Above the Vaulted Sky - Page 215

                ‘I would volunteer myself to go with you,’ Upson says. I’m surprised by the man’s admission.

                ‘You have no obligation, Upson,’ Tarquin says.

                I see Elle bristle. ‘I’m coming too,’ she says.

                I turn to her. I wish more than ever that we could speak freely. I still don’t trust Teague or anything he has planned. Our history is too marked by his schemes going against us. ‘One of us has to stay,’ I say. ‘Watch over the recital.’

                Elle’s eyes widen in recognition but still she argues, ‘Why can’t you stay?’

                ‘Because I’m the one who started him off on this journey, I owe it to him to bring him back.’

                Elle nods but I can see her fighting a retort. She grasps my hand and gives it a squeeze. ‘I’m glad I met you, Easton. Try not to trip so we don’t bump into each other again.’

                I smile. ‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’ I turn to Upson. ‘Thank you for doing this.’

                ‘It’s my duty,’ he says. He stands up straighter for a second. His feet come together and his hand twitches at his side. It’s the memory of a salute, standing to attention, I’m certain of it. I wonder was he in the army in life.

                ‘How do we get there?’ I ask. The crowd watches with bated breath. Elle and Tarquin step back into the mass and the latter wrings his hands together. If I was in and position of power here I’d make sure everyone could know that there’s more to the universe than this desert. I think Tarquin spreads his own fear to everyone else. I hope that by bringing Yates back from the brink we can prove that there are choices here too.