When I say nothing, her grin only widens. “Don’t tell me it’s agirl? Maybe I’ll stay too.”
I grimace at her teasing tone. “There’s no need.”
Val shakes her head, her braids swaying. “Oh, I disagree. Now I simplyhaveto know who this mysterious girl is.”
“No one,” I grumble.
“Mh-mmm. Right.” Val narrows her eyes. “I’m not buying that for a minute. Spill.”
I blow out a heavy breath. I know Val. Now that she’s interested in this, she won’t stop asking questions until I give hersomething. But I can’t tell her I’m waiting for Edith. After Idris’s death, Val would never understand why I agreed to work with a berserkr.
No hunter would.
“She’s a friend of my brother’s,” I say, deciding to start with the truth. I try to remind myself of that too. Edith is Nils’s friend. Not mine. I don’t know if Edith and I evercouldbe friends. Let alone more. “She… asked me to teach her self-defense.”
Val raises an eyebrow. “You don’t mean…”
While I’m fumbling for a response, I hear footsteps approaching.
We both turn at the same time. Edith is walking toward us, one arm covering her stomach as she clutches her elbow. She looks as reluctant as I feel. “Hi…”
Val shoots daggers at me with her eyes. “Amund, a word please?”
I glance between her and Edith. “Sorry, give us a moment.”
Val grabs my arm, dragging me away. “What the hell are you thinking, bringing a berserkrhere? We don’t help berserkir, Amund. Wehuntthem. You saw what they did to Idris, right?”
I grimace. “She can still hear us, you know.”
“Good.” Val blows out a breath. “She needs to be reminded of it too. Berserkir and hunters donotmix.”
I can’t help but recall my kiss with Edith. How well she fit against me. How right it felt to hold her in my arms. I never wanted to let go.
“I don’t care,” I say, my voice hardening. I still remember what she looked like, covered with blood. Trembling in terror. How much she reminded me of Nils when he was younger. “I’m going to help her. It’s what Idris would want.”
Val recoils. “Yeah, well, look what happened tohim.”
I clench my jaw, unwilling to dignify her remark.
When I say nothing, Val keeps going. “Whatever is happening here, it won’t end well.” Her gaze darts from me to Edith. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Amund.”
With that, Val strides off, leaving the two of us alone.
My cheeks grow hot. I can’t bring myself to meet Edith’s gaze.
“Don’t mind her. Val hates berserkir.”
“Yeah,” Edith says slowly. “I can tell.”
“Shall we get started?” I ask.
Edith nods. Dressed like she is, it’s hard not to imagine her in hunter leathers instead. How much easier things would be if we were both hunters. Val’s warning comes back to me.Whatever is happening here, it won’t end well.
“We’ll start with something simple,” I tell her, trying to focus. “Remove your dagger and show me where you’d strike.”
She hesitates before freeing her dagger.
I do my best not to stare.
