Page 83 of The Warrior
Finn silenced Athena with a loud kiss on her lips. “Ah, the joy of having a wife to remind me of senseless things. I always knew I was missing out.”
Tristan sat down on the coffee table in front of us. “Guess what?” His eyes were shining with excitement. “The most amazing thing just happened.”
Finn moved a cup out of the way, and sat down on the coffee table next to Tristan. “Tell them.”
“You do know that we have chairs in this house, right?” Athena pointed out. “Please don’t break it.”
Finn looked down at the solid table. “This ugly thing would survive a zombie invasion.”
“Anyway.” Tristan took back the conversation. “Archer called Finn and you know how he has a friend who designs and builds drones and hybrids?”
“Yes, I remember Archer mentioning that.”
Tristan could hardly contain his excitement. His heels were lifting up and down, making his knees bop. “The guy’s name is Wrestler and he has agreed to meet with me. He might have a spot for me as his apprentice when I turn eighteen.”
Athena gave Finn a worried glance before she looked at Tristan. “You’re only fifteen. It’s going to take years before you’re done with school. And how would you convince your mom to let you go and live in the Northlands?”
“I would be an adult then. My mom wouldn’t have a choice.”
Athena wrung her hands. “I worry that Lori Ann is going to be angry with me.”
Finn swung a dismissive hand in the air. “Don’t worry about his mom; if this is Tristan’s path in life, it will happen. Isn’t that what you told me?”
“Yes, but…” Athena trailed off.
Finn gave her a mischievous grin. “Sweetie, life is too short for buts, unless it’s your butt and it’s naked.”
Athena laughed and shrugged at me. “He can’t help it. On the outside he’s a thirty-two-year-old man, but on the inside he’s sixteen.”
Finn got up and went to pick up a fist-sized figurine that he brought back. “Let me remind you that you said laughing is a spiritual practice, and that I’m a spiritual gangster.” He handed the figurine to me. “Look at how happy that guy is. He’s like me, and Athena says he had millions of followers.”
“I never said you were like the Buddha.”
“Yeah, you did, remember how you said that he used humor and laughter too?”
“I would follow you,” Tristan piped up and was rewarded by his father, who pulled him in for a sideways hug.
“There you have it. My first follower.”
Athena crossed her arms and lowered her brow. “I hate to burst your bubble of self-importance, Finn, but organized religion is banned in the Motherlands.”
“I don’t think it counts as a religion if he only has one follower,” I pointed out with a smile.
“It would be more like a really cool cult.” Finn tapped his chin. “We would need to find some catchy name for it.”
“How about Finnibun and his single follower?” Athena suggested with a saccharine smile.
I laughed. “You call him Finnibun?” It was so much fun to see how Athena could get away with teasing Finn.
“It’s an internal joke between us,” she explained. “It turns him on.”
Tristan rolled his eyes and smacked his tongue against his palate. “Do you mind?”
“Did you just roll your eyes?” Athena asked with disbelief. “I shouldn’t be surprised, with you hanging out with the Northlander boys.”
“Do it again,” Finn elbowed Tristan who repeated his eye roll in an exaggerated way that made Finn laugh out loud. “You rolled your eyes so far back it looked like you were channeling spirits. I swear, this cult of ours just got way cooler – are you sure you don’t want to join us?” he asked me.
“I couldn’t. That would ruin the name of Finnibun and hisonefollower.”
