ephemeral ━━ 𝘓. 𝘓𝘈𝘜𝘍𝘌𝘠𝘚𝘖𝘕 ✔

■ out

Loraine gasped.

When she fluttered her eyes open, the first thing that caught her gaze were the holographic symbols and letters floating above her head - blinking with a warm glow.

Her heart beat had gone normal. The nausea and migraine fled away. Her sight had cleared and all of her senses sharpened. Other than that, she felt energized and refreshed.

She slowly turned to her side. Everything was pitch black and the scream of silence flooded her ears as she squinted her eyes and traced out the outline of beds - about four of them, in front of her.

Loraine exhaled and something fogged up just above her. Curious, she held out her fingertips and felt the cool touch of a liquidized glass, like a mirage. She looked back up and recognized she was inside an oval glass.

What is wrong? Why am I trapped in here? She thought.

Immediately, she felt claustrophobic and panicky. She jolted to seat up but her head had hit the glass hard. She fell back. Pain flared and the migraine came back, but unusually, it was gone in another second.

"Do not be hasty," a women's voice insisted.

As soon as the headache was gone, she turned her head to the source of the voice - right.

Nothing.

"Who are you?" She asked and looked back up.

Loraine might not see her, but she could feel a warm smile from the voice. "I am Sif," the voice - Sif declared.

"I don't know you." Loraine furrowed her eyebrows. "Am I supposed to know you?" She touched her head cautiously.

"No, fortunately not," Sif chuckled.

Loraine heard a metal chair screeched.

Something clicked and the holographic symbols died down.

The memories revived, coming towards her. She remembered now. Asgard. Loki's power - the wrecked chamber. Picnic, fishing, their hands entwined together, the contest, the Bilgesnipe, the thorn, and passing out in Loki's arms.

Her heart beat quickened thinking of the last scene.

"Ah, that is not good to feel that way." Sif commented and sat back on a chair.

"What do you mean?" Loraine asked and slid her hand down her ribs where the thorn pierced her minutes or hours or whatever time had passed, ago.

It was healed.

Loraine felt Sif's gaze turned cold. "You are thinking about Loki is it not?" She asked.

"I... well," She felt confused. "Why... How did you know?"

"I could easily feel your emotions."

"So, you knew - " She mumbled.

"Loraine... This is Loki. he is - "

"I think he is mistaken and confused. That's what he is," she whispered.

"Liking him, let alone, loving him would be a death sentence to you." Sif warned, her voice worried.

Loraine cleared her throat. "Death sentence?"

"Loraine - "

"Wait. How did you even know my name from the first place?"

"Your name is quite popular around the palace."

"Popular?"

"Well..." Sif shrugged. "You had trampled Loki's chambers. No servant had done that on their first day," she could hear her chuckled.