Far Horizon (Juggernaut #4)

Six

The whole place was an illusion, but you could fool yourself if you wanted.

Every path and turn revealed something new and hid something else. Even the larger open spaces felt private.

They reached their clearing and found wooden benches underneath one of the larger central trees. Tila checked the map on her data pad to make sure they were in the right place and was surprised to see how close they were to their elevator. The twists and turns of the garden had made their journey longer than necessary, but far more pleasant.

"Are the other's here yet? I can't see them anywhere," said Nina.

A giggling from above made them look up at the tree which towered over them. This wasn't the tall and straight tree from the centre of the dome. This one had low broad branches, perfect, as Ellie and Jayce had realised while they were waiting, for climbing.

"Ellie, get down. You'll hurt yourself," said Tila.

"It's so easy to climb," said Ellie.

"You've never climbed a tree before, how do you know?"

"How do you know I haven't?"

Tila stood up to lecture Ellie further, but had nothing to say. She didn't know.

"You know what this means, T?" said Malachi.

Tila looked down at him. Malachi recognised the scowl on her face. It came from a place that wanted to protect Ellie, and he could see it was heading to a place where she would blame Jayce.

"What?"

"You can't protect her all the time. I thought you had learned that by now."

"I can protect her from idiots," Tila muttered.

"Not every idiot is bad for her, Tila."

"None taken!" said Jayce. He sort of flopped out of the tree and somehow landed on his feet.

"Nice landing," said Malachi amiably.

"I've had worse," Jayce admitted. He looked up at Ellie who was attempting to transition from laying on a branch, to hanging from it and landing next to Jayce. It was a slow process not improved by Tila hovering underneath her and telling her what to do.

"Turn, Ellie. Move your leg there, no there. Hold on to that branch. Now go backward slowly. Hold on. I'll catch you."

Nina gestured to Ellie's dangling feet with a nod. "Mal, could you?"

Malachi dragged a chair across the gravel floor, carving twin furrows in the loose stones, and planted it firmly underneath Ellie's body. Her legs peddled furiously as she tried to find the traction Tila assured her was nearby.

Malachi stood on the chair, reached up, held Ellie by the waist and pulled her out of the tree, and lowered her carefully to the floor.

Ellie straightened her clothes and fixed her hair. "Thanks, Malachi," she said.

"I had that under control," said Tila.

"Yeah, but sometimes we need action, T. All you do is talk," said Malachi. He winked at her.

Tila sat down without a word.

Nina shuffled her chair forward. It wasn't easy with the legs deep in the gravel.

"Everyone's here and safe," she said. "Who's excited about tomorrow?"

"I am," said Ellie quickly. "I can't wait!"

"No surprise there, El," said Malachi. He sat down close to Nina and placed his arm alongside hers on the arm armrest. Tila watched Nina and Malachi hook one finger together. "Are you ready for it?"