Jojo is fast asleep. I sit on the sofa yawning, squeezing my eyes shut. When I look up, Ari stands watching me, a hint of concern on his face.
“You’re very tired. Assign me command rights so you can get some sleep,” he says.
Though the words are authoritative, his tone isn’t. There’s a surprisingly gentle edge to it.
I lower my gaze. I am drained, well and truly zonked out. After a fitful night’s sleep that included the dreaded nightmare, I woke up early to get everything done on time for the departure. Today must be the longest day of my life. But let him take over the sub?
His gaze is steady. “You don’t trust me.”
Gramps trusts him with my life. He’s already saved it once, along with Jojo’s. And even though he’s secretive and makes me feel apprehensive, I actually do trust him.
“You need to sleep,” he insists. “You’ve done enough. You can take charge after you’ve rested. If you’re tired, you’ll make mistakes. Let me take care of things for now.”
“Fine . . . but I don’t want us traveling as I sleep.” I look away.
He opens his mouth to speak. I cut him off by summoning the
Navigator. Oscar has changed, now sporting a plum velvet-and-satin dressing gown, with matching slippers.
“Oscar, grant Ari full primary rights, please. And then find us a safe place for the night. We can continue on in the morning.”
If only Ari would be open with me . . . I turn to him. “What did you mean earlier, when you said we were always content with our own lives no matter what was going on with others?”
He inclines his head and lifts his eyes to my face, the bright gaze piercing from beneath thick lashes. A muscle tics along his jaw as he watches me think.
“It’s because of the government,” I say. “Because . . . they don’t protect you. . . .”
He gives a curt nod, his face giving nothing away.
“You said we believe everything we’re told. What did you mean?”
“It’s nothing,” he says quietly, remaining still. “Forget it.”
“Please, if you care at all about my grand—”
“Gideon?” He snorts. “I told you. My father gave me no choice. They’re friends.” He shakes his head, sneering at the idea. I’m more confused than ever, but I need answers, so I don’t react to his words. “After they attacked us, I had to leave immediately,” he adds.
“Because you’d have gone after the beasts who killed Lance?”
His gaze flickers, and he nods.
I shake my head. “Why do you blame everyone when it’s just the gov—”
“Because you stay silent! Your only concern is with yourselves,” he spits, raking his fingers through his hair. He folds his arms and takes a deep breath, as if trying to stay calm.
“Huh? Who? All Londoners? Who stays silent? How do you mean?” I prickle. “We only care about ourselves? It’s you who’s willing to hit out at anyone and everyone you meet!”
I grab the Bliss-Pod, hoping I haven’t made a mistake assigning him primary rights to the sub, and hasten out of the room before he can reply. Argh. He’s so bloody insufferable!
When I enter the master bedroom, though, I forget everything.
Wow. It’s bigger than any bedroom I’ve ever had and decorated in an exquisite Far Eastern vibe. Japanese-inspired style is everywhere.
The walls are actually papered. Copper wallpaper glistens with the printed silhouettes of branches and twigs reaching out delicately over its surface. I brush my hands across it. Dark wood and pale blossoms fill the room. Velvets and brocade in olive and plum colors make the place feel sumptuous and warm. And it’s actually carpeted.
It’s the most perfectly blissful room I’ve ever seen.
There’s a large, circular porthole as tall as me; the ebony waters surge past. I command the blinds to close.
Past the bed are screen doors that lead to a bathroom, and a smashing wardrobe space, all digitally managed and fully working. I shake my head.
I could never have even dreamed of this. It’s a complete home. Everything Papa and I could possibly want or need tucked away inside. So utterly perfect. It’s barmy to think it’s ours.
A warm shower later, I crawl into the luxurious bed and all tension just slips away. The softness of the mattress! I wave my hand around, playing with the mood lighting for a while, exploring its different strengths and colors. First off, a cozy marigold glow.
Within seconds, I drift into a deep sleep.
“Look at it, Jojo,” I whisper, hugging the puppy in the morning. I kneel a few feet away from the window, staring through it. Jojo’s brown gaze brightens as she snuggles closer.
The sight is mesmerizing.
The submarine moves through a giant kelp forest growing on high ground.
Faint natural light seeping through makes all the difference, and the vivid colors of the looming plant life against the blue of the water is astonishing. The stipes stretch upward, fronds swaying along their lengths like a thousand arms. Striking sea creatures dart among the mass of gangly stems. The kelp bows to the weight of the vessel as it plows through.
“What do you think, baby? It’s something else, isn’t it?”
Jojo nuzzles my arm and I laugh, leaning in to cover her with kisses.
Ari’s listening to music; low, soothing notes echo from elsewhere on the sub. Such stirring, melancholic tones. A piece searching for something. The music stops. The sub begins rising.
I play some more with the puppy, when she cocks her ears and jumps down from my lap.
“Hey, where are you—” Well, of course.
A towering Ari stands watching us. Jojo circles his legs, her tail wagging. I peer up from under the hood of my long black robe.
He’s showered, his wavy shoulder-length hair glistening black. He’s barefoot, wearing a black T-shirt and casual bottoms. The knife hangs from his hip as usual. I stand, my hand reaching for the pocket of my robe. I hesitate and let it fall away.
“You’re awake. Good,” he says. It really is such a husky voice. “There’s something you must see.”
He gestures behind me. The vessel stops rising. What does he want to show me? I turn around.
There are no words.
I suck in a quick breath. My heart seems to stop, and then it races.
It’s the single most beautiful sight ever. Like, ever. It’s otherworldly. Sacred. My whole body tingles. For the first time, I walk right into the very tip of the vessel and place both hands against the window.
It is the sun.
A plane of liquid light shines in every direction, the shimmering rays reaching down like glistening words of solace, as if to remind humanity the sun is still here. It embraces me, soothing me until I feel buoyant. It’s a privileged glimpse into the Old World, this world, other worlds—the universe.
My eyes prickle. Blood rushes in my body, warming my face. My heart expands.
I’m alive.
I stare in silence for the longest time. I turn to say something. Ari’s in the tip of the vessel now, holding Jojo up so she, too, can see. He murmurs to her in his low, comforting tones. I glance at the water again and gasp at yet another new sight. Lilac jellyfish are suspended in the glimmering light.
They’re completely worthy of drifting along in the semi-luminous waves. If fairies were real, this is how they’d look. The diaphanous bodies are covered in pink-purple specks and move so effortlessly. Their arms sway, like purple ink released in the water.