The Indigo Spell

I groaned.

When I parted ways from them later, I couldn’t help but think again about Marcus’s comments in San Bernardino about how Alchemists got caught up in menial tasks. I tried to reassure myself that Jill and Eddie would take care of this on their own, meaning I wouldn’t actually have to intervene. Presuming, of course, Angeline really wasn’t planning something catastrophic.

Unfortunately, those doubts were soon shaken when I got on the shuttle that would take me to main campus. On weekends, there was only one bus that looped between all buildings, and this one had just picked up at the boys’ dorm. I found Trey sitting in it, staring out the window with a happy expression. When he saw me, his smile vanished.

“Hey,” I said, taking a seat beside him. He actually looked nervous. “Off to study?”

“Meeting with Angeline, actually.”

There was no escaping her today, but at least if she was working on math, it seemed unlikely she’d be staging a coup or committing arson. His troubled expression concerned me, though.

“She . . . she didn’t hit you again?” I didn’t see any noticeable marks, but with her, you could never tell.

“Huh? No, no. Not recently.” He hesitated before speaking again. “Melbourne, how long are you going to need me to do this?”

“I don’t know.” Mostly I’d been focusing on getting her through the present, not the future. One thing at a time. “She’ll have her final coming up before break. If she passes, then I guess you’re home free. Unless you want to keep up with it after break—I mean, provided she doesn’t wear you out.”

This startled him a lot more than I would have expected. “Okay. Good to know.”

He looked so forlorn when he left to go to the library that I wondered if those chemistry answers had really been worth it. I liked Trey. I’d never thought inflicting Angeline on him would so radically alter his life. I guessed that was just the kind of effect she had on the world.

I watched him walk away for a few more seconds and then turned toward the science building. One of the teachers, Ms. Whittaker, was an amateur botanist who was always happy to supply Ms. Terwilliger with various plants and herbs. She thought Ms. Terwilliger used them for home craft projects, like potpourri and candles, and I frequently had to pick up the latest supplies. When I walked into her classroom today, Ms. Whittaker was grading exams at her desk.

“Hi, Sydney,” she said, barely looking up. “I set it all over there, on the far counter.”

“Thanks, ma’am.”

I walked over and was surprised to practically find a spice cabinet. Ms. Terwilliger had requested all sorts of leaves, stems, and clippings. It was the most I’d ever had to pick up for her.

“She sure had a big order this time,” Ms. Whittaker remarked, as though sensing my thoughts. “Is she really using garlic in potpourri?”

“Oh, that’s for some, um, cooking she’s doing. You know, holidays and all.”

She nodded and returned to her work. One thing that often helped in Alchemist affairs (and witch ones) was that people rarely expected supernatural reasons for weird behaviors and phenomena.

I almost considered visiting Trey and Angeline at the library, just to assess her behavior myself, but decided it’d be better to not get involved. Eddie and Jill would handle it. With nothing else to do, I dared to hope I might actually just be able to stay inside and read today. But, when I returned to my dorm, I was greeted with the astonishing sight of Marcus sitting outside on a bench, playing an acoustic guitar. A group of four girls stood around, listening in awe. I walked up to the circle, my arms crossed over my chest.

“Really?” I asked.

Marcus glanced up and shot me a grin. One of the girls actually cooed.

“Hey, Sydney.”

Four sets of eyes turned to me, displaying a mix of both disbelief and jealousy. “Hey,” I said. “You’re the last person I expected to see here.”

“I never do what’s predictable.” He tossed his hair back and started to put his guitar back in its case. “Sorry, girls. Sydney and I have to talk.”

I got more of those stares, which kind of annoyed me. Was it really that unbelievable that a good-looking guy would want to talk to me? His followers dispersed reluctantly, and Marcus and I strolled around the grounds.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in hiding?” I asked. “Not panhandling with your guitar?”

“I never asked them for money. Besides, I’m incognito today.” He tapped his cheek, and I noticed the tattoo was barely noticeable.

“Are you wearing makeup?” I asked.

“Don’t judge,” he said. “It lets me move around more freely. Sabrina helped color match me.”

We came to a halt in a relatively private copse of trees. “So why are you here? Why didn’t you call or text?”

“Because I have a delivery.” He reached into his shirt pocket and handed me a folded piece of paper that looked like it had traveled around the world before reaching me. When I opened it and managed to smooth it out, I saw several painstakingly drawn diagrams. I jerked my gaze back to him.

“Wade’s floor plans.”

“As promised.” A little of that self-satisfaction faded, and he actually looked impressed. “You’ve really got a way to get to St. Louis?”

“Sanctioned and everything,” I said. “I mean, aside from the part where I break into their servers. But I’ve got a few ideas on how to pull that off.”

He laughed. “Of course you do. I won’t bother asking. Every girl’s got her secrets. Maybe someday you’ll share yours.” From the tone of his voice, he might have been talking about non-professional secrets. “Once this is all over.”

“Is it ever over?” I asked. I meant it as a joke, but it came out sounding a bit more melancholy than I would’ve liked.

He gave me a long, level look. “No, not really. But getting the tattoo sealed in Mexico is kind of fun. I hope you’ll go with us. At the very least, we can take in some beaches and margaritas while undoing insidious magic. Do you own a bikini?”

“No. And I don’t drink.”

“Well, maybe one of these days we could go out for coffee. I know you drink that.”

“I’m pretty busy,” I said, thinking of everything weighing on me. “And you know, I also haven’t decided if I’m going to do the first phase of tattoo breaking.”

“You should, Sydney.” He was all business again and tapped my cheek. “If nothing else, do that. Don’t let them have any more control over you than they have to. I know you think we’re a little out there, but this is one thing we’re absolutely serious about.”

“Hi, Sydney.”

I glanced over and saw my friend Julia Cavendish carrying a huge stack of books. A couple seconds later, Marcus looked up at her too. Her eyes went wide, and she stumbled and dropped everything she was carrying. She flushed.

“Oh, God. I’m such an idiot.”

I started to help her, but Marcus was by her side in a flash, his movie star grin firmly in place. “Happens to the best of us. I’m Dave.”

“J-Julia,” she said. In all the time I’d known her, I’d never seen her flustered around a guy. She usually ate them for breakfast.

“There we are.” He handed her the books, all neatly stacked.

“Thank you. Thank you so much. You didn’t have to do that. I mean, it was my own fault. I’m not usually that clumsy. And I’m sure you’re busy. You must have lots to do. Obviously.” I’d also never heard Julia ramble.

Marcus patted her on the back, and I thought she might pass out. “Always happy to help a beautiful damsel in distress.” He nodded in my direction. “I’ve got to go. Sydney, I’ll be in touch.”

I nodded back. As soon as he walked away, Julia dropped the books again and hurried over to me. “Sydney, you have to tell me who that is.”

“He already did. Dave.”

“Yes, but who is he?” She gripped my arm and seemed on the verge of shaking answers out of me.

“Just a guy I know.” I thought about it more. “A friend, I guess.”

Her breath caught. “You guys aren’t—I mean—”

“What? No! Why would you think that?”

“Well, he’s gorgeous,” she said, as though that were enough to make us soul mates. “Don’t you want to just rip his clothes off?”

“Whoa, no way.”

“Really?” She scrutinized me, like I might be joking. “Not even a little?”

“Nope.”

She stepped back and started picking up her books. “Jeez, Syd. I don’t know what to think of you sometimes. I mean, I’m glad he’s available—he is available, right?—but I’d be all over that if I were you.”

Jill’s words came back to me, about how he was human and had “that rebel Alchemist” thing going for him. Maybe I should start considering him or another ex-Alchemist as a romantic option. Having someone who wasn’t a forbidden vampire in my life would make things a lot easier. I tried to dredge up the same reaction other girls had around Marcus, but nothing happened. No matter how hard I tried, I just didn’t have that same attraction. His hair was too blond, I decided. And his eyes needed a little more green.

“Sorry,” I told Julia. “Just not feeling it.”

“If you say so. I still think you’re crazy. That’s the kind of guy you’d follow to hell and back.”

All romantic musings disappeared, and I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as we slowly headed back toward the dorm. Hell was a good analogy for what I would be walking into. “You actually might be closer to the truth on that than you realize.”

She brightened. “See? I knew you couldn’t resist.”

\MS. TERWILLIGER WAS WAITING in the lobby when Julia and I returned to the dorm. “Seriously. Do you have a tracking device on me?” I asked. Julia took one look at our teacher’s serious expression and quickly made an exit.
“Just excellent timing,” Ms. Terwilliger replied. “I understand you have news.”

“Surprisingly, yes.”

Ms. Terwilliger’s face was hard as she led me back outside to more privacy and yet another top secret outdoor meeting. These days, she hardly resembled the scattered, hippie teacher I’d met when I first started at Amberwood. “Tell me the news,” she ordered.

I told her about Alicia’s call, and her dismayed expression didn’t really inspire me. I’d kind of hoped she’d reveal some amazing, foolproof plan she’d secretly been concocting.

“Well, then,” she said once I’d finished. “I suppose I’ll have to go out there.”

“I’ll go out there,” I corrected.

She favored me with a small smile. “You’ve done more than enough. It’s time I step up and deal with Veronica.”

“But you sent me to that place before.”

“When we weren’t even sure where it was or what she was doing there. This time, we have an eyewitness confirming she’s there right now. I can’t waste this opportunity.” She glanced at a clock near the door and sighed. “I’d go tonight if I could but haven’t made the necessary preparations. I’ll start working on them now and go in tomorrow evening. Hopefully I won’t miss her again.”

“No.” The defiance in my voice surprised even me. I didn’t contradict teachers—or any kind of authority—very often. Okay, never. “She eluded us before. Let us scout it out. You don’t want to tip your hand yet, just in case something goes wrong. You’ll be ready tomorrow night? Then let us go in the day . . . I mean, provided someone could get me out of school. . . .”

A little of that tension faded, and she laughed. “I suppose I could do that. I hate that I keep putting you in danger, though.”

“We passed that point a long time ago.”

She couldn’t argue against that logic. I made arrangements for Adrian to pick me up the next day—after first scolding “Jet” for giving out “Taylor’s” number. When morning came, Ms. Terwilliger was true to her word. I’d been excused from classes for a “research trip.” The thing about being a star pupil was that none of my teachers had any problems with me skipping classes. They knew I’d get the work done. I probably could’ve taken the rest of the semester off.

During the drive, I told Adrian that I’d managed to score a trip to St. Louis in order to pursue Marcus’s daunting task. Adrian’s expression grew darker and darker, but he stayed silent on the matter. I knew what a conflict it was for him. He didn’t like Marcus. He didn’t like me taking on this potentially dangerous mission. However, he also trusted me to make my own decisions. Contradicting me or telling me what to do wasn’t in his nature—even though he secretly may have wanted to. His only comment was one of support.

“Be careful, Sage. For God’s sake, be careful. I’ve seen you pull off some crazy shit, but this is extreme, even for you. You’re probably the only one who can manage this, but still . . . don’t let your guard down, even for a moment.”

When I told him about how I was hoping to use Ian to get more in-depth access, Adrian’s troubled look turned to one of incredulity.

“Hold on here. Let me make sure I’m following this. You’re going to seduce some guy to help you with your espionage.”

Seduce Ian? Ugh. “Don’t jump to conclusions,” I warned. “I’m just going to try to use his feelings for me to get what I want.”

“Wow. Cold, Sage. Very cold.”

“Hey, now.” I felt a little indignant at the accusation. “I’m not going to promise to marry him or something and then dump him later. He wrote me about going to dinner when I’m there. We’ll have a nice time, and I’ll try to talk him into letting me tour the facility. That’s it.”

“And ‘talking him into it’ doesn’t involve putting out?”

I glared at him and hoped he could see me in his periphery. “Adrian. Do I really seem like the kind of person who’d do that?”

“Well—” He stopped, and I suspected he’d held back from some snarky comment. “No, I suppose not. Certainly not with a guy like him. Did you get a dress?”

Here we were again, Adrian randomly jumping topics. “For dinner and the service? I’ve got plenty.”

“I guess that answers my question.” He seemed to wage a great mental battle. At last, he said, “I’m going to give you some advice.”

“Oh no.”

He looked over at me again. “Who knows more about male weakness: you or me?”

“Go on.” I refused to directly answer the question.

“Get a new dress. One that shows a lot of skin. Short. Strapless. Maybe a push-up bra too.” He actually had the audacity to do a quick assessment of my chest. “Eh, maybe not. But definitely some high heels.”

“Adrian,” I exclaimed. “You’ve seen how Alchemists dress. Do you think I can really wear something like that into a church service?”

He was unconcerned. “You’ll make it work. You’ll change clothes or something. But I’m telling you, if you want to get a guy to do something that might be difficult, then the best way is to distract him so that he can’t devote his full brainpower to the consequences.”

“You don’t have a lot of faith in your own gender.”

“Hey, I’m telling you the truth. I’ve been distracted by sexy dresses a lot.”

I didn’t really know if that was a valid argument, seeing as Adrian was distracted by a lot of things. Fondue. T-shirts. Kittens. “And so, what then? I show some skin, and the world is mine?”

“That’ll help.” Amazingly, I could tell he was dead serious. “And you’ve gotta act confident the whole time, like it’s already a done deal. Then make sure when you’re actually asking for what you want that you tell him you’d be ‘so, so grateful.’ But don’t elaborate. His imagination will do half the work for you. ”

I shook my head, glad we’d almost reached our destination. I didn’t know how much more I could listen to. “This is the most ridiculous advice I’ve ever heard. It’s also kind of sexist too, but I can’t decide who it offends more, men or women.”

“Look, Sage. I don’t know much about chemistry or computer hacking or photosynthery but this is something I’ve got a lot of experience with.” I think he meant photosynthesis, but I didn’t correct him. “Use my knowledge. Don’t let it go to waste.”

He seemed so earnest that I finally told him I’d consider it, though I had a hard time imagining myself wearing anything like he’d described. My answer satisfied him, and he said no more.

When we reached the bed-and-breakfast, I put on the brown wig so that we could be Taylor and Jet again. I braced myself as we approached the door.

“Who knows what we’re walking into?” I murmured. I’d been very brave while speaking to Ms. Terwilliger, but the reality that I might be going right up to an evil sorceress was sinking in. I had yet to develop the ability to sense magic in others, so I could very well be taken by surprise if she had a way to hide her appearance too. All I could do was have faith that Adrian’s spirit and Ms. Terwilliger’s charm would mask me. If Veronica was there, we’d just seem like an ordinary couple. I hoped.

Alicia was reading another magazine when we walked in. She still sported the same hipster glasses and clutter of gaudy necklaces. Her face lit up when she saw us. “You’re back.”

Adrian’s arm immediately went around me. “Well, when we heard Veronica was in town again, we wanted to come see her right away. Right, honeydew?”

“Right,” I said. At least he was going with healthier nicknames today.

“Oh.” Alicia’s sunny smile dimmed a little. “She just left.”

“You have got to be kidding,” I said. How could our luck be this bad? “So, she checked out?”

“No, she’s still renting out the Velvet Suite. I think she was just running errands. But. . . .” She turned sheepish. “I may have, uh, ruined the surprise.”

“Oh?” I asked very carefully. I felt Adrian’s hold on me tense, but there was nothing romantic about it.

“I couldn’t resist. I told her she might have some unexpected visitors soon. Good visitors,” she added. “I wanted to make sure she didn’t stay out too long.”

“That’s very nice of you,” said Adrian. His smile looked as strained as mine felt. In trying to “help” us, Alicia might very well have ruined everything.

What did we do now? I was saved from an immediate decision when a middle-aged woman walked through the door.

“Hello,” she told Alicia. “I wanted to get some information about hosting a wedding here. For my niece.”

“Of course,” said Alicia, glancing back and forth between all of us. She looked a little flustered over who to help, and I was quick to jump in.

“Hey,” I said. “Since we’re here, can we look at the Bunny Suite again? We can’t stop talking about it.”

Alicia frowned. “I thought you were going to the coast for your anniversary?”

“We were,” said Adrian, following my lead. “But then Taylor was thinking about Cottontail the other night, and we thought we should reconsider.” I had to give him credit for jumping in and going along with the story I was making up on the spot. Of course, you’d think he’d remember the name of the fake rabbit he had created.

“Hopper,” I corrected.

“Is the Bunny Suite still vacant?” he asked. “We can just take a quick peek in while you help her.”

Alicia hesitated only a moment before handing over a key. “Sure. Let me know if you have any questions.”

I took the key and headed toward the stairs with Adrian. Behind us, I could hear the woman asking if it’d be okay to set up a tent in the backyard and how many hot plates the inn could hold before it became a fire hazard. Once we were on the second floor and out of earshot, Adrian spoke. “Let me guess. You want to go prowl through the Velvet Suite.”

I rewarded him with a grin, pleased that he’d guessed my plan. “Yup. Pretty good idea, huh? Hopefully Alicia will be distracted for a while.”

“I could have just compelled her,” he reminded me.

“You’re using too much spirit already.”

I found the Velvet Suite and put the key in the lock, hoping Alicia had given us the master key and not one specifically for the Bunny Suite. When she had shown us around last time, she’d only used one key. A click told me we’d lucked out and wouldn’t have to use any metal-burning chemicals today.

We’d seen the Velvet Suite during our last visit, and for the most part, it looked the same. Velvet bedding, velvet-covered furniture, and even velvet-textured wallpaper. Only, this time, the room wasn’t in the pristine and unoccupied state as before. Signs around the room showed recent use. The bed was unmade, and the scent of shampoo from the bathroom indicated a shower not too long ago.

“Alicia might have been wrong about Veronica checking out,” said Adrian. He opened drawer after drawer and found nothing. In the closet, he discovered high-heeled shoes tucked into a corner and a belt on a hanger—things that might be easily missed with frantic packing. “Someone left here in a hurry.”

My hopes plummeted. In accidentally revealing our “surprise,” Alicia had apparently scared Veronica into skipping out on the room. We found no sign that Veronica would actually return, and as Adrian had said, she seemed to have taken off quickly, based on the kinds of easy-to-forget things that were left behind: a razor in the shower, a bottle of perfume on the bathroom counter, and a stack of takeout menus on the nightstand.

I sat on the bed and sifted through the menus, not really convinced they’d tell me much. Chinese, Indian, Mexican. Veronica had diverse tastes, at least. I reached the bottom of the stack and threw them on the ground.

“She left,” I said. I couldn’t hide from the truth any longer. “That idiot Alicia tipped her off, and now we’ve lost her again.”

Adrian sat down beside me, his face mirroring my dismay. “We’ll find her. We’ve slowed her down by hiding the others. Maybe it’ll buy us time until the next full moon so you can scry again.”

“I hope so,” I said, though I wasn’t optimistic.

He brushed aside the wig’s hair and turned my face toward him. “Everything’s going to be okay. She doesn’t know about you.”

I knew he was right, but it was hollow comfort. I leaned my head against his shoulder, wishing I could fix everything. That was my job, right? “All that means is that someone else could suffer in my place. I don’t want that. I need to stop her once and for all.”

“So brave.” He gave me a small smile. His fingertips slid down from my face, lightly stroking the line of my neck, down toward my shoulder. Everywhere he touched, a trail of goose bumps appeared. How did he keep doing this to me? Marcus—who made every girl in the world swoon—had zero effect on me. But one whisper of a touch from Adrian completely undid me. “You could give Castile a run for his money,” he added.

“Stop that,” I warned.

“Comparing you to Castile?”

“That’s not what I’m talking about, and you know it.” His hands were too dangerous, as was being with him on a bed. Terrified I might be kissed again, I jerked away, and the sudden movement caught him by surprise. His fingers got tangled in my hair, as well as in my two necklaces, which resulted in him snapping both chains and nearly pulling off the brown wig. I quickly caught the garnet before it could fall off, but the cross slipped away. Thank God I’d kept the important one on. “No more kissing,” I warned. I refastened the charm and straightened the wig.

“You mean no more kissing unless it’s a romantic place,” he reminded me. “Are you saying this place doesn’t scream romance?” He nodded around to our tacky velvet surroundings. He then picked up the small cross and held it in the air, growing thoughtful as he studied the way the light played off the gold surface. “You gave this to me once.”

“And you gave it back.”

“I was angry.”

“And now?”

He shrugged. “Now I’m just determined.”

“Adrian.” I sighed. “Why do you keep doing this? The touching . . . the kissing . . . you know I don’t want it.”

“You don’t act that way.”

“Stop saying that. It’s obnoxious. Next you’ll be saying I’m ‘asking for it.’” Why did he have to be so infuriating? Okay . . . I hadn’t really sent a clear message back at the sorority. Or Pies and Stuff. But this time I’d done better. “I just pulled away. How much more direct do I have to be?”

“It’s not your actions, exactly” he said. He still clutched the cross in his hand. “It’s your aura.”

I groaned. “No, no, not that. I don’t want to hear about auras.”

“But I’m serious.” He shifted over and stretched out on the bed, lying on his side. He patted the bed near him. “Lie down.”

“Adrian—”

“I won’t kiss you,” he said. “I promise.”

“How stupid do you think I am?” I said. “I’m not falling for this.”

He gave me a long, level look. “Do you really think I’d assault you or something?”

“No,” I said quickly. “Of course not.”

“Then humor me.”

Warily, I lay down on my side as well, facing him with only a few powerful inches between us. An enraptured, slightly distracted look appeared in his eyes. He’d given himself over to spirit. “Do you know what I see in you now? The usual aura. A steady golden yellow, healthy and strong, with spikes of purple here and there. But when I do this. . . .”

He rested a hand on my hip, and my whole body tensed up. That hand moved around my hip, slipping under my shirt to rest on the small of my back. My skin burned where he touched me, and the places that were untouched longed for that heat.

“See?” he said. He was in the throes of spirit now, though with me at the same time. “Well, I guess you can’t. But when I touch you, your aura . . . it smolders. The colors deepen, it burns more intensely, the purple increases. Why? Why, Sydney?” He used that hand on me to pull me closer. “Why do you react that way if I don’t mean anything to you?” There was a desperation in his voice, and it was legitimate.

It was hard for me to talk. “It’s instinct. Or something. You’re a Moroi. I’m an Alchemist. Of course I’d have a response. You think I’d be indifferent?”

“Most Alchemist responses would involve disgust, revulsion, and holy water.”

That was an excellent point. “Well . . . I’m a little more relaxed around Moroi than most Alchemists. Probably this is just some purely physical response driven by hormones and years of evolution. My body doesn’t know any better. I’m as susceptible to lust as anyone else.” There was probably a book about that or at least an article in Cosmopolitan.

The hint of a smile played over his lips. He was fully in tune with me again. “No, you aren’t. I mean, you are, but not without reason. I know you well enough to realize that now. You’re not the kind of person who’s ‘susceptible to lust’ without some emotion to back it.” He moved his hand back to my hip, sliding it down my leg. I shuddered, and his face moved closer to mine. There was so much in his eyes, so much desire and longing. “See? There it is again. My flame in the dark.”

“Don’t kiss me,” I whispered. It was the only defense I could muster. If he kissed me, I’d be lost. I closed my eyes. “You said you wouldn’t.”

“I won’t.” His lips were only a breath away. “Unless you want me to.”

I opened my eyes, ready to tell him no, that it didn’t matter what my aura allegedly said . . . this couldn’t keep happening. There was no emotion backing this desire, and I tried to cling to my earlier argument. I was so comfortable around Moroi now that clearly some primal part of me kept forgetting what he was. This was a base instinct. I was simply having a physical reaction to him, to his hands, to his lips, to his body. . . .

He caught hold of my arm and rolled me over. I closed my eyes again and wrapped my arms around his neck. I felt his lips touch mine, not quite a kiss, just the barest brush of—

The door opened, and I flinched. Alicia stepped inside, gasped, and put a hand up over her mouth to cover a shocked squeal. “O-oh,” she stammered. “I’m so sorry . . . I . . . I didn’t realize . . .”

Adrian and I jerked away and sat up. My heart was ready to beat out of my chest, and I knew I was blushing. I quickly patted my wig and was relieved to feel it was still in place. He recovered his voice more quickly.

“Sorry . . . we kind of got carried away. We started checking out the other rooms and decided to, uh, try them out.” Despite his sheepish words, there was a smug look on his face, the kind you’d expect from a guy who’d just made a conquest. Was it part of the act, or did he really think he’d gotten away with something?

Alicia looked as uncomfortable as I felt. “I see. Well, this room’s occupied. It’s—” She frowned and did a double take. “It’s Veronica’s. It looks like she left.”

I finally managed to speak. “That’s why we thought it was empty,” I said hastily. “There was nothing in here.”

Alicia thankfully seemed to have forgotten about our compromising position. “That’s weird. She didn’t formally check out. I mean, she paid in advance in cash, but still. It’s so strange.”

We made a hurried escape of our own after that, once again feeding Alicia lines about how we’d be in touch. Neither of us spoke much when we got in the car. I was lost in my own thoughts, which were equal parts frustration over Veronica and confusion over Adrian. I refused to acknowledge the latter, though, and opted for my usual tactic. The sooner that moment was forgotten, the better. I was pretty sure I could keep telling myself that. Some part of me—nearly as snarky as Adrian—suggested I pick up a book on denial the next time I was in the self-help section.

“Another dead end,” I said once we were on the road. I texted Ms. Terwilliger: V’s gone. No need for action. Her response came a few minutes later: We’ll keep trying. I could practically feel her disappointment through the display on my phone. She wasn’t the only one. Adrian seemed particularly melancholy on the drive back. He responded whenever I spoke, but it was clear he was distracted.

When he dropped me off at Amberwood later that night, I found everything mercifully quiet. No crises, no dangerous missions. It felt like it had been ages since I had a moment to myself, and I curled up on my bed, taking solace in the ordinary tasks of homework and reading. I fell asleep with my face on my calculus book.

I experienced one of those nonsensical dreams that everyone has. In it, my family’s cat could talk, and he was driving Adrian’s Mustang. He asked me if I wanted to take a road trip to Birmingham. I told him I had a lot of homework to do but that if he wanted to go to Fargo, I’d consider it.

We were in the middle of negotiating who’d pay for gas when the dream suddenly dissolved to blackness. A cold feeling swept over me, followed by a feeling of dread that rivaled the time Adrian and I had faced down Strigoi in his apartment. A woman’s laughter rolled around me, foul and sickening, like some sort of toxic smoke. A voice came out of the darkness, echoing in my mind.

She’s kept you well hidden, but it can’t stay that way forever. You can’t conceal power like yours forever. I’ve caught your trail. I’ll find you.

Hands suddenly reached out of the darkness for me, wrapping around my throat and cutting off my air. I screamed and woke up in my own bed, surrounded in books. I’d left the light on, and it chased some of the dream’s terror away. But only some. Sweat poured off me, making my shirt stick to me. I touched my neck, but there was nothing wrong with it. The garnet hung in place but not my cross.

No need to fear a dream, I thought. It didn’t mean anything, and really, with everything going on lately, it was a wonder I didn’t have nightmares more often. But thinking back on it, I wasn’t so sure. There had been something so terrible and real about it, a horror that seemed to reach into my very soul.

I didn’t want to sleep after that, so I made a cup of coffee and tried to read again. It worked for a while, but somewhere around four, my body couldn’t take it anymore. I fell asleep on my books again, but this time, my sleep stayed dream free.

\I GAVE MS. TERWILLIGER a full report on our trip to the inn the next morning. We met at Spencer’s, and in a rare show of early rising, Adrian joined us. “I’ve got a study group meeting soon,” he explained. His mood was a lot better, with no mention of yesterday’s . . . indiscretion.
Even though there wasn’t much to tell, lines of worry creased her face as she heard our story. The true panic came when I mentioned my dream. Ms. Terwilliger’s eyes went wide, and she gripped her coffee cup so tightly, I thought it would break.

“She found out,” she murmured. “Whether it was that Alicia girl or some other way, Veronica found out about you. I should never have sent you. I thought you’d slip underneath her radar if the other girls were charmed, but I was wrong. I was selfish and naive. It would’ve been better if she knew I was on to her from the very beginning. You’re sure you were masking Sydney’s appearance?” That was to Adrian.

“Positive,” he said. “Everyone we talked to, all the girls and even Alicia . . . none of them would have a clear idea of what Sydney looks like.”

“Maybe she’s been spying on you,” I suggested. “And saw us together. I haven’t been in disguise around here.”

“Maybe,” Ms. Terwilliger conceded. “But we also know she was active in Los Angeles. She would have to spend considerable time stalking her victims, which wouldn’t give her the chance to come here and watch me extensively. Even with her powers, she can’t teleport.” Her expression hardened with resolve. “Well, there’s nothing to be done now but damage control. She doesn’t seem to know exactly where you are yet or that you’re even connected to me. I’ll make you another charm to try to boost this one, but it may not work if she’s found a way to reach out to you. And in the meantime, don’t worry about offense anymore. You need to focus on defense—particularly invisibility spells. Your best protection against Veronica at this point is for her simply not to find you if she comes looking around Palm Springs.”

I’d continued reading the advanced offense spells, despite her warnings. With this new development, though, I knew she was right about defense being more important. Still, I couldn’t shake the worry that Veronica had discovered me by watching Ms. Terwilliger, which in turn made me fear for my teacher’s safety. “You keep saying she’s not after you . . . but are you really sure?”

“She’ll avoid me if she can,” said Ms. Terwilliger, sounding confident. “I have the power but not the youth and beauty she’s after. And even she would draw the line at taking on her sister. It’s the only remnant of human decency she has left.”

“Will she still have that attitude when you confront her?” asked Adrian.

Ms. Terwilliger shook her head. “No. Then anything goes. I’d like to meet with you tonight to practice a couple other defensive tactics.”

I eyed her carefully. “Are you up for that? No offense, ma’am, but you already look exhausted.”

“I’ll be fine. Meet me at the park again around ten. I’ll get Weathers to let you go. We must keep you safe.” She stared off into space for several moments and then focused on me again. “In light of this development . . . it wouldn’t be a bad idea for you to find some, ah, more basic means of defense as well.”

“Basic?” I asked, puzzled.

“She means like a gun or a knife,” supplied Adrian, catching on to what I hadn’t.

Ms. Terwilliger nodded. “If you ever confront Veronica, it’ll most likely come down to magic fighting magic . . . but, well, one can never say. Having something else for backup might prove invaluable.”

I wasn’t a fan of this idea. “I have no clue how to knife fight. And I don’t like guns.”

“Do you like being put into a coma and aging before your time?” asked Adrian.

I shot him a glare, surprised he’d be on board with this. “Of course not. But where would we even get one on such short notice?”

From the look on his face, he knew I had a point. Suddenly, he became enthusiastic again. “I think I know.”

“I’m sure you two will figure it out,” said Ms. Terwilliger, her mind already moving to something else. She glanced at her watch. “Almost time for classes.”

We all stood up, preparing to go our own ways, but I held Adrian back. I couldn’t imagine how in the world he would know where to get a gun on no notice. He wouldn’t elaborate and simply said he’d meet me after school. Before he left, I remembered something I’d wanted to ask.

“Adrian, did you keep my cross?”

“Your—oh.” Looking into his eyes, I could practically see yesterday’s events playing through his mind—including us rolling around on the bed. “I dropped it when—ah, well, before we left. Yo u didn’t pick it up?”

I shook my head, and his face fell.

“Shit, I’m sorry, Sage.”

“It’s okay,” I said automatically.

“It’s not okay, and it’s my fault. I know how much it means to you.”

It did mean a lot to me, but I almost blamed myself as much as him. I should’ve thought of it before we left, but I’d been a little preoccupied. “It’s just a necklace,” I told him.

This didn’t comfort him. He looked so dejected when we parted ways that I hoped he wouldn’t forget about us meeting up later to visit his mysterious gun source. There was nothing to worry about, though. When classes ended, he was outside my dorm in the Mustang and looked much more upbeat, with no more mention of the necklace.

When he told me his gun plan, I was shocked, but after a few moments of thought, I realized he might be on to something. And so, a little less than an hour later, we found ourselves far outside the city, driving up to a forlorn-looking home on a large, barren piece of land. We had reached the Wolfe School of Defense.

“I never thought we’d be here again,” I remarked.

Wolfe’s house had no windows, and there were no cars in sight as we walked up to the door. “He may not even be home,” I murmured to Adrian. “We probably should have called first.”

“Wolfe never struck me as a guy who leaves the house very much,” said Adrian. He knocked on the door, and almost instantly, we heard a flurry of barking and scampering feet. I grimaced. Wolfe, for reasons I would never be able to understand, kept a herd of Chihuahuas in his house. He’d once told us that they could kill a man upon a single command.

We waited a few minutes, but the barking was the only sign that there was any sort of life inside. Adrian knocked one more time (driving the dogs into an even greater frenzy) and then shrugged. “I guess you were—”

The door suddenly opened—just a slit—and one gray eye peered out at us from underneath a chain. “Oh,” came a grizzled voice. “It’s you two.”

The door closed, and I heard the chain being unlocked. A moment later, Wolfe slipped outside, careful not to let any of the dogs out. He had a patch over his left eye, which was probably just as well since his other eye alone seemed to peer straight through me. “You should’ve called,” he said. “I nearly turned the dogs on you.”

Wolfe was dressed in his favorite pair of Bermuda shorts as well as a T-shirt showing a bald eagle riding on a monster truck. The eagle held an American flag in one set of talons and a samurai sword in the other. That seemed a weird weapon choice for such a patriotic shirt, but we’d long since learned not to question his wardrobe. That had come after he’d kicked a woman out of our class who’d dared to ask if he only had one pair of shorts or several identical ones.

“What do you kids need?” he asked. “Next classes don’t start until after New Year’s.”

Adrian and I exchanged glances. “We, um, need a gun,” I said. “I mean, just to borrow.”

Wolfe scratched his beard. “I don’t lend them out to students who haven’t taken my gun class. Safety first.” I found it promising, however, that he lent out guns at all. It was a sign of his character that he didn’t even bother asking why we wanted one.

“I’ve already had training,” I said. That was true. It was mandatory for all Alchemists. I’d done well in it, but as I’d mentioned to Adrian, I really didn’t like guns at all. At least a knife had other uses. But a gun? It was only there to injure or kill.

Wolfe arched an eyebrow, the one over his good eye. Clearly, he didn’t believe me. “Can you back that up?”

“Do you have a shooting range?” I returned coolly.

He almost looked offended. “Of course I do.”

He led us to a building beyond the garage we’d trained in. I’d never been inside this building before, but like his house, it had no windows. The door was covered in enough locks to meet with Alchemist security standards. He let us inside, and I gaped when I saw not only a practice range but also a wall covered in various types of guns. Wolfe gave the small holding space a once-over.

“Earmuffs must be in the house. Be right back.”

I continued staring at the wall, knowing my eyes were wide. “There’s no way those are all legal.”

Adrian’s response was unexpected. “Did you notice his eye patch?”

I dragged my gaze from the arsenal. “Um, yes. From the day we first met him.”

“No, no. I mean, I swear it was on his other eye last time.”

“It was not,” I said immediately.

“Are you sure?” asked Adrian.

I wasn’t, I realized. Words and numbers were easy for me to memorize. But other details, like clothing or hair—or eye patches—were sometimes easy for me to miss. “That doesn’t make any sense,” I finally said. “Why would he do that?”

“He’s Malachi Wolfe,” said Adrian. “Why wouldn’t he do that?”

I couldn’t argue against that.

Wolfe returned with ear protection. After examining his wall, he selected a small handgun and then unlocked a cabinet containing ammunition. At least he didn’t leave a bunch of loaded guns around.

“I’ll do that,” I told him. I took the gun from him and effortlessly loaded it. He made a small grunt of approval. He gestured toward the far end of the range, to a large paper cutout showing a human silhouette with various targets marked on it.

“Now then,” he said. “Don’t worry about hitting the—”

I fired, perfectly emptying the clip into the most difficult targets. I handed the gun to him. He handed it back. Behind him, I could see Adrian staring at me with enormous eyes.

“Keep it,” said Wolfe. “You passed. You’ve gotta buy your own ammunition, but as long as you fill out the rental agreement, you’re good to go.”

As it turned out, the “rental agreement” was a piece of paper where he wrote the gun type on one side and I put my initials on the other. “Really?” I asked. “That’s all I need to do? I mean, I’m glad, but . . .” I didn’t really know what else to say.

Wolfe waved off my protests. “You’re a good kid. If you say you need a gun, I believe you. Someone giving you trouble?”

I slipped the gun into my messenger bag. “Something like that.”

Wolfe glanced over at Adrian. “What about you? You need a gun too?”

“I’m good,” said Adrian. “Besides, I haven’t had the training. Safety first.”

Wolfe opened up the ammunition cabinet again and produced a long wooden tube and a sandwich bag of what looked like small darts. “You want to borrow my blowgun? Not much of a learning curve on this. I mean, you’ll never be able to match the skill and cunning of the Amazonian warriors that I stole this from, but it can get you out of a pinch.”

“Thanks, but I’ll take my chances,” Adrian said after several long moments. He almost sounded as though he’d considered it.

I was still hung up on Wolfe’s other words, not sure I believed what I’d heard. “You were in the Amazon?”

This time, Wolfe arched the eyebrow above his eye patch. “You don’t believe me?”

“No, no, of course I do,” I said quickly. “It’s just, you’ve never mentioned it before.”

Wolfe gazed off beyond us. “I’ve been trying for years to forget my time there. But some things, you just can’t escape.”

A very long and very uncomfortable silence followed. At last, I cleared my throat. “Well, thank you, sir. We should get going. Hopefully I won’t need the gun for very long.”

“Keep it as long as you need,” he said. “If I want it back, I’ll find you.”

And on that disturbing note, Adrian and I left. Although I understood Ms. Terwilliger’s reasons for “old-fashioned” defense, I was in no way comfortable having a gun around. I’d have to keep it in my car in case school authorities ever did a search of my room and discovered it. My Alchemist and magical kits were already a liability. I was pretty sure there’d be no talking my way out of a gun.

Adrian returned me to Amberwood. I started to open the door and then paused to glance over at him. “Thanks,” I said. “For everything. Going to the inn. Suggesting we see Wolfe.”

“Hey, that was worth it just to know Wolfe owns a blowgun.”

I laughed. “Actually, I’d be more surprised if he didn’t. See you later.”

Adrian nodded. “Sooner than you think.”

“What’s that mean?” I asked, suspicion rearing up in me.

He dodged the question and reached underneath his seat. “I called Alicia,” he told me, producing a small box. “She couldn’t find your cross. Her housekeeping service had already gone through and cleaned the room, but she says she’ll check to see if it got caught up in the bedding. Oh, and I also asked about Veronica. She hasn’t been back.”

That was disheartening news, but I was touched he’d called. “Thanks for trying.”

He opened the box and pulled out a necklace with a tiny wooden cross on it. “I got you a replacement. I mean, I know there’s no real substitute, but I wanted to get you something. And don’t start about not being able to accept some fancy gift,” he said, guessing the protest I was about to make. “It cost me five dollars from a street vendor, and I’m pretty sure the chain is brass.”

I bit off my words and took the necklace from him. The cross barely weighed anything. Studying it more closely, I could see a tiny pattern of silver flowers painted on its surface. “The vendor didn’t do that. That’s your handiwork.”

“Well . . . I know you’re into simple stuff, but I’ve always got to have some embellishment.”

I ran my finger over the cross’s surface. “Why’d you choose morning glories?”

“Because I’m not the biggest fan of lilies.”

I smiled at that.

When I returned to my dorm room, I laid the necklace out on my dresser. I gave it one last fond look and then tried to decide how best to spend the rest of my day. Our trip to Wolfe actually hadn’t taken that long, so I had plenty of time to catch dinner and make sure I was up to date on my homework. I actually ate with Kristin and Julia for a change, which was kind of a nice break from the drama of my other friends. Of course, most of the meal consisted of Julia gushing about “Dave.” By the end, both she and Kristin were demanding to know when I’d bring him by again.

As the evening pushed on, I began to prepare for my meeting with Ms. Terwilliger. I wasn’t sure what kind of magic we’d be practicing outdoors but figured I should be ready for anything. I packed a wide variety of items from my kit and even had the foresight to bring a granola bar for post-magic fuel. Once everything was in order, I headed back downstairs. I was nearly out the dorm door when Mrs. Weathers called out to me.

“Sydney?”

I paused to glance back. “Yes, ma’am?”

“Where are you going? It’s nearly curfew.”

Frowning, I walked over to her desk. “I’m doing an assignment for Ms. Terwilliger.”

Mrs. Weathers looked troubled. “Yes, I know you do that a lot for her . . . but I haven’t received authorization from her to let you out after hours today.” Her expression turned apologetic. “I’m sure this is all on the up-and-up, but, well, rules are rules.”

“Of course,” I said. “But she said she’d let you know. Are you sure you didn’t get anything? A note? A phone call?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m sorry.”

“I understand,” I murmured, though I wasn’t sure I did. Despite her perpetually scattered nature, Ms. Terwilliger was usually good about this sort of thing. Mrs. Weathers assured me she’d let me go if Ms. Terwilliger gave the okay by phone, so I returned to my room and attempted to call her. I went straight to voice mail, and my text went unanswered. Had something happened to her? Had that magical confrontation I’d been dreading finally gone down?

I kicked around my dorm room for the next hour or so, letting all my worries eat at me. Veronica. Marcus. St. Louis. Ms. Terwilliger. The dream. Over and over, I kept imagining the worst outcome for all of them. Just when I thought I’d go crazy, Ms. Terwilliger finally returned my call.

“Why didn’t you show up?” she asked as soon as I answered. I felt relieved. She’d gone to the park. That explained the lack of contact since there was no signal out there.

“I tried! Mrs. Weathers wouldn’t let me out. You forgot to give me permission.”

“I most certainly didn’t. . . .” Her words trailed off uncertainly. “That is, I thought I did. . . .”

“It’s okay” I said. “You’ve had a lot on your mind.”

“It’s not okay.” She sounded angry but it was at herself, not me. “I need to be on top of this.”

“Well, you can call Mrs. Weathers now,” I said.

“Too late. I’m already back home. We’ll have to attempt this again another time.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I tried.”

Ms. Terwilliger sighed. “I know you did. It’s not your fault. It’s mine. I’m letting all of this wear me down, and now I’m getting sloppy. I’ve already taken too many risks at your expense, and it’s put Veronica on your trail. I can’t let her get any farther.”

A chill ran through me as I thought of those comatose girls—and the possibility of me joining them. I’d been able to stay cool and collected while investigating, but last night’s dream had driven home the dangers I faced. That image of the girl in the newspaper hovered in my mind as I held the phone and paced my room. I stopped in front of a mirror and tried to picture myself like that, aged before my time. I squeezed my eyes shut and turned away. I couldn’t let that happen to me. I just couldn’t, and I needed Ms. Terwilliger if I was going to stay safe. Maybe I was a prodigy, but I was nowhere near being able to take on someone like her sister.

“Get some rest, ma’am,” I said at last. “You sound like you need it.”

“I’ll try. And you be careful, Miss Melbourne.”

“I will.”

Being careful was the only thing I could do on my own for now. I just hoped it would be enough.

When we got off the phone, I didn’t want to sleep again. I was afraid to, and it wasn’t just because of the sheer terror I’d felt in last night’s dream. Ms. Terwilliger had explained there was a type of searching spell that sought people in their sleep, and I worried that if Veronica reached out to me again, she might get a fix on my location. The problem was that after last night’s sketchy sleep, I was now even more exhausted. My usual coffee and distraction tricks failed, and before I knew it, I was asleep.

I don’t know how much time passed before I dreamed. One moment I was lost in the oblivion of sleep. The next, I found myself standing in the room that had hosted Sonya and Mikhail’s reception. It looked exactly the same: flowers everywhere, tables covered in white linen and crystal glasses . . . The only difference was that the room was empty and silent. It was eerie, seeing all that richness and glamour with no one to enjoy it. I could’ve been in a ghost town. I looked down and saw that I wore the same dress from that evening as well.

“I could’ve made it red, you know. That’s a better color for you—not that blue looks bad on you.”

Adrian strode toward me, dressed in the same dark blue suit. Understanding hit me. I was in a spirit dream. It was another of that element’s incredible feats, the ability for a spirit user to intrude on someone’s dreams. No—not intrude. The user was actually able to create the dream itself, controlling every detail.

“It’s been a long time since you pulled me into one of these,” I said.

“And look at the progress you’ve made. Last time you were kicking and screaming.” He held out a hand. “Want to dance?”

“No music,” I said, not that I had any intention of dancing. He had a point about my reaction, though. I hadn’t exactly been kicking and screaming, but I had kind of freaked out. I’d been in full possession of all my fears about vampires and magic, and being surrounded in a world completely constructed of that magic had left me frightened and unhinged. And now? Now I had apparently become so comfortable that my biggest concern was that he’d put me in this dress. I gestured to it.

“Can you change me out of this?”

“You can change yourself out of it,” he said. “I’m letting go of the control. Just picture yourself the way you are in reality.”

I did exactly that, and a moment later, I wore jeans and a pale blue knit top. This obviously disappointed him. “That’s what you sleep in?”

“No.” I laughed. “I was trying not to sleep at all. It didn’t work. Why’d you bring me here?”

He strolled around and picked up one of the crystal goblets, nodding in approval as though he were some sort of glassmaking expert. “Exactly that reason. I saw how much that dream bothered you. I figured if I pulled you into one of these, it’d keep you from one of Veronica’s.”

I’d never thought of that. Vampire magic was certainly preferable to hers. Looking around, I gained a new appreciation for the room. It became a sanctuary, a place where she couldn’t reach me. At least, I hoped not. We really didn’t know how her magic would work against Adrian’s. For all I knew, she might come walking through the door, carrying Sonya’s bouquet.

“Thank you,” I said. I sat down at one of the tables. “That was nice of you.” It was another one of those incredible moments when Adrian had had the insight to guess my thoughts—or in this case, my fears.

“Well, it was also selfish. I wanted to see you in the dress.” He reconsidered. “Actually, I wanted to see you in that red Halloween dress again, but I figured that would be pushing my luck.”

I looked away as an image of that dress returned to me. Lia DiStefano had created the costume for me. She’d loosely based it on an ancient Greek dress and ended up with a gauzy confection of red and gold. That was when Adrian had said I was the most beautiful creature walking the earth. It had happened before he expressed his feelings for me, but even then, his words had undone me. I thought about what he was doing for me now and decided to give him a small compensation. I focused again on my clothes, and the blue dress returned.

“Better?” I asked.

His face lit up in a way that made me smile in return. “Yes.”

Hoping I wasn’t setting myself up for some suggestive answer, I asked, “So what are we going to do?”

“You sure you don’t want to dance? I can make some music.” My silence spoke for me. “Fine, fine. I don’t know. We could play a game. Monopoly? Life? Battleship? Twister? Whatever we do, I am not playing Scrabble with you.”

We warmed up with Battleship—I won—and then moved on to Monopoly. That took a little work to set up because Adrian could only create things that he could imagine. He couldn’t remember all the streets and cards, so we made our best attempt to re-create them. Neither of us could remember one of the yellow streets, so he named it Jet Way.

We proved surprisingly well matched, and I became engrossed in the game. The power shifted back and forth between us. Just when one of us seemed to have all the control, the other would seize it back. I had no doubts about my ability to win—until I lost. I sat there, dumbstruck, staring at the board.

“Have you ever lost a game before?” he asked.

“I . . . yes, of course . . . I just didn’t think . . .”

“That I could beat you?”

“No, I just . . . it doesn’t happen very often.” I looked up at him and shook my head. “Congratulations.”

He leaned back in his chair and laughed. “I think beating you just improved your opinion of me more than anything else I’ve ever done.”

“I’ve always had a high opinion of you.” I stretched out, surprised to feel kinks in my body. It was strange how these dreams could have such a realistic physical component. “How long have we have been here?”

“I don’t know. It’s not morning yet.” He appeared unconcerned. “What do you want to play next?”

“We shouldn’t play anything,” I said. I stood up. “It’s been hours. I’m asleep, but you aren’t. You can’t stay up all night.”

“I’m a vampire, Sage. A creature of the night, remember?”

“One who’s on a human schedule,” I chastised.

He still didn’t seem worried. “Only one class tomorrow. I’ll make it up.”

“What about the spirit?” I began to pace restlessly as more of the implications hit me. “You have to be using a lot of it. That’s not good for you.”

“I’ll take my chances.” There was an unspoken for you at the end of his sentence.

I returned to the table and stood in front of his chair. “You have to be careful. Between this and the Veronica hunt. . . .” I suddenly felt bad. I hadn’t thought twice about asking him to help with that. I’d forgotten the risks. “Once we’ve stopped her, you need to lay off the spirit.”

“Don’t worry.” He grinned. “Once we’ve gotten rid of that bitch, I’ll be celebrating so much that I won’t be sober for days.”

“Ugh. Not the healthiest way to do it. Have you ever thought about antidepressants?” I knew they helped some spirit users by blocking the magic.

His smile vanished. “I won’t touch those things. Lissa took them and hated them. Being cut off from spirit nearly drove her crazy.”

I crossed my arms and leaned against the table. “Yeah, but using it will drive you crazy too.”

“No lectures tonight, Sage. It mars my stunning Monopoly victory.”

He was far too casual for such a serious matter, but I knew him well enough to recognize when he wouldn’t yield. “Fine. Then let’s end on a high note. Send me back, and get some sleep.”

“You sure you’ll be okay?” His concern was so intense. I didn’t think anyone had ever worried about me that much. Well, maybe Ms. Terwilliger.

“Probably she gave up for the night.” I really didn’t know, but I couldn’t let him keep exerting himself. The thought of Veronica reaching out again terrified me . . . but the thought of Adrian endangering himself almost scared me more. He’d risked so much for me. Could I do any less? “You can check on me tomorrow night, though.”

Adrian’s face lit up as though I’d just accepted a date. “It’s a deal, then.”

And like that, the reception hall dissolved around me. I returned to peaceful sleep and just barely heard him say, “Sweet dreams, Sage.”

\ALTHOUGH OUR MAGICAL PLANS had been derailed, Ms. Terwilliger had asked me to come by her room before classes started in the morning so that we could talk strategy and future assignments. I had just enough time to swing by the cafeteria for breakfast and found Jill, Eddie, and Angeline sitting together. It felt like it had been a long time since we’d all been together in some kind of normal setting, and I welcomed this small moment of bonding. It was a refuge in the storm that had been my life recently.
Jill was grinning about something that Eddie didn’t seem to find so funny. “He didn’t say anything about it to me,” he said.

“Of course not.” Jill laughed. “He’s too embarrassed.”

I sat down with my tray. “Who’s too embarrassed?” I assumed any “he” they were talking about must be Adrian, though it was hard to imagine Adrian embarrassed about anything.

“Micah,” said Jill. “I talked him into modeling for our sewing club again. And then he got Juan and Travis to do it too. ”

“How’d you manage that?” I asked. Jill had originally gotten involved with Lia through the school’s sewing club. Back when Jill and Micah had dated, she’d convinced him to model some very badly made clothes. He’d done it out of adoration, though I wasn’t sure he’d really enjoyed it.

Jill leaned forward, an excited sparkle in her eyes. “Claire guilted him into it! It was hilarious. But I don’t know how he talked Juan and Travis into it. Maybe they owed him a favor.”

“Maybe they have ulterior motives,” said Eddie. His tone surprised me until I remembered his lesson about the latest social developments around here. What was it? Claire was Micah’s new girlfriend. Juan and Travis were his friends, who liked Jill. Eddie didn’t like that they liked her. Got it. Apparently, Eddie hadn’t kept his opinions to himself because Jill rolled her eyes.

“Will you stop worrying about that?” she asked. She was still smiling but sounded just a little annoyed. “They’re good guys. And I’m not going to do anything stupid. You don’t have to lecture me about humans and Moroi. I get it.”

Her jade eyes flicked over to me, and her smile faltered a little. She studied me for several long, troubled moments, and I wondered what she was thinking about. Was she still hoping for some romantic resolution between Adrian and me? Was she wondering why Adrian and I kept getting into intimate situations? I kind of wanted to know that too. She finally dragged her gaze away, letting her happy mood return.

“I’m just looking out for you,” Eddie said obstinately.

“You look out for assassins. I can handle these guys. I’m not a child, and besides, these are the most male models we’ve ever had. It’s great. If we could score a couple more, our club could do a whole project on men’s clothing.”

Eddie still looked way too serious for this discussion. “Maybe Eddie would volunteer,” I suggested. “I bet guardian posture would be great on the catwalk.”

He blushed, which even I had to admit was adorable. If Jill had been irritated by his earlier overprotectiveness, it was no longer obvious. From her dreamy expression, you’d think Eddie blushing was the most amazing thing she’d ever witnessed. I think he was too overwhelmed at the thought of strutting down a runway to notice.

Angeline had been completely silent so far. I glanced over at her, expecting her to have something funny to say about her boyfriend being encouraged to model. But to my surprise, she wasn’t paying attention to the conversation at all. She had a geometry book open and was furiously trying to draw some circles freehand. It killed me to watch, but after Kristin’s comment about Angeline stabbing someone with a compass, freehand might be best.

“What do you think, Angeline?” I asked, just to see how engrossed she was. “Do you think Eddie would make a good model?”

“Hmm?” She didn’t look up. “Oh, yeah. You should let Jill try some clothes on you.”

Now Jill blushed. Eddie’s deepened.

Just when I thought this meal couldn’t get any more surreal, Trey stopped by. He nudged Angeline’s chair with his toe. “Hey, McCormick.” He nodded toward her graph paper. “Time to check out your curves.”

Rather than answering with some biting response, she looked up instantly, a big smile on her face. “I’ve been working on them all morning,” she said. “I think they’re pretty good.”

“They look good from where I’m standing,” said Trey.

They were actually the worst circles I’d ever seen, but I guessed Trey wanted to encourage her. I was amazed at how seriously she was treating this math grade. It seemed to me that she was putting it above everything else, even her personal life. She gathered up all her things so that she and Trey could go to the library. Eddie looked disappointed but couldn’t protest, lest it give away the truth about Angeline and him. Trey knew we weren’t all actually related, but Eddie and Angeline’s relationship was still kept secret.