I hesitate.
Father might not have committed the murders himself, but he is still responsible. Nils never would have made the choices he did if it weren’t for Father and Trygve. If Father never abused him, maybe Nils could have used his powers for good instead.
I shake my head. This badly injured, there’s no way I’m strong enough to carry Father, too. Father needs my help, but so does Nils. I can save only one of them.
This time I have to choose what feels right.
“I’m sorry, Father.” A tear slips down my cheek, and then, using the same words he once said to me, I say, “But we can’t save everyone.”
“This isn’t over yet!” Father screams.
Together, Nils and I rush out of the seer school.
We leave Father behind once and for all.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONEEDITH
My heart aches as Amund slips outside the locker room, closing the door behind him. Even as he’s risking his life, the first thing he thinks of is protecting everyone else.Please, be safe.I just hope he’ll be able to stop Nils before it’s too late. I hug Bea tightly.
Something hits the door with a loudthump, startling us both.
Suddenly I’m a child again, hiding in bed with Mom as Dad bangs on the door.
With each loud thump, I can hear Mom reading me a bedtime story.
“Little pig, little pig, let me in!” said the big bad wolf.She knocks on the wall with one of her knuckles, but what Dad is doing is different. He pounds the door, hurling his body against it, trying to get in by any means necessary.
And what did the little pig say to the big bad wolf?Mom asks me, trying to keep her voice from shaking. “Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin!”
Now the locker room door rattles, making my heart pound harder.
The berserkir are going to break down this door just like Dad.
Valerie drags a hand over her braids. “Fan-fucking-tastic.”
The doors groan. Damn it.
We can’t let them inside. This is the only way out of the locker room, which means we’ll all be trapped. It will be a massacre. I look at Bea. Jim. Patricia. No matter what, I won’t let that happen. I refuse to lose my family. Not this time.
Valerie pushes against the door, wincing. “Shit.”
More and more berserkir slam against the doors.
The berserkir are too strong. She can’t hold back this many.
But maybewecan.
“Let me help,” I tell her.
Valerie hesitates, searching my face. “Fine.”
Beside her, I lean against the door and dig my heels in, pushing back as hard as I can. Valerie strains with the effort next to me. Bea joins us. The berserkir pound against the doors, rocking us forward.
Together, we hold them back.
For now.
Claws cut through the door, slicing at my skin, but I don’t let go. I lean back against the doors, pushing with all my strength, even as the wood starts to splinter and snap. I can’t let them through.Go berserk,my instincts scream. In my bear form, I could withstand the constant barrage longer. But if I do, I’ll risk being possessed, too.
