Page 43 of Polar Fates
The pain is so much that I can almost begin to get used to it. It’s one big blanket surrounding me, making it harder tobreathe.
Arcas growls and stalks towards Torben. He’s our leader; he’ll want to finish him off first. Saliva is dripping from the bear’s fangs and his eyes are glowing withvictory.
I close my eyes, not wanting to see what comes next. Dying with dignity doesn’t exist. Neither does a brave death. I just want to get it over with. That’s not brave. That’s being impatient and in a lot ofpain.
Isla may be dead already. Who knows what happened when Arcas took over. She wouldn’t have let him control her without a fight. Maybe I’ll see her again in theafterlife?
A loud growl fills the room, but it’s not Arcas. I open my eyes just in time to see Alis charging her son. Where did she come from? How does she have a body? I turn my head to look at where the old man was sitting. He’s no longer there. Something must have happened for Alis to be able to take his body and then shift. The Fates, maybe? One of them is standing where Van Deen was sitting moments ago, smilingsoftly.
Alis roars and growls at Arcas. She’s not affected by his hold on us. On the contrary, his movements are suddenly slower, more sluggish, until he stops moving and just stands there, in the middle of the room, blood painting the white fur around his mouth. Ourblood.
Alis stares at her son and it seems as if they’re having a mental conversation, but maybe she’s just looking at him for one last time. Then she rips out histhroat.
“Nooooo!” Torben shouts, and I realise what he has grasped already. Isla. Arcas took over her body. Now Alis killed him. Killed ourIsla.
I moan, not able to produce a louder sound. I’m too weak to evencry.
Grief fills my heart and I will it tostop.
But wait. Deep down inside of me, I can still feel the bond with her. She can’t be dead if I can still feel her. Canshe?
That’s when Alis collapses in a heap next to herson.
What the fuck ishappening?
* * *
Isla
With a flash of light, I’m transported out of my dark prison and back into my body. I move my fingers and toes and smile at the familiar feeling. That’s me. My body. My usual self. No more beingtrapped.
Welcome back,a surprisingly gentle voice says inside myhead.
Alis!
Little human, she chuckles, but there is a deep sadness filtering through ourconnection.
Whathappened?
Open youreyes.
I was so used to the darkness that I forgot I could see. I open my eyes and take in the carnage. My men are on the floor, all of them lying in pools of blood. But they’re alive. Torben and Húnn have shifted already and are naked but seemingly alright, while the brothers are still in their bearforms.
I run to them and stroke their fur, one hand on each of their backs, encouraging them toshift.
Waiting for them to respond to my touch, I look back, to the centre of the room. Van Deen lies there, his throat a bloodymess.
What happened?I askagain.
I killed my son,Alis says sadly.You’ll need to ask the Fates about the details, but they gave me the old man’s body so I could end Arcas’slife.
I’m searching for words but can’t find anything to say. She will need time, a lot of time. Her son is dead, again. She’s lost him twice, but I don’t think her grief will be any less painful this time. Especially because it was her who killedhim.
Húnn shifts and Ràn follows suit a moment later. They sit up and despite their wounds, they seem like they’re going to be okay. Ràn holds out his arms and I hug him tight, clinging to him, enjoying his scent, and then Húnn’s when he joins us, and then that of the othertwo.
We sit there, hugging each other, knowing that nothing will ever be the same again. But at least we’retogether.
Epilogue
