The Guardian Lineage Read Online Free PDF Page B

always say that.” All of a sudden, Mike felt something well up inside of him. He tried to give his mom a smile, but it came out as a scrunched-up frown, the kind that Kermit the Frog made when he was upset.
    Mom smiled through the tears and reached an arm out to hug her son again. Then, without looking at Stockton or the building, she got in the van and drove away.
    Trying his hardest not to cry, Mike realized they had never really been apart before. It had always been the two of them, no matter what, no matter where, with the Caravan as their safehouse and each other as a security blanket. Mike had always known that no matter how scary things got, his Mom would always be there.
    Until now.
    Mike took a deep breath. I can do this… it’s just another school transfer. I’m the king of school transfers, right? I’m the LeBron James of school transfers. Just give me my ring and scepte r already, I’m the man!
    With that personal pump-up speech, Mike slung his bag over his shoulder and picked up his suitcase. He could handle this. Just another school transfer. No problem. And probably the last he’d ever have to go through.
    When he reached the top of the stairs, Mike gathered himself and looked up at the guy who had taken out like six or seven sweatsuits by himself.
    â€œThanks for helping me out yesterday. You know, with the fight.”
    Stockton handed Mike a tiny envelope with a bulge in it. “Your room is on the third floor, to the right.”
    â€œOh, okay.” Mike grabbed the envelope and stuffed it in his jeans. “What’s your job here, by the way?”
    Stockton looked straight ahead. “Welcome to Windham, Mister Prior.”
    Okaaaay, Mike thought. On a scale of one to the least friendly receptions ever… Welcome to Windham! He dislodged his gaze from Stockton’s pouting face, then pulled on one of the wooden doors. When he stepped into the antechamber, his breath caught, and he let out a “whoa,” without even meaning to.
    The place was incredible. The ceiling stretched for what seemed like a mile upwards, ending in a glass dome that bathed the room in failing sunlight. The floor was decorated with glazed ceramic tiling, green and gold, laid out in a fancy hexagonal pattern. Two tremendous chandeliers hung to either side of the dome, and glass lanterns lined the walls. There were two winding marble staircases on either side. Above each staircase hung a sign carved out of ivory stone; the right said Gentlemen , the left Ladies .
    Then he saw a smaller plaque, set into one of the marble pillars near the staircases. He moved closer to get a better look.
    Any student caught in a dormitory of the opposite sex will be dismembered in the most excruciating of manners.
    Mike snickered. At least they had a sense of humor here.
    Although… they couldn’t ac t u ally be serious, could they?
    â€œHey.”
    Mike turned to see a boy about his height, wearing khaki shorts and an Abercrombie t-shirt. He had a knapsack slung over his shoulder. A sports bag dropped from his free hand. His hair was jet black, but what really caught Mike’s attention were his eyes. They were different colors – one green, one blue.
    The kid pointed to Mike’s chest. “All right, let’s go Sawx.” He dropped his bag and offered a hand. “Aaron Caulderon, nice to meet ‘ya.”
    Mike took it, unable to move his gaze from Aaron’s eyes. “Mike Prior.”
    Aaron smirked. “They’re just contacts. My mom said it’d scare people off, but whatever.” He grinned. “Where you from?”
    â€œUh, most recently?” Mike said, thinking maybe Aaron should’ve listened to his mother just this once. “Queens, New York.”
    Aaron picked up his bag and headed towards the stairs. “Sharon, Mass. Moved around a lot?”
    About as much as a priest touring the South, but I’ll spare you the details .