Read Online Island of Fire (The Unwanteds) by lisa Mcmann - Free Book Online Page B

throbbing in his throat, he scrambled to his feet and began waving like mad to the giant stone cheetah half a mile out.
    It took Simber a good deal less time to cover the distancethan it had taken Alex, who’d been dragging the unconscious Meghan through the water, and before Alex could fully comprehend that his beloved Simber was truly not melted into silt on the sea’s floor, the cheetah descended and came to an elegant stop next to Alex. He arched his back and shook himself wildly, his stone skin rippling as water fell around him.
    “Simber,” Alex breathed, and when the beast had finished shaking, Alex flung himself around the cat’s neck and held on for dear life.
    After a long moment, Alex found his voice again. “I don’t even know where to start,” he said, his face pressed against the cold stone of Simber’s neck. He smeared his tears across his dirty cheek, trying to wipe them away.
    “I can only guess what went wrrrong,” Simber gargled. He cleared his throat.
    “We lost . . . a lot,” Alex said, then closed his lips and pressed them together.
    “The last I rrrememberrr, we werrre on ourrr way home. Then I woke, of all places, underrrwaterrr.” He shuddered at the thought. “It took a bit of time to get my bearrrings and swim towarrrd the surrrface.”
    Alex nodded and let go of the cheetah but was unable to look the statue in the eye.
    Simber regarded the boy’s ragged, dirty appearance carefully, and wrinkled up his nose. “How long has it been since I . . . frrroze?” He began to lick the remaining droplets of water off his back and legs.
    Alex took a breath, hoping to steady his voice. “Weeks,” Alex said.
    Simber stopped licking and stared hard at the boy. His expression didn’t falter, but his eyes gave away everything. “Couldn’t Marrrcus . . . ?” He stood alert and sampled the air, his ears moving wildly. “Wherrre is he? Why arrre you wearrring his rrrobe?”
    Alex couldn’t speak. His lip trembled.
    “Alex!” Simber roared. “Answerrr me!”
    “He’s dead!” Alex shouted, more from fear than anything. When the cat reared back in shock, Alex said it again, softer this time. “He’s dead. Most likely from the moment you fell to the bottom of the sea.”
    Simber stared at Alex for a long moment, searching the boy’s face. And then he closed his eyes. His head fell. “Tell me,” he whispered.
    Alex swallowed hard, his throat still sore and dry as toast. “Meghan and I were thrown from the boat. She almost drowned. We barely made it to shore. When we did, Artimé was gone.”
    “Oh, Marrrcus.” Simber, eyes still closed, winced as he imagined it. His beloved creator, his closest friend. The cat held very still for an excruciatingly long moment, as if pulling his thoughts together to make sense, accepting the realization of it, bracing himself for what was to come. And then he opened his eyes. “And you brrrought Arrrtimé back,” he said, not a question.
    Alex swallowed hard. “Yeah. Finally. I’m sorry it took me so long. I’m just . . . I’m so glad to see you.”
    Simber lowered his head so that his eyes were even with the young mage’s. “I’m verrry prrroud of you,” he said.
    “Some people left,” Alex whispered. He dropped his gaze, the lump in his throat too big to allow his voice to come through.
    It may have been an accident, but Simber’s muzzle brushed against the side of Alex’s head, which nearly looked like an act of kindness, but no one was around to point it out. In a gentle voice, Simber asked, “Wherrre do things stand now?”
    When Alex could speak, he said, “It’s pretty crazy right now. Everyone headed for the mansion because we’ve been, sort of, well, starving to death, I guess. I sent Florence and Ms. Octavia to find Sean and Mr. Appleblossom for answers. I hope they’re settling everyone down. I had to come here. I had to . . . wait for you.”
    “Of courrrse,” Simber murmured, but his stony brow