Page 39 of The Explorer
In a slow movement she turned her head and looked deep into my eyes. “No, I didn’t. For all the adventures we get to go on here, we’re missing out on things back home. And what if they need us? What if Dina gets in a fight with our parents and I’m not there to support her? What if Sparrow falls in love and we can’t gossip about it?”
I watched tears start to fall from her pretty eyes. “I won’t be there when Mason becomes a father, or even see my niece or nephew until months after the child is born.”
Her eyes widened as if a horrible realization just hit her. “And you…”
“What about me?”
“I brought this on you. You didn’t want me to do it, but I thought…” Her hands went to her face to dry away her tears. “I wanted to make a difference. My father always said that one day Mason and I would save Freya… you know, because she can’t fight. This was my chance, and I took it. I wanted to make him proud of me.”
“I’m sure you have. Once this is all over and we’re home safe, Magni will be the first to brag about his valiant daughter who saved her family.”
“You think?”
I dried one of her tears away and took her hand. “I know so.”
For a long moment we sat shoulder to shoulder holding hands.
“Don’t tell anyone that I cried, okay?”
I made a sign that my lips were sealed. “We made a pact, remember? What happens in Europe stays in Europe. Your secret is safe with me.”
With a sad smile, Aubri leaned her head on my shoulder. “I wish we had pre-war technology and could just zap from one end of the world to another. All we have are slow drones that are expensive and take hours.”
“At least we have that. If we go back far enough there was a time where traveling happened on foot, by boat, or on the back of a horse.”
“I know, but you know what I mean. I wish we could do our work here and just zap back once in a while to check up on everyone.”
“Are you regretting that you offered to stay?” I asked.
“No, I want the adventure. I just want everything at home too.”
My thumb circled the back of her hand while my eyes glazed over, staring on a spot on the white wall. “I understand. I feel the same way, but I suppose every adventure comes with a price. You can’t try new things inside your comfort zone, and once you leave it, you’ll never be the same. When we return to the Northlands, we’ll be different people, Aubri.”
I couldn’t see her face, but I could feel her nodding her head on my shoulder. “I already am.”
“I once asked my mom if she missed the Motherlands and she said that she does. It’s the same for Pearl, Kya, and the other Motlanders who moved to the Northlands. You’ll always miss something from back home.”
“But they’ve been in the Northlands for so long now.”
“I know, but my mom says that when you move abroad, it splits your soul in a way. You love people and places in both countries and no matter which country you choose to live in you’ll miss something from the other country.”
“That’s sad.”
“I guess. But think of the perspective you’ve gained from seeing other places and meeting new people. Last night at that nightclub I was thinking about my friends back home. What they would have done if they could walk in and see that many single women willing to have sex with them. It blows my mind how different the French are. I had at least five women straight up ask me to have sex with them and then there were all the inviting looks.
“You had five women ask you?
“Mm-hmm. You and Lucille, and then there were three others.”
“Wow. I had Lucille ask me, but that’s it.”
“Because she kept others away from you. There were plenty trying to get close when you were dancing.”
“Yes, I noticed.” Aubri sighed. “You know what I’m most scared of?”
“What?”
“I know that we’ll have changed when we move back home, but I don’t want home to have changed. I want everything to be the way we left it, you know?”
