Page 68 of The Outcast
We were all looking at her, waiting for her to go on.
“I would suggest that we involve Athena or Linea. Both of them have abilities that go beyond reading answers in a questionnaire. They might also be able to warn us against taking on people who are unstable.”
Thor frowned. “How? They live in the Motherlands. It’s not like we can have them interview the candidates.”
“Of course we can. They can do it in a virtual setting, and if we had asked for their help sooner, I’ll bet they would have called out someone like Keith.”
Thor stared at Freya. “Since when do you believe in energy work?”
Brushing her long brown hair back, she shrugged. “I never said that I didn’t. A few years ago, I asked Athena to teach me how to work with energy, but apparently that’s not something I’m gifted at. No matter how hard I tried, I never succeeded. Athena said I was too analytical, and that all my internal questions over the process got in the way of the flow.”
“My mother spoke to Athena yesterday, and she and Linea are coming to see me on Friday. We could ask them to go through the group of Explorers that we have now,” Sparrow suggested.
Freya and Thor exchanged a look and then Freya exclaimed, “Linea is coming here?”
“Yes,” Sparrow confirmed.
With a snort, Thor shook his head. “I wanna see that before I believe it. That girl hasn’t visited the Northlands for close to a decade. She’ll come up with an excuse like she always does.”
I had my focus on Sparrow, who caressed Violetta’s head with a soft smile on her face. It inspired the most insane thoughts. Internal images of Sparrow holdingourchild flashed over me like insane desire. I’d seen Mason play with Violetta, swinging her through the air and kissing her chubby cheeks.
Before I met Aubri and Indiana, I never questioned our way of life in Old Europe because I wasn’t familiar with any alternative. Then they came along and taught me about the different cultures of the world and still, I hadn’t envied them their monogamy, which seemed confining and limiting to me.
Yet, here I was, watching Sparrow smile at a baby despite the gruesome things she had gone through a few days ago. Suddenly, the thought of sharing my life with someone as brave and strong as her seemed like the biggest blessing life could ever show me.
The thought of having children with her and seeing them grow up made me emotional, because as these forbidden longings took shape inside me, I knew I was wishing for the impossible. French people couldn’t move out of Old Europe and if Sparrow moved to my home country to be with me, we wouldn’t be able to keep our children.
“I think it’s an excellent idea,” Aubri said. “We could even have Athena and Linea interview the next group of applicants and help us select the next ten candidates.”
“I’m happy to ask them for their help,” Sparrow said. “But we’ll need to make some kind of donation in return. They’re always collecting stuff for people in need.”
Thor groaned and rolled his eyes a little. “Isn’t the whole idea of the Motherlands that they collectively take care of people so that no one has to go through hard times?”
Aubri, Freya, and Sparrow all turned their faces in his direction and Aubri’s tone hardened. “I’m warning you right now, cousin. You’d better be nice to them. Even if you think it was coincidence that they knew where Sparrow was, you’ll keep that to yourself.”
“Why are you all looking at me like that?”
“Because you like to make fun of Motlanders.”
I tilted my head. “Is that true? Isn’t your mom a Motlander?”
Thor raised his brow and smacked his tongue. “It’s called humor, people. I make fun of Northlanders too, but the problem is that Motlanders are so damn sensitive that we can’t make a joke without hurting their precious feelings.”
“Pearl doesn’t seem easily offended,” I said.
“That’s because my mom has lived in the Northlands long enough to appreciate irony and sarcasm. She has thick skin but the rest of the Motlanders are impossible. Did you know that there’s a rule against comedians doing impressions because they could be seen as mocking?” Thor threw up his hands. “I’m sorry, but you’ve got to admit that’s fucking childish. An impression is the greatest flattery anyone can experience.”
“Even when they’re ridiculing you?” Sparrow asked.
“Even then. Comedians don’t do impressions of ordinary people. It’s not funny if the audience doesn’t recognize who they’re doing an impression of. That means the target would have to be famous.”
Sitting on the bed, Freya pulled her knees to her chest. “I’m happy you feel that way because you’ll be the butt of the joke in every comedy club once you become the ruler; in fact, I’m sure that you already are.”
Thor shrugged. “So? Luckily, I’m more Northlander than Motlander. I don’t give a shit.”
Freya narrowed her eyes as if she didn’t believe him, but she didn’t grill him further.
Squaring his chest, Thor said, “I’m fine with the priestess and her apprentice doing their energy thing with the candidates. I would like to see the first team go to France soon and fucking crush it. It’s time we showed Victor and the others how superior we Northlanders are.”
