The Lost Year by Libby Drew

Author:Libby Drew [Drew, Libby]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-06-30T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Turning onto Lantern Lane gave Devon a strong sense of déjà vu. Last week, fresh from the horrors of Colombia, his first sight of Neverwood had been heaven, but this felt like an even more profound homecoming. Altered, open to previously unknown ideas, he vibrated with longing, craving things he’d never wanted before.

The curtains in the attic window stirred as he glanced at them. Did Audrey sense the change in him yet? She would soon enough.

Despite his threat to stay awake in case Nicholas tried to break for Nevada, the monotonous drive and hot food had sent Robbie into a fitful sleep an hour outside of Spokane. Now, as Nicholas pulled to the curb in front of Neverwood, he stirred. “We’re here?”

Both Devon and Nicholas ignored his sleep-rough voice. “Yeah. That’s me.” Devon pointed across the street, and Robbie craned his neck for a look.

“Wow.”

Devon huffed at the boy’s obvious attempt to strip any awe from his voice. Catching Nicholas’s eye, he opened his door and climbed out. Robbie took his time joining him, moving in wary bursts like a spooked rabbit. “Looks deserted. Thought you said it was under construction.”

Devon pulled his bag from the backseat. “It is. But it’s Sunday.”

“What, are you religious or something?”

“Nope.” Devon jerked his chin in the direction of the house, urging Robbie across the quiet, leaf-strewn street. “It’s just that most people take Sunday off, you know?”

“No.” Robbie slung his battered messenger bag over his shoulder and followed. “I don’t.”

A slight shake of Devon’s head stopped the scolding he saw forming on Nicholas’s lips. “Well, they do. So it’s just us and the rest of my family for tonight.”

Robbie’s steps faltered. “How many people are in your family.”

Two, Devon almost said before going with, “Four. At the moment.”

“At the moment?”

“Yeah. That’s one thing I learned living on the street.” He glanced back to see if his confession had any effect. “Family’s fluid. Not exclusive.” He left the boy to chew on that and climbed the steps to the front door. The cold air that had taken hold in Seattle hadn’t arrived yet. Many of the first-floor windows stood open to the mild evening breeze. From deep inside the house, or maybe afloat from the library windows, he heard a crowd cheering, followed by Will’s whoop of excitement. Devon smiled, but Robbie shrank into his coat and hugged his bag to his chest. Emotions swam in his eyes, the sort an adult knew to hide and a child rarely had control over.

Nicholas came up the steps behind him, setting a tentative hand on his shoulder. “Okay?”

“Fine.” He shrugged Nicholas away. “Just wondering if we were going to stand out here all night.”

In answer, Devon swung the door wide. Robbie stalked through, getting as far as the columned entrance hall before coming up short. The room dwarfed him, and Devon knew from experience the feeling of first stepping inside this house, the sheer disbelief that people lived in such places and how its size compounded already ingrained feelings of insignificance.

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