Read Online The Magi (The Magi Series) by Kevin M. Turner - Free Book Online Page B

soon enough.
    “Did they ever do anything with you?” Elijah could sense that Samuel’s questions were more than just curiosity.
    “What do you mean, like play with us or go out?”
    “Yeah.”
    “My parents pretty much made time to play with us whenever they could. My dad threw the ball around with me. My mom would let us lick the cookie batter when she made cookies.” Elijah couldn’t help but smile as he recalled his parents. “She even started a food fight in the kitchen one time that ended very badly. There was batter everywhere.” Both boys laughed. “We also went on vacations every summer and sometimes during short holidays. Didn’t you ever do anything like that with your family?”
    “No,” said Samuel, “I was lucky to ever see my parents. If they said anything to me, it was ‘goodnight’, or ‘go to bed’.” Elijah had a hard time picturing a life like Samuel’s. A life where he knew no love. No acceptance. He never realized how lucky he was to have a family like his. He wished he could tell them how much he missed them right then.
    “I guess—” Elijah continued, feeling suddenly detached from his surroundings. He lowered his head and looked at the floor. He may have been speaking to Samuel, but he was talking to himself. “—I guess I know they loved me because I always knew I was important to them. It’s never something I thought about. I just felt it—like a bond or a connection to them. I knew that they would do anything to take care of me.” He looked back at Samuel. “Did you know my dad saved my life?”
    “Really?” Samuel asked with huge eyes. “How?”
    The two boys talked about their past for the rest of the night, even after lights were supposed to be out. In the midst of their conversation, Elijah experienced a warm sensation that slowly spread throughout his body from deep within. His sense was not danger or fear this time. It was an enlightenment—an understanding—a calling. As he spoke to Samuel about his family, Elijah somehow knew there were things he was supposed to do. He knew that he was supposed to uncover the truth about his family’s deaths, and to do that, he needed to uncover his past. This would not be as simple as reading a yearbook or talking to a relative. That was certain! He would have to dig deep. His journey would take him far beyond anything he knew. It would be difficult and even dangerous. It would take time and it could end up taking his life, but it was his duty. He owed it to his family. He owed it to himself.
     
    The remainder of term crept by slowly. He had not been punished with the Thorn Stick since that day in the bathroom. Elijah started waking up early in the morning with Samuel to get his chores done on time. When Samuel went off to work in the kitchen, Elijah would clean the bathrooms. He would return to inspect them again as soon as his classes were finished. He made sure they hadn’t gotten worse, and if they had, he would immediately clean them up. It didn’t seem to impress Hawthorne when inspections came three times a week, but at least Elijah didn’t have to suffer through another beating.
    All of the classes continued along just fine, except for science. Elijah thought the class should be called “Sit and Read your Science Book.” It was rare for Master Corgan to even address a student. He mostly just paced around the classroom making sure students were reading. One day, however, class was very different.
    Master Corgan was in the middle of his fourteenth lap around the classroom when he noticed a young man who was staring off into space. As soon as he saw Corgan’s eyes fixate on the boy, Elijah tried to make it look like he was reading so he could eavesdrop without being detected. Corgan walked over to the boy’s desk and talked in his low, mystical voice.
    “If you have something better to do in my class, by all means enlighten me.” The student ignored Corgan and gave a very disrespectful huff to show his