“Stunning,” she agreed. “Maybe we can visit another time?”

“Yeah.” Despite the island’s beauty, Alex couldn’t tear his eyes away from Sky. Her face was so expressive, and he loved how she delighted in simple, beautiful things. She had such a wonderful appreciation for them, just like the Unwanteds did after having lived in the colorless world of Quill.

He blurted out, “Do you think your experiences in Warbler turned you into this amazing human being, or were you just born this way?”

Sky’s lips parted in surprise. She caught his gaze and held it and didn’t answer his question. Instead she sighed and smiled. “At last.”

Alex tilted his head. “At last what?”

“At last, the real Alex has returned,” she said. She tapped a finger to her lips and grinned, adding, “You know, you can be very attractive when you let yourself be vulnerable.”

Alex had trouble comprehending her words. He could only stare at her finger on her lips, and wish his lips were there in its place. “The real Alex?” he managed to say.

Sky nodded. She dropped her arm to the railing, letting it rest millimeters from his, but held his gaze. “The guy from the roof,” she said.

Alex lowered his eyes. “Oh, him. That Alex was a mess,” he said. He wasn’t proud of that Alex. That Alex had so many shortcomings, so many breakdowns.

“That Alex was the one I—” She stopped.

Alex’s stomach lurched. He lifted his gaze. “You what?” he whispered. He drew an inch closer to her, and she to him. Was she really about to say what he thought she was going to say? It made his heart tremble.

“The one I . . . ,” she said again, and swallowed hard.

Just then a shout rang out.

Alex and Sky bolted apart.

“What?” screeched Alex. “What’s wrong?”

Samheed and Lani came thundering across the deck, leaping over Florence’s leg, and pointing to the island. “Look!” Samheed shouted. “Look at the shore!”

Alex and Sky spun around and searched the area where Samheed was pointing.

“I don’t see . . . ,” Alex began, and then he sucked in a breath.

Spelled out in white bones on the brown sandy shore of the island was a single, enormous word. “HELP!”

Ominous Island Six

Bones!” gasped Sky. “That’s crazy!”

“Do you see anyone on the shore?” Lani asked. She, Samheed, Alex, and Sky craned their necks toward the sixth island, searching all around the word “HELP” for signs of life. Nothing moved.

“I don’t,” Alex said. “Simber, do you?”

“No, not frrrom herrre.”

Alex tapped the railing nervously as he considered his options. “We can’t stop here. We can’t,” he said, as if he were trying to convince himself. “We have to put our own people first.”

“Of course we do,” Lani said, “but what if someone’s in trouble?”

“What if our own people are in trouble?” Alex said, frowning.

Lani shot him a look.

Alex sighed. “Right. Okay, Sim, let’s take a quick ride over the island. See if you can detect any life. I mean, that help sign could be years old. The person who wrote it could be dead by now. Or rescued,” he added.

Simber dipped a wing. Alex climbed on and slid to Simber’s back, and they were off.

“It’ll be dark soon,” Alex said, glancing at the half circle of orange that remained in the western sky. “I won’t be able to see for much longer.”

“Don’t worrry, I can see,” Simber said. They flew over the waves and above the shore, Simber weaving across the area nearest the bone message. The island below was thick with trees and bushes. Sections were covered with beautiful flowers. A river flowed from the waterfall on the mountainous side, leading into the thick center of the island.

Alex peered around Simber’s wing, but in the waning light, he could only see occasional movement of leafy branches, probably from the wind.

Simber crinkled his nose. “I don’t see anyone, but therrre’s definitely life down therrre. Severrral species, I think. It’s harrrd to tell. But therrre’s not a strrrong human scent.” Simber glanced back at Alex. “Do you want me to coverrr the otherrr half of the island too?”

Alex glanced back at the ship, which now glowed warmly, lit by magical torches that someone had fashioned. “Nah,” he said. “If someone made the help sign, you’d think they’d stay near it. If you don’t see anyone, let’s head back.”

Simber soared over the sign once more. As they began turning back toward the ship, they heard an earsplitting roar. Out of the corner of his eye, Alex saw something move near the waterfall. He turned to see a huge, silver creature leap from a ledge on the mountainside and disappear into the overgrowth.

“What was that?” Simber growled. Whatever it was, it moved swiftly across the ground, leaving a battered trail of broken foliage in its wake.

Alex leaned forward to watch it as Simber circled back and followed the action from a safe height. A moment later a wild pig shot out from the bushes onto the beach, running at top speed. The silver creature exploded from the brush, chasing after it. It lunged for the pig and tackled it, and with a roar and a squeal, the two went rolling across the sand.

“Holy gorillas!” Alex’s heartbeat thrummed in his eardrums. He gripped Simber tightly around the neck and pressed his cheek against the cool stone. “I think that’s what that thing is called, anyway,” he said quietly. “But it’s eight feet tall at least. And check out those teeth.” Two saber-shaped fangs no less than six inches long curved downward from the gorilla’s mouth.