Isaac is close by. The three of us run over to him and help him to his feet. He’s covered in blood and bruises, but from the way he beams at us, it seems like he’ll be okay too.
I breathe a sigh of relief. It worked.
“It’s safe!” I shout.
People pour out of the locker room, eager to escape. Everyone is shaken up, walking through the gym wordlessly, the floor slippery with blood. They stare blankly, still in shock.
Together we join the exodus outside.
The nightmare is over.
I notice Amund moving slowly through the courtyard, the statue of Egill rising behind him. Someone is slumped against him, struggling to stay on his feet.Nils.I can barely bring myself to look at him.
A sickening mix of emotions fills me—I’m furious about what he did to me, betrayed by all his deception, but at the same time, some part of me is relieved I didn’t kill him. Unlike my dad, he’ll be held accountable for his actions. I hope he rots in jail.
Even though I have to face him again, this time, I’m not alone.
Tala, Isaac and Kris are all with me. So is Valerie.
And Amund.
Rather than give Nils any more thought, I focus on Amund instead. He looks seriously injured even if he’s in better shape than his brother. Their dad isn’t with them, though. I don’t know what that means for him, but I find that I don’t care. Amund’s gaze catches mine and he nods. We exchange a long, meaningful glance.
It’s finally over.
“Wait!” Irina calls, running over. How did I thinkshewas the killer? I feel bad for blaming her now. She was suspected for something she didn’t do, just like I was. I should’ve known better. By the time she reaches us, she’s out of breath. “Spirits still—need to—”
I frown at her. “What? Slow down. I can’t understand what you’re saying.”
Irina pants. After a moment, she manages to get out, “The spirits are still inside the berserkir. The next time they go berserk, the spiritscould regain control… Unless we expel the spirits, send them back to their realm, and seal the gate this time, Skallagrim willneverbe safe.”
“How are we supposed to do that?” Valerie asks, resting a hand on her hip.
Irina looks straight at me. “We need to call upon Egill.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWOAMUND
This isn’t over yet!Father had shouted after Nils and me.
Did he know about this too?
“We need to do another séance?” Edith asks, avoiding looking at Nils.
Irina nods grimly. “I think I mentioned it before, but the longer a spirit has been dead, the more difficult it is to contact them.” Irina looks around at each of us—me, Nils, Edith, Val, Tala, Isaac. “This is probably going to requireallof us.”
My brother is still slumped against me. He can barely stand on his own two feet. “Nils is in no shape to use seiðr right now.”
He shakes his head. “I can do it.”
Edith flinches at the sound of his voice.
I can’t blame her. My brother abducted her, chained her up, and nearly killed her. All because she rejected him, even though she refuses to be in a relationship withanyone. Even me. And the reason she won’t let herself be in relationships—fearing that someone will hurt her, trapping her like her mother was trapped—ended up happening anyway.
I tighten my hold on my brother. “Are you sure?”
That isn’t the only thing I want to ask him. I want to look him in the eyes, to shake his shoulders, to demand how he could have done this. Killed innocent people and hurt others and terrorized Skallagrim and—
“I have to,” Nils says.
