Amber

by Julie Sykes

  Nardo came for me early the following morning. He arrived at the same time as Nicky. My social worker had wanted to see me, not just to sort out the legalities involved before she handed me over to my brother, but also to say a proper goodbye. I felt like a traitor as I hugged Mia, Jeff, Lucy, Josh, Amy and Ellie, George and, lastly, Dan goodbye and promised to keep in touch, when I knew that I couldn’t. Nardo seemed surprised by the warmth of everyone’s farewell wishes. It was the first thing he mentioned when we were finally in the hire car and bouncing away down the drive.

  ‘You’ve made a big impression in the few weeks that you’ve been here. They all seemed genuinely sad to see you go.’

  I sat back, slipped off my trainers and propped my feet up on the dashboard.

  ‘Not all humans are bad. Living as a human has taught me far more about them than I could ever learn through watching them from a distance. I’ve had a unique experience.’

  ‘Well, I’m sure the Polittica will be very interested to hear all about it,’ said Nardo, as he slowed for the end of the drive.

  I smiled to myself as he pulled out onto the main road. I was sure that the Polittica would be interested in my findings. But I was going to have my work cut out to convince them to let me action the plans I had for my subsequent visits to Earth.

  ‘How’s Marn? Has he forgiven me?’ My casual tone belied the pounding of my heart.

  ‘He’s fine,’ said Nardo. ‘He’ll be gone by the time we get back.’

  ‘Gone?’

  ‘Back to Pietra.’ Nardo glanced at me. ‘What? Surely you didn’t expect him to stay for a chat? This is a job, Amara, not a holiday.’

  ‘I know, it’s just… So he was fine, then. No side effects?’

  ‘Apart from a colossal headache, he was the same old Marn,’ said Nardo. ‘He was very shocked and upset to learn about you and Nell.’

  Relief bubbled like spring water in my veins. My fears were unfounded. Marn was fine and he remembered me. I was so desperate to see him again I could hardly sit still. I reached for my amber necklace and held the stone all the way back to Balochry.

  Several hours later, I stood about a metre from the verbole. I was dressed in a bright orange travel suit and its oversized hood completely covered my head. It was light and comfortable and, amazingly, the silky material negated the effects of the radiation. The last time I’d come here I’d felt dizzy and sick and unable to think clearly. Now my mind was racing through all the instructions Nardo had given me about my imminent journey. I glanced across at Tor, dressed in a similar suit in a deep shade of red. He was going back to Pietra because of Nell. He needed time to come to terms with his terrible loss.

  He smiled back at me. ‘Ready?’

  I looked up at the mountains. They soared above me, their peaked heads nudging the rose-washed evening sky. It was beautiful here, so totally unspoilt. It was hard to believe that one day, if left to humans, Earth was headed for destruction. There had to be something my planet could do to help. I didn’t doubt that it would be a challenge. You couldn’t force a lifestyle change on people against their will. But with education and a willingness to share another’s perspective the challenge wasn’t insurmountable. And I wasn’t just talking about humans. Pietrans had a lot to learn too. I couldn’t wait to go home, but I knew I would definitely come back. I’d broken the rules and made friends here. Friends who’d helped me unconditionally and without any sort of judgement. I owed them.

  I took a last, long look around and committed the scene to memory. I’d been working hard to build a new set of memories ever since the accident. ‘I’m ready.’

  Tor and I stepped up to the edge of the verbole together.

  ‘On the count of three,’ he said. ‘Una, dua, tiree.’

  As one we jumped into the void. It was blacker than I’d remembered, but I was snug in my suit and couldn’t feel the bone-gnawing cold, or crushing force that had beaten the life out of me the last time I’d travelled this way. It seemed like hardly any time had passed before I saw ribbons of light flickering towards me. I was catapulted towards a sparkling blue sky. My suit inflated. It filled with a cushioning layer of air that allowed me to float to the ground. I landed neatly, both feet together, a short way from the verbole. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Tor land a few paces to my left. He raised a hand to me and I raised mine back. I pushed back my hood and drank in the raw, unspoilt beauty of the Pietran mountains.

  ‘Amara.’

  In the distance I saw a boy standing in front of a building that almost grew out of the mountainside. His blonde hair shone like a halo in the bright sun. He shouted my name again.

  ‘Marn!’ My voice echoed around the mountains.

  I ran towards him. Marn laughed as he caught me. He lifted me up and swung me round. My hair spun out behind and bound us together in a silky chestnut rope.

  ‘You’re back.’ He held my face in his hands and kissed me hard on the lips.

  A fiery heat pulsed through every part of me. As I looked up into Marn’s bright blue eyes, I thought I might burst with love. ‘Etta tu amorra,’ I whispered.

  I pulled him closer as we kissed again, a slow kiss that left me shaking with desire. Marn and I were together. I’d come home.

  Acknowledgements

  I used to think that writing a book was the result of one person’s work, but nothing is further from the truth. There’s practically a village full of people working behind the scene, to bring a writer’s work to the bookshelf.

  So many people have been involved in breathing life into Amber. My heartfelt thanks must go firstly to the wonderful team at Curious Fox, especially Catherine Clarke, Laura Knowles and my brilliant editor, Vaarunika Dharmapala. Thanks Vaarunika, for gently pushing me that extra mile and then making me go one further.

  Thanks also to my agent Pat White and to Claire Wilson. I hope you know how much I value you both.

  To my friends, who forgive me when I don’t return their calls. I’m sorry for all the times I’ve let you down because I’ve been too immersed in Amber to spend time with you in the real world.

  Antonia MacPhee, Lee Weatherly and Linda Chapman, my first readers. Love and thanks for giving me such honest, wise and helpful feedback. Thanks also to Lee, Linda and Val Wilding for regular emails and coffee dates. You make me laugh and stop me from hurling my computer out of the window on the bad days.

  Love and thanks also to Will MacPhee for fantastic 24/7 techie support, and for fixing my PC after its spectacular demise when I was writing Amber; Tim MacPhee for regular dog walking; and to Mum, Dad and Sarah, for being there.

  And lastly to Alistair, who married me for my postcards and ended up with a library, LYB.

  About the author

  Julie Sykes has always made things up, but it was a holiday in Jersey that inspired her to write down her stories. She is now the author of many books, including the best-selling Silver Dolphins series. Amber is her first book for older readers.

  Julie once lived on a fish farm, sharing her home with 300,000 rainbow trout. She now lives in the south of England with her family, their pet wolf and a few goldfish.

  You can find out more about Julie at www.juliesykes.co.uk

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