I wake up lying on a clean white floor. I sit up, my head spinning a little. Odin actually forced me to pass out! That was a bit rude! I grumble to myself about stupid mind tricks and get up, looking around. I'm in what I'm guessing is a normal sized cell, with absolutely no furniture in sight. In contrast to what you'd normally think of a dungeon, it's not dank, smelly, or even dark. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Besides being completely empty, it's painted white, spotless, and it has a strange glowing wall, sending yellow light streaming into the room. There's no exits to be seen, except I can see the outside of the cell through the yellow wall.

I sigh. This is great. I'm not even really sure why I'm here, the king just kind of threw me down here as soon as I said I teleported. I get that he's angry, and it's completely unprecedented that a Midgardian has powers of any sort, and that it might actually be my fault that Frigga isn't awake yet... crap. I get it now.

I walk slowly towards the glowing wall. I'm not sure what it is, but magic has to be involved somehow. When I'm about a foot away, I stop. I can see clearly through the wall now, almost like it's clear glass. However, I can feel the power thrumming off it, seeming almost like electricity. Knowing I really shouldn't, I reach my hand out and touch it.

Immediately, a blast of searing pain shoots through my body, and I stagger backwards, cradling my hand. "Oww!" That hurt more than expected.

"That wasn't very bright of you." A familiar voice says.

My head jerks up at the voice. Loki? My heart stuttering with hope, I spin in a circle, but I don't see him. "Are you in my head?" I ask aloud.

There's a brief chuckle in response. "Not exactly." He intones, from wherever he's speaking from. "We still have a mind link, after all."

I roll my eyes, heading back to the other end of the cell, as far away from that wall as I could get. "Yeah and I know just as much about it since the first time you mentioned it. What is going on?" I sit down on the floor.

"You remember how I said that part of your mind is here in Asgard?" He asks.

"Yeah..." I hesitantly respond, after quickly looking to see if anyone is standing around my cell.

"Only you can hear me, it's like how it is in Midgard." He continues smoothly, answering my unspoken worry. "Well, that part of your mind is in a way... holding hands with part of my mind. The part of my mind that I occasionally send to Midgard."

"Holding hands?" I can't help it, I make a disgusted face. All I can see are two brains with their slimy brain stems tied together.

Actual laughter this time. "Do you really think that's all a mind is?"

"No!" I object, feeling heat rising to my cheeks. "I just.. you were so vague!"

He laughs some more. "How is 'holding hands' vague?"

"It..." I find myself scrambling for words. "It just is! You could have been more specific!"

"Would you rather I say our minds are so close, it is like we are caught in an endless, passionate, kiss?" His voice has a teasing edge to it now.

I blush, completely caught off guard. "Excuse me?" Why am I getting so flustered about this?

This starts another round of laughter. Once he finally stops, he sighs, the sound reverberating around the cell. "It seems there's no point in explaining it now. Especially since you have some explaining to do."

"Me? What do I need to explain?" I narrow my eyes. "Don't you know everything already?"

"Well I could simply look into your mind and find out... but because of the direction our last conversation went, I'm not sure you'd appreciate that right now."

I imagine his part of his mind leaning forward, kissing mine a little harder, searching through my mind like he's reading book all the while the kissing just continues... I shake my head vigorously. "Okay, you're right." I agree. "Where would you like me to start?"

"How about right after I passed out?"

"You don't know that much!?" I am shocked.

"I did just wake up, darling." He responds coolly.

My eyes widen. "Wait a second you're awake!?" I exclaim.

"Partially. Enough to talk to you, and that's about it. I believe when you touched the barrier, it sent a shock of magic through you that went straight to me, since you're already awake."

"Because of our mind link." I murmur. "Okay, that makes sense." I look up at the ceiling. "Before I tell you everything, I need to sum up a very important part."

"Alright." His voice is cautious.

"Frigga came and rescued us and we used group teleportation to get back to the Healing Room and basically she's passed out right now and so is Dessa but Frigga's not waking up; Odin's been trying to revive her." I rush out.

There is a brief silence. And then "Touch the barrier again."

"Excuse me?!" I exclaim. "That really hurt, you know!"

"My mother is not waking up!" He yells. I flinch at the sudden change in tone. He must notice this, because his tone softens. "The only way she can is if I wake up, and to do that I need more energy. The only way I know how to do that is if you transfer it to me."

I sigh, seeing where this is going now. "By running into the barrier." I stand up, readying myself. This is going to hurt. A lot.

"Wait, you're actually going to do it?" He sounds puzzled.

I bow mockingly. "Of course, it's for you my king." I lie emphasis on those last two words. "I was going to do it anyways, whether you ordered me to or not." I smile. "It's for the Queen, after all."

"Cameron..." He starts.

I don't let him finish as I sprint over and throw myself into the barrier.

Eventually, I pass out. I don't know how many times I ran into the barrier. Enough times to have Loki shouting at me to stop, that he was awake and was fine, but not enough to kill me. I hope. I certainly feel like death.

I became aware of my dad pulling into the school drop off circle as soon as I passed out in Asgard. Now I get to go through school feeling terrible. This will be fun.

I look over at my dad. "Thanks for the ride." I scoop up my bag, and start to open the door, but my dad stops me, laying a hand on my shoulder.

A bit reluctantly, I turn back towards him. He looks at me with concern. "Are you okay? You look really pale all of a sudden."

I smile as best as I can, hiding my wince at the words 'all of a sudden'. I was hoping that the effects of draining all my energy in Asgard wouldn't show through to Midgard. It seems I was wrong.

"I'm fine." I lie. "Must be the lighting." I lean over and peck him on the cheek, then get out of the car as quick as I can. I close the door and wave at my dad, taking a step back. He still looks concerned, but he shakes his head and drives away.

I breathe a sigh of relief and head inside. Time to turn in all that Chemistry homework.