The morning had proved productive, leaving Loki in a mostly cheerful mood. Only that near disaster with the piano marred what had been a perfectly executed plan. Not only had he gotten Lilith to talk to him, but he'd managed to get her to agree to another meeting in the library. Tomorrow. And maybe when he saw her then, he could get her to tell him about the odd look she'd had this morning when he'd found her. Today, she'd stuck with books. Which was good enough, but he could do better.

I just hope my performance in her suite didn't trigger anything. Lilith seemed very much affected by it. No telling what might have been behind that haunted expression on her face.

No time to worry about that right now. Loki had a promise to keep. One that he had no intention of breaking. He whistled an upbeat tune as he descended the spiral staircase, amused to hear how it echoed and bounced off the stone walls. No doubt the other occupants in this part of the palace were less than thrilled to hear it. Especially one in particular. As Loki found the final stair, he could hear shouts of protest over the sharp notes of the tune.

"Let me out of here! I demand an audience with the Allfather! He can't sanction this!"

Loki stopped whistling to smile knowingly at the current occupant of his former cell.

"Don't worry, Danethar, you'll be out of there in no time. But as for the rest, I'm afraid you're out of luck. You already had your audience with Odin, and despite what you may think, he can- and did- sanction your punishment."

The condemned man shrank to the far wall of the cell, thinking it would protect him from what was coming next. The fool. Strip away his status and insufferable bravado and he was a sniveling coward begging for mercy. Loki's grin took on a feral edge as he recalled how the man begged yesterday. Today would see much more of that, but no mercy would Danethar find. Not from him, anyway.

"Why don't you just kill me already? The Allfather ordered an execution- not this."

"Correction. He bade me to punish you for your crimes, which shall include execution. Have no fear, Danethar, you will find that relief when I'm finished with you. But until that time…"

"Finished?" Danethar repeated in a horrified gasp. "Just how long are you going to be at this?"

Loki deigned not to merit that with a response. He owed the man no explanations. But he knew the answer to his question, and had from the very first day he'd stepped into the former warrior's house. Lilith had been married to Danethar for exactly ninety-seven days. So it was only fair that he should suffer equally as long as she did. Would Danethar survive to the end? Loki rather doubted it.

"You let me worry about that, Danethar," he told the man at last. "Now, why don't you be a good boy and come over to the door. I wouldn't want to delay today's session and risk not finishing what I've planned."

Danethar tried to resist, but he was powerless against the compulsion spell Loki had cast on him a few days ago. Not a complete puppet like he'd done with so many others, since that would defeat the point of what came next. But just enough to make him obey a direct order. The terror in Danethar's eyes only grew as his feet shuffled across the uneven stone slab of their own accord. Oh how he tried to fight, even when he knew the pointlessness of it. Loki made no comment, opening the cell door and grabbing the chain around his wrists.

"See, you know you deserve this. Now, let's get started, shall we?"

Now it was Danethar's turn for silence. Aside from a pitiful whimpering, anyway. Loki hauled him to a table on the far left side of the central chamber. He'd brought it- not to mention some of the more impressive instruments from his private collection of tools- all the way down here, rather than to drag Danethar back and forth every day. Not only did it save time, but he avoided any risk of Lilith finding out that he was still alive. As an added bonus, having them here meant they were in plain sight even when he wasn't here- a constant reminder of what Danethar had coming to him. The imagination was a terrible thing to waste.

Which played into his overall plan for the former warrior. Of course, Loki didn't intend to use only physical torture. Such a limited method, really, of breaking the man apart. No…over the next few months, he had other ways of making Danethar suffer. This was merely the beginning. As he secured the shivering wretch to the table and selected his tools for the day- scalpels he'd 'borrowed' from the infirmary- Loki admitted it would be a bloody one.

"You'll notice how thin the blade is," he explained as if giving a lecture. "Someone like you who is used to the heft of a sword may not have an appreciation for how much damage something like this can inflict." A strangled sound erupted from Danethar as he struggled in the bonds. Loki ignored him and continued with his lesson. "For instance- though not typically capable of deep penetrating slices into another man's vital organs, these are perfectly suited for flaying skin from his body. A process no less painful, and one I intend to give you first-hand knowledge of as part of our session today."

"Noooo! Please, no!"

With a steady hand, Loki drew the razor sharp edge of the scalpel over the ridge of Danethar's cheekbone. He knew from experience to choose a location close to the bones; fleshy areas were far less excruciating and presented no challenge. Beneath his hands, the former warrior screamed. Kept at it, too, as Loki slide the blade under the incision to separate the skin from the tissues below. Blood trickled along the edge and curved in bright red trails over Danethar's cheek to land on the table surface.

"I really would think about holding still if I were you," he remarked casually. "Wouldn't want my hand to slip and get this embedded in your eye. That's something to save for another day."

Despite his warning, Danethar seemed not of the mind to heed it. But he was certainly intent on just how closely the blade came to his eye. Loki, on the other hand, paid very little attention. Once he was satisfied with his work, he made an additional slice and began to peel the flayed skin back. The wretch's screams grew louder. Quite deafening, really. He wondered absently if prisoners on the levels above could hear them. Not his problem, really. Right now, Loki was more interested in choosing another area that would show off his skills with this particular tool. Perhaps a rib? Or the collarbone? Fingers were especially painful, but required great patience to do properly.

I guess we'll both find out how much patience I have today.

"Tell me, Danethar. Have you a particular favorite of your fingers? I was thinking of giving you a new perspective on what lay beneath the skin- particularly how it feels when tendons and nerves are exposed to the open air. They really are the best at illustrating such things, and I thought maybe you would like to choose which one." He paused to allow Danethar to answer, but the man did little more drag in great shuddering breaths. "No? Well, I guess if it doesn't matter, I'll choose at random."

He'd no sooner set the scalpel against Danethar's right index finger when he managed to find his voice.

"I'll do anything you want if you just put an end to this."

Loki hesitated, the knife-edge barely in contact with the skin. Even so, blood beaded in the shallow incision. He raised an eyebrow at the former warrior, then shook his head with a condescending chuckle.

"Poor Danethar, you just don't get it, do? There's nothing you can do for me or give to me that I would want more than this."

"But why? What did I ever do to you?"

You nearly destroyed what matters most to me in all the nine realms, he answered silently. That's more than enough to give me pleasure in carving you up like the animal you are. Outwardly, Loki merely smiled and changed his grip on the blade handle to press it more firmly against Danethar's finger. The man bit back another scream as he laughed.

"Doesn't really matter, does it?"

He went back to work, and sometime later, he'd managed to skin the digit from knuckle to tip. The man hadn't made it easy with his constant struggling and ear piercing wails. Just for that, Loki decided to experiment with a few other areas that he'd never tried on his previous victims. The edges of those incisions weren't quite so neat as the first two when he was finished, but the exercise taught him that soft tissue could indeed yield a great deal of pain if he used the sharp blades with a bit of imagination. He stood back for a minute and admired his handiwork.

"Well, I think we both found today educational, Danethar. I look forward to what I'll learn from you tomorrow."

He said nothing, voice gone from all the screaming- not even a whimper made it past his cracked lips. But Danethar did flinch when Loki set his hands on his wounded flesh.

"Now, I can't have you bleeding all over the place, can I? So let's get you all fixed up and put back in your cell."

It was perhaps the most sadistic part of the torture. After he'd spent hours inflicting pain and injury, Loki would heal the man using his magic. Not perfectly, mind you. But just enough to erase any outward signs of their time together. He could see it in Danethar's eyes- he was begging Loki not to do it. To let his injuries finish him, rather than to face another day of this. How many times had Lilith looked at him that way? No, she likely hadn't. She was far stronger than this pathetic bastard.

With a malevolent smile, he channeled the power he needed for the healing. In the past few days, he'd gotten very adept at it, and the process was over in minutes. Danethar struggled to get off the table at his command, and marched back to his cell. Loki closed the door with a gentle push. The man stood, wordless in his agony, eyes staring back at him with equal measures of hatred and terror.

"Until tomorrow, Danethar. Pleasant dreams."

It seemed to Heimdall that the Bifrost was rather busy of late. Since this thing with Danethar and Lilith started several months ago, he'd received an unusual number of visitors. The afternoon brought him yet another, though he didn't mind. How could he mind a visit from the Lady herself? After so many long days since she'd made him promise to keep her secret, Lilith had at last come back. She stood patiently in the archway, waiting to be invited inside.

"My Lady," he said and gestured that she should enter. "I'm glad to see you- especially looking so well. Much better than the last time I saw you."

She smiled knowingly and flicked her auburn hair over her shoulder with an elegant shrug. Heimdall found himself wishing he hadn't added that last part. It sounded…well, with his talents, the Allfather only knew what Lilith thought of what he meant by it. But then she laughed softly.

"Have no fear, Heimdall. I won't ask you to tell me when that was. Or where. All that is behind us."

Is it? He thought to himself. I rather doubt Loki thinks it is. And I'm not so sure I believe you can let it go that easily, either. Instinct kept him from saying any of that aloud, though. She sounded like she was in good humor now, but safer not to take chances. He chose an answer that was less likely to earn him the sharp side of her tongue. After all, he'd seen the exchange between Lilith and Odin at dinner last night. No need to become the next in line for that.

"It was long overdue to see you freed from that monster, Lady."

"We'll see what come of it," she replied in a faraway tone. Then her attention snapped back to him. "I know it must have been difficult to have kept to what I asked of you."

"My sworn oath was sorely tested at times, I'll admit." Conversation paused, and she seemed uncertain what to say next. Heimdall pulled up a chair for her. "There's no need to hover in the doorway. Unless that was all you had to say."

"Well, no, actually," Lilith answered. She skirted around the seat and made herself comfortable, as if she meant to stay a while. "I was hoping to find some answers, and I think you might be the person to get them for me."

He'd faced battles against a host of dangerous foes. Against just about every enemy of Asgard that existed in the nine realms. He'd even squared off against the God of Mischief. Several times. None of those battles had been easy or without peril to himself. But at this very moment, Heimdall would rather face any of that- Hel, all of it- over again if he could get out of this conversation. Whatever Lilith wanted to know, he was sure he didn't want her asking it of him.

"Why me, Lady? I would think it would be easier to have tried at the palace rather than to come all the way out here."

"I did," she told with a grim nod. "But as none of them have been willing to answer my questions with truthful answers, I'm getting nowhere b that route."

Definitely would rather face an army of Dark Elves right now. What could she possibly have asked and of whom?

"Are you quite sure that they understood…"

"I'm quite sure that they're all keeping something from me, and I don't like it."

The fierce look on Lilith's face unnerved him. Until recently, he'd always known her to be a quiet sort of person. Rarely raising her voice or showing any temper. When she'd come to get his silence on the Danethar issue, she'd never been anything but calm and collected. Even when he'd tried to talk her out of it, she'd never argued. Lilith had simply restated her request and expected him to concede to it. But now…something had changed.

Seems the God of Mischief wasn't the only one to undergo a transformation during their contact with one another. Lilith seems to have picked up some of his argumentative temper in exchange for whatever she's taught him. As Heimdall did his best not to sigh at the impatient look growing on her face, he couldn't help thinking that Asgard- those up at the palace in particular- were going to have quite the time adjusting to her new personality.

"All right, Lady…"

"Lilith, Heimdall. For goodness sake, it's just Lilith." Now he did sigh. Lilith glowered at him. "You have a problem with that?"

"Just contemplating if I could convince the Allfather to find some way to make it more difficult to get onto the Bifrost. The current measures don't seem to be doing much to keep me out of conversations with obstinate types."

"Conversations. As in multiple- you having more visits from other Asgardians lately, Heimdall?"

Gods, the last thing I need is to have her prying into who else has been here. It didn't sit well with him, but he tried to dodge her question using a bit of humor. Seems I've also picked up a few things from the Jotun.

"I don't need to repeat a lesson more than once. I'm thinking that this one is enough to make up my mind on the matter."

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she weighed his answer.

"So you're going to lie to me, too, then," she said at last. "I hadn't expected them to get to you this quickly, but I must have gotten here too late."

"You haven't even asked me anything yet- how do you figure I'll lie to you, Lilith?"

"Because you just did."

"I would have to disagree."

"Not a lie, but you found a way to answer my question without answering it. Pretty much the same thing or worse."

Loki hadn't done anyone any favors if he'd taught Lilith to recognize something like that. And if he hadn't, then they were all in big trouble, because it meant she was far more intelligent than they'd given her credit for. Heimdall clasped his hands together and reluctantly decided to give her a…more honest answer.

"My apologies, Lilith. I hadn't meant to insult you. Truth is, I've had all manner of people knocking at my door in the past few weeks. Thor and Frigga have both been here at least once, to name a few."

"I see. And to name another, might you have had an encounter with an Asgardian woman by the name of Ilsa?"

He froze at her unexpected question. How could he possibly answer it- either with a truth or a lie? Either one was going to bring trouble down on him, he just knew it. And why was Lilith asking if he'd seen her of all people? Hadn't that all been explained already? Heimdall would have thought somebody would have told her the true identity of her maid by now. But judging by the question, they hadn't. It could be worse. Maybe they had, and now Lilith was wanting other answers from him about what the God of Mischief had been up to while he'd been 'Ilsa'. By the time he'd worked through that line of thought, he realized it had been too long. Lilith was staring at him with a stony expression, arms crossed in front of her.

"I'll take that look as a yes, and as a sign that if I ask why she came here, I won't get a satisfactory reason. So I won't bother."

"Lilith…"

"Let's just move onto my next question and see what happens, shall we?" she interrupted him. "What I truly want to know is what's become of her since the morning before Danethar nearly killed me. They all tell me at the palace that no one has any idea. What say you, Heimdall- have you a different answer for me?"

He wished someone had thought to come visit him before Lilith arrived. Gods of the Allfather, he'd even have endured another of his guessing game sessions with Loki. At least he could be on the same page as the rest of them about what was going on, even if he chose not to go along with it. But since no one had done him the courtesy, Heimdall supposed he would have to make do with his best judgment. After thinking on it a few minutes, he decided that he should reveal nothing of what he knew of Ilsa. If no one else told her about Loki, it wasn't his place to, either. The Jotun would have to fix his own mess on that score. Still, that didn't mean that this was going to go well for him. Lilith was not going to be happy with his answer.

"I have not seen her in many days, Lilith," he replied. Partially true; partially not. "And in truth, I haven't looked for her. I've been preoccupied with other things."

"Yeah," she said with a sharp smile. "That's what I thought. I'd expected better of you, Heimdall, but seems I was wrong. Don't think this ends here. I'll tell you what I told the others. I am going to keep asking until I get the truth. And I won't forget the ones who tried to keep it from me."

Truly terrifying words, even if he had no idea what she intended by them. Who was this young woman? She was so different in so many ways from the Lilith everyone knew that he almost wondered if it was even her. Perhaps this was Loki's idea of a joke. But it couldn't be. He knew where the Jotun was at present- doing what he does best with that miserable wretch, Danethar. Heimdall was still trying to puzzle out her strange new personality when Lilith rose from her chair.

"I think I'll be going now. I've learned everything I can here."

"Lilith, I can't give you what you're looking for. If I could, I would, but you're asking the wrong person."

She stopped, turned on her heel and faced him again.

"And who might the right person be?"

He thought desperately of an answer that would save him from both Loki's untold wrath- and from hers. The answer was surprisingly simple, and thankfully the truth. He raised his shoulders and let them fall in a helpless shrug. Only one way out; he hoped it would work.

"You asked me many weeks ago to keep your secret- for reasons you couldn't give. To do as you bid me, I was forced to lie to the Queen of Asgard and deliberately ignore things that I should have reported to the Allfather. I stand by the decision to do both, and would do it again rather than break an oath I'd made. So I ask you- if someone else asked for my confidence, would you ask me to break it now?"

The hard expression wavered and faded. Lilith shuffled a step or two away from the doorway, and rested her forearms on the back of the chair. Her hands dangled over the wooden frame and laced together. He noticed the pale circle around her left ring finger, where Danethar's ring would have been only days ago. As Heimdall waited for her answer, he wondered absently what she had decided to do with it now that she was free of the bastard. Of course, he'd never dare ask. But he was curious.

"No, I suppose not," she admitted reluctantly. "Truly, Heimdall- is that it? Is that why no one will tell me what happened to her?"

"I don't pretend to know their reasons, but I've told you mine."

"I guess I can't fault them. But it's damn frustrating. I was hoping that all the secret-keeping was coming to an end, but it seems not to be so easy."

Heimdall made no reply. He couldn't begin to think of a safe way to do so.

"I'll see you around, Heimdall," she bid him with a wry grin. "And at least now you'll have little reason to be watching out for me."

No reason to watch over you, you say? He thought as she made her way off the Bifrost and back to the palace. My dear Lilith, you are in for a surprise if you think life is going to be less complicated now that Danethar is gone. I have a feeling I'm going to have one Hel of a time keeping tabs on you and the God of Mischief before all this is sorted out. And depending on the outcome, quite possibly for a very long time afterward.

I left the Bifrost with mixed feelings. Well, perhaps it would be better to say that I didn't know how I was feeling. Out of the people I'd asked so far about Ilsa, Heimdall had been the only one to give me a reason why he wasn't answering my questions. But that still left me no closer to finding out what happened to the woman.

He said I haven't asked the right person. Which means someone out there will tell me. I just have to figure out who that someone is.

Not an easy task, since I had already tried the most obvious people first. Of the ones closest to the ordeal, the only one I hadn't spoken to yet was Odin, and I'd like to think of that as a last resort. But a list of alternate options was difficult to come up with. The sad thing was that no matter who gave me the answer in the end, I was sure that it would be the one I expected. Ilsa had to be dead. Why else would everyone be so keen to keep me from learning the truth? Even if she had been using an alias around me, I highly doubted the woman was anyone truly important in Asgard, whose identity needed protecting. And even if it was, who was I going to tell? No one who likely didn't already know.

Are you sure? A tiny voice asked me. If Heimdall said he was keeping a secret for someone like he did for you, what's to say it's not Ilsa's- or whatever her real name is. I kept walking, all the while trying to think of an answer to my own question. I had gotten halfway to the palace before coming up with a satisfactory one. So what if it is? That doesn't mean she's anyone important. After all- I wasn't.

You had to be important to somebody, or you'd be dead right now.

I had no counter-argument to that. The timing on the arrival of my mystery healer had been too close to have been chance. Someone had known what Danethar was going to do that night, and had plucked me out of oblivion at the last second. The words replayed themselves in my mind.

Lilith, hang on. Please stay with me.

In the infirmary, I'd heard those words before. Berath and the others usually ground them out between curses when a patient refused to respond to a healing. Rather like a command Thor would issue to his men on the battle field- meant to be obeyed or else. But the tone I'd heard in the voice that spoke them that night had been something entirely different. They'd been a talisman, as if said aloud they could allay the healer's fears that I would slip away. And while Berath resented losing a patient, he'd never been afraid of losing one. It was the will of the gods, and he accepted that he couldn't fix everything. I had a feeling that had I ignored those words and ended up in Hel, whoever had been speaking them would not have felt the same.

Well, I held on and I'm here, I thought irritably. So where are you?

That was almost more baffling than the silence about Ilsa. Why hadn't my mysterious healer come forward? So far, I'd only asked Maddie who it might have been, and she'd been just as secretive. And if I'd had any hopes that Thor would tell me- or anyone else, I was sorely mistaken. It was all starting to feel like I'd imagined a phantom healer in my state of delirium. Maybe I had. Owing to what Danethar had done to me that night, I wasn't in the sanest frame of mind as I was fading on my way to Hel. It was possible that Berath and Julia had been the ones to heal me, and I'd been too far gone to really understand what was happening.

Maybe the reason Maddie wouldn't tell me was because she feared hurting my recovery by telling me that I'd imagined everything. Even the voice and its mysterious plea to resist death's beckoning. She would think it better for me to keep believing it, even if the voice wasn't real. But it sounded so real. I can't believe that I made it up. I refuse to believe I made it up. With a frustrated sigh, I considered going back to the infirmary to get more answers. After all, I did spend the whole morning in the library.

With Loki, my mind echoed in a bemused whisper.

Now that had been one thing I'd never have expected to come of my trip there today. After that initial awkward meeting when he'd surprised me and I acted like a babbling idiot, we found a few chairs and discussed books for several hours. I had to admit that despite my concerns about his motives, I'd found the experience entertaining. Even the times we'd disagreed about the merits of a particular volume or author, the argument was mostly good-natured and…open-minded. Neither of those were adjectives I would have ascribed to Loki.

In the end, I managed to convince him to read the first book in a series by my favorite fantasy author. Well, one from two of my favorites. I honestly couldn't pick one over the other when it came down to it. Both worlds were so well-crafted that I enjoyed them equally as much. I supposed we'd find out if he felt the same when he'd read them. Won't that be strange…to have someone to talk to about books that have meant so much to me? I hoped that I hadn't made a mistake in giving him the opportunity to mock me with them later. Not an irrational fear, considering what I knew him capable of doing. But it was too late to undo that choice now, wasn't it?

My absentminded wandering had taken me into the palace gardens. Not exactly where I'd meant to go, but as long as I was here, I supposed I could look around. Maddie wasn't going anywhere, and a half hour's difference wasn't going to do any harm. The path to the water garden was one of my favorites, so I turned off the main path to follow it. On the way, I studied the various gardens carefully- noting what had changed since I'd been here last. Sadly, not much. So much potential, and yet most of it wasted with inefficient designs. And some of the flower beds were just plain boring. No life in them at all. I shook my head in dismay and kept walking.

Voices raised in cheerful conversation caught my attention as I rounded a hedge between two gardens. On the other side, I saw a group of palace gardeners hard at work. My footsteps faltered as I realized what they were doing. A discarded pile of Distar plants lay wilting in the warm afternoon sun, blooms shriveling and melting onto their thorny stems. The gardeners ignored the pile and kept ripping out the vines tangled about the flowerbed. Ilsa's voice floated back to me.

"You sound almost sad about that."

"I am."

"But why, if they're weeds?"

"They're really quite beautiful, actually, especially when they mature enough to bloom. I hate to destroy something so lovely."

"Lilith?" I heard a female voice ask tentatively. "Is something wrong?"

I shook myself out of the memory and realized my cheeks were damp from tears. I hadn't even noticed that I'd been crying. But something about seeing those plants viciously uprooted had reminded me of Ilsa and had gotten under my skin. I brushed the tears away and turned to see who'd asked the question, half-hoping to find Ilsa standing beside me. Naturally, I was far from prepared to see Frigga instead.

Why did it have to be you, I demanded. The weepy mood vanished in a white hot flash of anger. Of all people, why'd it have to be you?

"I'm fine," I replied in a hard-edged tone, daring her to call me a liar. As I expected, she didn't have the courage to do it. "What do you want?"

"I thought maybe to talk to you. My son tells me that you are an avid gardener, and when I saw you here, it seemed like an opportunity to bring up the subject."

"Why?"

"Well, I just thought maybe…"

"Maybe I'd be more amiable if you pretended to be interested in something I enjoyed? I'm not that stupid, Frigga."

On the heels of that thought came another. Was that what was behind Loki's sudden visit to the library? Did Frigga put him up to it to throw off my guard? Doubt crept in, and I had the uncomfortable feeling that I was still being played the fool. Especially since Frigga didn't seem to be denying it.

"I came out here to enjoy myself," I continued. "I don't need anyone to come ruin it for me."

"Can you just set aside your anger for just a few minutes, Lilith? I know you've a right to it, but you're making it impossible to get through the simplest conversation."

"You're making it impossible all on your own. I asked you what you wanted and you're the one who wouldn't get to the point. Stop trying to be nice to me; I don't want to be your friend. Just tell me in plain words what you want. That's all I ask."

By now, a few of the gardeners had noticed us, and were clearly eavesdropping on the exchange with mouths gaping open in shock. I was fairly certain they'd never seen anyone with the audacity to speak to the Queen that way before. Certainly not in public. Frigga's look was indignant at first, but rapidly changed to resigned. She must have realized I was right. So much the better. We'd get on more easily the sooner she stopped trying to 'fix' things.

"All right, Lilith, if that's what you want. I understand."

"I sure hope so. So- what do you want?"

"Did you want a garden of your own to design and care for on the palace grounds?"

At last, something straightforward. I thought for a moment or two. Although it wouldn't replace the one that Danethar had taken from me- or ease the hurt at watching him tear it apart- I did miss working with soil and growing things. And as I'd just seen moments ago, the gardeners needed as much help as they could get to keep up with their task.

"Yes, I would."

"I can arrange a meeting with the head gardener and he can work out with you what you'll need."

"Thank you." After a few minutes of terse silence, I reluctantly added a thought aloud. "So Thor told you I enjoyed gardening. I'll admit I'm surprised he noticed."

Frigga's eyes shifted away for a second, pretending to notice the gardeners for the first time. I knew better; she'd known they were there from the beginning and was only trying to buy time before having to answer me.

"He can be observant at times, but yes, I can see where you might be surprised."

"I mean, he was only at the house that one time…" I continued, almost to myself. "I don't know how he could have noticed when he was interested in asking me about Danethar."

She was looking even more uncomfortable, and I once again suspected that something else was going on here that she wasn't telling me. No sense in asking her about it, though. I knew a far better way of finding out the truth; I'd ask Thor instead. We'd just see what the Thunder God had to say about gardens then.

"Nevermind," I said. "I'm sure I won't ever work out the strangeness of the male mind, so there's no point trying."

"They are challenging," Frigga admitted in relief that I'd dropped the subject. Dead giveaway; something was going on here.

"If there's nothing else, I was on my way to the infirmary to see Maddie."

"No, that was all."

"Then I take my leave of you. Thank you again for the garden."

"You're welcome, Lilith."

Maddie was surprised to see Lilith in the ward this afternoon. Surprised and alarmed. What new questions might the young woman ask today? But she put on her bravest smile to welcome her as if nothing was wrong.

"Lilith, what brings you back here so soon?"

"I know the drill," she replied. "A follow-up exam the day after a healing this serious is standard procedure."

"Given how long you were sedated, I doubt it's necessary in this case."

"Oh well, I guess so long as I'm here, might as well be sure all is healing properly."

Maddie's suspicion grew. Lilith always hated following the rules when it came to healing. So why was she suddenly so keen to do so now? She feared n ulterior motive, and almost wished she were too busy to see to Lilith this afternoon. But the ward was very nearly empty, as usual. Nor was she expecting anyone for an appointment.

"All right, come along with me and we'll have a look."

Lilith followed her silently until the door to the private examination room was closed. Before she could even throw out her first question, Maddie pointed to the raised table.

"First you let me do the examining, then it'll be your turn," she said grimly. "At least do me that much of a favor, Lilith."

"Fine, have it your way, Maddie," she conceded with a smile. "Off with the clothes?"

"Unless you think these old eyes of mine can see through them. In that case, perhaps you're right to need a check-up. Starting with what's going on in that head of yours."

Lilith smirked at the bite in her remark, one of the few who would recognize it as humor. Maddie had given up her personal brand of levity with patients long ago, owing to how many ended up in tears. But from the first time she'd seen Lilith, she'd known the young woman was different. Lately, she was finally discovering just how different.

"Well, I wouldn't want you to strain yourself," she quipped in return.

In no time, Lilith had shrugged out of the tunic and leggings. Quite a different look from having always seen her in dresses, but it suited her. Somehow, Maddie suspected that Danethar had been behind the decision to wear those these past few months. Undressed, Lilith hopped up onto the table without a fuss. Maddie couldn't see any outward signs of injury as she passed a critical eye from head to toe. A cursory physical exam also showed all clear. But to be absolutely certain, Maddie channeled her power to perform one last sweep. Not to heal, but just to be sure everything was as it should be. And it was…until she came to the very end. Maddie checked again, unwilling to believe what she was sensing.

It can't be, she denied silently. We couldn't have missed something like this before, could we?

"Maddie? Is something wrong?"

"No," she assured Lilith quickly. "Everything has healed as we expected."

"You look like you found something," Lilith pressed her again. "I can take it, whatever you've found. Please don't lie to me."

"You're just fine, Lilith. I promise you that I've found no new injury or anything alarming."

Only half true. Maddie hadn't found an injury, but she had been alarmed by what she did find.

Loki, what have you done? No sooner had she asked the question did Maddie reconsider her hasty conclusion. She doubted that he even knew about this, much less had planned it. Thor and Loki had arrived just barely in time to have saved her, and in the panic she expected the latter must have been to find Lilith so close to death, no way had he been in a position to control every aspect of the healing. If he'd been channeling that much power and hadn't checked or restrained it…he well could have done this by accident.

Well, accident or not, it's done. I just don't know how to tell Lilith.

A valid worry, since although Lilith said she could handle anything, hearing that she was once more a virgin might just be beyond her limits. Maddie decided it would be wisest to keep this knowledge to herself for a while until she had a better plan of what to do. After all, Lilith wasn't likely to be inviting anyone into her bed for a long while yet. So she had time. Hopefully with it would come answers to what she should say.

"I think we're all done here, Lilith. You can get down and get dressed." And then it'll be time for my exam.

"Okay."

Maddie waited on needles as the woman pulled the tunic over her head and wriggled her way into the leggings. As she was putting her socks and boots on, Lilith glanced up at her.

"So, it's my turn now, if my ears heard right earlier."

"Yes, but I beg you not to be too difficult. I really can't tell you anything more than what I already have."

"Oh I know. I spoke with Heimdall today."

Oh gods of the Allfather. None of us even thought to warn him of all this. Suppose he told her all about Ilsa and Loki?

"You went to the Bifrost?"

"Don't look so horrified. He didn't tell me about Ilsa- just like the rest of you haven't. In fact, he's likely saved you quite a bit of aggravation on that score, as he did say I haven't asked the right person. So you're safe. I won't waste my time asking you again."

Should she be glad of that or not? Maddie wasn't sure that Asgard's watchman had done them any favors by giving Lilith even that much information.

"Then what did you want to know?"

"I want to know who knew what Danethar was going to do that night."

"What?"

"Until recently, only you and Heimdall knew what was going on in that house. And even you didn't know until that morning who I was- or that Danethar was involved. But someone else must have known what was going to happen that night, because we both know that no one would randomly show up at that house at that hour- much less a healer strong enough to rescue me from certain death. So- who knew and why?"

Should have let her keep asking about Ilsa.

"Why ask me?" she tried first. "Why not ask the Queen or the Allfather?"

"I'm not interested in talking to them for obvious reasons. Now, Danethar said he'd been called to the palace for a hearing before the Allfather- who else was there? Who would have known how Danethar would have reacted to the accusations- and knew about healing? And while we're at it-what took so long to get to me? Why come when it was almost too late?"

All questions Maddie couldn't answer. Some because she'd been ordered not to; others she honestly didn't know. Only one person had the information Lilith wanted, and as Heimdall had pointed out, she hadn't asked him yet. So Maddie followed his example and hoped she understood.

"Lilith, I'm not the right person to answer those questions."

"I see. Just like the ones abut Ilsa."

"Yes."

"May I ask if it's the same person, or is it someone else?"

"I really can't…"

"Gods of the Allfather!" Lilith cursed in an exasperated shout. "You'd think I was asking for the throne of Asgard. Why is this so closely guarded?"

"Be patient, Lilith, and you will get your answers." Loki, you'd better not make a liar out of me on this one.

"It better be soon," the young woman snarled. "I came back just like the voice wanted. Now that I'm here, I want to know who asked me to do it and why."

With that, Lilith stormed out of the rom. Maddie didn't follow try to call her back, too surprised by what she'd said at the end of her tirade. She must have heard something Loki said that night, but didn't recognize the voice. Maybe it would be a good idea to have a talk with the God of Mischief. It would give her a chance to get some answers of her own…and to pass on some of what she'd learned to him. The sooner this was resolved between the two of them, the better. Hopefully, Loki would agree with her when she summoned him.

An oppressive weight pinned me to the mattress. I tried to shout for help, but a hand smothered my cries. My eyes were squeezed shut, as if blindness would make it all stop. But it didn't. Suddenly, a rush of pain that was all too familiar. Screams now- mine.

"You didn't think you'd get rid of me that easily, Lilith, did you?"

Danethar. His voice in my ear, chortling with malicious glee as I continued to struggle against him. But my arms and legs were tethered to the bedposts and I couldn't get free.

"No! You're dead! They told me you're dead!"

"You should know better than to trust their lies."

"You're dead," I repeated brokenly. "Leave me alone!"

But he didn't. As brutal as any time I could recall, he took me. Over and over. No one came to help, leaving me to suffer Danethar's abuse for what felt like hours. It was that last terrible night all over again. Only worse. It was every night, relived in vivid, horrifying detail. The blood; the screams. I begged so hard for it to be over. Danethar only laughed and had me again.

I woke up screaming, heart slamming in my chest like a runaway horse. The sheets were wrapped around me, probably from all the twisting and turning. They were soaked through with sweat- as were my clothes. I rolled off the edge of the bed and dashed into the washroom to vomit in the sink. My whole body trembled, still pumping with adrenaline. A nightmare, I told myself. It was just a nightmare. Danethar is dead and can't hurt you anymore.

But it hadn't felt like a nightmare. Just as it hadn't the evening before. I wiped my face with a dry towel and leaned forward to rest my forehead against the cool glass of the mirror. I wouldn't sleep anymore tonight, too afraid the nightmare would return. I couldn't face it again so soon. Maybe I should ask Maddie for something to knock me into a sleep too deep for dreams. But then she'd ask questions, and I had no desire to talk about this with anyone. Not even her. I guess I'll have to find another way to deal with it on my own.

Padding slowly on bare feet, I re-entered the bedroom. The camisole was still damp, now slightly chilly in the night air. I opened the wardrobe and pulled out something else. Once again in dry clothes, I walked out onto the balcony to gaze at the sleeping city below. Here and there, faint lights twinkled in the darkness, proving that I wasn't the only one awake at this hour.

A walk might help, I decided. It's better than sitting around here, anyway.

Probably best if no one knew I was leaving the palace so late at night. Especially someone like Thor, who might insist on coming with me. Though he'd be trying to help, I couldn't bear the strain of making conversation with anyone right now. So as silently as I could, I grabbed some additional clothes and slipped into the hall. All was dark and silent as I settled a light cloak over my shoulders and headed for the stairs at the end of the hall. For a second, I thought I heard a door crack open, and turned quickly on my heel back the way I'd come. Nothing. No sign of anything amiss at all, so I shrugged.

Must have been my imagination.