Page 21

Amelia woke before the sun on Tara’s sofa, her nerves jangling.

Despite her confidence the night before, her stomach now churned with questions. What if The Elders refused to accept Tara? What if they were angry with Amelia for even suggesting it? What if they thought it was just Amelia being Amelia, the same old incompetent?

The thought of that conversation was daunting.

Another lesser worry was what if they did accept Tara’s help? How would Tara adjust to Solhaven’s way of life, no electricity, no convenience? Would she see the beauty in it? Or only the hardship?

Amelia had no choice but to hope for the best. This was the only way. The only chance Solhaven had. Amelia truly believed that.

The sound of footsteps startled her, and she looked up to see Tara standing in the doorway, looking surprisingly alert. Her hair was in a ponytail, and she was wearing an oversized brown jumper. Very different from her usual sleek look.

‘You look ready for Solhaven,’ Amelia told her.

‘This is the only knitted object I own,’ she said, looking down at the jumper. ‘Thought it would make me less of an obvious intruder,’ she added, almost shyly. ‘You couldn’t sleep either?’

Amelia shook her head.

Tara perched on the arm of the sofa. ‘You’re worried about taking me to Solhaven.’

‘No. I told you it’ll be fine,’ Amelia said instantly.

Tara didn’t say anything, only watched and waited. It didn’t take long for Amelia to crack.

‘Of course I’m worried,’ Amelia said, her voice sharper than she intended. She took a deep breath, softening her tone. ‘It’s not like I do this every day. Bringing someone to the island… It’s going to be a shock.’

Tara nodded slowly. ‘Because of the rules.’

‘Because of everything,’ Amelia said, gesturing vaguely. ‘They’ll see you as an outsider. Can you deal with that?’

Tara smiled. ‘I wouldn’t think twice about that.’

Amelia frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I don’t know if this is something a Solhaven resident could understand, but some people are simply always that,’ she said flippantly.

‘Outsiders? But you fit in here, don’t you?’ Amelia said, shocked.

‘In a city, plenty of people have no community,’ Tara said casually. ‘It’s another way to live.’

‘That sounds terrible,’ Amelia said, touching her heart.

‘Not necessarily. Not if you’ve never known different.’

For the first time, Amelia saw vulnerability in Tara. She was alone in the world. It made Amelia want to wrap her in the biggest hug she’d ever given anyone.

But she knew if she did that, Tara wouldn’t like it. She hadn’t liked the last hug. She’d reacted to it very stiffly.

‘So, do you think you’ll be OK without the smartphone?’ Amelia asked, the word strange in her mouth.

Tara happened to have the phone in her hand, and she looked at it. ‘Might be nice to get the break, actually.’

That confused Amelia. ‘What do you mean?’

Tara shook her head. ‘I told you. It’s like the man with the alcohol. It’s addictive.’

Amelia wanted to be able to relate for a change. ‘I remember when my mother told me I was spending too much time on my loom. I realised how out of hand it had gotten.’

Tara looked at her bug-eyed for a second. And then exploded into laughter.

‘It’s not funny. I was neglecting my chores,’ Amelia insisted, her face warm with embarrassment.

Tara wiped her eyes, still chuckling. ‘I’m sorry, but “loom addiction” is not where I thought that was going.’

Amelia suddenly felt the urge to laugh with Tara. Her laugh was infectious. ‘Well, it’s the same principle. Obsession is obsession,’ she said, smiling despite herself.

‘Sure,’ Tara said, grinning. ‘And if I catch you weaving at three in the morning, we’re having a serious talk.’

Amelia couldn’t help but chuckle. But once it faded, the nerves returned. ‘So, you feel ready for Solhaven life?’ she asked. Because she couldn’t ask, ‘Are you going to make an effort to fit it?’

Tara’s expression shifted; her usual confidence tempered with something gentler. ‘I’ll try not to embarrass you.’

‘I’m not worried about that,’ Amelia said quickly.

‘No, of course not,’ Tara said, seeing right through her. ‘You’re as cool as a bloody cucumber.’

Amelia raised an eyebrow. ‘The swearing will have to go.’

‘I’ll work on that,’ Tara assured her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The faint pink glow of dawn began to creep through the window, bathing the room in soft light.

‘You really think this is going to work?’ Tara asked.

Amelia met her gaze. ‘It has to,’ she said simply.

Tara nodded, and the silence stretched again, laden with unspoken words.

‘I need to pack some pens and pads,’ Tara said finally, pushing off the sofa arm.

As Tara disappeared down the hall, Amelia stared at the light coming through the window, the nerves swirling again. She couldn’t shake the feeling that this day would change everything. She could only hope that change was for the better.