From the Ashes Read Online Free PDF

reception out here was far spottier than it was back at Oxford. But then, that was to be expected, especially as it aligned with reason number three – the main reason – he’d chosen this spot to wait for Michael’s call: it was isolated. Jon could be alone with his thoughts, the vista of light and shadow, and his non-ringing phone.
    He scratched absentmindedly at the three-days’ growth on his jaw – when camping with the boys, beard-growing was kind of par for the course. His eyes, normally a deep sapphire blue but prone to change colors depending on his mood, were currently on the gray side of the spectrum. He didn’t know if he was ready for this. No, strike that – he simply wasn’t ready. Michael was his brother, his best friend, his... He couldn’t really put the connection they shared into words. Twenty-four years of life together, traveling around the world together with their archeologist parents, exploring, sharing, learning, dreaming together. Despite their differences, despite Jon’s desire in recent years to get out from under his older brother’s impressive shadow, theirs was an uncommon bond, a bond that had grown in depth and breadth for all of their lives.
    Until now.
    Jon didn’t have a problem with Mara. Quite to the contrary, he liked her very much. She and Michael made a good match. He, like Jon, had a brilliant mind and was intensely curious about... everything, but he was prone to monomania, especially when it came to whatever historical or archaeological mystery had seized his attention at the time. Mara adored his genius and patiently helped him to keep the rest of his life on track while his primary focus was elsewhere. She was also very bright, and, though their fields of interest differed, they challenged and spurred one another on to bigger and better things.
    The truth was, they made a great couple. And that made it even harder for Jon.
    He took a deep breath. Blew it out in a sigh. He raised his eyes heavenward, but no answers presented themselves. Angry black storm clouds rumbled across the sky, turning day into night and blotting out the sun like a fire blanket. In a few hours, the sun would be setting on Friday here; the first appearance of Friday’s sun for Michael in Washington would still be hours behind that. Was there a metaphor there? Perhaps. An answer? No.
    All Jon’s life, Michael Rickner had been his rock, his best friend, and so much more. And vice versa.
    The one constant in his life was about to do the unthinkable. Change.
    What happens when your anchor abandons your ship? he mused. At best, you drift at sea, never attaining that stability of being able to stay where you want again. At worst, you drift into a jetty and sink.
    He didn’t hear the phone until a few seconds into the ring-tone. He knew who it was without even looking at the screen. Deep breath. He answered with a grunt.
    “Sorry, bro.” Michael’s words came quickly, betraying his excitement. “Did I wake you up?”
    “No, no.” Remain nonchalant. Don’t sound needy. Nobody wants that.
    “So, you want the long version or the short?”
    “Both.” Neither.
    “Short version: she said yes!”
    “Of course she did, bud. No surprise about that.” None whatsoever.
    Michael proceeded to tell Jon the long version – the beautiful, Hollywood-perfect engagement story where everything magically went right. Jon half-expected a downtown chorus line or random fireworks exploding overhead to come into the story at some point. He clenched his jaw as he listened, joy and betrayal, excitement and loneliness, clashing in his brain.
    A rustling in the brush to his right caused Jon to turn around. A familiar form came into sight. Crap. Sam had found him. Had to finish this call off soon.
    “I’m really happy for you, Michael.” Lie. Well, half-lie.
    “Thanks. You okay? You sound-”
    “Tired.” Nip it. “Just tired.”
    “Sorry. Hey, I wanted to tell you, too, my dissertation is really taking