Page 99 of The Explorer
“Lying Lavender, this is bad. Listen, everyone. Our friends from Old Europe had an emergency landing due to mechanical problems with their drone. Luckily, no one is hurt, but they’re stranded about ninety minutes away from here.”
“I’m not complaining. That means we get tonight without Victor,” Mason joked.
Oliver didn’t laugh. “We’ll have to arrange for a drone to get them.” Turning to his fellow Motlanders, he began a discussion. “They’re in the desert. There won’t be any drones close. We could send one from here.”
Freya resolutely stood up. “It’s fine. I’ll take our drone and fetch them. It’s bigger and faster anyway.”
Thor sighed. “Why do you always have to be so damn altruistic? Now I have to go with you and I’d much rather enjoy the sand between my toes here on the beach.”
“You don’t have to come. We’re in the Motherlands. I’m safe here.”
“I’ll go with her,” Oliver offered.
“None of you have to go. We can send the drone if you have the exact coordinates,” I pointed out.
“I know, but what if there are problems flying it back? I prefer to go myself.”
I arched a brow trying to understand how Freya’s peculiar mind worked. “You’re willing to spend three hours to pick up a shithead who insulted you? Why?”
“So we can get this summit going. I didn’t come here to sit around in beach chairs. We have an important agenda that I would like to tackle.”
“All right.” I threw my hands up. “Suit yourself.”
While Freya and Oliver took off, the rest of us enjoyed our time on the beach. Aubri and I swam and kissed in the water.
It was almost nine before the French delegation arrived. By then the rest of us had already showered and had dinner.
The Motlanders were excited to meet the newest member that had taken Belle’s place. Listening to the questions and answers between the woman and the Motlanders, I learned that her name was Zola and she was the youngest member of the parliament. The Motlanders showed great concern for the French, who had traveled for over twelve hours. Greeting them with big hugs they urged them to sit down and have some food.
We Northlanders kept back a little until the French came to greet us and introduce Zola. Since Aubri and I had seen Celeste, Isaac, and Victor recently, we greeted them with nods of our chins.
“Maybe this should motivate you to invest in newer drones for your Explorers,” I told Isaac and Victor, who were both personal advisers to the Prime Minister.
Victor answered in a dry tone. “We would love to but as you know we’ve been prioritizing getting our citizens up above ground.”
Freya came to sit next to Aubri, who instantly asked the question that was burning on my mind as well. “Did he apologize to you?”
Freya looked up at Victor, who still stood proud in front of us. “Sort of.”
“Sort of isn’t good enough. Did or didn’t he apologize to you?”
Freya looked thoughtful. “He said that he was sorry my feelings were hurt.”
Standing in front of my beach chair, I groaned. Mason and Thor were quick to position themselves close to me with all three of us looking down at Victor.
“What’s going on?” Oliver asked with concern in his voice. “We’re all friends here and yet I’m sensing some strong tension going on.”
Aubri rose to stand with her brother, Thor, and me. “That’s because this dickwad said some unacceptable and inexcusable things to Freya.”
“Oh my, what did you say to upset the Northlanders this much?” Oliver asked as the rest of the summit participants came to gather around us.
The only thing revealing inner turmoil in Victor’s mind was the reddening of his face and the vein on his temple that was protruding. His facial expression and tone remained calm as he answered, “I believe that what we’re witnessing is another example of the lack of confidence that Northlanders seem to have in their women. They’re using their physical size to create a threatening tension; I’m being bullied into apologizing for something that is between me and the woman I allegedly offended.”
“If you mess with one of us you mess with all of us,” I told him in a no-bullshit tone.
“Hmm…” Victor smiled as if I’d cracked a joke.
“What’s so funny?”
