ONE HOUR AGO NOVA HAD A MILD CONCUSSION, a bump the size of Jupiter on her skull, and she had Thor. Now she has nothing. Nova Lee had no explanation for her previous injuries healing within the hour. But nothing about it seemed earthly. As for Thor, she knew his graces weren't on her side at the moment. So instead she attempted to keep her head level and continued on her way.
She knew if she went straight to Odin with information of the traitors, she wouldn't be taken seriously. How could they listen to a women from Midgard with no knowledge of the kingdom? She could try to reason with Thor but she knew his temper ran deep and he wouldn't carefully consider her information. She knew someone, however, who could help. Someone who was used to flying under the radar.
Nova Lee knew exactly what she was doing when she ran into Dalla on the way through the hall. The smile on the girls face vanished when she saw Nova's frantic eyes.
"Oh dear, what is it Nova? Shall I call Prince Thor to come get you?"
Nova grabbed the blondes shoulders loosely, pulling her to the side of the hallway. She looked around cautiously before meeting the young Asgardian's blue eyes.
"Can I trust you Dalla?" Nova asked aloud.
She wasn't used to such informal actions but in the moment she was desperate; and running out of time.
She looked back gently, her eyes holding a look of pure honesty, "Of course my Lady, I swear it on the Gods."
Nova nodded wearily dropping her hands from the girls shoulders, "good," she said, "I need your help."
The brunette turned to leave motioning Dalla to follow. Her pace was quick, careful to avoid oncoming people.
"What is happening?" Dalla asked quietly tugging Nova's hand into her own.
"I'll explain everything on the way down, firstly I need to know if you have access to the prisons."
Dalla's face paled at the mention of it. Something like that would cause her to lose her job, or worse be exiled. But the young girl saw the look of fear in Nova's eyes and mustered up her courage.
"I shouldn't," she said quietly squeezing her hand softly, "but I do."
Nova let out a small sigh in relief. For a moment she felt a sliver of hope.
"Let's go then."
•••
Nova Lee had explained everything to the girl and yet the dire situation only seemed to fuel Dalla's determination. Even as young as she was, she didn't crumble under pressure. For that, Nova was grateful. Nova, however, didn't want to ask how to innocent blonde managed to get the guards away from the cells, so instead she sent her a silent prayer.
"My brother used to work for the guard," Dalla explained as she clicked buttons on the side of the wall, "He told me that they used a certain system of numbers to lock the prisoners doors. The pattern would switch every decade, only keeping the same 2 digits."
Nova could hardly listen to the words coming out of Dalla's mouth. She instead pushed her hair behind her ears frantically looking around her at the brutal men in cages. They taunted and sneered at her with darkness in their eyes. For a moment she felt like the helpless girl back on earth, begging to be saved. The room felt so much smaller than it seemed to be, the cells closed in on her as if she were encaged herself. Thankfully Dalla pulled her from her thoughts grabbing her hand and tugging her down the hall of cells.
"How do you know he will help us? What if we are too late to stop the Dark Elves?" the girl questioned, her sandals clicking on the cement with each step.
"I don't know."
"And what becomes of Thor? Will you forgive him for his brute temper."
The question hung in the air when the girls finally arrived at the familiar cell. 12 down, to the left. Loki's eyes met Novas immediately, they pleaded a silent apology for their last meeting.
The flickering lights. The ringing in Nova's ears. Blood trickling down her cheek. The body. Oh god the dead man at her feet.
She sucked in an anxious breath feeling her hands begin to shake in the process. She was traumatized, she knew it. Any human would be with a dead body laid upon their feet. But this was no time or place to dwell.
"What are you doing here?" Loki asked looking back and worth between the two with fearful eyes.
Dalla smiled sweetly, she couldn't help herself in front of the royal Prince.
"We have come to get you out," she said as she went about clicking numbers on the side of the wall.
Are you okay? His eyes asked the freckled girl.
Nova shrugged her shoulders in response to his watchful eyes.
"And why might you be doing that?" he asked Dalla finally turning his piercing glance away from Nova.
"Your family needs your help. And you seem like the heroic type," Nova Lee said with a sly smile.
"You seem to have the wrong brother."
The cell made a beeping noise before the glass wall slid open. He looked to them cautiously before taking a step out of the imprisonment.
"You'll have to be the hero in this one."