The Guardian Lineage Read Online Free PDF Page A

somewhere…
    â€œSo this is it, huh.”
    Mom turned around, two knee-high socks in her hand. Mike made a mental note to get rid of those when she wasn’t looking.
    â€œThis is what, Michael?”
    â€œThis is it. The last place. We’re not going to move again after this, are we.” Mike said it more like a statement. How he knew this, he wasn’t sure. It just felt… real. Not like all the fake stuff Mom had ever said to justify all the moving.
    After a long moment, Mom said, “Yes, this is it.”
    Mike bit his lip. He hated what he was about to say, but he swallowed and said it anyway. I swear, Mom, if you make me regret this…
    â€œFine. I’ll go.”
    â€œMichael—”
    â€œOn one condition. Promise me you’ll come and get me on weekends. Every weekend. So I can see her.”
    Mom wiped her face with her hand. She seemed to have calmed down a little. “If they let me, I’ll get you every Friday.”
    â€œWhat does that mean, if they let you?” What was this place, some sort of teenage jail?
    Mom didn’t answer. Instead, she moved over to his closet and started pulling down his t-shirts.
    â€œGreat,” Mike muttered as he settled back onto his bed. “How are we going to afford it, anyway?”
    Mom picked her head up and peeled around, a sad smile on her face. She glided over to Mike and kissed him on the forehead. “Oh, you good, good boy. Your father would be so proud of you.” She brushed his hair back with a hand. “Windham is free of charge.”
    Mike nearly choked on his soda. “Everything? Books, tuition, room and board – we don’t have to pay a thing?”
    Mom nodded.
    â€œSo it’s a free teenage jail.”
    Mom snorted, the way she did when she was stifling a laugh.
    â€œFantastic.” Mike set his coke down next to his bed. “Boarding school for the hunted. Can’t wait.”
    But deny it all he could, Mike knew a small part of him really wanted to go. If Windham was free, and he’d never have to move again, and he’d get to see Laura on the weekends, and he could avoid getting her killed by whoever was hunting them – that part was still ridiculous, but whatever – maybe it wouldn’t be all that bad… and if the magic thing was real…
    Oh come on, don’t be an idiot.
    Mike rolled off his bed. He could’ve sworn his phone was… ah, there it was, underneath a shirt his mom had folded on the floor. He wondered how Laura would take the news that her boyfriend was moving to a private school. Would she even stay with him?
    Mike felt like his heart had jumped over the pole vault. He picked up his cell, barely calmer than a guy about to ask his crush to the prom. How was he supposed to phrase this? Yeah, see, my house got attacked by a cat tripping on acid, and now I have to go to a teenage jail up in Massachussetts, even though I didn’t actually do anything… I get paroled on weekends, will you still go out with me?
    Mike flipped open his phone and readied himself.
    â€œWait, Mike, don’t call her yet.”
    â€œHuh?” Mike looked up. His mom was frowning at him.
    â€œCan it wait until you get to Windham?” Mom asked.
    â€œWhy can’t I call her now?”
    â€œIt could put her at risk. If they’re watching us.”
    â€œ Who’s watching us, Mom?”
    Mom didn’t answer.
    â€œFine,” Mike grumbled. He fired his cellphone at his pillow, nailing it right between Buzz’s eyes.
    He’d play along.
    For like an hour.
    He turned back to his closet. Massachusetts, was it? Didn’t he have an old Red Sox t-shirt hanging around? Maybe that could buy him a friend or two. Although, it had backfired in Chicago, when he’d busted out a White Sox hat in a Cubs-crazy school…
    Mike smirked, remembering the backlash. If that were the worst of his problems at Windham, he’d sign