I Know I Shouldn't

Part 9

I stood stiffly in the dungeon, watching as Odin gazed at the broken cells. I'd only been back two days and I'd yet to see any other room.

It hadn't been so bad at first, I'd been taken to the healers, they'd looked at my wound and given me more medicine. Obviously the wound was severe, so my story would hold I hoped.

Since then, I'd been in the dungeons, overlooking the cells and the damage from the battle months ago. I was already exhausted, I'd hardly slept any, and yet here Odin was to overview everything again.

No wonder Loki disliked the controlling man so much.

I crossed my arms impatiently.

"Why are none of the cells operational ?" He asked, turning to look at me with his one eye, a chagrined expression on his face.

"I've only been here two days, it's going to take me some time to get everything back in order. The damage was extreme from the battle and the riot," I explained, leaning back on my heels. His guards were in the room, but they looked bored, they knew nothing threatened him down here.

"You've run the dungeons, I thought you would be able to repair them quickly." Odin said, and I gritted my teeth, doing my best not to glare at him.

He's my king, I owed him respect. He had ruled this entire world and kept it peaceful for thousand of years. I knew all this, and yet I felt this anger towards him.

Perhaps for Loki's sake?

"I am one woman among thousands of cells. I can only do so much." I said coolly, annoyed.

How did he expect me to work when he was looking over my shoulder?

"I have one about fixed, but I need time to do it," I continued, walking over to the cell; it happened to be the very first near the doors, and I was almost done with it. I knelt with a grimace, the side still open. The veins inside glowed gold, just as they always did. As long as they remained gold and not silver, the cell would be in perfect working order.

At least, that was the main thing. I could teach someone how to maintain the gold fairly quickly, I supposed, and that would keep the cells going long enough so I could leave.

I sighed, pressing the gold vial back into the stream, watching as it filled the rest of the silver veins. The cell flickered after a moment, and then the walls returned, as strong as they were before.

I turned back to Odin, arching a brow at him. "It will take me time, but I can fix them."

"How much time?" Odin asked as I rose, closing the side of the platform with a snap. When I'd shoved my sword, I'd severed the flow of gold, causing the explosive reaction.

"I'm unsure. It would go quicker if I had an apprentice, I could teach them how to repair the cells and this would go much quicker."

"You've never requested a need of one before."

"I never thought it would be necessary."

Odin frowned, but I could tell he was giving it serious thought. I glanced at his guards, seeing their lax postures, how they were muttering to themselves and not paying attention.

I could attack our king, I could have him pinned or probably dead at this very moment if I wished it. They should be on full alert no matter where in the palace they followed him.

I frowned, but didn't comment; I was just the dungeon keeper after all, what did I know?

"It's going to take me years to fix this entire dungeon otherwise," I added, knowing Odin wanted it repaired as soon as possible. He wanted to start filling it with prisoners immediately.