Thisis my brother. He’s done awful things. I know Nils, and that isn’t him. It was Trygve. Father. Egill’s pelt. Even if Edith can’t see that, I hope she’ll be able to understand why I have to. I can’t give up on him. Not again.
I grip his shoulder. “All right.”
“We still need another witch and hunter,” Irina says. “A few days ago, Helga tasked me with finding a way to cleanse the school. My aunt came up with this idea, but nine people are required. One person for each of the nine realms. Three hunters, three berserkir, three witches. If we offer Egill our power, with his help, we should be able to return the spirits to their realm and close the door behind them.”
“Allow me to assist,” comes a familiar voice.
Helga.So I guess she spoke with Irina after all.
“We just need another hunter, then,” Irina says. “Ideally, one who is also a seer, so we could have three seers as well. Just to be safe.”
Nils and I exchange a look. “We know just the person.”
While everyone is preparing for the séance outside, I head back into the seer school, alone this time. I walk through the halls, hearing echoes of the Tragedy as I go. Frantic screams and snarls, bodies thumping to the ground, wet flesh being devoured. I clench my hand into a fist at my side. It only makes me more determined to put an end to this once and for all.
I find Father where we left him.
He’s dragging himself over the floor on his elbows, leaving behind a trail of blood.
Father looks up, groaning. “Amund, I knew you’d be back.”
“Not for you,” I say, standing over him. “For Skallagrim.”
When I left Father, I had no intention of returning.
Looking down at him like this, I finally see him for what he is. Father is the weak one. Not me. Not Nils. For the first time, I’mgladI’m nothing like him.
“We need your help to save Skallagrim,” I say, crouching down. “But you already know that, don’t you?”
“I knew the spirits hadn’t been expelled and the gate hadn’t been closed.” Father grits his teeth. “Let me guess. You’re going to perform a séance to ask Egill for help?”
My brow furrows. “How did you know?”
“He’s the only one who could end this,” Father says with a groan. “But to call upon a spirit that’s been dead for as long as he has, you’d need a lot more than three people. More like… nine.” He narrows his eyes. “I see. That’s why you’re here, I suppose. You need me to be the ninth, don’t you?”
I nod. “Irina said it will require three of each kind of seiðr practitioner. We need another hunteranda seer, both of which you are.”
“All the branches coming together?” Father shakes his head slowly. “I never thought it possible. Our divisions run too deep.”
“For you, maybe,” I tell him. “Not for everyone.”
Father gives a small, disbelieving laugh. “Very well, I’ll help you, then.”
He tries to rise but quickly collapses. His legs are too badly broken to even stand on.
“You can’t walk,” I point out. “I’m going to have to carry you.”
Now Father is the one who hesitates.
He grimaces. “Fine.”
As I pick him up in my arms, he grunts. I can only imagine how shameful this must feel for him, having to be carried by one of his sons. Father would never ask anyone for help no matter how badly he needed it. But asking for help doesn’t make you weak. Refusing to get the help you need does.
Father is heavy in my arms, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.
He’s been a burden to me all my life.
Outside, a ring of candles is waiting for us. Edith, Val, Tala, Isaac, Irina, Helga, and Nils are seated in a broken circle. There’s room left for us between Helga and Edith. I set Father down beside Helga and take my place next to Edith, closing the circle.
