Page 71 of The Outcast
Linea looked straight at Thor and didn’t stop petting the dogs. “I’m offering them love and friendship.” Her tone had turned from light and loving to guarded.
Thor stared at his dogs. “They look like fucking turtles in heat.”
Finn laughed at Thor’s joke and got up to give him a manly hug. “If it isn’t the crown prince himself.”
Banni was quick to take the open seat next to me. “How are you feeling today?”
“Better now that my favorite Motlanders are here.”
“Hey.” Finn pointed to me. “You’d better not be referring to me as a Motlander.”
I held up both palms. “I would never! I was referring to Athena and Linea, of course.”
“Linea is still half Northlander,” Finn pointed out.
Athena leaned forward in her seat and smiled at Banni. “You must be the hero from Old Europe who saved Sparrow.”
Banni returned her warm smile and took the hands that she held out to him. “Calling me a hero is a bit much. We couldn’t have saved her if you hadn’t told us where to look for her.”
It was a little bizarre, sitting leaned back in the sofa with them holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes.
“Your tattoos are fascinating,” Banni said.
Athena just smiled. “Thank you. If you don’t mind, I would love to talk to you and learn more about your culture. I rarely get the chance to converse with French people and I think poor Belle is fed up with all my questions.”
“Of course, any time. I would be honored.”
I cleared my throat and spoke up. “So, Athena just told me that Linea will stay to help us vet the candidates.”
“That’s wonderful,” Banni said as he and Athena let go of each other’s hands.
“Thor, did you hear me?” I asked because he had kneeled down and was busy with one of the dogs that he’d called over to him.
“Hmh?”
“Linea is staying for a while.”
Thor glanced over at her with one eyebrow arched. “No way.”
“I’m staying long enough to heal Sparrow and make sure you’re not letting any more unbalanced people into the Explorer project. As soon as my work is done, I’ll return back home.”
Thor moved from kneeling to sitting on his behind, “Do you want us to believe that you can tell what a person is capable of just from a conversation?”
“No.” Linea’s tone was ten degrees cooler than when she first arrived. “I wouldn’t be able to tell from a conversation. I would need to connect to their energy field. Ideally, I would touch them, but it’s not necessary.”
“Hmm.” Thor looked thoughtful. “Are you saying that if I let you touch me you can tell what I’ll do in the future?”
“No. As far as I know no one can predict the future for certain, but I can tell if you’re balanced or unbalanced. I can also ask you questions and tell if you’re lying or being truthful.”
“Would you like a demonstration?” Athena asked.
Thor inhaled sharply through his nose. “It’s tempting, but if you can tell my deepest secrets then I’d better say no.”
Finn laughed. “Good call.”
“It doesn’t have to be deep secrets. Just ordinary stuff.” Athena pointed to Thor. “Take Linea’s hand and ask yes and no questions that she couldn’t possibly know the answer to, and you’ll see for yourself.”
“You do it,” Linea told her mom and pulled back a little, but Thor was already holding out his hand in Linea’s direction.
