Page 108 of The Outcast
“Come on, Linea, you can’t keep secrets from us on our wedding day,” I pushed. “Thor is our friend and if you know something, please tell us.”
Athena placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder with a soft smile. “I’ll go and mingle while you share your burden with our friends.”
We all watched Athena walk to a table where Christina, Pearl, and Kya were sitting.
“What burden is she talking about?” I asked and moved closer to Linea, whose eyes were anywhere but on us.
“Khan is furious with Thor.”
“Yes, we know,” Sparrow said. “I overheard my dad tell my mom that he witnessed Khan throwing things around with his eyes red-rimmed from crying.”
“He wants me to deliver a message to Thor.” Linea touched her shoulder with her brow wrinkled. “It’s an ultimatum really. Khan says that either Thor comes home and gets his shit together or he’s making Freya his heir.”
“No way!” Sparrow’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I can’t imagine that he’s serious. Khan is always so firm that the Northlands is the last place for a free man and that he’ll never let the country be ruled by a woman.”
Linea looked to the dance floor as the song shifted to something calmer. “It’s inevitable that it will happen one day. He already signed an agreement that when the Motherlands reaches fifty percent men on the council, a female will be made a co-ruler of the Northlands. We are twelve Councilmen short of equality on the Motherlands Council and with the upcoming election it’s expected to reach a tipping point of fifty percent males on the council. Jonah has worked tirelessly since he was elected as the first Councilman almost twenty years ago.”
“But the whole reason Thor left was because of his father’s pressure. Do you think he’ll come back?” I asked.
Linea met my gaze. “I don’t know and I’m not happy about delivering ultimatums to anyone. Especially someone as volatile as Thor.”
“Why? He won’t hurt you,” Sparrow insisted.
“The last time I saw him, he threatened me and asked me to piss off.”
Sparrow and I stared at each other before Sparrow asked in disbelief. “Thor threatened you?”
Linea played with a long lock of her hair. “He said that if I revealed his location, he would find me and make me pay for it.” She sighed. “I believe his exact words were that he would make sure my bottom was as red as my hair.”
Sparrow sputtered in a laugh. “Thor threatened to spankyou– a grown woman that he’s not married to? How absurd.”
Linea raised an eyebrow. “That’s what I told him, but he was so angry that I don’t think he heard half of what I said.” Her chest rose and fell when she exhaled with a noisy sigh. “That’s why I’m not eager to go back and face him again. Thor was explicit when he said that he wanted to be left alone.”
“So what will you do? Khan can’t technically demand that you do his bidding, can he?” I asked.
Sparrow frowned. “He’s the ruler.”
“Not Linea’s ruler. She’s a Motlander,” I reminded my beautiful wife.
Linea’s smile never reached her eyes. “It’s not something you need to worry about on your wedding day. If I don’t deliver the message, Khan will find another way to get his message to Thor and I expect it will be more dramatic. At first, I thought about telling Pearl to go herself, but that would require me to break my promise to Thor by revealing his location.”
“And you don’t want a red bottom.” Sparrow’s lips twitched in amusement.
“I’m happy you find this funny,” Linea said.
Sparrow broke into full-on laughter. “I’m sorry. I know it sucks for you, but it is a little funny. The idea of Thor turning you around and…” She placed a hand over her mouth.
“And spanking me,” Linea finished for her in a level tone.
Sparrow nodded. “That threat sounds more like a fantasy spilling out of him.”
Linea scratched her shoulder again. “Very funny, but I don’t think so. He and I are like oil and water. We don’t mix well.”
“I know. Thor told me as much,” I commented. “He knew that you didn’t like him, and I got the impression that you weren’t his cup of coffee either.”
Sparrow leaned against me. “The saying is tea, not coffee.”
“Hmm.” I took a second to note that down in my language program. “By the way, Linea, could you give Thor a message from me as well?”
