Read The Island for Free Online

up above her. The dots of light she had seen earlier through the netting were oil lamps, set along the cave’s walls in nooks and crannies, casting a flickering glow. People—lots of people—were gathered in small groups, some talking, some working at various tasks. All those nearest the alcove turned and stared when Rachel emerged.
    “They’re just curious.” Hannah waved at a girl who was sitting nearby, sharpening a knife. The girl stared at Rachel, all the while drawing a sharpening stone along the blade of the knife she held. She didn’t wave back.
    “She’s so dramatic,” Hannah whispered. “Let’s do the tour.” She and Tom started walking away from where the girl sat. Rachel held the staring girl’s gaze for a moment, then followed.
    “This,” Hannah made a gesture that encompassed the whole of the cave, “is the common area. We all gather here to work at inside tasks, or have meetings, or eat.”
    Rachel nodded, scanning the enormous room. There were different areas set up in the space. Some were small, like the one where the girl was sharpening knives. It only had a work table and a couple of chairs. There was a larger area set up with many benches, which reminded Rachel of the council room Away. She could see yet another that looked like it might be for people to eat in; there were tables and benches enough to seat at least fifty.
    Rachel noticed Tom’s knife, hanging from a belt around his waist; she saw Hannah had one, too. They were like the knife Sarah had used to cut the rope from her ankle; not crude, hand-made blades like the ones Away. She remembered how scarce knives had been there and wondered if all of the people here had weapons. “How many of you are there?”
    “There are around—”
    “Enough.” Hannah cut Tom off. She glared at him for a moment before she turned to Rachel. “Look. We’re not supposed to tell you anything much. At least not yet. It’s nothing personal.”
    “Nothing personal? You attack me and Pathik, you abduct me and bring me here and tie me to a cot and—”
    “Nobody attacked you, did they?” Hannah looked genuinely worried.
    “What do you call using gifts against people?” Rachel spat the words.
    “Jim just dozed you.” Tom stepped up, as though he thought Rachel might strike Hannah. “That’s not attacking you. It doesn’t even hurt.”
    “I was taken against my will. And what did they do to Pathik?” Rachel narrowed her eyes at Tom. “You people don’t have Usage, do you?”
    “What’s Usage?”
    The thought of Pathik made Rachel stop talking. She felt like if she spoke another word she would either cry or scream, right then. Hannah had said they hadn’t hurt him, wouldn’t hurt any of them, but Rachel didn’t trust it. These people didn’t even practice Usage. People with no rules about how they could use their gifts might do anything.
    A scream sounded then in the dim cavern. A long, angry scream, echoing off the rock walls.

Chapter 5
    T he trail led them treacherously up the mountainside, crumbling rock and switchbacks making the journey difficult. Once, Vivian lost her footing and nearly fell off the disintegrating edge, but Daniel caught her hand and hauled her back up, scraped and bruised. When they finally reached the place where, from below, it had appeared that the trail just vanished, the terrain told a slightly different tale.
    The main trail did end, but there were signs—a scrubby bush with a broken branch, an area of compacted dirt among the stones—that revealed where others had traveled. Still, that scant path didn’t take them anywhere much before it disappeared as well. Even Nandy, a fairly expert tracker, had no suggestions. She headed back the way they’d come to see if she had missed anything.
    The others used the time to rest. Malgam took the water bottle from his pack and drank from it. He watched his son pace back and forth in the tiny area available, then capped the bottle and tossed it to him.