Harri approached the two plinths. They were about six feet apart, and she stood between them.

‘Do you know what happens? Do you know which one I choose?’ she asked.

There was no answer, and when she looked at the screen, she saw Ben was stuck in a loop, repeating his last movement – a slight turn of the head. It was the end of the recording.

Harri walked to the right plinth and pocketed the sphere and then grabbed the other one.

She hurried through the cavern into the rough stone tunnel to the giant boulder. She pulled the sphere from her right pocket and threw it at the giant rock. She watched it dematerialize and quickly ran through the tunnel mouth into the well.

Seconds later, the boulder thudded back into place with a thunderous crack. She looked up at the sky. Patches of blue broke through the cotton-wad clouds. She reflected on the times she’d been with Ben and considered all the unkind thoughts she’d had about him. If she’d known. If only she’d known. She thought of all the years wasted, time they could have spent together. She looked at the crawl space that led to the tiny tunnel that would take her home, and questioned what waited for her. An empty flat? A job? What mystery would ever compare to this?

No crime could measure up to the adventure that lay before her.

The moment Ben had presented her with the choice, she’d known what her answer would be. She’d taken the other sphere to use on the rock because she didn’t want to leave any trace of his technology to be found by others. People who might come looking for him and the wonder he’d invented. There was never any doubt in her mind. She wanted to be with him.

She removed the last transit from her pocket and squeezed until it shattered in her hand. Whatever encased the stars looked like glass, but it broke harmlessly. The energy spread over her skin, electrifying every inch of her body, and a moment later, she was gone.

Chapter 60

Harri felt as though she’d been born again.

She materialized after passing through a realm beyond the physical and took a moment to get her bearings. She was in an alleyway behind some grey stone buildings. She tasted salt in the air, and heard the cack and caw of birds. There was a road to her right and she ran towards it.

A rusty old Ford Capri drove by as she emerged from the alleyway, and she heard Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ blaring through the open windows. She was on a provincial high street, and saw an estate agency, ice cream shop, and a pub called the Eagle and Child. A couple of puffy-faced men in shabby suits were heading for the pub, and she hurried to intercept them.

‘Excuse me?’ she said. ‘Where am I?’

They both stank of cigarettes and neglect, and looked at her with bloodshot eyes.