Page 46 of The Warrior
“You see anger. I see hurt.”
I dried my nose and whispered. “I guess.”
“And why is he hurting?” she asked.
“He said it’s because Pearl will outrank him.”
“That might be one of the reasons, but according to Finn, Magni’s drinking binges started when you left. Why do you think that is?”
“Because people mocked him.”
“No. That’s why he fights. It’s not why he drinks.”
“Then you tell me, Athena, because I can’t read his mind.”
Athena made a sound of sympathy. “You don’t have to read his mind, dear. You have to read his heart. What did he lose when you left?”
“Me.”
“Yes, but what did you represent to him?”
I was losing my patience with Athena. “You keep asking me questions, but I don’t know the answers – all I know is that I’m his wife.”
“Yes, but I’m looking for the word ‘purpose.’ Being your husband and protector gave him purpose.”
“Purpose.” I sighed. “Yeah, I suppose so.”
“He’s drinking to forget his pain. To not feel so lost for a night.”
I dried my nose again. “How do you know him so well, Athena?”
“Darling, I don’t know Magni. But I know people.”
“But Magni isn’t like other men.”
“Why not?”
“He’s stronger.”
“Only physically. Mentally he’s fragile. Tonight shows that very clearly.”
The thought of Magni being fragile had me frowning. “I always thought of him as special.”
“Heisspecial,” she said. “I’ve never met anyone like him. Magni reminds me of the wind.”
Talking to Motlanders sometimes made me feel like we spoke two different languages. They spoke in metaphors and used references no Northlander ever would.
“Magni is a strong force of nature. And you know, sweetie, there’s nothing wrong with being powerful if the power is channeled into something constructive. A strong wind, for instance, can be harvested and light up entire cities with its energy. But sometimes the wind takes a destructive path, turning into tornados that can tear the city apart.”
“You’re calling Magni a tornado?”
“What he does with his power only time will tell. I would like to see him use it for good, but right now I see Magni as unbalanced and ungrounded. That’s what makes him fragile.”
I was listening to Athena with deep frown lines on my forehead.
She continued, “He can’t use his physical strength to fight the enemy within him.”
“You’re talking about him being a hot-head, but I have no idea why he’s like that.” I brushed tears away.
