.

“Though I agree with you Thor, we have to bring this matter up with father,” Baldr told them with a hint of amusement lacing his words. “A mortal with the powers of the gods is not something we have dealt with in centuries or more likely millenia. We cannot take her brother’s words lightly.”

Jeez, it’s like they think he’s always right or something,Akira thought.

“He’s more human than you are at the moment, Akira,” Baldr pointed out.

He’s always gonna be human you bootless, beslubbering, barnacle!Akira snapped.

Baldr began laughing.

“You always do come up with some of the most creative insults, niece,” he laughed.

If that is supposed to be an insult you’re not doing it right,Akira quipped.

She still had no idea how they were able to hear her much less understand her.

“You’re projecting my dear,” Baldr replied.

What the bloody fuck does that mean? Akira snapped.

“It means you’ve figured out how to put your thoughts into our heads, essentially,” Baldr replied patiently. “Eventually, you’ll have enough control to project a version of yourself to other people even over great distances. But for now, we should go to Asguard and father.”

He directed that last part to Loki.

“Can we safely move her?” Loki asked Eir.

Eir paused for a moment before answering.

“Honestly, I have no way of knowing for sure,” she sighed.

Bullshit!Akira snapped. You know very well that moving me too soon could disrupt the distribution of power in my core and cause it to settle unevenly thus rendering me completely comatose for the rest of my natural life!