strangely normal in that instant, like he wasn’t the same kid who’dtormented Fen for years. Then he ruined it all by saying, “Most of the time.”
Fen snorted.
Skull grinned.
They sat, staring quietly at each other for an almost peaceful moment before Skull added, “It’s not like it could be worse than now, you know?”
Fen’s ears perked up like the wolf he sometimes was. There was a reason Skull was cooperating with the mayor, and maybe if Fen could figure that out, he could change things. Being a Brekke made him understand that people often make bad decisions not because
they’re
bad, but because they’re scared or angry.
“I need to think about my sister,” Skull continued. “I need to think about what’s best for the pack… well, I did before you took over. I have a little brother, too, you know? I never see him, and I don’t want this life for him, too. Living like we do, always moving, camping, fighting. It gets hard. I have scars I don’t even remember getting. My sister handles it, but she’s an… unusual girl.”
A bark of laughter escaped before Fen could smother it. Hattie was more wolf than girl. Over the years, Fen was pretty sure he’d grown more scared of her than of Skull.
Skull kept on like he hadn’t heard it. “I know your dad is in the lockup. Mine is, too. So’s my oldest brother. Wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t have to live like we do?”
There were a lot of answers Fen might’ve expected from Skull. What he didn’t expect, though, was the hopefulness he heard in Skull’s voice—and Fen got it. He
really
did. He hadn’t seen either of his own parents in longer than he could begin to think about, and he’d been shuffled around between different relatives—from unwelcoming to semitolerant—for most of his life. His cousin Kris was one of the best, but that didn’t mean Fen hadn’t felt the sting of his fist a time or two. It was just the ways things were.
What if it doesn’t have to be that way?
He wasn’t sure life would be any better if Dad were out of jail. Fen had more than a few niggling doubts about that, but the hopes Skull had—for something better than the life they all lived now—were tempting.
Carefully, he said, “I understand. I want a different life, too. Was even trying to have one until you—” He cut himself off with a shake of his head, not able to think about his brief attempt to be on the right side of the coming fight. Dwelling on his thwarted attempt to be a hero would only lead to being angrier at Skull. Fen shoved those thoughts away and continued, “The point is that I don’t think following a Thorsen on his crazy plan of world destruction is the way to get it.”
Skull shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I don’t have a better plan. The Raider packs I know of all support him.” He stretched, winced, and added, “I’m not a thinker, Fen. I’mnot the Champion of Loki, either. It’s your pack now. You’re the one who visited Hel. You’re the one who’s supposed to lead us and the monsters to victory. I’ll follow you. We all will… just don’t get us killed.”
Fen stared at him. He wasn’t sure if this glimpse of the older boy’s fear and trust was better than listening to Skull spout lunacy or not. On one hand, it was easy to think of Skull and the rest of the Raiders as the enemy. On the other hand, Fen was just like them in some ways: Skull wanted a better life; he wanted to protect his family, and while Fen couldn’t see even the first thing about
Hattie
that was worth protecting, he knew that he would do anything to keep Laurie safe.
They stayed like that, each boy silent, until they were interrupted by the arrival of a girl Fen would happily feed to the monsters if he could summon any—Astrid, the girl who had poisoned Baldwin with mistletoe and killed him. Fen would’ve been glad to never see her again.
“Fen,” Astrid said.
That was all she got out before he lunged at her. He knew she wasn’t
Fen snorted.
Skull grinned.
They sat, staring quietly at each other for an almost peaceful moment before Skull added, “It’s not like it could be worse than now, you know?”
Fen’s ears perked up like the wolf he sometimes was. There was a reason Skull was cooperating with the mayor, and maybe if Fen could figure that out, he could change things. Being a Brekke made him understand that people often make bad decisions not because
they’re
bad, but because they’re scared or angry.
“I need to think about my sister,” Skull continued. “I need to think about what’s best for the pack… well, I did before you took over. I have a little brother, too, you know? I never see him, and I don’t want this life for him, too. Living like we do, always moving, camping, fighting. It gets hard. I have scars I don’t even remember getting. My sister handles it, but she’s an… unusual girl.”
A bark of laughter escaped before Fen could smother it. Hattie was more wolf than girl. Over the years, Fen was pretty sure he’d grown more scared of her than of Skull.
Skull kept on like he hadn’t heard it. “I know your dad is in the lockup. Mine is, too. So’s my oldest brother. Wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t have to live like we do?”
There were a lot of answers Fen might’ve expected from Skull. What he didn’t expect, though, was the hopefulness he heard in Skull’s voice—and Fen got it. He
really
did. He hadn’t seen either of his own parents in longer than he could begin to think about, and he’d been shuffled around between different relatives—from unwelcoming to semitolerant—for most of his life. His cousin Kris was one of the best, but that didn’t mean Fen hadn’t felt the sting of his fist a time or two. It was just the ways things were.
What if it doesn’t have to be that way?
He wasn’t sure life would be any better if Dad were out of jail. Fen had more than a few niggling doubts about that, but the hopes Skull had—for something better than the life they all lived now—were tempting.
Carefully, he said, “I understand. I want a different life, too. Was even trying to have one until you—” He cut himself off with a shake of his head, not able to think about his brief attempt to be on the right side of the coming fight. Dwelling on his thwarted attempt to be a hero would only lead to being angrier at Skull. Fen shoved those thoughts away and continued, “The point is that I don’t think following a Thorsen on his crazy plan of world destruction is the way to get it.”
Skull shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I don’t have a better plan. The Raider packs I know of all support him.” He stretched, winced, and added, “I’m not a thinker, Fen. I’mnot the Champion of Loki, either. It’s your pack now. You’re the one who visited Hel. You’re the one who’s supposed to lead us and the monsters to victory. I’ll follow you. We all will… just don’t get us killed.”
Fen stared at him. He wasn’t sure if this glimpse of the older boy’s fear and trust was better than listening to Skull spout lunacy or not. On one hand, it was easy to think of Skull and the rest of the Raiders as the enemy. On the other hand, Fen was just like them in some ways: Skull wanted a better life; he wanted to protect his family, and while Fen couldn’t see even the first thing about
Hattie
that was worth protecting, he knew that he would do anything to keep Laurie safe.
They stayed like that, each boy silent, until they were interrupted by the arrival of a girl Fen would happily feed to the monsters if he could summon any—Astrid, the girl who had poisoned Baldwin with mistletoe and killed him. Fen would’ve been glad to never see her again.
“Fen,” Astrid said.
That was all she got out before he lunged at her. He knew she wasn’t
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