The Guardian Lineage Read Online Free Page B

statement.
    â€œI’m not leaving Laura , Mom.”
    â€œNo, Mike, you have to.” Mom’s brow knotted. “Listen, Laura’s a great girl, but if the Book of Lineage is gone, then every Guardian family will be tracked until they’re…” Mom’s voice trailed off.
    â€œThey’re what, killed? Why would someone try to kill us, Mom?”
    Instead of answering, Mom slipped off the bed and placed the soda on Mike’s desk. She opened one of his wooden drawers and started pairing socks together.
    â€œMom, I’m not going.”
    She didn’t answer.
    â€œI’m not going, Mom! ”
    Mom stopped packing and looked at her son. Her eyes were wet. “I wish there was another way, Michael. Can’t you see that?”
    Mike threw his hands up. She was going to give him a guilt trip for this? He took another swig of his coke. For Pete’s sake.
    â€œWhat exactly is this ‘Book of Lineage,’ anyway? Does it have my baby picture or something?”
    Mom folded up a pair of pants. “Pictures, no. Names, locations, dates of birth. Family spells.”
    Well, that made sense. Mike had been wondering what kind of hit squad didn’t have pictures of their targets, but if they’d just had this book to go on, then then they wouldn’t have—
    Wait, what was that last thing?
    â€œDid you say family spells ?”
    Mom took out some shorts and placed them on the floor.
    â€œHold on a second,” Mike said, the wheels turning in his head. “That guy Stockton said something about a headmage, and you’re talking about spells. What, is Windham a real life Hog—”
    â€œWere you with her, Michael?”
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œWere you with her. Laura. When you were attacked.”
    What did that have to do with anything? “What does—no, I was alone, I dropped her at…”
    Mike’s voice trailed off.
    The horrible realization came to him all at once.
    â€œFor cryin’ out loud, Mom, would they really go after her?” Mike scrambled off his bed, panic in his lungs like he’d been shocked with a defibrillator. “Where’s my phone, where’s my phone…”
    â€œMichael, stop it, calm down.”
    Mike fished frantically through his gym bag. Maybe he’d left it downstairs? He was almost out the door when his mom grabbed his arm.
    â€œMichael, stop it! Listen to me. If you’re at Windham, out of their reach… Laura won’t matter to them.”
    Mike stared at his mother, then threw her arm off. “So that’s it, then? That’s how you’re going to play it? You’re going to blackmail me?”
    â€œCome on, Michael, that’s not what I’m trying to do.”
    â€œThen what are you trying to do, other than ruin my life?”
    Mom winced. She looked at him for a minute, then turned back to her drawer.
    For the love of all that’s sacred.. . Mike lugged himself back towards his bed. I should never have told her… I should’ve just spent the night at Tank’s, or gone out to see a movie, or…
    Who am I kidding, I was screwed either way.
    That was the most depressing part. Even if Mike had kept the ambush from his mom, the – Calebra, was it? – would’ve come to their house anyway. His mom still would’ve freaked, and the result would’ve been the same. Another immediate departure, probably faster than this one.
    Mike lifted the invitation out of the garbage. If Windham could protect him… and it would also keep Laura out of harm’s way…
    â€œWhere is this Windham place, anyway?”
    â€œWestern Massachusetts,” Mom said into the drawer.
    Mike nodded absentmindedly. Of all the places his mom had dragged him, he had never been to New England. But it wasn’t even so far. It was like, what, a three hour drive? And if it was a private school, there would definitely be internet