‘Turn it off,’ said Antoine. ‘We don’t need to hear this.’
‘What was that about?’ I asked. ‘About them being at loggerheads.’
‘Westland wants to close down the Lunar Facility,’ said Antoine. ‘He thinks it’s inhumane. Problem is, it’s owned by Wolfe. Wolfe basically gets free labour as the prisoners have to work in the mines. And Wolfe wants to ban time travel. The trouble with that is that Westland makes time-ships, so a ban on time travel would affect his business.’
‘It’s all stupid,’ said Belle. ‘Both families are already filthy rich.’
Lyra stretched noisily. ‘Maybe I should go to the press and tell the truth,’ she said.
‘Why?’ asked Peg. ‘How will that help anything now?’
‘The whole family has been through so much and now this. We all know Admiral Westland didn’t help Orion get the fuel. We should go public with the whole story.’
‘What is the whole story?’ I asked.
‘I stole the ship, Lyra,’ said Peg, ignoring me. ‘And helped with the cover-up. You want to see me on the moon with Ry?’
‘Of course not. But Admiral Westland shouldn’t have to take the blame either.’
‘They won’t be able to find any evidence against him because he didn’t do it,’ said Antoine.
I went over to the minibar and poured myself a glass of water from the jug. I was starting to get a headache. Peg joined me.
‘You OK?’ he asked quietly. He stood close to me, shoulder to shoulder.
‘I’m dehydrated. I have a headache,’ I said, focusing on the things that were simplest to fix.
‘Anyone have any painkillers?’ asked Peg.
‘I do.’ Belle dug through her handbag until she found a small bottle of blue pills. ‘Two of these and a full glass of water will make you feel better.’
Nothing would make me feel better, but at least they would deal with the headache.
Lyra leant forward and unwrapped the bag of food in the middle of the table. ‘I have bread rolls with shredded minis and berries.’
‘Bread,’ said Belle, lifting a roll. ‘Good job, Lyra.’
‘I know. The beauty editor got engaged today and brought them in for lunch. These are the leftovers.’
‘You should try one, Eden,’ said Belle as she split her roll into two. ‘Bread’s amazing.’
I lifted one of the rolls and turned it over; it looked just like an ordinary bread roll to me.
‘Break it in half,’ said Belle. ‘And then fill it with some minis and berries. It’s called a sandwich. It’s real good.’
‘What are minis?’
‘Mini livestock. You know, ground-up insects and stuff. Lots of protein.’
I put the roll back on the table. ‘Maybe later. I’m not hungry right now.’
‘I’ll get room service to bring us some drinks,’ said Antoine. ‘What’s everyone want?’
I just wished everyone would leave so I could stop struggling to hold myself together and let the tears flow.
While the rest of them ate, I stood at the window and watched the pleasure boats out on the lake. Everything I’d done up to now seemed so stupid. I’d trusted that the Time Court would see the truth and Ryan would be freed. I’d spent eleven days in this time-scape hoping Ryan would be acquitted and had done nothing to plan for a disaster like this. I should have done more.
‘You really ought to eat something,’ said Peg, appearing by my side.
‘I’m not hungry.’
‘I know. But you still should eat something.’
I let him take my hand and lead me to the table. ‘You want a plain roll or shall I make you a sandwich?’
‘As it is,’ I said, taking a bread roll. ‘You know, back in the twenty-first century, bread is just peasant food. Everyone eats it. We toast it for breakfast and we eat sandwiches for lunch all the time, though we usually have peanut butter or cheese, rather than ground-up insects.’
‘Oh, isn’t that interesting?’ said Lyra. There was a slight edge to her voice. ‘And in the twenty-second century we don’t hold hands with boys we’re not dating.’
I looked down at my hand still holding Peg’s and quickly let go.
Peg flopped down on the couch next to Lyra. ‘You’re just jealous,’ he said. He picked up her bad leg and began massaging her calf again. ‘You want me all to yourself.’
She pulled a face at him. ‘Do I look that desperate?’
‘I’ve missed bread so much,’ I said. ‘This looks great.’ I took a big bite. The bread was soft and still warm. Under different circumstances I would have loved it, but right now it just stuck to the roof of my mouth and made me feel sick. I gulped at my glass of water to wash it down.
‘Have you thought about a job, Eden?’ asked Belle.
‘Not really. I’ll need to sort out something soon.’
‘I could probably get you a job at the theatre if you don’t mind working Front of House.’
I wasn’t sure where to sit. Peg and Lyra were cuddled up close to one another on one couch and Belle and Antoine were spread out on the other.
‘Thank you. I might take you up on that,’ I said, opting to remain standing. ‘A friend of mine also offered me a waitressing job. On the Inter-Planetary Spaceport.’
They all looked at me.
‘Why would you do that?’ asked Antoine. ‘All your friends live here.’
‘I probably won’t. It’s just another option.’
‘Are you serious?’ asked Peg. ‘You have a job offer on the spaceport? Really?’
‘Umm, yeah.’
‘Do you know someone there? Do you think you could put in a good word for me? It’s my dream to work on the spaceport.’
‘I know the captain. He was the leader on the 2012 mission.’
‘You know Benjamin Hansen?’ said Peg. ‘I wrote a paper on him.’
‘Calm down, fanboy,’ said Lyra.
‘Why don’t you go back to school and finish your high school education?’ said Belle. ‘Lakeborough High is a very good school. You would have more choices if you got your diploma first.’
‘Maybe.’
‘The colleges in New Hampshire are good as well,’ said Antoine. ‘That’s why none of us are moving away. Peg and I are at the Academy in town. Lyra and Belle are at the university here. Those would both be options for you.’
‘You don’t have to rush into a decision,’ said Belle. ‘Why don’t I try and fix you up with a job at the theatre? The sooner you get into a routine, the easier it will be to . . .’ Her words faded away into nothing.
They’d given up. Every one of them had simply accepted it was over for Ryan.
‘We have to do something to help Ryan,’ I said, trying – and failing – not to raise my voice.
‘There’s nothing we can do,’ said Lyra.
‘When Travis – the cleaner – killed me, Ryan stole a time-ship and travelled through time to save me. He didn’t just give up and settle into a routine to make it easier to forget!’
‘And didn’t that plan work out well for the two of you?’
‘I’m alive, aren’t I?’ I said, looking at Lyra. ‘He didn’t accept my fate – he worked to change it. He saved my life. I’m not going to let them send him to the moon for the rest of his.’
‘Eden,’ said Belle gently. ‘If there was anything we could do, we would. But he’s just been convicted by the highest court in the world. There’s no appeal process. I don’t see what we can do to help him.’
‘We have to help him escape,’ I said. ‘Before they send him to the moon.’
Lyra rolled her eyes. ‘With all due respect, Eden, you have no idea what you’re talking about. This is the Space and Time Institute, not the public library.’
‘Nothing is impossible. If Ryan can steal a time-ship and travel back a hundred and eleven years to save me, surely I can find a way to break him out of the Institute.’