Phoenix: Book One of The Stardust Series Read Online Free PDF

letting sunlight flicker through the
leaves. With my feet flat on the ground and my knees bent, I settled in and my
gaze clouded.
    The dam holding back my
thoughts and questions gave out, and I didn’t resist any longer. I should have
known better than to hope for a dramatic explanation for our peculiar
lifestyle. Clearly my request was granted and then some.
    Dad was a detective , I thought. That makes so much sense . Out of
everything he told me the night before, I found his former career the least
surprising. A thousand tiny moments with my dad flashed through my mind:
teaching me basic self-defense maneuvers and how to shoot; instructing me on
how to be aware of my surroundings and quizzing me on my observations; teaching
me how to live in the woods with very few supplies.
    As fervently as I hoped
that nothing would ever happen to him, I was also grateful for all of the
practical skills he had taught me over the years. At least now I knew there was
a reason for his lessons. If only he hadn’t kept the truth from me for so long.
I was trying to understand his perspective, but I still wondered why he had
been so secretive until now. Did he not trust me?
    I clutched at the grass
between my fingers. Is Dad right? Are the criminals behind Mom’s death still
out there and after him ? Even though I didn’t believe he would try to scare
me without justification, I hoped that he was just being overly cautious.
Surely no one was still looking for him after all of these years.
    With all of the
thoughts racing through my head, one in particular kept pushing to the front of
the line. What now ? Did Dad really expect us to stay hidden for the rest
of our lives? I doubted that he was truly happy in his current situation. He
was still attractive and relatively young. And, he obviously had the ability to
do something much more rewarding with his time.
    Now, more than ever, I
feared that he would never be okay with me living the life I wanted. Although
he taught me to drive a few years ago, I didn’t have a driver’s license. I’d
never had a job and didn’t even have a formal high school diploma. Could I
convince him to let me start small now that I’d turned eighteen? I could get a
driver’s license, a used car, and a job at the library. Would that even be
enough for me?
    I inhaled slowly and
deeply. As much as I longed to experience more of the world, it was difficult
to imagine leaving this place for good. It was the only home I remembered, and
I inherently drew strength from the beauty and tranquility surrounding me. And
yet, I ached for more freedom. The chance to make friends. Go shopping in town
without a constant chaperone. Swim in the ocean.
    It was times like these
that I missed Jessica the most. As my only friend, she had always been my
confidante, my shoulder to cry on. Since she moved away for college, we still
kept in touch by e-mail. But it wasn’t the same. I longed to hear her animated
voice and see her mischievous grin. I even missed her incessant nagging for me
to loosen up and have fun.
    I remained beneath the
tree, unmoving, for a long while until a bird crowed in the distance and
snapped me out of my dream-like state. Glancing at the time, I realized I had been
gone a lot longer than I expected. Knowing Dad would be home soon, I figured I
should head back so he wouldn’t worry.
    Winding down the trail
back to the house, anxiety sunk in as I wondered how to approach my dad. Should
I act normal? Should I ask the rest of my questions? Should I force the
issue—that I don’t want to live in hiding anymore? I walked lazily,
partially out of procrastination and partially from a lack of energy. My limbs
were tired and my mind was weary.
    Without warning, a loud
boom interrupted my thoughts. My body snapped to attention as I tried to
determine the source. Straining to listen, I quietly rotated on the spot and
realized it had come from the direction of my house.
    Knowing Dad would have
returned by now, my heart