The Heart of Two Worlds Read Online Free PDF Page B

people were forced to flee a country they loved, where they were doing just fine…”
    “Kukka!” thundered Olof.
    “He ought to know, Dad!” spat Kukka. “It’s been much too easy for him to bury his head in the sand. We had a nice, peaceful life before his nibs began having sordid dreams of glory. He put us all in danger. Because of him, none of us was safe in Finland. Do you think that’s fair?I lost everything because of him—my country, my school, my friends, everything! And what did he lose? His friends? He didn’t have any… who’d want to be friends with a monster like him?”
    “Kukka, if Tugdual is a monster, then we all are!” boomed Naftali.
    “I’m not!” growled Kukka. “I’m
normal
!”
    There was a murmur of disapproval. Oksa had a funny feeling that she didn’t understand what was going on. How could Tugdual’s cousin be more
normal
than anyone else? Kukka turned and glared at Tugdual.
    “You don’t understand anything…” muttered Tugdual tonelessly.
    “I wish you’d never been part of my family!” yelled Kukka. “You ruined my life.”
    “That’s enough!” shouted her father, losing his temper.
    But a simple rebuke wasn’t going to stop Kukka, who was beside herself with anger. She walked over to Tugdual, who was rooted to the spot, and angrily jabbed her finger into his solar plexus.
    “Do you know where your father is now?” she asked nastily.
    Tugdual staggered.
    “What?” continued Kukka triumphantly, a cruel smile on her lips. “You don’t know that he’s on an oil rig in the middle of the North Sea. He ran away, my darling cousin. He ran away from all those secrets and all that madness. He ran AS FAR AWAY AS HE COULD FROM YOU!”
    Tugdual’s face seemed to crumple. They both stood there for several seconds, without moving. Kukka, bright as a snowflake, and Tugdual, with a face like thunder. Suddenly, Tugdual seized his cousin’s long golden hair and yanked her head backwards, bringing his face a couple of inches from hers.
    “Never mention my father again!” he hissed, carefully enunciating each syllable.
    “MONSTER!” shouted Kukka defiantly.
    From where she sat, Oksa could hear Tugdual’s threatening strangled growl. Realizing the danger, Naftali rushed over to stop his grandson from silencing his treacherous cousin, but he was a fraction of a secondtoo late… A flash of light blazed from Tugdual’s furious eyes and Kukka collapsed senseless in Naftali’s arms, as Olof and his wife rushed to her aid. Meanwhile Tugdual, paler than ever, leant against the wall and slid down to a sitting position on the floor. From the stairs, Oksa could see the pain etched on his face. Kukka had definitely scored a bullseye…
    “Your boyfriend certainly has a knack of causing trouble!” Gus said loudly behind her.
    Oksa jumped. Gus was bitterly eyeing her from a few steps higher. She was about to reply when a woman crossed the hall and went into the living room, carrying a little boy in her arms. Everyone fell silent, watching her as she scanned the room until she spotted Tugdual, struggling to control his anger. The toddler held his arms out towards Tugdual and cried: “Tug!”
    Tugdual looked up in amazement and gasped. The woman set down the toddler and, moved to tears, went over to help Tugdual to his feet and put her arms around him.
    “Hello, Helena,” said Naftali, coming over.
    Oksa gave a start. Helena! Tugdual’s mother! Like Olof and his parents, she radiated a strange mixture of delicacy and strength. She was very tall with slender arms and legs and her pale face was framed by chestnut hair threaded with silver. Her eyes were filled with deep sorrow and she inspired both respect and admiration. She stopped hugging Tugdual and greeted her parents, Naftali and Brune. Nearby, Tugdual appeared to have regained his usual haughty expression. Only the dark fire blazing in his eyes—and no doubt his heart—belied his apparent indifference.
    “Here you are