Chapter 53

“Of course, that’s the real tragedy,” Ollie murmurs. “So, you’re all admitting to doing your best to facilitate sacrifices and advise that they’re done correctly. Why? What do you gain from it?”

“Gain?” Ingel seems offended. “We don’t gain—”

Ollie twitches and interrupts. “You’re giving the village the worst possible reputation and that’s just the beginning. Do you expect me to believe you do it from the goodness of your heart?”

“I can tell you stories,” Ingel sneers. “About fathers sacrificing themselves to bring back sons, about wives who trust that their village might be better served by their husbands, children who simply don’t have the strength to bear the responsibility for their younger siblings and would forfeit their lives for a father or a mother—” He breaths in slowly, letting his agitation go. “Don’t get us wrong, these are sad stories. You may say that there’s always another way, but we don’t judge. We never will and that’s a point of pride for myvillage.”