Read Online Etherworld by Claudia Gabel - Free Book Online

don’t stick together, destroying Elusion will be impossible.”
    I look to my dad to support me here, but he’s quiet and lost in thought. Nora is staring at him, her face full of doubt. I’m worried about what’s going to happen when we return to base camp. Will anyone listen to or trust him after this? If not, how can we possibly destroy Elusion?
    â€œWyatt, are you still with us?” I ask.
    He sighs and says, “Yeah.”
    I turn to Josh. “What about you? Do you still want to go on?”
    He doesn’t even hesitate. “Definitely.”
    Nora says nothing and turns her back to us, like she’d rather think this through without all of us watching and waiting for her. I step forward, wanting to push her for an answer, but Josh puts his hand on my shoulder, stopping me. Maybe he just wants to talk to her himself.
    But before he can explain, another patch of flickering lights floods the tunnel; it’s followed by a blast outside the entrance. The ground beneath us rumbles, knocking us off our feet.
    â€œWhat the hell was that?” Wyatt yells.
    â€œWe need to get out of here!” my dad shouts. I take Josh’s hand and sprint down the tunnel.
    As we turn a corner, I glance back over my shoulder and see my dad struggling to keep up. Josh and I slow down, but my dad motions for us to continue.
    There’s no way I’m leaving him behind. I turn back toward him as another monstrous blast ricochets through the tunnel. I let go of Josh’s hand, grabbing onto the wall as I fight to regain my balance. The ground splits open, dividing the group. Nora, Josh, and I are on one side of the crevice; my dad and Wyatt are on the other. The gulf is too wide to jump over.
    â€œDad!” I shout, moving as close as I can to the ledge and reaching out to him.
    â€œIt’s going to be okay,” he says. “I know another way out!”
    â€œCome on; we have to keep moving,” Josh says.
    â€œ No! Not without my dad,” I say.
    â€œWe’ll meet you back at the base!” my dad yells. “Go!”
    Josh pulls me away from the ledge against my will and forces me to run with Nora in the other direction.

UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE
    HarperCollins Publishers
    ..................................................................
FIVE
    â€œHAVE YOU SEEN MY DAD?”
    I’m standing in the Great Space beside Josh and Nora. We’ve just interrupted Zared and Ayesha, who are engulfed in some kind of emotional conversation. Given the strained looks on their faces and the fact that they’re holding hands, I can tell that they’re more than just friends. But after what just happened in the tunnel, I could care less about their private moment.
    â€œNot yet,” Ayesha replies. “You guys are the first ones to arrive.”
    â€œAre you sure?” Josh asks, casing the area with his eyes, but it’s deserted except for us.
    â€œWe’ve been keeping watch since you left. There’s no way we could have missed them,” Zared says.
    Behind her, Piper dashes out of the cavern, heading toward us.
    â€œWhy?” Ayesha asks, her eyes settling on me. “What happened? Is everyone alright?”
    â€œWe destroyed the Escape,” Josh says, giving my hand a supportive squeeze. “But we got separated.”
    â€œWhere’s Claire?” Piper asks.
    Nora steps out from behind Josh and me, her eyes fierce. “Claire’s gone,” she says, her voice completely hollow.
    I wish she hadn’t just blurted that out. I don’t want the news about Claire’s disappearance to send panic through the ranks—not when we need the whole group to carry out my dad’s plan.
    â€œWhat do you mean, gone?” Piper asks, wringing her hands. “Did she get lost or something?”
    â€œDuring the mission, she just . . . vanished,” I say.
    â€œDavid said Orexis may have locked on to