The Lost Hourglass (The Moonlight, Amber and Time Trilogy Book 1) by Alice Bamber

Author:Alice Bamber [Bamber, Alice]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-10-09T23:00:00+00:00

16

SAGITTARIUS

“Ember Nesrini Irving!”

Jay’s low, deep voice rings out from the salóni, his heavy strides rattling the floorboards overhead. The soft footsteps on the stairs stop with a scared squeak, then a gasp – as if the culprit can't believe she's let slip the noise.

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice you gone?” Jay asks, sounding only mildly disapproving. “You know Idris is terrible at distractions.”

“Hey!” an unfamiliar voice exclaims.

There’s another muffled squeak. The creeping on the stairs starts up again, this time with haste. Two little sandled feet appear half hidden by a swirling lilac cloak as Ember treads gingerly but very quickly down the last few steps, still looking up over her shoulder for her pursuer. When she reaches the bottom she spins to face the room, eyes frantic with the type of giddy, zealous excitement only the youth bring with them.

From the table, I hear Yusuf sigh deeply.

Rose, too.

Jay soon appears over the little girl’s shoulders, looking impossibly broad behind her tiny frame. He has a leather notebook and lead pencil in one hand, a pair of dice in the other – but the only things he’s rolling are his eyes. “Excuse us everyone,” he says, tone very dry. He glances down at the fiery head of hair below. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

Ember nods without turning to him. Her hands are wringing themselves into nervous knots by her stomach, but she also seems to be holding in a giggle. More footfalls sound. Wren and another figure appear on the stairs. I don’t recognise the boy on the cusp of adulthood, but I’d bet it’s Idris, their Guardian-in-training. His stature is short and strong and his skin dark, and he seems to be struggling with a smirk; though he soon schools it into something far more serious upon spotting Yusuf.

Ember’s emerald eyes are still wide, drinking in the kitchen like she might gulp up water from a fountain. She seems particularly enamoured by the door, returning again and again to it.

“Hello,” she eventually says, just to Fjord.

“Good evening, Ember.”

She looks to Rose by the stove, spots the older Guardian’s greying eyebrows arched in light reproof, and turns quickly back. She starts swinging her shoulders eagerly. “Good evening.”

“Good evening,” Fjord repeats, smiling.

She looks to his side. “Hello.”

There’s no reply.

“Hello,” she says again, with more emphasis.

“Hello, Ember,” Levi offers quietly.

“Good e—”

“No, Ember,” her uncle interrupts sharply. “We’ve talked about this.”

Her toothy grins falls a little. Reluctantly, she looks away from the door. Her attention flits around the room like a nervous bird, perhaps searching for the next suitable person to bestow her weird game of greetings upon, if her uncle will let her…and that turns out to be me.

Her mouth forms its sweet o of wonder when she sees me lurking by the wall. She all but lurches forwards and thrusts a hand into my stomach, I expect now trying to imitate Yusuf’s way of meeting people.

“I’m Ember,” she introduces, voice young and breathless. “And you’re the sky.”

Uh…

I look down

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