of all him.”
“That’s because it’s a proven fact.”
Freya rubbed her eye while speaking in a matter-of-fact tone. “Victor isn’t so different from you, Thor. Maybe that’s why I argue with him all the time.”
I smacked my hand to my chest. “Me? Did you just compare that clown to me? I’m nothing like him.”
She smiled. “You’re both sensitive men walking around with inflated egos, hiding your emotions behind a shield of arrogance.”
“Don’t ever compare me to Victor.”
Freya tilted her head and lowered her brow. “Do I have to point out the obvious to you?”
“What?”
“The reason you two despise each other is that you’re recognizing your own weakness in each other. You see through his bullshit and he sees through yours. People have placed you in boxes of pressure and expectations and there’s no room for you to be anything but what you’re told to be. Victor was a young child when he was raised to celebrity status and became the hope of his nation. You’ve never known anything else than the pressure of an entire country expecting you to grow up and rule them one day. Millions are watching both of you closely, judging your every action.” Freya’s voice dropped. “Sometimes I argue with Victor simply because I see the loneliness in his eyes.”
I swallowed, holding back my need to say that of course he was lonely and that no one wanted to be around an arrogant bastard like him, but my sister’s words were beginning to penetrate my hard shell. “You think Victor is lonely?”
She nodded. “How could he not be? There’s no room to play on a pedestal. The French culture is shallow and fast flowing. Victor understands that we foreigners have access to something deeper and more profound, but he can’t leave his country and so there’s a sense of grief in him that translates to anger.”
“Huh. You think he’s angry with us for having the freedom to love?”
Freya nodded. “Not that he would admit it, but yeah.”
Biting my lip, I pondered out loud. “It’s weird that he’s lonely when he can sleep with a new woman every night. You saw how they lined up to dance with him in the club.”
Freya looked into my eyes and her shoulders bobbed in a heavy sigh. “You seriously don’t get it, do you? There’s a big difference between being full and feeling nurtured. You’ve heard Belle and Banni talk about their culture. It’s cruel if you ask me. Humans are meant to love, and the French are deprived of that natural instinct.”
“You’re making it sound worse than it is. The Explorers that I spoke to tonight seemed to have adapted fine. Several of them bragged that they were enjoying sleeping with a lot of women.”
“For now. But that’s because they’re closing down their hearts to avoid getting hurt. I don’t know about you, but sex without love doesn’t sound that appealing to me.”
The truth spilled from me without a filter. “That’s all I know.” As I said it, my stomach pinched together, and the pain made me frown.
“There…” Freya pointed to my face. “Just now as you said it, I saw the same expression of loneliness in your eyes as I see in Victor’s. Now do you understand why I didn’t speak up at the meeting?”
When I didn’t answer, she continued. “His insults don’t hurt me because I know they’re coming from a sad place of loneliness and anger.”
Rubbing my forehead, I groaned.
“What’s wrong?”
“Me and Linea. We butt heads all the fucking time. I can’t stand the thought that she argues with me out of pity like you do with Victor.”
Freya laughed. “Pity sounds awful. I prefer the word compassion.”
The group at the end of the rooftop laughed out loud but I couldn’t focus on them when I had an urgent concern. “Seriously, Freya, do you think Linea thinks of me the way you think of Victor? Like I’m some sad, lonely fucker?”
Freya’s laugh turned into a smile. “I doubt that. She’s direct with everyone, me included. That’s why it’s so easy to love her. Linea is one of those people who won’t let you get away with being a bad version of yourself. She has the empathy of a Motlander combined with the directness of a Northlander. That’s what makes her so unique.”
I huffed out air and muttered, “She drives me crazy.”
“Why? Is it because she challenges you?”
“Yes, and because she’s reading my thoughts and calling me out on every insecurity that I have.”
Freya rubbed my back. “Stay strong.