She guides me over to one of the empty beds, sitting down beside me. She turns my face this way and that. Apart from minor cuts and scrapes from last night, there isn’t anything worth her concern. Still, her frown deepens. “Are you getting rest, Amund?”
I can’t remember the last time I got a full night’s sleep. “I get enough,”I tell her. Last night was particularly bad. I spent all night scouring the Wilds with Father, and still we found nothing.
She looks me over, but she doesn’t push any further. “Will you let me examine you?”
“There’s no need for that. I just wanted to ask if any berserkir have come in to be treated.”
She taps her chin. “A few, but mostly your hunter classmates, as you can see.” She sighs, twisting her skirt in her hands. “I worry about you, you know. If your father—”
“I’m fine, Mother. Really. Did any of the students have injuries to their collarbones or their right forearm?” I ask, trying to approximate where the dagger wound would end up being after the berserkr transformed back.Ifthey transformed back.
Mother purses her lips. “You know patient records are confidential, Amund. I can’t tell you.”
I lean closer and whisper, “It’s involving the attack.”
She sucks her teeth. “I don’t want you getting mixed up in that.”
“It’s my responsibility,” I tell her. “I can handle it—don’t worry. Who do you think injured the beast?” I add, trying to reassure her with my bravado.
“What?” Mother starts checking my body in earnest. “That’s it. Remove your leathers. Let me treat you. If you cooperate, I’ll tell you.”
Gritting my teeth, I peel off my armor with a groan. My arm still hadn’t healed after our recent hunt, and it’s only gotten worse after last night. This time, I was injured protecting a berserkr instead of hunting one.
Mother gasps. There are large bruises along both my sides and all over my chest, not to mention more cuts and scrapes than I can count. Her brows rise toward her hairline. “Did your father—”
“No.” I pat her hands. Even reaching across to her lap makes me wince. I’ll be completely useless in training later. “It’s just training.You know how it is.” I tip my chin, gesturing to all the injured hunters around us.
Mother frowns. “Well, I have something that will help. Hold on.”
She grabs some salve and starts wiping it on my sides.
The bruises are still tender. I’m used to leaving them untreated. I don’t have the time to come here often, not between hunting and training. Father keeps me far too busy. Not to mention, it feels like a betrayal of him to be around her, as much as I want to be.
I question her to distract myself from the ache. “Have any berserkir come in with injuries like the ones I mentioned?”
“One, I think. Isaac. He can be a bit of a troublemaker.” The way she talks about him sounds almost fond. She hesitates, realization sinking in. “You don’t think he could…?”
I lift my shoulder in a shrug, only to wince.
“Hold still.” She bats my side. “Anyway, I don’t know. Isaac can be fresh, sure, but he doesn’t seemviolent.”
Neither did Father at first,I want to point out to her, but I don’t want to steer the conversation in that direction. They met here. She saved his life after he was badly injured by a berserkr in the Tragedy. She’s one of the only people to ever see Father vulnerable.
“He’s a berserkr,” I say instead. “All of them are violent.”
As soon as the words escape, I question them. Edith’s gray eyes flash in my mind.Shedoesn’t seem that way, not now that I’ve finally realized that she isn’t the killer we’re looking for. I still remember how gentle and caring she was with her younger sister. Maybe if I had listened to my gut sooner, I wouldn’t have wasted so much time chasing her.
Mother frowns, looking unconvinced.
Awkward silence hangs in the air while she tends to me.
“That should help,” Mother finally says. “As will this.” She places a small blue bottle in my palm, closing my fingers around it.
“What is it?” I ask.
“An herbal tincture to help you sleep. You need your rest. You’re still a growing boy.”
I raise an eyebrow. She must not want to admit I’ve grown up.
