“Nothing,” Father says swiftly. “Help me bring the body to the morgue.”
“Emilía,” Helga corrects. “Her name is Emilía Jónsdóttir.”
I glance between Helga and Father, uncertain. Just what were they talking about before, and why did they stop as soon as I showed up?
I shake my head slowly. I have to focus on the task at hand. “But the morgue is in—”
“The seer campus,” Helga cuts in. “Yes, I’m well aware. We have to keep the body there until I speak with her parents and…persuadethem to cremate her.”
I don’t even want to know what that means. “Val is still on patrol there.”
“Then you better make sure she doesn’t see you,” Helga says, turning away from us. “No one else can know of this.”
Father’s jaw ticks. “Because of your foolish Unity Celebration?”
Helga pauses. Glances over her shoulder. “I’ve already invited all of our alumni, family, and friends to Skallagrim. The last thing I want is them—or the board—getting wind of this incident.” She presses her lips together. “This matter isn’t up for discussion. I can trust you to deal with this discreetly, can’t I?”
“Of course,” Father says, his voice strained.
Helga nods, satisfied. “If that’s all, then I need to go handle this situation.”
And with that, she leaves us.
Father crouches in front of the corpse and grabs her under the arms. “Give me a hand, Amund.”
I hesitate. Again.
How can Helga still plan to hold the celebration after this? A student isdead. The last Unity Celebration was thirty years ago—when the Tragedy took place. We haven’t had one since. It was already a shock when Helga said she wanted to reinstitute the celebration this year. It’s not like anyone would even miss it if it were canceled again.
“Amund,” Father says, his annoyance growing.
“Sorry.”
This is the least I can do for Emilía now. Swallowing down my revulsion, I bend over and lift her legs carefully. Her body is cold, far heavier than it should be. It takes everything in me to keep my grip firm and steady as we carry Emilía toward the morgue.
“Shouldn’t the students be warned?” I ask, keeping my voice low.
“You heard Helga. It’s not my decision.”
On one of my first hunts, Father told me that animals who know they’re being hunted will behave differently. So will humans, I imagine. If the students don’t know they’re in danger, then it makes our job to protect them that much harder. They’ll continue to be careless.
Carelessness gets you killed.
I glance down at the body we’re carrying. It wasmycarelessness that gotherkilled.
Father looks me over with a frown. He isn’t angry like I expected. He just looks… disappointed.
Somehow, that’s even worse.
“Don’t blame yourself,” he says quietly. “We can’t save everyone.” There’s an uncharacteristic softness to his voice. Not disappointment but sympathy.
It only drives my guilt deeper like a knife. I don’t deserve his sympathy.If I hadn’t been distracted, I could’ve saved her, like he’d saved that student’s life from a berserkr five years ago. Instead, I was watching Nils, ensuring he returned home safely.
Now Emilía is dead because of me.
“What will happen to Edith?” I whisper, though I’m not sure why I care.
Father hesitates a moment. “The berserkr? Helga will deal with her.”
