There were three suns, all blazing brightly in a line against a lilac sky. There were so many trees and plants around, Flick felt as though she was walking through a colossal greenhouse. She’d never been to the Eden Project, but she’d seen it on TV, and this felt just like that looked. Despite the triple suns, the air was moderately cool, like early autumn. Flick zipped her jacket up a little.
For all the beauty of the world around her, Flick felt nervous. Unlocking the suitcase to get there had been difficult, requiring so much concentration that Flick had a headache by the time the catches finally released. Her nerves weren’t helped by the fact that Tristyan had decided to bring his magic bottle-slung belt with him, buckling it over his old brown apron, Daniel Mercator’s waterproof jacket on top.
‘Why the apron?’ Flick had asked, trying to think about that rather than why her grandfather had brought a belt-full of potential weapons with him.
‘Aprons are useful,’ he replied. ‘Big pockets, for one. And they protect your clothes. Never underestimate the value of a good apron.’ He smiled the same smile Flick’s dad gave when he was teasing her, and Flick felt a little better.
‘Be careful where you step,’ Jonathan said, flipping his guidebook open as Avery pulled the suitcase through into the lush green world. ‘The plants here are alive.’
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