Neverwylde (The Rim of the World Book 4) by Linda Mooney Read Free Book Online Page B

underground?”
                At the thought, Kelen shuddered. She forced herself not to imagine being trapped kilometers beneath the planet’s surface, their air slowly depleting long before their food ran out.
                “What about Cooter?” Jules asked. “He could pass us by without knowing we’re in here.”
                “He will not get far,” Kyber reassured him. “He will return to search for us once he discovers the chasm.”
                “But he won’t know if we made it to the other side before the ground gave way,” she pointed out.
                Sandow nodded. “She’s got a point. Still, he’s a big boy. He’s gone off on his own before. Remember, he deserted us soon after we arrived at the other temple. He’ll eventually find us, one way or another.”
                “Cooter’s the best damn tracker and hunter I’ve ever known,” Fullgrath informed them.
                “I suggest we go back to where this tunnel intersects with the main corridor,” Gaveer noted. “That way, if the ground rumbles again, at least we’ll have some option as to which way to flee.”
                They unanimously agreed and once more backtracked. When they reached the junction, Massapa started a small fire and Mellori passed out more food packets.
                “We’ll need to find another food source soon,” he informed them. “If we keep to two meals a day, we’ll run out in three days.”
                Kelen glanced over to where Dox sat with his back propped against the wall. The young man had been unusually quiet during their trek below. But as she observed him more closely, she got the impression he was more at ease. Maybe the drugs Sandow gave him were helping. Or maybe he was able to relax because Hoov was no longer among them.
    As the men continued to discuss their possibilities come morning, she watched as he worked on several small devices at once. He dealt with them systematically, in an assembly line fashion. Making an adjustment on one, putting it down, picking up the next one, making the same sort of adjustment before putting it down and reaching for the next. Methodical, identical movements. She counted the number of objects lying in a neat row before him. Twelve. Automatically, she did a quick head count of everyone present. Eleven. And Cooter makes an even dozen.
    She scooted closer to him. “Hey, Dox. What are you making?”
    He continued to work, absorbed in his task. She almost thought he hadn’t heard her when he responded. “Communicators.”
    She resisted the urge to reach over and pick one up to examine it. Doing so would throw a kink in Dox’s thought process. Instead, she continued to watch him build each individual device from scratch.
    “How long before you’re finished?”
    “Don’t know. Depends.”
    Kelen kept her smile to herself and moved away to give him room. She knew if she continued to hang over him and ask him questions, it would distract him from his work. When Dox involved himself in a project, he normally isolated himself where no one and no sound could interrupt him. In their current situation, because he couldn’t shut himself up in a room, the best he could hope for was to get as far away as he safely could and tune everyone out.
    She checked to see if he’d eaten. Spotting the empty meal packet, she picked it up and took it over to add to the fire.
    Kyber remained in deep conversation with Fullgrath and the other Seneecians. The men were bent over Jules and his tablet, discussing strategy. Mellori took inventory on their supplies, and Sandow checked the medications. Biting her lower lip, she limped over to the physician. He glanced up at her, flashed her a smile, and she saw his professional demeanor slip into place.
    “What can I help you with?” He dropped his eyes to her leg, which she was obviously favoring.
    She kept her voice low.