Island of Graves by Lisa McMann Read Free Book Online Page B

“Stop,” she said. “We’ll figure that one out. Lani, does your father know how to drive?”
    Lani’s eyes lit up, and she made a face at Samheed. “Why yes, Sky, my father does know how to drive. He can tell me what to do.”
    Alex tapped a finger to his lips, deep in thought, trying to come up with every possible thing that could go wrong. “What happens to the guard you’re impersonating?”
    Lani’s lips parted as if to answer, but soon she closed them, then opened them once more. “I’m not sure,” she admitted. “Do we give him the day off?”
    Alex smiled. “A day off? You’ve forgotten what it’s like to live there. Drivers are Necessaries. They don’t get a day off unless it’s Purge day, remember?”
    â€œYeah,” Lani said, scowling. “I remember.”
    â€œSo . . . maybe we have to kidnap him,” Samheed said, and now that he could picture himself doing something dangerous, he was starting to like this plan. “I’ll kidnap him and freeze him somewhere out of the way so nobody notices him. He won’t get hurt.”
    Alex frowned, not sure it would work logistically to have Samheed freezing a guard by the palace at the same time he was lying in wait for Gondoleery, but they’d work those details out.
    Florence glanced at Alex, and then addressed the group. “I think the plan has a lot of potential. There are definitely a few things we have to address before I’m willing to sign off on it, but they are all problems we can overcome. So, if Alex is on board with the plan . . .” She turned back to him. “Are you, Alex?”
    â€œI think so. Yes.”
    â€œGood. Then you four,” Florence said, pointing to Lani, Samheed, Sky, and Carina, “can get to work researching your disguises, while Alex and I pound out the details.”
    Alex nodded. “Everybody feel comfortable? Sky, Mr. Appleblossom will have everything you need to blend in with the people of Quill. Lani, I’m pretty sure the drivers have a specific uniform, so maybe you should come with Florence and me before you start working on yours. I’m going to bring Liam in to discuss.”
    â€œSounds good,” Lani said.
    â€œQuestions, anybody?” Alex asked.
    Carina frowned. “Yes. I’mnot sure I like you bringing Liam in on the plan. I mean, he’s . . . you know. One of them. Like . . .” She shook her head. “Never mind. I know he can’t go back to them after Gondoleery sent him to the Ancients Sector. It’s just . . . it’s a little scary, trusting people who have spent so much time living in that awful palace.”
    Alex pursed his lips. “We need him.”
    â€œI know,” Carina said. “But it makes me feel very uncomfortable. Not that long ago he was working against us.”
    Simber lifted his head, and this time he didn’t wait to be asked for his opinion. “I’ve been arrround a long time,” he said simply. “I’ve seen many people enterrr ourrr worrrld frrrom Quill. And therrre’s one thing I have witnessed about behaviorrr. Therrre arrre few people who arrre borrrn evil and will die evil. Some become evil because of the influence of otherrrs and, forrr a time, ignorrre orrr burrry what theirrr innerrr trrruth is telling them. But I do know that humans who have been influenced to do evil arrre capable of change once they grrround themselves and follow that innerrr guide.” He looked around. “And sometimes people like that become the biggest herrroes because they have so much morrre to prrrove.”
    Simber paused, then continued. “And therrre’s one perrrson who stands out as a prrrime example of this, and I don’t want any of you to forrrget him.”
    â€œWho is he?” Carina asked.
    Simber spoke humbly. “His name was Marrrcus