The Island by Teri Hall Read Free Book Online

think.”
    The fierce-looking woman laughed. “Is that what you call it?” She snorted. “Doesn’t seem like such a gift to some of us.”
    “Enough, Tamryn.” The man looked stern. “You go tell the others we’re on our way.”
    Tamryn gave the man a look, but she did what he said. When she’d disappeared down the tunnel, the man turned back to the group and spoke to Pathik. “Your girl’s fine.”
    Pathik, who had never spoken aloud of his feelings for Rachel, at least not to anyone but her, and barely even to her, found himself blushing. He gritted his teeth and held the man’s gaze.
    “Take us to her, then.”
    The man pointed to the others who had come from the north tunnel with Tamryn. They were already turning, heading back the way they had come. “Follow them,” he said. “We’ll be right behind you.”
    Pathik did so, with no hesitation. Malgam and Daniel conferred with their eyes for a moment, but they, Vivian and Nandy weren’t far behind Pathik. The three men from the west tunnel brought up the rear.
    Pathik wished they would move faster. He wanted to run, run ahead of these strangers who were leading him to Rachel, run as fast as he could to her side and see her safe and alive.
    He hoped that these strangers really were leading him to Rachel.

Chapter 6
    I thought they decided to kill it.” Tom didn’t sound at all concerned about the screaming.
    “Maybe that’s what they’re doing.” Hannah shrugged, equally indifferent.
    Rachel listened to their comments with growing horror, because she knew that scream. She’d only heard it once before, Away, on the night one of the Roberts had almost killed her, but she knew it.
    The scream sounded again, even louder. This time it didn’t stop.
    “Where is he?” She couldn’t see where the cries were coming from, but she ran toward the sound. “That’s Nipper!”
    Rachel ignored Hannah and Tom, who ran after her. She hurried through groups of people, shocked faces staring at her as she went. She heard Tom reassuring those she passed, heard Hannah entreating her to stop. The cave was so large she couldn’t see from one end to the other. Finally, she glimpsed another alcove of sorts along one wall. A crowd had gathered in front of the opening—the screams were coming from inside. Rachel pushed her way through the people to the front of the crowd. 
    There was a cage in the alcove, a metal cage that reminded Rachel of the one her father had been imprisoned in by the Roberts. Inside, pacing back and forth, lashing his tail and baring his fangs, was the Woolly she and the others had feared was dead.
    “You’re alive!” Rachel fell to the ground, holding on to the cage bars. “Nipper. We thought you were dead—all the blood back at the trail.”
    Nipper stopped screaming. He lifted his head, sniffed, opened his mouth halfway and sniffed again, his head bobbing ever so slightly.
    “I’d get your hands away from the cage.” A man stepped up to Rachel, extended his hand in an offer to help her stand.
    Rachel stood without accepting the man’s assistance. She saw the loop of rope at his side, the pointed stick he held. “Why do you have those? What are you doing to him?”
    “We wanted to see if he’d be useful for hunting, but he’s too wild. He’s going to hurt someone, so we’re—”
    “You’re going to kill him.” Rachel repeated the words Tom had said earlier.
    “He’s vicious.” The man poked his stick through the bars at Nipper, who slashed at it with his claws. “We can’t just let him roam the island.” The man studied Nipper. “Never seen one like him here before.”
    “He’s not vicious. He came with us.” Rachel put her fingers inside the cage and whispered to the Woolly. “Nipper, it’s me, Rachel. Nandy is alive, Nipper, she’s fine. She’ll be so happy to see you are, too.”
    Nipper flicked his ears forward at the sound of Nandy’s name. He sniffed the air again and seemed to recognize Rachel’s scent.