Eagle (A Loki love story)

Chapter 26

I didn't wait for Odin to escort me out. I had fulfilled our deal by telling him everything I knew about Mira's origin so now, I was free to go where I pleased as I pleased. The first place I went to were Mira's chambers only to find the room empty. I couldn't wait to surprise her when she got back from the evening meal! As I looked for a place to hide, that's when I began to actually take in the fine details of my surroundings. The bed was made, not a surprise as a maid came by everyday to do that, but the bathroom was bare and the closet was empty. Mira was no longer staying in this room. Panic and dread filled my heart. Had she left me? Had Odin acted first by banishing her and asked questions later? The fear was quickly replaced by disappointment. All of that counting down the minutes had all been for naught, even if I had been let out at the original time she still would've been long gone. Dejected, I trudged across the hall to my room, planning on flopping down on my bed and falling asleep for a very long time. When I opened the door, I was greeted with a sight that I did not expect. Instead of an empty room, I saw Mother sitting in a chair at the side of my bed and Eir bending over the figure occupying it. My only question was: why was some sick person in my bed? I cleared my throat and stood tall with my hands behind my back. I could not look weak. Mother's head snapped up and she rushed over, placing herself so I was stuck in my own doorway, unable to see the bed.  Eir didn't move.

"Loki."

"Odin let me out early in exchange for information. I take it he went with his usual strategy of kill first and ask later?"

"Loki....not this time."

"Why not?"

"Because....because of what Mira has done."

"What did she do? Leave me? Yes. Lead me on? Absolutely. Give me false hope that someone other than you would ever truly love me? Without a doubt."

"Loki. She's still here but before we let you see her, you need to listen to what I have to say."

"I'm listening." So that's who was in my bed. Now that I glanced towards the half-open closet, I could see one or two of her dresses from where I was standing. My little Kitten had decided to sleep in here in my absence.

"Over the past month, Mira had a lot of time on her hands. She spent her mornings learning from your brother, the Lady Sif, and the Warriors Three but in the afternoons, they led the army throughout the realms in order to restore peace. While they were gone, Mira spent her time in the library–"

"Reading. So what?"

"–teaching herself magic." Dread filled my heart. Teaching herself? That should be near impossible! Oh Valhalla. The necklace! That would've increased her talent exponentially but if she got used to the ease, took it off, and tried again without it....I refused to follow that train of thought through to conclusion. "She has somehow managed to get herself up to your level, beginning without the aid of your pendant, but she overexpended herself. Not enough to burn but enough to put her in a coma. She wasn't abusing the necklace's power and it only happened this afternoon, but she has begun trying to clone herself and you yourself know just how much energy and concentration that takes. That on top of the distraction of her lunar pains. On her second attempt, she failed to complete the spell."

"Why would she even try to teach herself magic in the first place?!"

"I do not know, Loki. She was very good at hiding it, even from me. My only guess can be that she did not feel like she was good enough either for you or for whatever reason and so she took it upon herself."

"If I had to guess, it would be to prove herself to Odin. Now let me see her."

"Eir." The healer stepped aside, finally allowing me to see Mira. If I hadn't known better, I would've thought she was sleeping. Her face was peaceful, her breathing steady and visible, her wings were spread out behind her and her hair surrounded her head like a halo. The only thing that had changed about her was the paleness of her skin. She looked like a ghost.