Andromache Between Worlds, page 20
It took me a little while to realise there was no sign of my father.
I walked out the front of the lab, hugging myself in the early-evening air. The sky was surprisingly clear, the few clouds touching pink and gold. I took a deep breath. He wasn’t here. Maybe part of me was relieved. There was so much to say, but I didn’t know where to start.
After a few minutes, my mother stepped up beside me.
‘What happened in Scotland?’ I asked.
Mum sighed. ‘It was an accident. We were sent there to investigate a missing person’s case and found the prison. We were caught, then ended up with a group of escapees hiding underground. We helped them. That was it.’
‘And they were locked up and you were the heroes.’
My mother nodded. ‘Yes. But I promise you, Andromache, I promise you with everything I have, that we didn’t know. Not until it was too late. Not until Vincent struck.’ She looked at me, and there was something desperate and pleading in her expression.
I nodded.
‘But look,’ she said, ‘I don’t know how much it’s worth beating yourself up over mistakes you never could have known the consequences of. What does that achieve? The important thing is that you learn from them. Which we tried to do.’ Her eyes were on the darkening evening. ‘Andromache, what you said in the car . . .’
‘It’s fine, Mum.’
‘It’s not,’ she said. ‘It’s not because if I ever, for a second, let you believe that you weren’t wanted and loved, that you weren’t the best thing to ever happen to me, then I’ve really, really messed up. And for that, I am so sorry.’
She faced me. ‘When I found out your father was still alive, it tore me apart. Slowly, and for years. At first, I thought I could find him. Then that dwindled. Then I was trying to focus on you. And then Cav—Vincent,’ she said the name as though it was something deeply disgusting, ‘told me I could find him if I used you. I could never allow that. I could never put you in that kind of danger. But I wondered if I should, or if . . .’ She shook her head. ‘It made me distant. It made me wrapped up in myself. And I can’t forgive myself for that, because it meant I froze you out.’
I watched her, so uncertain and vulnerable and nothing like the famous hero from the stories. My mother. Not a legend. Not a larger-than-life character. Not a villain. A person. A person with flaws who tried to do good despite them and sometimes failed. Like we all did.
I put an arm around her. It was the first time I’d noticed I was almost as tall as she was.
‘Maybe you can’t forgive yourself,’ I said. ‘But I can.’
I didn’t get to say goodbye to Rylee and Tobias. By the time the police were done, Rylee had run giggling into the night, while the red-faced principal repeatedly shrieked, ‘Expelled!’ after her. Tobias, for his part, had vanished entirely.
I still hadn’t seen my father.
Finally, we got into Mum’s little yellow car. No limo, not today. As we drove, she told me, laughing a little, how long she’d waited at the place I’d vanished into Lady Black’s world, before finally figuring out we’d come back to the lab. She’d rushed there in time to ‘overhear that angry moron’s stupid monologue’ and ‘give him a right good whack with a kettle’.
When we arrived back home, Mum directed me up the stairs and into the living room. And there I found my father, sitting on the couch with Uncle Oscar, deep in conversation. They both stopped as we arrived.
‘Sorry,’ Dad said with a tired smile. ‘I thought I’d get out of there before someone decided to call the press.’
‘You know, once upon a time, you were the press,’ Oscar pointed out.
‘Yeah, which is why I know exactly how annoying they can be.’
‘Falling in love with her,’ Oscar nodded to my mother, ‘can’t have helped in that regard.’
‘He didn’t fall in love with me,’ Mum said. ‘He was drawn in by my impossible charms.’
Both Oscar and Dad burst out laughing.
‘Oi!’ Mum exclaimed. ‘In front of our daughter? You tell Andromache right now that I have impossible charms.’
‘She’s impossible, I can confirm that much.’ Dad shot me a wink.
I sat in an armchair. Mum joined the others on the couch, nestling into Dad.
‘So, I feel like . . .’ I cleared my throat. ‘I mean, there’s a lot I need to know.’
Mum and Dad exchanged a look.
‘Well, actually,’ Dad said, ‘I feel like our adventures are pretty boring compared with yours. Did I hear something about dinosaurs?’
‘And that bizarre Irish girl was going on about big crabs.’ Mum leaned forward. ‘Tell us about the crabs.’
I looked between them all. They were clearly hanging on my every word. So, I told them.
There were laughs, and there were gasps and Mum had to leave the room when I got to the part about finding Dad. He followed her, and Oscar and I sat sipping tea until they came back.
Then more tea and more questions. Finally, Oscar pointed out how late it was. He hugged my father with tears in his eyes, whispered, ‘It’s marvellous to have you home, my friend,’ then squeezed my shoulder and Mum walked him out.
For the first time since the cell, Dad and I were alone.
He stood at the window, looking into the night. I joined him.
‘I can’t believe you’re real,’ he said.
‘Sorry?’
He shook his head. ‘I know. It’s strange, but . . . you were a baby when I . . . when I got lost. And now, look at you. This brave, clever, brilliant person who pulled off the kind of thing I never would have been able to.’
‘Dad, you saved London and—’
‘Andromache, you fought dinosaurs and maybe, possibly, brought down two tyrants.’ He beamed. ‘I’m in awe of you, kid. And I am so, so proud of you.’
I stared at him. And then, unable to help it, I threw my arms around him and buried my head in his chest as, voice choked, I whispered, ‘I’ve missed you so much, Dad.’
‘I’ve missed you, too,’ he said. ‘But I’m home now. And that’s because of you. You’re my hero, Andromache. Don’t you ever, ever forget that.’
So, I sat with Mum and Dad, laughing and talking and swapping stories. There was something so surreal about it, about sitting across from them and seeing not the towering, famous celebrities, but two smiling, warm, worn-out people. It was, somehow, so much better.
At one stage, I headed out to get some more tea. By the time I returned, they were both asleep on the couch, Dad’s head on Mum’s shoulder, her arm across his chest. I stood there a little while, watching them. Then I went to get a blanket.
I shut off the lights and washed the dishes, before heading up to my room. There was still a lot for me to work through. Lady Black. The full truth about my parents and Vincent. But maybe working out yourself and where you came from was a little like history. You found what you could, and you guessed at the rest. Maybe, for now, that would be enough.
I had just about reached my room when I heard something.
Three knocks. Pause. Two knocks. Pause. Three knocks.
I turned.
It came again.
I followed the sound down the hall and to a doorway that opened out onto the terrace garden. Carefully, slowly, I stepped out.
Lit fairy lights hung between the potted trees and around the fountain in the middle. Seated on the edge were Rylee and Tobias.
I ran to them. They met me in a big, messy hug.
‘What are you doing here?’ I stepped back. ‘And how?’
‘Oh, please,’ Rylee said. ‘Obviously, I know how to make a grappling hook.’
‘Obviously.’ Tobias rolled his eyes.
‘But what . . . what happened? The police, the school—’
‘Well, I was expelled,’ Rylee said. ‘Honestly, it took them long enough. I’ve been angling for that for years. Who thought it would take travelling between worlds? All you had to do was overreact to some knocking.’
‘Special case, I guess.’
‘Da’s in town,’ Rylee went on. ‘Tobias is staying with us for now. Then we work out where we go from there.’
‘I guess I’m in the same boat,’ I said. I almost added something about there being no boat I was happier to be in than one with them, but I knew Rylee would only tease me relentlessly for that, so I didn’t.
‘Anyway,’ Tobias said. ‘Are you okay? After everything?’
‘Are you?’
He looked away. ‘I think it’ll take time. And I think that’s okay.’
I nodded. ‘I think so, too.’
We stood there in silence broken only by the water from the fountain.
‘Alright, that’s enough emotion,’ Rylee said. ‘Let’s get down to business.’
I raised an eyebrow. ‘Business?’
She picked up a canvas bag from beside her and held it open towards me. I reached in and took out a dial.
‘Is this . . . ?’
‘The Locksmith, yeah,’ Rylee said. ‘I nicked all the pieces.’
‘We could fix it,’ Tobias said. ‘Between us.’
‘Think about it.’ Rylee’s eyes were bright. ‘All the other worlds we could see. The places we could explore. The adventures we could have.’
I bit my lip.
‘What is it?’ Tobias asked.
I couldn’t deny there was something tempting about it. About getting to see all those worlds, no longer having to worry about finding my father. About being free to explore and wander and have fun with it all. And we would be careful, of course. Plus . . . getting to do it all with these two, again, would be a special kind of wonderful.
But.
‘I don’t think so,’ I said.
‘Come on,’ Rylee replied. ‘Why not? Why don’t you want to see what other worlds are out there?’
I looked back at the house. Then at the vast, dark night and the distant lights. Then at my two friends. And I smiled.
‘Because I’m finally happy in this one.’
Acknowledgements
Almost every book I’ve ever written has lived in my head as a vague idea for years before the first words hit the page. Andromache Between Worlds was no exception. I tried to write it back in 2015, got through a couple of directionless chapters, then gave up.
I had no real intention of coming back to it until, during a conversation with my publisher Lisa Berryman, it popped into my head again. I pitched it. Lisa asked for more. I started mapping it out and did not look back. In 2015 the book had refused to take shape, but this time it tumbled out almost fully formed. I knew who these characters were. I knew what the story was about. Each writing session was a total delight.
I loved every second of this book and I had the best possible supporter in Lisa, who was always there to give guidance, advice and encouragement. Each excited call after she reached the latest crazy twist was a day-maker.
Every book is only as good as its editorial team, and I was lucky enough to have a great one. Alex Nahlous, Siobhan Cantrill, Nicola Nelson and Pam Dunne – thank you so much for the perspectives you brought to the story and the great saves that stopped me looking incompetent. I was in safe hands with people who cared as much about this pack of misfits as I did. To Emma Holifield, for your brilliant marketing campaign and making sure as many people as possible knew about Andromache, thank you.
As much as we’re not supposed to judge books by their covers, we very often do. Luckily, Andromache somehow managed to secure the breathtaking art of Jessica Liu, who brought these worlds to life with such vivid brilliance. Thank you for making this book look so damn good.
To Tara Wynne, Caitlan Cooper-Trent and the whole Curtis Brown team; I remain always grateful for your friendship, support, advocacy and advice on every project, and this one was no exception. To my family and friends, the ones who read happily and the ones who roll their eyes at another book they have to buy, thank you all. To Kate Murfett in particular – none of my last few novels would have found any kind of decent shape without you. You take the time, always, to read messy drafts and somehow are still willing to sit and talk and work through the problems that pepper them.
And finally to April Newton, who in 2016 took a chance on me when no-one else would and published Boone Shepard, my first novel. In its humour, eccentricity, adventurousness and occasional darkness, Andromache is in many ways a spiritual successor to what I tried to achieve with Boone. And while the fact that I wouldn’t be here without April is true of every book I publish, it’s especially true this time around. Thank you for everything.
About the Author
GABRIEL BERGMOSER is an award-winning Melbourne-based author and playwright. He won the prestigious Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award in 2015, and was nominated for the 2017 Kenneth Branagh Award for New Drama Writing. His first young adult novel, Boone Shepard, was shortlisted for the Readings Young Adult Prize, and his second YA book, The True Colour of a Little White Lie, was published in 2021. Andromache Between Worlds is Gabriel’s first middle-grade book.
Praise for Andromache Between Worlds
‘The thrilling adventures of Indiana Jones meets a tender family quest like A Wrinkle in Time! What a fabulous new adrenaline-filled book for young readers that whips from heartfelt to heart-in-your-throat, and in a heartbeat. From a cinematic author perfectly pitched for middle grade and tween readers; this is incredible and incredibly fun.’
– Danielle Binks
‘Andromache Between Worlds is an intelligent multiverse story packed with action and heart. Andromache’s quest to save her father while meeting other versions of herself, not all of whom are as admirable, makes for one compelling and thought-provoking read. This great cast of characters will keep you turning the pages until Andromache’s worlds finally come together.’
– Clayton Zane Comber
‘A gripping, funny, poignant multiverse adventure. Bergmoser mixes fascinating worlds, a clever teen and a mysterious portal device into a fun, action-packed thrill ride.’
– Alison Goodman
‘Massive in scope but never losing sight of its characters, Andromache Between Worlds is spectacular in every sense of the word.’
– Jack Heath
Also by Gabriel Bergmoser
THE TRUE COLOUR OF A LITTLE WHITE LIE
After a catastrophic attempt to ask out his crush, Nelson is desperate for any chance to escape the daily humiliations of his small-town high school. And with his parents taking over a nearby ski lodge, that chance seems to have arrived.
At the snow, Nelson discovers a whole new freedom in a world where nobody knows he’s a loser. Now he can be whoever he wants to be . . .
But reinvention is complicated, especially when a few white lies land Nelson in the middle of an unexpected love triangle and on a path towards certain embarrassment.
From bestselling author Gabriel Bergmoser comes a bright and funny romantic comedy about small lies and big mistakes.
Copyright
Angus&Robertson
An imprint of HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks, Australia
HarperCollinsPublishers
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HarperCollins acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land upon which we live and work, and pays respect to Elders past and present.
First published on Gadigal Country in Australia in 2024
by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia Pty Limited
ABN 36 009 913 517
harpercollins.com.au
Copyright © Gabriel Bergmoser 2024
The right of Gabriel Bergmoser to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000.
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, recorded, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
ISBN 978 1 4607 5910 3 (paperback)
ISBN 978 1 4607 1284 9 (ebook)
ISBN 978 1 4607 3470 4 (audiobook)
A catalogue record for this book is available from the National Library of Australia.
Cover design by Maya Abraham, HarperCollins Design Studio
Cover illustrations © Jessica Liu
Author photograph by Jennifer Blau
Gabriel Bergmoser, Andromache Between Worlds
