Read Online The Emerald Mask by H. K. Varian - Free Book Online

rapidly, stared down, and wondered, Can jaguars cry?
    She’d never heard of such a thing. No. Crying—with real tears and everything—was decidedly human.
    When Gabriella looked up again, there they were: her old, familiar brown eyes. Just like Maritza. Just like Ma. Just like Tía Rosa.
    I’m back, Gabriella thought with joy as she grinned at her reflection. I’m back!
    And just in time, too—for at that moment, the locker room door banged open.
    â€œMija?” her mother’s voice echoed off the tiles. “You in here?”
    â€œYeah,” Gabriella called and then cleared her throat.
    Tía Rosa, Maritza, and Ma hurried up to her. Ma placed her hands on Gabriella’s flushed cheeks. “Sweetheart, what happened?” she asked urgently. “Are you sick?”
    â€œI’m okay,” Gabriella replied—and she meant it. “I got a little lightheaded on the field. You know. Woozy.”
    Ma shook her head. “All that adrenaline,” she said, wrapping her arm across Gabriella’s shoulders. “You girls were running so hard in the sun. It’s a wonder you didn’t pass out!”
    Tía Rosa, though, was watching Gabriella carefully. “Adrenaline, huh?” she asked, as if she didn’t quite believe her. “You feeling better now, mija ?”
    â€œWay better,” Gabriella assured her, though she couldn’t quite meet Tía Rosa’s eyes.
    â€œI don’t want you playing anymore today,” Ma said firmly. “Enough is enough. You need some rest, some time out of the sun—”
    â€œYeah, of course,” Gabriella said. “The game’s probably about over by now, anyway.”
    â€œLet’s get you home,” Tía Rosa said, patting Gabriella’s back. “Go ahead and change. We’ll run home and get the car.”
    â€œIt’s only a couple blocks,” Gabriella protested. “I can walk. I’m fine.”
    But one look from Ma silenced her protests.
    Once her family had left, Gabriella opened her locker and pulled out her street clothes. Suddenly, her phone buzzed, clattering across the locker’s metal shelf.
    Six missed texts! Gabriella thought as she glanced at the screen. And all of them from Fiona.
    EMERGENCY! MEET AT THE GYM NOW!

Chapter 6
The Compendium
    Fiona hurried into the Ancillary Gym, cradling her backpack as Darren closed the door behind her. They were immediately swarmed by the First Four: Ms. Therian; Mack’s grandfather, Akira Kimura; Yara Moreno; and Sefu Badawi.
    â€œAre you all right?” Ms. Therian demanded urgently. “What happened?”
    Yara held up a wrinkled hand. “Dorina, let the children catch their breath,” she said. “It’s obvious they’ve been through something traumatic.”
    It is? Fiona wondered. She noticed Mack hovering at the edge of the group, his eyes dark with worry. She tried to smile reassuringly, but just then—
    Bang!
    The door flew open again, making everyone jump. But it was only Gabriella, out of breath from her dash across the school. She was still wearing her soccer uniform. The big game, Fiona remembered suddenly. It looked like Gabriella had left right in the middle of it.
    â€œSorry I’m late,” Gabriella said. “I came as soon as I got your text. What’s going on?”
    â€œCome,” Mr. Kimura said to Fiona and Darren. “Sit. Tell us what happened.”
    â€œWe went to the library at New Brighton University,” Fiona began. “Darren and I wanted to research Circe’s Compass. We thought there might be information in the rare books collection, where we found the book that told us about the Horn of Power.”
    â€œBut there were these guys,” Darren spoke for the first time since they’d arrived. “I thought they were students at first. They were searching for something—and they were getting