Page 71 of A Dawn Of Blood

“Look,” I coax as I grab a fork and eat a piece of meat. “Just to make it clear to you none of this is poisoned or anything.”

Still nothing. “No?” I ask with my eyebrows raised. I let out a sigh. “Alright.” I put the fork down and lean back in the chair. “I have some questions for you today.”

He doesn’t react.

“They say you’re Baldur’s son. You’re not, though, are you?”

No reply.

“How does it work? Your relationship, I mean.”

No reply.

“Is it a loving one? Did he tuck you in every night, telling you stories about Odin, Frigg, and the rest of your happy family?”

I only get more silence.

I observe him for a moment. He’s still the man I played a real-life game of chess with. And if nothing else, what I’ve learned about him in that time still stands. He’s someone who likes to be in control and it must be eating at him that he doesn’t know what I’ve planned for him.

I choose to use this to get him to start talking. “I’ve decided what to do with you, you know?” I say as I put my feet up and eye him with my head tilted to the side.

I think I see his eyes dart to me. Only for a split second, but still.

“You’ll be staying with us, indefinitely, and every day we’ll be eating dinner, you and I, like the two little lovebirds that we are.”

No response.

“You’re really chatty, aren’t you?” I tease. “That’s alright, we can start simple. Why don’t you tell me what your favorite color is,” I say as I get up. “No, let me guess. It’s black. Is it because that’s the color of your soul?”

He doesn’t respond, until I start slowly walking over.

He meets my gaze, that lip curling in disgust stopping me in place. He scoffs. “It’s because blood doesn’t show on it as much.”

I fight not to show how much this is getting to me. “How very practical. Is that what you are, practical above everything else?”

Silence.

I let out a laugh. “If you keep refusing to talk to me like this, how are we ever going to learn each other’s deepest, darkest secrets?”

This makes him look at me again. “I’ve wiped entire nations off the face of the earth,” he starts, then makes his voice sweetly mocking when he continues, “but sure, you’d hold my hand and whisper sweet nothings into my ear, is that right?”

I tilt my head at him. “Is that what you want?” I ask.

Something flashes through his eyes. “No,” he bites out. Then he sneers. “But it doesn’t matter. You’d be too self-righteous for that anyway, now wouldn’t you?”

I smile and I shrug. “I used to be, sure, but these days I have no judgment left, only understanding.”

He lets out a scoff. “You know what you can do with yourunderstanding?” He spits on the ground close to me.

I have to fight a wave of anger. “Despite what you may think, you don’t know me. And I understand I’m not exactly… your father’s friend. But why do you hate me so much?”

He just looks away.

“That’s alright. Just give me time, I’ll find out.” I step to the side, leaning a little forward and tilting my head to try to catch his eye. “You’llwantto tell me.”

He abruptly gets up and takes a step back. “You’re so transparent.”

“Am I?”

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