Welsh Road (The Depravity Chronicles) Read Free Page B

that night. It was as if he had
discovered his life’s calling. Aside from schoolwork, Trevor’s lifestyle was
defined by the books he was reading or the workouts he was planning for himself
and Simon. Come Hell or high water, most likely the former, he was going to
uncover a new mystery. If adventure didn’t come to him, he would seek it out.
She knew that one day, for better or worse, the dark terrain of the
supernatural would consume him. She just prayed it didn’t kill him.
    As for Simon, he
had become a relatively permanent fixture in the household. Every day Anna
would dutifully check in with his parents, making sure they knew where he was,
safe and healthy. She would also reconfirm their permission they granted long
ago, allowing Simon to stay with the Blackwood family for long stretches of
time. If Anna had it her way she would adopt him and tell his parents where to
go. After reaffirming their arrangements and thanking them for putting Simon
first, Anna returned the phone to its cradle. She opened the refrigerator and
blankly looked inside it, pondering lunch. When she closed the door she was
startled by Trevor and Simon standing on the other side of it.
    “Was that my
mom?” Simon asked. He always seemed slightly apprehensive when Anna would speak
with them, worried that he might have to go home for any length of time.
    “We’re good
through next week,” Anna said.
    “Awesome,” Simon
said and he immediately perked up again.
    “So what can I
do for you boys?” she asked.
    “Well, we’re
seniors now, Mom,” Trevor said cautiously.
    Anna knew
something was up. “And you have been in twelfth grade since August. You know,
that month when the school year actually began,” she pointed out. “It’s now the
end of October.”
    “Yeah, I guess
so,” Trevor shrugged, his voice barely a whisper.
    Anna smirked.
“So, what is it you need? Or, should I say, what kind of permission are you
seeking from me?”
    “That’s nice,”
Trevor snorted. “Why do you think I’m always up to something or wanting
something?”
    Simon elbowed
him and cleared his throat. “What he’s trying to say, and failing miserably I
might add, is that we want to go see the university and take a tour.”
    “You’re going to
get up early in the morning and drive over an hour just for a tour? I don’t
believe that for a second. Come on, boys. One of you be honest with me.”
    Trevor relaxed a
bit. “I’m not lying, Mom. We really are taking a tour.”
    “It’s true,”
Simon echoed. “Anish has a morning lecture and it gives us something to do. You
know we’re at least considering attending there in the fall. We aren’t lying,
Mom.”
    “I see,” Anna
said. There were only two circumstances under which Simon would call Anna
‘Mom.’ When he was feeling vulnerable and talking about the situation with his
parents, or when he was putting himself on the chopping block for Trevor. It
wasn’t difficult to discern why she was wearing the ‘Mom’ title this time
around.
    “Mom, please…”
Trevor began, but was cut off by Anna.
    “Let me take a
wild guess. The tour isn’t really a cover story, because you actually will be
on campus. But I am assuming that you’re not planning this trip because you
have a sudden urge to get a glimpse of college life.”
    “We’re not?”
Trevor and Simon said at the same time, followed by their laughter.
    “No,” Anna
continued. “You’re going to see Anish.”
    The brief
glimmer in Trevor’s eyes gave him away.
    “Well, he does
work there,” Simon offered.
    “Simon!” Anna
gasped, surprised by his offhanded comment. “I expect this from Trevor, but I
thought you were the one person on the planet who kept him honest.”
    Simon smiled.
“You’re right, Mom. We’re going to see Anish.”
    Trevor punched
Simon’s arm and mumbled under his breath loudly.
    “Don’t be such a
drama queen,” Anna poked. Simon burst into laughter. “Why do you want to see
Anish?”
    “Uh,