Raphael (The Immortal Youth Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

ask the wolf to pay for two tuitions. He also had a feeling it would never fly to live under the same roof, but they would find a solution to that. It was good to dream.
    Leaving the hustle and bustle of the Spanish Steps behind, he descended toward the Metro. Unbeknownst to mortals, the subway ran alongside the higher level of the Promenade, the paranormal underground world that stretched for kilometers under Rome.
    Having taken the Spanish Steps Metro entrance many times before, he walked straight to a Roman arch with the infinitum symbol carved on the cusp. A rusted metal door with the sign “Keep Out” lay hidden in the shadow behind the thick wall of the arch. Since magik protected the entrance and no mortals were allowed, he only had to lower the handle of the door to leave Rome behind. A blink of an eye later, he faced the cobblestone street bordering the black waters of the river Styx.
    Daylight illuminated the copper roofs of the cafés and eateries built alongside the river, and playful winds pushed white, fluffy clouds around the ceiling dozens of meters above. Magik spells created the outdoor scenery and replicated the external weather. Raphael breathed in the scented air and merged into the crowd strolling by. The Promenade was always busy. Playground for diurnal and nocturnal paranormals, all the restaurants and stores were open 24/7. Using part of the ancient catacombs and what remained of the Suburra, the Roman seedy underworld, the Promenade had been Raphael’s sanctuary for a long time.
    Although he was now legit and could walk leisurely, he jogged instead. Old habits die hard and the Promenade was usually swarming with enforcers. He couldn’t help but look over his shoulder for anyone following him, and he only relaxed when he reached the tunnel that would lead him closer to the Den of Rejects. In his five years as a runaway, he had taken great care in mapping the Promenade tunnel system. As a result, he knew all the shortcuts and how to navigate kilometers without stepping into Magik Nation. More than once he had used his extensive knowledge of the underground terrain to escape the Controller.
    Before leaving the Promenade proper, he realized he had a few euros left to buy food from one of the street vendors by the river bank. The appetizing aroma of steak cooked on an open fire pit reached his nostrils and he growled. A few minutes later, his appetite was assuaged, and he slipped inside a fissure in the rocky wall that had been large enough a month ago, but now seemed too tight. He held his breath and pushed himself to the other side, board games and all.
    The tunnel too had shrunk, and he was relieved when the narrow space opened into a small chamber from which three tunnels departed. Raphael entered the one in the middle. Several turns later, he exited the tunnel and entered the portion of the catacombs he knew all too well. Finally, he left the gloomy area to approach the entrance to the Den of Rejects.
    Built to resemble a rocky wall, a partition made of bricks covered in plaster and moss hid a natural arch beyond which lay the rejects’ shelter. The first time Raphael saw the place, he was blown away by the level of industriousness shown by its inhabitants.
    The den was an ever-evolving recycling project. Everything was built from scratch using scraps of whatever the kids could find inside the Promenade dumpsters. Colorful and joyous, the den had a main road, dormitories for the younger kids, private, one-story houses for the older and the couples, and common areas where everyone gathered during their free time. Walls were treated like canvases, and murals decorated the buildings. Art, in every form, was promoted, and the rejects displayed sculptures and paintings all over the main road. Presently, a May Tree adorned with garlands and origami birds greeted people at the entrance of the Recreation Hall.
    Raphael ducked under one of the tree branches, and entered the hall. New chairs and