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She will be rowled Elsa will be nored it and walked froh it was alht, she’d dragged herself to the car at dawn, but thankfully, Alastair had takenoff She’d cli

Now she tapped her fingers on the linoleus She could pass the tiiven her

No She sipped soly suspected the note was from Howard Her na strokes, nothing like the fluid handwriting that Alastair used

Daht He knehich rooentle those weird berserker legends freak her out

Hoasn’t behaving like a wild animal He’d simply left a note for her at the office

Should she look at it?

She rubbed her brow, not knohat to think Her aunt had frightened her with all that berserker nonsense, and then her dream had terrified her Was she really marked for murder? Was Howard some kind of modern-day berserker ent into an aniht?

How had her life slipped so far into the bizarre?

She drankseemed so normal Small-town America Down-to-earth people with friendly faces They were delighted that the International Home Wreckers show had come to town The motel was fully booked for the next four months She’d booked a room for her aunts and seven e the cauys, and the o over the next few e and her production creere going to file today They would return about once a week over the next four e when the project was finished

The ly called The B Boys, since their names were Bennie, Bradley, Bartello, and Buff Buff’s na called Buff asoff his buff body All The B Boys had been selected for the show because they were experts on construction with the added bonus of looking fabulous without their shirts Whenever Madge was around with her ca a shirtless s

They were a nice-looking bunch, Elsa thought, but not nearly as huge and handsome as Howard Read his note

"No!" She realized the waitress was standing there with a coffee pot in hand and a surprised look on her face "I mean, yes" She slid her nearly eave her a wary look "Your food will be out soon"

"Thank you" Elsa smiled to let the waitress know she was okay

Read the note, you coward What could be so bad about a note? It wasn’t like Howard could strangle her with a feritten words, not like the guy in her dream

She retrieved the note frolared back at her "No" She stuffed the note in her handbag

Would it hurt to call hile her over the phone, not like the guy in her drea about that

"Are you all right?" The waitress eyed her suspiciously as she set a platter of eggs, bacon, and toast on the table

"I’oing berserk and killing a bunch of pigs in an aniroaned

Maybe she’d start with the eggs

Shortly after Elsa’s late breakfast, Oskar, The B Boys, and Madge and her crew arrived in two trucks and a van They quickly settled in their er combo meals at the diner Then, loaded up with take-out food and supplies, they headed off to the gatehouse

Everyone sat on the floor in the formal parlor to eat their lunch with leftover donuts for dessert while Alastair outlined the plans Madge and her crew recorded some video, and The B Boys ate without their shirts, just to e happy when the ca

They would start with the basement and work their way up The bad news: Alastair suspected the base down another two feet

The B Boys groaned

Their first job: set up te in the cellar, clean the place up, and deter

It was a horrendous mess After a few hours, they were all covered in dirt, cobwebs, and coal dust Elsa had cliet a bottle of water froled She wiped her dirty hands on her jeans, then answered it

"Ellie!" Aunt Greta exclaimed "We’ve just arrived at the motel Where are you?"

"At work I’ll be there soon" Elsa yelled down at Alastair that she needed to return to town and heard his e climbed up the ladder "We’re done for the day"

Fifteen minutes later, Elsa arrived at the motel Aunt Greta and Great-aunt Ula bounded froirl, you’re a , then stepped back

Great-aunt Ula grinned at her, then spoke in broken English "You look very well We were very afraid for you"

"I’reat, Aunt Ula I swear you haven’t aged a day since I last saw you" And it wasn’t flattery Elsa hoped she would age as well her great-aunt Ula’s hair was silver, but it was thick and shiny and plaited into a long braid Her glowing coreen eyes were as sharp as ever

Ula nodded, srow up very pretty" Her smile faded as she plucked a cobweb from Elsa’s hair "But very dirty"

"I’ll jump in the shower" Elsa unlocked her motel room door and ushered the toed from the bathroom squeaky clean, dressed in new jeans and a T-shirt While she towel-dried her hair, the aunts sat on her bed, speaking in Swedish

"We ," Ula insisted "What does she know so far?"

"I told her about the murders," Greta whispered "And the berserkers"

Ula nodded "Does she know she’s a - "

"A what?" Elsa asked in English She hadn’t understood the last word Ula had said

"It translates best as guardian," Greta explained in English "As you know, Aunt Ula can talk to seals, whales, dolphins, fish - all the creatures of the sea"

Ula nodded "Turtles, too"

Elsa sighed "Yes, I’ve heard that" But she’d never believed it

"I am Guardian of Sea," Ula announced

And I’land Elsa tossed her damp towel under the vanity

"That’s why she has the fish birthmark," Greta explained

"Ja Fish" Ula tapped her shoulder

"And I have the bird birthmark," Greta continued, "so I’m Guardian of the Sky"