Read Online The Guardians of Island X by Rachelle Delaney - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Rachelle Delaney
Ads: Link
take turns on night watch. Just in case.” Then she hurried off into the trees.
“Ant colony?” Tim repeated.
“What are we going to do?” asked Monty.
“How can we face the pirates
and
the King’s Men?” Sam sniffed. The others shrugged and whispered nervously to one another.
Jem was about to remind them that worrying wouldn’t help matters, and that they’d be better off doing something useful, like building tree houses, when Ronagh spoke up.
“Wait, everyone. We’ve still got the animals on our side, remember?”
“Of course!” Elmo exclaimed.
“They’ll save us!” other Lost Souls chimed in, looking relieved.
“But what if the pigs aren’t around when the pirates or King’s Men invade?” Jem had to ask. “Or what if they decide not to help? I think we should have a backup plan. Like the tree—”
“Then we’ll make sure that they stay on our side,” Ronagh interjected. She thought for a moment, then announced, “I’ve got an idea.” And she marched off across the clearing.
“I’ve got one, too,” said Smitty. “C’mon, Liam.”
“Things were just so much easier back on the
Hop
, weren’t they?” said Tim. “I’m going to check up on her from the cliff. Anyone want to come?” A few Lost Souls nodded and followed him.
“Wait!” Jem called. “We need to work on a plan together. We…”
But everyone was already walking away, leaving Jem to wonder what on earth was
wrong
with these pirates.
Jem assessed the situation during his night-watch shift after he’d wandered around the clearing a few times with a jar of fireflies to light his way.
The crew was feeling very lost—that much was clear. A few weeks ago, they’d have been delighted to take on the pirates and King’s Men simultaneously. But here onIsland X they didn’t know what to do or where to put their efforts. They needed someone to direct them.
Jem sat down on the grass and tapped on the jar to keep the fireflies awake. The problem was, the Lost Souls’ leader wasn’t being her usual take-charge self. Not that Jem blamed her. Scarlet certainly had a lot on her mind—and a lot going on inside it, apparently. But still, the Lost Souls needed a leader.
“I’d do it myself if they ever listened to me,” he told the fireflies. “But I can’t even get the Housing Committee to do its job.” The insects’ lights flickered, then disappeared altogether. Jem sighed and released them into the night. He tucked his hands inside his coat sleeves and drew his knees to his chin to keep warm.
As the sky began to lighten in the east, he concluded that the best thing he could do was build the tree houses himself. If he couldn’t get the others to help, at least he could do his part.
Most of the Lost Souls were still curled up on the grass, snoring or muttering in their sleep, while Jem got to work. He consulted his map and headed for the spot he’d chosen for the first house—a cluster of sturdy trees close to the mouth of the trail, yet far enough away from the aras so as not to disturb or draw attention to them.
First, he decided, he had to gather wood. Thankfully there was no shortage of that. He collected some building supplies that Tim had hauled up from the
Hop
—a hammer, nails, and rope—and headed off toward the trees.
On the other side of the clearing, Jem saw Scarletwandering with her hands in her trouser pockets, looking as if she hadn’t slept at all. He considered running over to check up on her but decided against it. When Captain McCray was lacking sleep, the smallest slip of the tongue could see a pirate cleaning the long drop for a week.
Hoping she hadn’t spotted him, Jem slipped into the jungle.
His construction plan was fairly simple: He’d collect bundles of long sticks and tie them together side by side to form a platform. Then he’d balance the platform between the branches of four trees to make the floor of the house. In that same fashion, he’d build the walls and even the
“Ant colony?” Tim repeated.
“What are we going to do?” asked Monty.
“How can we face the pirates
and
the King’s Men?” Sam sniffed. The others shrugged and whispered nervously to one another.
Jem was about to remind them that worrying wouldn’t help matters, and that they’d be better off doing something useful, like building tree houses, when Ronagh spoke up.
“Wait, everyone. We’ve still got the animals on our side, remember?”
“Of course!” Elmo exclaimed.
“They’ll save us!” other Lost Souls chimed in, looking relieved.
“But what if the pigs aren’t around when the pirates or King’s Men invade?” Jem had to ask. “Or what if they decide not to help? I think we should have a backup plan. Like the tree—”
“Then we’ll make sure that they stay on our side,” Ronagh interjected. She thought for a moment, then announced, “I’ve got an idea.” And she marched off across the clearing.
“I’ve got one, too,” said Smitty. “C’mon, Liam.”
“Things were just so much easier back on the
Hop
, weren’t they?” said Tim. “I’m going to check up on her from the cliff. Anyone want to come?” A few Lost Souls nodded and followed him.
“Wait!” Jem called. “We need to work on a plan together. We…”
But everyone was already walking away, leaving Jem to wonder what on earth was
wrong
with these pirates.
Jem assessed the situation during his night-watch shift after he’d wandered around the clearing a few times with a jar of fireflies to light his way.
The crew was feeling very lost—that much was clear. A few weeks ago, they’d have been delighted to take on the pirates and King’s Men simultaneously. But here onIsland X they didn’t know what to do or where to put their efforts. They needed someone to direct them.
Jem sat down on the grass and tapped on the jar to keep the fireflies awake. The problem was, the Lost Souls’ leader wasn’t being her usual take-charge self. Not that Jem blamed her. Scarlet certainly had a lot on her mind—and a lot going on inside it, apparently. But still, the Lost Souls needed a leader.
“I’d do it myself if they ever listened to me,” he told the fireflies. “But I can’t even get the Housing Committee to do its job.” The insects’ lights flickered, then disappeared altogether. Jem sighed and released them into the night. He tucked his hands inside his coat sleeves and drew his knees to his chin to keep warm.
As the sky began to lighten in the east, he concluded that the best thing he could do was build the tree houses himself. If he couldn’t get the others to help, at least he could do his part.
Most of the Lost Souls were still curled up on the grass, snoring or muttering in their sleep, while Jem got to work. He consulted his map and headed for the spot he’d chosen for the first house—a cluster of sturdy trees close to the mouth of the trail, yet far enough away from the aras so as not to disturb or draw attention to them.
First, he decided, he had to gather wood. Thankfully there was no shortage of that. He collected some building supplies that Tim had hauled up from the
Hop
—a hammer, nails, and rope—and headed off toward the trees.
On the other side of the clearing, Jem saw Scarletwandering with her hands in her trouser pockets, looking as if she hadn’t slept at all. He considered running over to check up on her but decided against it. When Captain McCray was lacking sleep, the smallest slip of the tongue could see a pirate cleaning the long drop for a week.
Hoping she hadn’t spotted him, Jem slipped into the jungle.
His construction plan was fairly simple: He’d collect bundles of long sticks and tie them together side by side to form a platform. Then he’d balance the platform between the branches of four trees to make the floor of the house. In that same fashion, he’d build the walls and even the
Similar Books
