Through Roads Between by Amy Laurens

Author:Amy Laurens
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: best middle grade books, books for children set in australia, middle grade books set in australia, portal fantasy books with unicorns, fairies with questionable morals
Publisher: Inkprint Press
Published: 2017-09-27T00:00:00+00:00

13

“I STILL DON’T see why we can’t just get Gemma and go,” Scott muttered to me.

“Shh,” I told him as I texted Mum an apology for missing dinner. Frogging time skips. Still, arriving back forty minutes late was better than the one time I’d run into myself and fainted, or the time I’d spent the next thirty-six hours with an echo of myself haunting the corner of my eye, doing everything I did, just offset five inches to my left. Nothing more disconcerting than looking down and thinking you had twenty fingers and four arms.

Can I go check on Gemma? I texted.

“You said she’s progressing fast,” Scott continued as we crunched down the gravel path. The creek slunk along to our right, dark and sleepy in the dusk that was only a little bit brighter than Sanctuary’s usual dim glow.

Fine, Mum replied. Be home by 8.

I assured Mum that I would be, tucked my phone in my pocket, and shook my head at Scott. “It’s late, I’m exhausted, and from what you’ve said, we’ll all be better off if we get a good night’s sleep before we try this.”

“Oh, sure, we’re all gonna to sleep real well tonight.”

“Hilarious,” I said drily. “Look, I’m going to head over to Gemma’s to see her and let them know what the plan is. I’d really appreciate it if you’d come too, since you know a lot more about the roads than I do, but I totally understand if you don’t want to.” My footsteps crunched onward as I waited for his response.

Scott shrugged. “I guess.”

I exhaled. “Thanks.”

We walked on, and by the time we got to Gemma’s house fifteen minutes later, the last sliver of sun had disappeared behind the treed horizon.

I tapped lightly on the door, then cracked it open. “Hello? It’s just me. Can I check on Gem?”

Mrs Caro appeared in the hallway. “Edge! And Scott!” she added, making an admirable attempt at hiding her surprise. “Please, come in.”

We did, and she shepherded us to the kitchen.

“How’s Gem?” I asked.

“She’s okay,” Mrs Caro said, her smile stretched as she slid a fancy-looking pie out of the fridge and set it on the bench. Moments later, two bowls and two spoons joined it. “Here.”

“You don’t have to,” I protested weakly as my stomach rumbled.

Scott didn’t say anything, but the way he was eyeing up the pie spoke volumes.

“Nonsense,” said Mrs Caro. “When’s the last time you two ate anything? How long did you spend in Sanctuary today?”

“A while,” I confessed as she slid gleaming slices of lemon meringue into each bowl and pushed them toward us. I sat on one of the stools, its feet scraping eagerly over the tiled floor, and picked up the spoon.

Scott hesitated.

“Come on,” I said. “Don’t be shy.” I shoved a giant spoonful of pie into my mouth and with the now-gooey spoon, gestured at him to sit.

Reluctantly, he did, jaw twitching, glancing over his shoulder like shadows might appear at any moment. He picked up the spoon and ran his fingertips down the length of it, feeling the weight of it in his hand.

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