Page 109 of Polestar
Adolf did not know what that meant.He flattened himself against the rudder as much as his flexible body would allow.
The two larger creatures circled the ship in opposite rotations, capturing and rounding up Adolf’s men as they jumped into the ocean to escape.
The silver-scaled fish drifted up to his level.From this angle, it was impossible to miss all of its razor-sharp teeth as it stared at him with hungry eyes.
His heart pounded as he considered his options, which were few.Very few.
A ghost-like figure drifted in next to the fish and grinned.“Gotcha.Go ahead, try to ink us, you little bastard, I dare you.She’s hungry.Reallyhungry.”
TWENTY-SIX
Magnusranintothegreat hall, toward the door that opened to the meeting room, where Ana had been detained.A cluster of guards held fast, blocking the door with angled spears.
He stopped, spun around and moved further down the length of the great hall toward his father’s throne.
As he’d expected, guards converged on his location and surrounded him in a semi-circle with the stone wall at his back.
I don’t have time for this.They’ve already hurt Ana.Gods only know what else they’ll do to her.
His mind slid away from thoughts of Ulla’s partners marking Ana with a sigil too.
No, I won’t allow that to happen.
But first, despite knowing his case was a lost cause, he had to reason with his kinsmen.
His father’s castle guard spread out around him, every one of them grim-faced, fists tightening on spears, swords or other preferred dangerous weapons from ancient times.
“You don’t have to do this.”he said, loud and clear.
“Magnus, don’t make this harder for us than it already is,” Jan, Magnus’ second cousin, said.“There is no joy in seeing you fallen so low, but our orders are clear.We must detain you by command of the king’s edict, preceding your execution.”
“Your king is under a spell and dying in his rooms at this moment.”Magnus held his gaze, then looked into the eyes of the other men facing him.
“Ridiculous,” someone to his right scoffed.
“Have you not noticed that your commander has a black sigil tattooed on his throat?That is not a Barentian rank symbol.It is a distorted emblem used to control him.My father—your King bears an identical one.As he fights its effects, it drains the life from him.”
“Lies,” another said, raising his weapon higher.
“You’ve all known me my entire life.Have you ever known me to lie?”
“Things have changed in the last decade, Magnus.As have you.”
“I have,” he conceded.“And you’re right, things have changed a lot here.New humans roaming the island.Some sort of base set up on the farthest island of our archipelago, run by more humans, no doubt.”
“The king allows it.”
Magnus nodded.There was no denying that.“But why?And who among the Barentians have access to it?Any?I wager not.”
“Mistress Ulla frequently visits the place.”
“I’m sure she does.”Magnus smirked.
“What are you saying, banished?Are you trying to sway us against your father and ex-wife?We understand your bitterness and jealousy in such a loss of pride.We understand your desire for revenge.”
“That’s not what this is,” Magnus growled.
They were easing closer to him as they spoke, tightening the space.
