Odin's Escape

I appear in a location I've never seen before. It's a quaint one room... Tower? I spin to see Odin at his desk. Then I look out the window. We're up high.

"You can't fall out the window if you're wondering." Odin stares at me. He looks exhausted. "What was that letter?"

"Uh..." I hold up my father's letter to him. "Odin?"

"I was expecting to have several months before seeing you." He sighs taking the letter. His disappointment switches to fear quickly. Wide eyes focus on me. "What is this?" He holds the contract Father signed before.

"Giving you permission to have a relationship with Mom."

"The king would never sign that." Odin looks it over again. I can see him using magic on it. "What exactly did I miss?" Now it's all anger.

Where do I even start? How can I make this quick? Mom should be in danger. Or will be soon. "Someone is after Mom." Maybe that's too quick?

"She can handle pretty much everything. I never feared for her life." Odin waves it off sitting down. He has the king's letter as well as the contract. I watch as his signs it. So he'll agree to the allowance. "But... If the king signed this... Who forced him?"

"I did." I duck my head. "In exchange, I signed my marriage contract. Lady Jessica Warton will be known as crown princess once everything is reviewed."

"I'm sorry, Thomas." Odin offers sorrow over that? Why? Wasn't the contract made because they thought she was my... "Arranged marriages aren't pleasant. To be forced to sign just because the king needed this..." He goes back to his paper. I'm not sure what he's writing. One gets quickly sent out. The other he keeps. "Why are you here? If it's to ask me to be your mage trainer again, I'm refusing. The madness found in the castle is just too much."

"Really?" I didn't think he's refuse that out right. I shake my head. "No. It's not that. Although... We can talk about that another time. The curse would need to be broken first."

"You aren't strong enough for your full mana supply. It cannot be broken yet." Odin says so plain as day I'm shocked by the statement. I can't have my mana accessible yet? Why? "I'm glad Xavier has a smaller amount. You took well after both of your parents."

I glare at him. "I don't care about that right now!" I fist my hands focusing on the trainer I had by my side this entire time. I don't need him right now. Refusing to be trainer and refusing to break my curse... It doesn't matter! "Mom is in danger."

"Again, I can't imagine your mother not being able to handle anything. She's much stronger than you credit her with."

"There's an artifact." I grit my teeth. Odin's interest is piqued. "We faced an electric field that increased its damage based on the amount of magic used."

"And if you know about it, she would." Odin waves it off. "She can whack things with a sword well enough."

Did my coming here mean nothing? Father sent me. For what? Why am I here? Is this to protect me again? I have no way to leave. Odin... Is blocked. He would be breaking the barriers here just to leave. I know he could. No one compares to his magic.

Tears drift down my cheeks. I'm just a kid being protected. Father probably knew Odin wouldn't do a thing, but would think I'd aim to draw him into the situation. Mom... Has so many skilled people around her. She knows to step back if needed. The artifacts... Raida explained everything well. What if those weren't the only ones?

What if whoever is aiming for the queen is among her guards? While everyone is focused on the goblins, she gets...?

"Thomas..." Odin wraps me in a hug.

I can hear the sob from me. I can't believe I'm just this level of mess. At fifteen! It's as if I never grew up at all. I'm still the foolish child begging for anything. And all Odin could offer was the rituals and mana flow. Because even without magic, I would be able to use them.

"I recall when I first used the teleport spell on you. You set off the tracer for stepping out of the castle. Through a downstairs window." Odin pulls back to see my crying face. He doesn't wipe my tears as he did back then. "We did bar all the windows on the first floor. So you started using the second. It became impossible to stop you from leaving, so we started expanding your allowances. But it was often, I was forced to teleport you to me. And that entire first year... You remind me of that child I first met. At some point, you stopped crying when I captured you." Odin reviews me. "Are you seriously that worried over your mother? Or is this to do with your contract? Or about me not being your trainer? Refusing to break the curse?"

I shake my head. "It's fine." I break free of him to rub my eyes. I just broke. I don't feel like an adult right now. Yet my signature worked. "You're right. On all points. Which means..." I look out the window hating to see the forest. I knew where Odin was. I can't escape. I have no means until someone helps me. "I'm being protected again. Father sent me here to persuade you, because he knew I would be safe."

Odin's eyes widen. "Your father sent you..."

I nod hating the fact my tears won't stop.

"Where's Jessica?"

"She's only a trainee, so the halls."

"I find that doubtful." Odin goes to my neck. To grab my locket? He uses a spell. To find Jessica? I'm very confused. "That's not good."

"What is?"

"She's in the dungeons."

"What? Why?" I am trapped here and she's trapped in the dungeons? "Castle dungeons?" Odin nods. He's in the middle of another search. "What's going on?"

"Your father isn't confident in your mother's abilities. You don't have all the details, then." Odin lifts his hands.

A feeling of shattering surrounds us. Then the rush of wind. I look at the window feeling the gust. Then I stare at Odin aghast. He broke the confinement spell? Like that? Probably knew how at any point. That was the suggestion, but he doesn't look at all suffering for it. It was like shredding a piece of paper.

It has me shivering.

"Let's get Jessica. Maybe they'll be more serious if the crowns were in the way." Odin takes my hand.

"Would Father do anything to get me to sign that contract?" It would've enacted anyway I thought. Even if I didn't sign... Just...

"Do you really think your father would agree to me having a relationship with the queen?" Odin stares at me like I may have grown a second head. "Maybe you hit your head during this. I'm going to always worry about you aren't I?"

I want to counter the comment in some way, but Odin uses teleport. His confinement won't hold up in court anyway with the contract signed. Odin had no reason to be trapped in a tower.