The Egg (Return of the Ancients Book 4) Read Online Free PDF

it.
    Quickly, I retracted my hand. “Want me to throw that?” I asked, thinking I just might be able to throw it in the direction of my room and get him to escort me despite himself.
    He almost looked tempted. He stood there, majestic, chewing the ball in the side of his mouth as if it were some kind of dog-sized jawbreaker. I clearly wasn’t going to get that one back. Reaching for the box, I took out another ball.
    “Let’s go,” I said, tossing the ball down the hallway.
    He stood there, clearly knowing what I was doing. But the temptation of the ball was just too much. After stomping in place a couple of times as if trying to control his feet, he gave up and bounded after it, but not before pausing a second to shoot me a dirty look.
    I almost cackled. I would have, if it hadn’t been such a rotten day. Instead, I just let myself feel relieved and taking a couple more balls, headed after him. By the time we made it to my room, he’d managed to stuff three tennis balls in his mouth. It made him look a bit like a platypus, but that was something I could never tell him.
    I’d been a bit afraid to go to my bedroom, but once in it, I didn’t feel as scared as I thought I would. Walking out of my shoes, I left them on the floor as I surveyed the familiar fuzzy blanket on the bed, the sunflower-shaped rug, and Jerry’s cage perched on top of the dresser. I guess my diversion with Ajax had lightened my mood a little, at least enough to allow me to function, anyway.
    As Ajax spat the tennis balls out onto the bed to sit on them much like a dragon protecting his golden treasure, I hurriedly shrugged out of my “Bean There, Baked That” T-shirt and slipped on my favorite hoodie and a tattered pair of jeans. Moving to the dresser, I took out a small bag of gerbil feed from the top drawer.
    My mouse, Jerry, was fast asleep, curled up into a tiny gray ball in the middle of a monstrous nest he’d constructed of shavings, toilet paper, and what looked like one of my socks. I wondered how he’d gotten ahold of it. Not wanting to wake him, I decided to feed him later. Actually, he didn’t even need to be fed as I could see his private stores scattered throughout the plastic tubes of his cage. He had enough food in there to easily last him the rest of winter.
    I glanced in the large mirror hanging on the wall behind the dresser and pulled my black hair back into a ponytail, noting that my cheekbones were more pronounced than they’d been when I’d first arrived at Al and Betty’s home. The dark smudges under my green eyes seemed almost permanent now. I winced. My skin looked pale. It was no small wonder Samantha had sent me home. I guess I really did look sick.
    And I was definitely sick at heart.
    Sitting down on the bed next to Ajax, I heaved a sigh.
    I guess he sensed what I felt. He dropped the last tennis ball from his mouth—the one he’d been chewing like a piece of gum—and held still, as my fingers lightly traced over his glossy fur.
    My Blue Thread was the only one left now.
    Rafael had failed. And Jareth. Well, I didn’t know if he’d failed his Blue Thread but what did it matter since he’d died over it? He’d lost all the same. I screwed my eyes tightly shut a moment, swallowing a wave of emotion. Clearly, they’d both had to face their own horrible demons. I wasn’t even sure what my inner demons even were.
    It was hard for me to really think about. Long ago, I’d learned to not care much for anything, knowing at the rate my mother moved to escape boyfriends that whatever I grew accustomed to, it wouldn’t stay the same. Not feeling or getting too close to anything or anyone made it easier to leave and survive. I had avoided all attachments.
    Except I was doing the opposite now.
    And it had all begun with Jerry. I glanced at the tiny gray mouse still snoring in his cage. Jerry was the first thing that I’d ever truly loved, even in spite of the fact that I might lose him.
    Somehow, Rafael had crept