North Star Guide Me Home (61 page)

‘Mine was the year the old queen died,’ Isidro said. He glanced back at Delphine and slowed his stride until she and Ilya caught up.

‘I just hope there’s someone making chimney cakes. I haven’t had one in an age.’

‘Oh, there’s bound to be. And those fried syrup cakes, with raspberries and cream … and Delphi’s never had any of them. We’ll have to get some of everything, and make a feast of it. We never really had a chance to celebrate being together again, did we? I think we’re due.’

‘More than due,’ Delphine said. ‘And from what I hear there’s talk of a betrothal, too.’

Isidro glanced at her. Her voice was light, but he knew Delphine could use a light tone to disguise how she truly felt. It hadn’t exactly been her choice to stay here, and she’d never expected to share her man with other women. But she met his gaze with a breezy smile, while Ilya cooed in her wrap. ‘I used to think it was impossible to truly love two men or women at once … but then it occurred to me, surely that’s like saying that a mother can only love one of her children.’

Sierra looked across at her, her storm-blue eyes glittering in the sun. Her hair shone with a deep gleam, so inky-dark that it glinted blue. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘That’s exactly what it’s like.’

‘I remember when I first saw you all together, down in the Spire. I wished I had a family like this; folk I could rely on, come hell or high water, and now I have it. Having everyone here, safe and well, and seeing the two of you …’ She gave Isidro a sidelong glance between lowered lashes. ‘I always thought I’d be jealous … but I’m not. It still surprises me, but I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy.’

Sierra turned away, looking over the city. ‘When I left the Spire, I just hoped that what we won would be worth what I was giving up … I didn’t dare believe that it could be rebuilt.’

‘All scars fade,’ Isidro said, ‘and there’re few wounds that can’t be healed.’

The cobbled streets shone, washed clean by the rain, and as they passed over the bridge and into the city, Isidro felt Sierra’s hand brush against his. He caught it in his own, and raised it to his lips for a kiss.

Thanks to Jade, Trent and Katie for sharing their expertise.

Thanks to Simon, Mum and Jan for helping me find the time.

Thanks to everyone who’s supported me through writing Children of the Black Sun: readers, reviewers, friends, family and everyone at HarperCollins.

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Jo Spurrier was born in 1980 and has a Bachelor of Science, but turned to writing because people tend to get upset when scientists make things up.

Her interests include knitting, spinning, cooking and research. She lives in Adelaide and spends a lot of time daydreaming about snow.

CHILDREN OF THE BLACK SUN TRILOGY

Winter Be My Shield
(Book One)

Black Sun Light My Way
(Book Two)

North Star Guide Me Home
(Book Three)

HarperVoyager

An imprint of HarperCollins
Publishers

First published in Australia in 2014

This edition published in 2014

by HarperCollins
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harpercollins.com.au

Copyright © Jo Spurrier 2014

The right of Jo Spurrier to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the
Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000
.

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National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:

Spurrier, Jo, author.

North star guide me home / Jo Spurrier.

978 0 7322 9256 0 (pbk.)

978 0 7304 9291 7 (epub)

Spurrier, Jo. Children of the black sun; 3. Magic — Fiction.

Fantasy fiction.

A823.4

Cover design by HarperCollins Design Studio

Cover images: Icelandic landscape © Bernd Vogel / Corbis; all other images by shutterstock.com

Map by Jo Spurrier

Author photograph by Simon Ankor