Kidnapped|Book 4|A novel in the Blue Moon series| An Avengers fan fiction series|

57- Like Father, Like Daughter

Hello, friends! :D

I hope you like this chapter! I had a great time writing the last bit.

I just posted chapters 19 and 20 of the adaptation version of Blue Moon. Keep in mind it's still under construction. They're in the Blue Moon: Behind the Scenes book. (which used to be called Blue Moon Q&A).

Enjoy!

Do you like the edit? ;)

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Thea soon discovers that Neidra's mansion is a maze. She leaves Videl and Angelique at the back stairway, near the stables, and heads to the west side of the house, where she had previously walked through the dark halls with Loki. It is storming like last time, and like last time, she trembles, but unlike last time, she keeps her strength about her instead of relying on the gentle reassurance of her father's hand.

As she finds the lonely, ancient staircase, she fingers the two necklaces at her neck. The golden band is still against her skin, but she can feel the warm glow, and Jack's necklace thumping against her is like a comforting heartbeat. She can feel her dagger at her waist, and taking a deep breath, she walks forward.

The stairs creak as she gingerly creeps down the stairs. It grows darker and darker as she descends, with no light to guide her but the crackle of lightning. She holds up her right hand and illuminates the tip of her fingers, casting herself in eerie shadows against the dark walls.

She walks through the arched rooms silently, looking around, hoping to find some place Neidra may keep the three powers. But she finds nothing.

When she approaches the door to the corpses' chamber, she hesitates, not wanting to see the peeling skin, the bloodied lips, the sunken, empty eye sockets again.

She clasps the golden necklace.

With this golden band, your life and mine are linked, kitten. When one is in danger, the other will know. When one draws their last breath, then the other will know in a painful instant. Draw strength from this bond, for although it may separate us, it also ties our souls together as father and daughter.

Taking a deep breath, she turns the decrepit iron knob and swings the door open with a creak.

The stench of death hits her in an instant, and she bites her lip to keep from whimpering as her flamed fingertips come across the splayed caresses of Neidra's previous political victims, unceremoniously dumped for her own dark purposes.

Trying not to look, Thea walks quickly through the room, past the man with the sword in his skull, past the woman gazing in horror, her dead child in her hands. By the time Thea reaches the other side, she is blinking back tears, and trembling, the flame wavering.

And then, from her nerves and lack of concentration, the flame goes out, casting Thea into darkness, a darkness with the dead.

She whimpers, bracing herself against the wall as if the corpses would come to life and attack her. Chest heaving, she leans her head back against the stone and closes her eyes tightly. If she wants to find a way out of here, she will need to calm herself, and she knows it.

She pictures the evenings in Loki's bedchamber, her reading from the thick, leather-bound books, trying to struggle through the Asgardian words, wrapped up in a warm fur from the coldness outside. Envisioning Loki is slightly harder, but she does, remembering the patience of his voice as he helped her spell through the difficult Ancient language, and the smile of his praise when she managed a few words on her own.