Read Online Tribe (Tribe 1) by Audrina Cole - Free Book Online Page A

tinctures and salves, to give away to people we knew. Other than herbal teas and soaps, we didn’t use many of our homemade items, because we didn’t need them. So we’d give the tinctures and salves away, and use the opportunity to give our neighbors a sneaky little dose of healing at the same time. They always attributed and good health results to our homemade concoctions.
    Well, if I have to read, I might as well get some fresh air while I’m at it, I thought, grabbing the book and my purse and heading out the door. I walked up the trail to “the peak”, the highest point on our property. There was more land that spread up to the actual peak of the small mountain we lived on, but we didn’t own that land. Our neighbor had twenty acres and a tiny cabin up there that he lived in part-time.
    But our rocky outcropping was better. It was sheltered from the view of homes on the neighboring mountains, and had an expansive view of Hauser Lake through the trees. It was gorgeous up there. I sat down, feeling the chill of the rock beneath me and the warmth of the sun on my skin. I enjoyed the sound of the wind in the pine trees and the birds singing. It felt like my own private paradise.
    An hour later, the phone in my purse rang. I usually took the phone with me so my mom would be able to reach me in case of an emergency. Which meant that I had to bring my purse, because of my mother’s “no wireless objects are to be kept on your person” rule.
    It was River.
    “Em, you got a phone call.” His voice was hushed, and I heard the goats in the background.
    “Are you in the barn?”
    “Yeah, I gotta be quick. Some boy called for you. Alex. Isn’t that the kid you healed last night?”
    My breath caught. “Alex? Are you sure?”
    “I have the message right here in my hand. How did he find you?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe through Jenna. Did he say what he wanted?”
    “No. He just gave me his number and asked you to call back.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Listen, I need to get back in the house. If Mom catches me out here with my cell phone, she’s going to know something is up.”
    “You need to calm yourself down, or she’ll know anyway.” I opened my channels and sent energy to him. For serious healing you had to be touching the person, or at least really close, but for mild healing you could send it over a distance. I could hear his breathing slow down.
    “You’re right. Thanks. You’re just lucky I caught his call while Mom was out weeding the garden. She went inside right after I snuck out here, so I don’t think she can hear me.”
    “I really appreciate you not telling her. I don’t know what he wants, but I’ll take care of the situation. I promise.”
    He gave me Alex’s number, and we hung up. I took a deep breath, and dialed.
    “Hello?”
    “Hi, is this…um…Alex?” I was nervous. I couldn’t imagine why he had called.
    “Yes. Ember?”
    “Yeah. I was returning your call.”
    “I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. Your brother said you weren’t home.”
    “I’m on the other end of our property. He called my cell to give me the message.”
    “Oh.”
    Awkward silence.
    “So how did you get my number?” I asked. I’d spoken to Jenna that morning, when she’d called to check up on me. She hadn’t mentioned talking to Alex.
    “I looked your number up online. You told me your name, remember?”
    “Yes, I guess I did.”
    More awkward silence.
    “Well…I just called to thank you.”
    My heart stopped. “W-what?”
    “To thank you. I was feeling pretty down yesterday, finding out that the fundraiser was a bust. You really helped me. I know this sounds crazy, but I felt so much better after we talked. In fact, I’ve felt good all day today, too. It’s the best I’ve felt in weeks. Maybe even months.”
    Uh oh. Cold dread spread through my chest.
    “I just wanted to let you know,” he continued, “how much you helped me. I don’t know what it was, but