The Serpent in the Stone (The Gifted Series) Read Online Free PDF

your tents? ”
    Sara flinched at his appearance, but Dustin didn ’ t notice. “ I ’ ll go get them. ” She shot a meaningful look at her sister.
    Faith nodded understanding. They would hit the books tonight, and find out more about the amulet.
    Before someone else found them in possession of it.
    ****
    The day ’ s digging progressed faster than Sara had hoped. The sun rode its arc overhead, and by the time it dipped into the western horizon, they had managed to remove the first layer of earth from around the wall. She was bone-tired at the end of the day, and only too happy to flop down beside the cooking fire. Comforted by its glow, she rubbed her sore neck muscles. “ This is a well-earned meal. ”
    “ That ’ s for sure, ” Thomas agreed, tossing hamburgers on the grill.
    While they waited for the food to cook, she recounted the facts of the day ’ s work and went over their goals for tomorrow. Dustin sat nearby, sketching in a notebook, his face glowing in the firelight. Across the fire, Faith watched him work with a drowsy abstraction and began to nod off.
    A moment later, her sister ’ s head snapped up. “ Hi, Ian, ” Faith called into the darkness.
    Sara ’ s belly flopped. She looked past Faith. As he neared the campfire, Ian ’ s form grew more distinct. If knowing he was present sent her stomach into a frenzy, seeing him sent her into such a state of disorder that she could barely think.
    Ian lowered himself to the ground beside Faith. “ How ’ d you know? ”
    “ You ’ re the only other human being on the island, ” said Faith. “ That, and I ’ m smart. ”
    “ I came down to see how everything went today. ” He cast a glance around the fire, visibly assessing the company at hand. His gaze landed on Sara.
    She shifted where she sat, glad for the flickering light that hid the blush warming her cheeks. She didn ’ t want to admit it, but she ’ d been thinking of him all day, no matter how much his knowledge of her gifts worried her. Every time her thoughts went to the way he ’ d looked at her before Faith showed up, she caught her breath. “ How ’ s your arm? ” she managed.
    “ It feels like a truck ran it over, but I ’ ll live. ”
    The way he held her gaze, as if there was no one else on the island, unnerved her. Needing to get his attention off her, she cleared her throat. “ I don ’ t think you ’ ve met our crew. This is Thomas Callander, and that ’ s Dustin Sennett. Guys, this is Ian Waverly. ”
    Dustin waved and went back to sketching. That was Dustin: all work and no conversation.
    Thomas shook Ian ’ s hand. “ Pleasure. What brings you to Hvitmar? ”
    “ Just lucky, I guess, ” Ian answered. His glance drifted toward her before going back to Thomas. “ I study wildlife. ”
    Thomas began dishing out the hamburgers. “ You hungry? ”
    “ Thought you ’ d never ask. ” Ian accepted a plate with a grin that transformed his features and set off an entire Fourth of July of sparks throughout Sara ’ s body. She ripped her gaze away to the fire.
    The group ate in silence for a while. The quiet began to get almost as uncomfortable as words. Ian ’ s stare had weight . “ Were you able to get anything done today, with your arm like that? ” she asked at last.
    “ I can ’ t get down the cliffs, but I did get a pretty accurate population count using binoculars and my camera. Tomorrow I want to take a quick look around the north end, if that won ’ t interfere with your dig. ”
    “ There are seals, ” she said. “ I saw one this morning. ”
    He looked up from his plate with a speed that she didn ’ t think had much to do with seals. “ Want to show me where? ”
    A distant boom of thunder interrupted the conversation. The wind began picking up, and the fire guttered in its wake. “ I think the fun is over for the night, ” Faith announced, getting to her feet.
    The group collected the remains of their meal. Dustin headed to his tent to