While Waiting to Wake

Apparently not.

The machine monitoring her heart suddenly started beeping and the people in the room let out sighs of relief and exchanged smiles.

All except one man who grumbled, “She’s practically dead. Shouldn’t we just let her go?”

One nurse punched him hard on the arm and glared at him as she stalked out.

“I think he’s right. They should just let you go. Though, the act of a heartbeat dying is so commonplace, I can’t see any amusement in it.”

Sitting in a chair along the wall, was… not a man. Em hadn’t noticed him before, so she wasn’t sure how long he’d been there. Looking at him, she knew he was male. But he wasn’t a man. Maybe a Lycan?

Though she couldn’t pinpoint what kind of animal he’d be if he were.

His eyes slitted (literally, like a snake but horizontal) and he smiled a mouth so full of pointed teeth that it should have scared her.

“Who are you?” she asked him.

“Me? I’m hurt!” He pretended a pained look, his face morphing into something shaped like clay as he pouted. “You used my name a while ago but have no memory of me? I’m sad.”

“At least the goddess nurse was pretty,” Em said dryly. “You look like a dough ball.”

The thing threw back his head in a cackle of laughter.

“How about this, then?”

His features molded and morphed grotesquely. Until what looked like a miniature dragon lounged on the chair. Its tail flicking through the heart monitor and its head resting on Em’s chest. The Em in the bed, that is.

It was a beautiful dragon. With silver scales and red eyes.

“I have a feeling that’s not your normal shape.”

“No,” he agreed. Eyes laughing as he lifted his head. “I just thought this one would be more fun. Take a good look, little one! Memorize every scale. Aren’t I a beauty?”

“I want to see your real shape,” Em demanded.

The creature sagged in mock dejection. “You didn’t like my real shape,” he whined. “You called me a dough ball. It was soooo mean!”

Em rolled her eyes. “Stop being a child.”

The thing grinned at her. Dragon mouth also full of sharp teeth, though differently shaped.

“What are you going to do now, little spirit?”

Em frowned, hesitated, then marched toward the door. She’d walked through the wood and one step outside when abruptly she was yanked backward. With a shriek, she landed on top of the bed and the thing started laughing uproariously.

“You did it! You really did it! I had my doubts, but you really tried to leave the room!”

“What was that?!” she snapped, turning over to glare at him.

That was when she noticed her state was the same as when she was with Prince. Completely invisible.

“That was this.”

Triumphantly, the thing changed form again. Melting into a humanoid thing without a face or clothes as he reached out and held up what looked like a golden umbilical chord.

The chord pulsed in the creature’s hand. A light brightening the gold with every heartbeat.

Em studied the chord. It not only connected her to the Em in the bed but also to the wall leading outside.

“Where does it go?”

“Want to see?”

Em looked at him warily. And he smiled cheekily. This time, there were no sharp teeth. Just gums.

Which she found equally disturbing.

“Never mind.” She sat back, folding her arms. Uncomfortably feeling a pulse from the Em on the bed. It echoed and pulsed pain with the umbilical chord. “I bet you have some sort of trick going on.”

That was when it hit her.

“Loki. Your name is Loki.”

The creature burst into maniacal laughter, and Em winced. Abruptly, the thing thrust the umbilical chord into Em’s hands. Startling her because he knew where her hands were when she couldn’t see them.

“I love you think none of this is real,” said the creature. Eyes lit up with a red glow. “It’s going to be fun messing with this.”

Em sat up with a gasp.

The gasp sounded like a gunshot to her. But it must not have been that loud, because Tracy didn’t even stir. The maid was slumped in her chair, her mending falling off her lap as she slept.

After a moment, Em rubbed her eyes and glanced at the window.

It had to have been at least an hour!

Cautiously, she slid out of bed and tiptoed around Tracy. Escaping as the woman stirred. Awakened by the sound of Em’s door gently closing.

Em wandered around for a while. Looking for the library.

It wasn’t until she found a room that looked like it might’ve been a library once, that it occurred to her that such a place might not exist in this building. She walked along rows of empty shelves. Wiping thick dust off with her finger in a trail behind her.

It definitely looked like a library. But if there’d ever been books here, they were long gone.

What happened to them?

Were they claimed as spoils of war? Sold to the nobility?

Or burned?

If they were here, they would’ve been Lycan books. She couldn’t see the human populace wanting them around. Except… maybe as novelty items? She could see that.

In any case, whatever happened to the possibly once-existent books didn’t help her now.

She folded her arms and tapped her elbows. Frowning at the floor.

Loki.

It disturbed her that a god of tricks and mischief had now appeared in her dreams. So far her dreams may have had a mind of their own, but she’d been fully in control of her own actions and affecting this world.

Loki could either change that… or become an asset in creating a happy dream life.

She just needed to know how to get him to do as she wanted, right?

Tracy still hadn’t found her by the time she reached Flint’s office. Feeling a little guilty, Em resolved to head back to Tracy as soon as she was done. So the maid wouldn’t worry.

She raised her hand to knock.

“... Sucket. Avery Sucket.”

Em froze, hand suspended. Then she leaned forward, putting an ear on the crack. The door hung badly from damage it had received some time in the past, so the voices inside came through easily.

“Him again,” Flint’s voice rumbled. Sounding more than a little annoyed. “What is he up to this time? Lining the food barrels with rocks? Hiding moldy straw in the middle of the hay bales again? Or did he finally leave and I can have some peace?”

“He’s telling his charges that he’s their master. I sent someone to investigate, and he’s gone so far as to hire men to act as slave drivers. Whips and all.”

There was a long silence.

“I see. Where did he get the money? No, wait. See who’s at the door first.”

Em barely had time to step back before the door swung open. Revealing Ralph holding it open and Flint at the desk.

Flint raised an eyebrow. “I thought so. What can I do for you, Em?”

Self consciously, Em stepped into the room.

“What are you going to do about that Sucket man?” she demanded.

Worried about the Lycan and his daughter, and not knowing what Flint would do about it. Maybe nothing. Maybe he was just offended that Sucket was claiming lordship when Flint was the one actually in charge.

“Hasn’t anyone told you eavesdropping is rude?”

Em stuck out her chin. “You should fix your door if you don’t want anyone to overhear.”

Ralph choked on a laugh, and Flint sent him a scathing look. Then he returned his attention to Em.

“What can I do for you?”

Em pouted. He wasn’t going to answer her! Sulkily, she decided that fighting Flint wasn’t in her best interests right now. Not if she wanted to get what she came for.

“Do you have a book on the gods?”

“A book on… why?”

Em shrugged. “I just want to know more. Do you have one?”

“I do not. Is there anything else?”

“Oh.”

Em bit her lip and sighed. Flint seemed impatient to send her away, but for whatever reason was unwilling to tell her to go. If he won’t or can’t help, she’d figure out Loki later.

Maybe she could find a priest?

But, there was something else she needed to ask. Now that she’d had a good look around.

“I don’t want to be the only one not working. Is there anything you want me to do? If not, I was going to ask the ladies in the kitchen.”

Flint raised an eyebrow. “You want a job?”

Em nodded. She’d never been able to help Maddie much in real life. Especially toward the end. And it always bothered her. Here, she was both healthy and young. She could at least do dishes.

That way she’d be less of a burden on everyone.

Flint studied her for a long moment. Tapping a finger on his desk.

Was he actually thinking or just in shock that a little noble woman wanted to work? Em was fidgeting when he finally spoke.

“I actually had a job in mind for you,” he said. Carefully. Weighing every word as though it might bite him if he didn’t. “But you will need some more training to do it. Are you willing?”

“What kind of training?”

“Remember when I said you needed to start physical training?”

Em wrinkled her forehead. “You want me to be a knight?”

Ralph choked on laughter, and both Em and Flint shot him a look. Flint’s look was annoyed. Em’s blank.

“Ralph, will you leave for a moment? And don’t listen at the door.”

After the door closed behind a sulky Ralph, Flint stood up and approached Em. Kneeling in front of her.

“Em,” he said seriously. “Do you remember the day of the duel?”

Em flinched. Suddenly she knew where this was going. “Yes,” she said hesitantly.

“Do you know what you did that day?”

“I… healed you?”

Oh, crap, she shouted internally. Crap, crap, crap…

“You have a gift for healing, Em. I want you to develop it more.”

Em clenched her fists. Lost for words. “But- Healing hurts people,” she said weakly. She knew, and Flint knew, that in her case that was a non-issue. But she couldn’t think of any other way to try and dissuade him.

Maybe if she could figure out how to make him think it was a fluke? Or his own strength?

He smiled. But it was grim.

“That won’t be a problem for you, Em. What will be a problem is keeping it a secret.”

“A… secret?”

This was a turn in the conversation she hadn’t been expecting. Suddenly her half-formed arguments were useless, and she was left fumbling again.

“Yes, a secret. It is an excellent gift to have, and it will be a big job for you. And even if you don’t do it as a job, it will be good to be proficient in case of an emergency. But.” He stressed the word. “It could also put you in danger if the wrong people find out.”

“Secrets don’t stay secret if you tell it.”

“You’re right. That’s why we’ll have to be careful with your training.”

Em bit her lip. “But… what if I don’t want to?”

Arguments were slipping away from her. She knew they were there, darn it! Why couldn’t she think of any?

While she was panicking, Flint was studying her face. He relaxed.

“That’s fine. In that case, I have no job for you. You can go ask the kitchen ladies for work.”

He patted her arm and stood up. About to return to his desk.

“Wait!” She grabbed his sleeve. “That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

Was he manipulating her? Playing a good big brother like Felix had done?

Or was he being sincere?