Page 54 of Polestar
Itwaslongdarkby the time they reached the foot of the fortress built into the base of the island’s weathered mountain.
They had exchanged few words, preferring to focus energy on the journey.
“Cozy,” Ana muttered, “Don’t suppose it has indoor plumbing and a reliable heating system?”
“If they don’t send us away immediately, they’ll probably relegate us to a hut outside the town’s boundary.Ifwe’re lucky.More likely, we’ll be sleeping in the tent that I have bundled in my pack.”
Ana groaned, her expression pleading that it wasn’t the case.
“Don’t worry, I know many ways to keep you warm.”He winked and saw that she couldn’t help but smile.
“Shall we get this over with?”
Magnus nodded.The smile dropped from his face as he stepped forward.
Toward his past.
Toward the father that banished him from his world.
The ex-wife that had undermined him.
The son that no longer knew him.
The rest of his friends and family that had all turned their backs on him.
None had protested the banishment.None had come forward for him.He’d been alone.Until he joined Kane’s Organization.What else was there for him?
He’d questioned everything in those days; Kane, her motives, her sanity.Others that worked for her.In time, he’d learned to trust her, as his instinct had urged him to do, but he still questioned her regularly.As he’d done with his father.It was in his nature.
Unlike his father, Joey Kane respected him for it.
When did it all go wrong?
He sighed, staring up at the familiar stone walls built into the mountainside.
As far as he could recall, everything changed after the birth of his son, Elias.
It should have been a happy time, full of wonder and rightness—and it was, for a little while.His world revolved around his brand-new little cub.He’d never experienced pride and love like that before.Magnus held those memories deeply buried under the permafrost, protecting his heart.
Everyonechanged.
While at the time it was difficult to discern what was happening and who was instigating the direction of things, time and distance had since made it easier to see what was happening.
Ulla.
Still, Magnus was cautious where to lay the blame, despite how contentious their separation had been.
Family break-ups were messy, and everyone had some responsibility to claim.
A decade was a long time.
AsAnapassedthroughthe smaller door set into the massive iron-banded wooden gates, she remembered to keep her mouth closed as she took in her surroundings—she was so in awe of the place.
She breathed a sigh of relief as the high walls blocked the arctic wind from freezing her through to her bones.She didn’t care that Magnus insisted it wasn’t winter.She’d already decided she’d never, ever, be in the arctic during that particular season.The current climate was bad enough.
They stood between two stone walls, lined with snow and ice in every crevice and cranny.The ground, clear of either, was surfaced with a stone road and a cobbled foot path.
She gave a little laugh.“This place is incredible.It reminds me of a dwarven mountain castle from the movies.”
