Nils winces as he arranges the entrails. “I already know that.”
I peer into the dark corner of the room. Someone stands there, but I can’t see them clearly. Edith warned me someone else could be here.
“Who is that?” I finally manage to get out.
Nils remains quiet.
“What have you done?” I shake my head helplessly, some part of me still refusing to believe he could be responsible for all of this. “Did you really kill those people?” I ask him slowly. I can’t even bring myself to say their names aloud.
“I had to” is all Nils says.
Realization punches through me.
Emilía. Idris. Their brutalized bodies.
Nilsdid that.
My little brother murdered them and attacked me and Edith. My little brother whom I built pillow forts for and read Donald Duck comics to and played sticks and stones with. My little brother who loved drinking Kókómjólk and was terrified of the yule lads.
I have to look away, staring down at the slimy string of intestine he holds in his hands. “Are those…”
Nils shakes his head. “These belong to that wild berserkr you and Father recently killed.” His words turn my stomach. I unknowingly helped with this twisted ritual of his. After all, my brother isn’t the only one who’s taken life. So have I. “I preserved the viscera in a jar until now,” he continues, “figuring it was one less person I’d have to kill.”
I swallow, still trying to wrap my head around this. “Why Idris? Why would you kill him?”
“At first I was just going to kill Dorian, but then when I saw you and Edith… I wanted to take someone you cared about away from you, like you took Edith from me.” I grind my teeth together. The only thing worse than Idris dying is knowing he died because ofme. “I wanted to punish you,” Nils adds, “since I couldn’t bring myself to kill you.”
“You almost did.”
I wish he would have.
At least then I wouldn’t have to face the fact that my little brother is a murderer.
“That was an accident,” Nils says after a beat. “I only wanted to hurt you a little, but then I lost control when I saw you.”
Father sits up with a low groan. “So you did have it in you to be a hunter.”
I wince at his words. Why does Father almost soundpleased?
“I have to admit, I didn’t think you did,” Father continues, full of bitter dismay. “You bested your brother, defeated Idris, and even eluded me. If I wasn’t so horrified by your actions, I might be impressed.”
Father is looking at Nils with begrudgingrespect. All I can bring myself to feel is disgust. If this is what it takes to earn Father’s esteem, then I want no part of it. Not if it means betraying everything I believe in.
Not if it means betrayingmyself.
“If only you weren’t such a misguided fool, son,” Father finishes.
Nils frowns at him. “Really, now I’m your son again?”
“You always were.”
Nils stares at Father, the intestines forgotten in his hands.
“Lies,”the voice hisses from the shadows.“He only says this now thatheis afraid ofyou.”
Father turns toward the voice. “You’re the liar, Trygve. Like always.”
Trygve.
