Page 103 of Polestar
“Did he hear me?”Antony waved a hand in Magnus’ face.
Magnus turned back to the wall.After a moment, an audible click released the panel.He stepped aside as it backed into the space.
Antony passed through the wall ahead of Magnus.
An old man lay inert on a high bed, buried under several thick blankets which barely moved for the shallowness of his breathing.The room was dark except for the few embers amongst the ash in the great fireplace at the foot of the bed.
Someone gasped.
Antony spun as the panel eased back into place, showing a wall lined with heavy bookshelves.His gaze flicked around the room to determine the source of the gasp.
A second old man with a tattooed face and wild hair emerged from a corner, gaping at Magnus in shock and relief.
Magnus ignored this man, his focus intent on the bed, where he dropped to his knees with a low sob.Carefully, he eased the man’s beard and sleep shirt aside, exposing his throat— marred by a black ink tattoo.Retracting his hand, the fabric and beard fell back into place, obscuring the mark.
“Father.”He reached for the sleeping man’s hand.He didn’t respond when Magnus touched him.Magnus’ breath shuddered as he leaned his forehead on his father’s arm.
Antony looked away from the other man’s pain, clearing his throat to ease the dense emotion from his chest.“Yeah, I’ve been there buddy.It sucks.”
“Who are you?”The second old man was suddenly in front of Antony, forcing him back a few paces.
“Wha—You—.”Antony waved at the old man’s finger extended toward Antony’s face.Their hands passed through one another.“You’re dead too?”
The lively, dead old man puffed up with indignation.“How dare you intrude in this room!You are not Barentian.You’re not even a polar bear.You’re…” he looked Antony up and down.“Human.”
“Yeah, so?It’s not like I want to be here.I’ve got a friend in trouble downstairs and half a dozen more in trouble on a ship bound for the continent.And onlythatguy can help any of them.”He jabbed a finger in Magnus’ direction.“And yeah, they’reallhuman, well, mostly human.And all want nothing more than to go home.”At least he thought they were all human.Psychics were human too, weren’t they?
“What do you mean, mostly human?Not a shifter?An elemental?A Fae?Sprite?Please tell me not a vampire.Oranotherone of those sneaky magicians.”
“Wha—No, none of those.”Antony’s head spun.“The only magician I know of is that big Yvan guy who’s holding my friend hostage.She’s a psychic.I don’t know if that’s human or not?”
The old man nodded, grumbling.“Yes, human.Naturally enhanced but still human.”
“Ah.Well, she can see me, so can you tell me how to direct her out of here if I can get her away from that bear woman, the squid guy, and the magician?”
The old man growled.“Those three are abominations to all of paranormal society.They stole my sacred work and twisted it!”
The gnarled finger appeared inches from Antony’s nose again before it whipped toward the bed.“They violated our king!I will not rest until he is restored or avenged.”
Antony approached the bed, peering down at Magnus’ father, who reminded him far too much of his own.The urge to help was overpowering, but Antony already had folks that needed his help.
“How do we wake him up?”Antony looked up at the old man.“If we wake him up, he can stop them, right?He can stop them from hurting Ana or selling her?I need her to help me save a shipload of people bound for the black market.”
“Hmm, filth,” the old man muttered, “Filthy matter.But we don’t get involved in human affairs.We have far more important things to protect.”
Antony grit his teeth in frustration.
“What’s wrong with the king?What did they do to him?”He tried again, hoping to find some angle that would benefit his mission to free Ana.“Maybe Ana can help?”
Antony didn’t know how, but given they were in the king’s room and this guy knew the place, there had to be some way.
“What about you?Are you the king’s manservant?Is there some secret I can relay to Ana, who can tell Magnus?”He knew he was grasping.Desperate.But there just hadn’t been anyone else to communicate with and he didn’t know how much time Ana had left.
“Manservant!”the old man thundered, reminding Antony distinctly of all the dramatic movie wizards he’d seen in his life.“I am the king’s shaman!”
“Shaman!You’re a magic worker too, then?”He glanced at the King.“What happened?Why didn’t you help him?”
The old man deflated.“I was already dead by the time they got to him and cast their twisted spell.I couldn’t protect him like this.Not enough to keep him safe.My energy is keeping him alive as he is.”
