The Doorknob Society (The Doorknob Society Saga) Read Online Free Page A

amazed at the massive space. The only remnants of what it once contained were old luggage and traveling trunks that were tucked in a far corner.
    “How?”
    “Before your grandparents left we talked about you attending school. They cleaned it out for you. You need a proper room and you always loved this musty old place.”
    “Thanks, Dad.” I smiled, not a sight he was used to lately.
    “No worries, just remember this feeling of gratitude the next time I ground you,” he said with a laugh and headed for the door. “I got some people coming over to help us move in tomorrow. Sleep tight.”
    Dad left me alone and I looked around my new room, my glance settling on my reflection in the full length mirror that sat to the right side of the bed. I pushed my blonde hair away from eyes and behind my ear, my fingers sliding over the multiple piercings I had gotten in the last two years. Dark mascara surrounded my blue eyes... my mom’s eyes as Dad always reminded.
    I plopped down on the bed thinking about the last time I’d been in the attic. It had been right after Mom had left. I’d never seen it coming. We were always a happy family, my parents’ show tours taking us all over the world. Dad and Mom were a team and I was the tagalong kid who loved every minute of it. I’d spent more time in foreign countries then I had in the United States.
    They always said we’d come back to Cape May for more than a visit one day and I would attend the Paladin Academy like they had. But then Dad had returned to our hotel room that fateful night and told me that Mom was gone and we had to leave. We came here to Cape May and my father and grandparents tried to keep me occupied so I couldn’t think about my mom leaving us, but it didn’t work. I snuck off to the attic every chance I got. I’d bury myself between the old trunks and cry for a mom that didn’t want me. I couldn’t understand why she had left. Had I done something wrong? Didn’t she love me anymore? I got no answers then when I was six and I still have no answers now at sixteen.
    Dad never really explained what happened between him and Mom, and I got the feeling he had been as devastated as I had been that she left. We left eventually and returned to being the vagabonds we still are today, traveling from one show to the next from country to country. Never looking back, always ahead.
    Dad had said it would be just like always. But it wasn’t without Mom and we both knew it. He told me she loved me and hadn’t wanted to leave me and that I shouldn’t blame her. But I didn’t believe him and I don’t think he believed it either.
    It was another one of the Masters’ famous family secrets. We have lots of those; like why was it that our family went to a prestigious prep school that was nearly impossible to get into and that we really couldn’t afford or what exactly was it that most of our family did for a living? I mean I love Uncle Archie but it seemed to me that he had never had a job in his life. It’s not like we were rich or anything. Mom and Dad were always complaining about money.
    I had too many thoughts racing through my mind and I collapsed onto the bed yanking my hoodie off and throwing it aside. I shoved my face into the pillow and closed my eyes letting sleep overtake me. The last image I saw before I feel asleep was of the man in black surrounded by crimson light in Paris. He was dangerous. I knew it and I had a feeling he wasn’t done with us yet.

Chapter 3
    Status: My new reality is unreal.
     
    I woke up to the sound of the ocean and smiled. No matter how crazy things were at the moment I loved being in my family’s house. I got up and looked out the large window that had a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean and watched the waves break on the white sandy beaches and for just a moment I thought... maybe living here wouldn’t be so bad. At least I was in what was as close to a permanent home that I ever had, but then the universe, no doubt,