Chapter Forty-Six Amund
I head inside the Unity Dance.
Balloons and streamers are festooned everywhere I look, but the low, thumping music sets me on edge.
The gymnasium is packed with people. Not just current students but alumni, friends, and family.
All of Skallagrim is gathered tonight. Helga is making the rounds already.
Parents are seated at the various tables, eating salmon canapés and pickled herring bites, and keeping an eye on their children.
Students are standing around and chatting with their friends while sipping punch.
Val leans against the wall, nursing her own glass as she surveys the crowd. She’s dressed to kill, wearing a plunging black gown with a long slit up the side. Probably so she has better movement. Unlike most people here, she’s all alone.
“You’re late,” Val says once I join her.
I grimace, recalling being crammed in the closet while overhearing Edith and my brother talk.
Of course he brought her flowers. The thought never even occurred to me.
It’s better for all of us he’s the one accompanying Edith, even if I can’t forget the way I almost lowered my lips to hers. How badly I wanted to kiss her then.
How badly I still do.
It was agonizing hiding in the closet. Even after I heard her leave with Nils, I remained a few moments, taking the time to collect myself. I had to prepare myself to see them together at the dance. Just listening to them was difficult.
But I’m not about to tell Val any of that. Not when she’s staring longingly at Tala while she talks with Isaac. Her gaze lingers on Tala’s strapless bloodred dress. I have a feeling Val knows all too well what it’s like to have to watch someone you want being with someone else.
“Anything yet?” I ask her instead.
Val sighs. “Nope.”
I check my suit pocket for the canister of lupine that Father helped me prepare.
If—or when—the killer attacks tonight, I’ll be ready this time.
Val and I look over the dance floor, watching everyone chat and laugh and have a good time, occasionally sipping from their glasses of punch.
I find myself searching the sea of faces for Edith, even though I know she’ll be with my brother.
Part of me longs to see her in that dress again, even if she’s dancing with Nils instead of me.
Isaac glances our way. He leans in and whispers to Tala before jogging over to us with a glass in hand. “What’s up?”
“Still on lookout,” I tell him. “Have you scented anything?”
“Not yet.” He turns to Val. “You know, if you want to ask Tala to dance, now’s your chance.”
Val scoffs. “Why would I want to dance with your date?”
“She isn’t. We broke up.” Isaac rubs the back of his neck, giving an uneasy laugh. “We’re just friends. That’s all we’ve ever been, honestly. We only pretended to be dating because she didn’t want to disappoint her parents, but she finally told them about our breakup. Tala is here by herself.”
Val pushes off the wall, an intrigued smirk on her face. “Is that so?”
“I’ll keep an eye on things here,” I tell Val, encouraging her.
Something still seems to be stopping her, though.
“You’ll never know if you don’t ask,” I add.
Val arches a brow. “How about this? I’ll ask Tala if you ask Edith.”
She gives me a mischievous grin.
I stiffen. “But my brother—”
“It’s a dance, Amund,” Val says slowly. “You’re not asking for her hand in marriage. Why don’t you have a little fun for once? We’re all in this together.”
I shift my weight between my feet, suddenly uncomfortable.
Isaac gives me two thumbs-up. “Gotta shoot your shot, dude.”
“Fine,” I say so they’ll stop ganging up on me.
Val smirks. “Oh, please. As if you haven’t been standing here like a lovesick puppy this whole time.” Laughing, she slips a knife free from her thigh strap and uses the blade as a mirror to touch up her lipstick. “I guess I’d better not keep Tala waiting any longer.”
With that, she saunters off.
When I glance over at Isaac, the longing look he’s giving Tala is familiar.
“Do you still like her?” I ask him.
Isaac hesitates. “I always have. Probably always will.” He offers me a sad smile.
“After our other best friend died, we grew even closer and started dating. Tala was confused, but I think I always knew she never really saw me like that, you know? I was her best friend. We just didn’t want to lose each other, too. And then her parents…”
I frown. “Weren’t you with Emilía?”
“We were hooking up, yeah. I started seeing Emilía, trying to make Tala jealous, but she didn’t care. She was too busy obsessing over Valerie.” He laughs a little, but it sounds pained. “I’m just glad T is finally doing what she wants for once.”
“So neither of us can be with the girl we want,” I say quietly.
Isaac lifts his glass to me. “At least we have each other.”
A small laugh escapes me. “Right.”
While he throws back his drink, I clear my throat. “We should focus on finding the killer anyway.”
“I’ve been scenting the place this whole time.” Isaac’s nose twitches. “Valerie took us to the admin building where Egill’s pelt was stolen, and we were able to pick up its scent. I’ll be able to scent it as soon as they step inside the gym. Whoever the killer is, he’s not here yet.”
“Or she isn’t,” I remind him.
Scanning the crowd, I search for round glasses and brown hair pulled into a bun.
Irina should be arriving soon. I have to keep an eye out for her.
If she’s the killer like I suspect, we need to act fast, before she can strike.
With everyone gathered, it’s too easy of an opportunity not to do something.
One way or another, things are going to end tonight.
“Quiet, everyone,” Helga calls out, tapping a fork against her glass. She stands at the front of the gym, surrounded by streamers and balloons. “Before we begin the celebrations, I’d like to say a few words.”
I exchange a look with Isaac. We both start scanning the crowd for threats.
Irina must be here somewhere.
“Students, alumni, family, and friends of Skallagrim,” Helga calls out with a flourish, “thank you so much for joining me for our first Unity Celebration in thirty years. When my ancestor Egill Skallagrímsson founded this school, he hoped to create a safe haven for all those who practiced seier. Not just seers like him but also berserkir and witches. And more recently, we even welcomed hunters into our ranks as well, all for the preservation of seier.”
There’s a loud burst of applause.
“Which is why it means so much for all of you to be here with me,” Helga continues.
“When I look around this room, I know that Egill himself would be proud of all we’ve accomplished.
And what we will continue to accomplish in the future.
But I would be remiss not to mention those we lost in the Tragedy that took place thirty years ago.
I’d like to ask for a moment of silence for them now. ”
Helga lowers her head, and everyone around her starts to as well.
I’m torn on whether I should bow my head or not. Uncle Trygve was one of the people who died, after all. How is Father reacting to this? I look around, trying to gauge his reaction, but I don’t see him anywhere. Strange.
“Thank you,” Helga says after a long pause. “That was a horrible day, but enough time has passed. Now we must look forward. When I asked myself what I want Skallagrim’s future to be like, one thing became clear to me. We must reopen the seer campus and welcome those students to Skallagrim again.”
A murmur rises through the crowd.
“Seers deserve a place where they can learn to use their powers instead of being plagued by them,” she continues, her voice louder.
“A place that teaches the safety and caution that was so sorely lacking in the events leading up to the Tragedy. We cannot allow the mistakes of the past to dictate where we go from here.”
More than a few groups start whispering.
“I’m certain some of you may have mixed feelings about this.
But rest assured, the school will be cleansed before repairs begin.
Of course, restoring the school comes with a considerable cost, one I look to you—our students, alumni, friends, and family—to help with.
With your generous donations, we can make Skallagrim a safe haven for all practitioners of seier once more. ”
Helga raises her glass. “Now, please join me in a toast to Skallagrim’s future.”
Most everyone holds up their drinks, the sound of clinking glass filling the room, before people sip their punch. I must be the only one without a drink.
Isaac raises his glass in my direction.
“Here’s to ending this tonight,” he mutters, and throws back his drink.
The lights turn low and music floods the hall.
People run out onto the dance floor, bursting with energy and excitement.
The Unity Celebration has officially begun.
I turn toward the band, taking in the eclectic range of ancient instruments.
Lutes, harps, flutes, lyres. It’s so far removed from anything I do, it’s easy for me to forget that Skallagrim offers band and music as electives.
To my surprise, the music they play isn’t old.
It sounds more modern than I’d expect, but played on the ancient instruments, it creates something entirely new.
People start gliding around in time to the music.
Tala and Val are dancing together, laughing and having a good time.
I smile. At least Val’s mission went well.
I walk around the perimeter of the dance floor, looking over the crowd. The school board flocks around Helga, in a heated debate about her announcement. More than a few tables of alumni I pass are discussing it as well.
“I can’t believe she wants to reopen that school after what happened,” an older man says.
His companion frowns. “I don’t know, shouldn’t seers have a chance to learn about their powers too?”
It’s all the conversation I can catch with music pumping loudly through the gym.
Students are laughing and dancing, determined to have a good time.
I have to squint to see their faces clearly with the flashes of bright strobe lights.
Among a group of witches, I recognize a familiar face.
Irina. She’s swaying to the music, her arms swishing in time with the beat, as her friends dance around her. Her face is flushed, her eyes glassy.
How long has she been here? I didn’t see her arrive.
Unless… was she here the whole time?
Could I be wrong about Irina?
Isaac said the killer hasn’t shown yet.
There’s still one person I haven’t seen any sign of: Edith.
My desperation grows as I keep searching the crowd.
Her sister, Bea, is here, along with her foster mother, Patricia, and a man I assume must be their foster father.
But Edith isn’t with them. She should be easy to spot because of her hair, yet there’s no sign of her anywhere.
My heart misses a beat. Edith never showed up.
Neither did Nils. Or Father.
Suddenly, a glass shatters on the floor.
Then the screaming begins.