Polaris Skies

Chapter 10

Dreams flooded his senses. The moon cracked into deep fissures, and a faceless woman with black wings flew over the sky. He followed her movements, enthralled with her dance. The glade sparkled in the stillness beneath her floating ballet. Polaris's surface shattered into a million pieces. A shadow man emerged in the dusk. The woman flew down to meet him, black feathers scattering. A red fog blew the feathers into his line of sight, blocking his view. A roar echoed through the glade as Sven came awake on all fours, his hackles up and teeth bared.

Michael dropped a platter of tea and biscuits on the ground, scattering boiling hot liquid and fluffy rolls across the dirt. Sunrise seeped along the horizon behind him. Michael's other hand was stuffed into his pocket. Sven snorted at the action, aware of the tang of metal that sat at the man's fingertips.

Calm yourself, Sven. You're on edge, and that's not going to help us get Hana out of here.

I don't trust this overstuffed poultry.

You can smell her on him. Maybe her husband. You should prepare yourself for that, Sven.

Don't say that. Never say that. She has my mate.

Your damn fault for picking her.

Shut up, human.

Give me my body back. You aren't rational right now, and I don't like the idea of being a pelt for an afterlife.

You don't believe in an afterlife.

You've been nosing around.

Went and flipped a few switches. Found a few things I suspected. Found a few things I didn't. You're interesting, but this bastard needs to die.

Shove it, mutt. We aren't killing anyone right now. It will not benefit us, and I am not willing to face that moral mountain ever.

He's a threat, and not just to you and me. You might only smell feathers. I smell blood and evil. The way his eyes move. Don't trust him. He's twisted.

Give me back my body, Sven. I can't put up with your anger right now.

I warned you. I warned you, dječak u sjeni. I will not die here. I'll give you back your body for now, but he pulls that switchblade from his pocket, I will permanently take over. Our luck, he dumped that crap all over the ground. Smells like poison. Sven heaved a sigh and slipped to the background, giving way for Nat to grab the transition.

"Is there something I can do for you?" he asked behind clenched teeth, the pain of transformation twining through his bones.

Michael shook his head and shrugged, leaning over to pick up the fallen cups. "Do you always have to scare the people?"

"Do you?" Nat whispered.

Michael studied him down the length of his nose. A sardonic smile slipped to reveal cruel teeth. "The Flock needs a leader. I'm just doing my job."

"Your job abusing women and kids?" Nat spat back quietly. Sven perked up at the accusation to focus on the birdman.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Michael stacked the cups on the platter.

What do you mean, dječak?

"The women cower when you get close. So do the kids. Seen enough of that from my old man to know what it looks like when Mom would skirt away from him. Afraid to get grabbed. Is that why Hana left? To get away from you?" Nat prodded, his eyes flashing in golden hour rising around them. His friends slept through the conversation. The twist in his heart was relief that Yeller wouldn't hear this bit of truth.