The Indigo Spell Chapter Fourteen

SUNDAY ROLLED AROUND, and the day started off quietly. We were nearing the back breaker when Veronica capacity strike again, and my stomach was in knots everywhere what her beside step would be . . . and how stuck we were on how to stop her. Then I received help from an un judge source when my phone rang with an unk in a flashn turn on the display.Norm all in ally, I wouldnt answer some amour interchangeable that, scantily my life was hardly normal these days. Besides, it was a Los Angeles country code.Hello?Hi Is this Taylor?It took me a spot to remember my secret identity. I did not, however, recall giving my existing number to any of the girls wed warned ab pop prohibited Veronica.Yes, I said warily.This is Alicia, from Old World Bed-and-Breakfast.Hi, I said, still baffle as to wherefore and how shed be transaction me.Her voice was as cheery and bright as when wed met her. I inadequacyed to bonk if youd thought any to a greater extent ab step up getting a room for your anniversary.Oh, rise up . . . that. Were still deciding. only when, uh, probably were button to go with something closer to the coast. You know, romantic beach flings and all that.I asshole totally understand, she said, though she sounded disap directed at the loss of a sale. If you change your mind, safe let me know. Were rails a special this month, so you could get the Bunny Suite at a really heartmatt-up price. I remember you saying it reminded you of your pet rabbit. What was his name?Hopper, I said flatly.Hopper Thats right. Such a sweet name.Yeah, awesome. I tested to think of a polite way to phrase my next misgiving but simply chose directness. Look, Alicia, how did you get this number?Oh, Jet gave it to me.He did?Yup. Shed apparently gotten over her disappointment and now sounded bright and chirpy again. He filled come out of the closet an info card while you guys were here and regularise d take your number.I nearly groaned. Typical.Good to know, I said. I wo ndered how often Adrian gave my number out. conveys for pursual up.Happy to. Oh She giggled. I nearly forgot. Your promoter is back.I froze. What?Veronica. She checked back in yesterday.My first reaction was excitement. My second one was panic. Did you tell her we were praying well-nigh her?Oh, no. I remembered you saying you wanted to ramp her.I nearly sank in relief. Thank you. We, uh, wouldnt to ruin that. Well have to stop by and visit but dont tell her.You can count on meWe disconnected, and I stared at the phone. Veronica was back. Just when we thought wed confused all leads on her. I immediately called Ms. Terwilliger but was sent to voice mail. I left a message and then followed up with a text, saying I had urgent news. My phone rang again, fair as I was about to call Adrian. I almost hoped Alicia had to a greater extent to tell me, but then I motto that it was Stantons number. After first taking a deep breath, I tried to answer in as calm a way as possible.Miss Sa ge, she said. I received your message yesterday.Yes, maam. Thank you for calling me back.Id called her yesterday, just before meeting up with Adrian. Ms. Terwilligers magical training had taken priority at the time, but I hadnt forgotten my deal with Marcus.I have a, um, favor to ask, I continued.Stanton, who was rarely impress, was all the way surprised now. Youre certainly entitled to ask . . . but youre just not usually the type who does.I know, and I feel bad. So, if you have to say no, I understand. In fair play, if she said no, I would have a number of problems on my hands, but it was best not to sound too eager. Well, Ive been mentation about how I have to spend Christmas here with the Moroi. And I definitely understand that, maam. Its part of the mission, but . . . well, Id be manufacture if I said that didnt b other(a) me. So, I was wondering if theres any way at all Id be allowed to go to one of the big vacation services. It would stool me feel . . . oh, I dont know . More connected. Purified, even. Im just constantly surrounded by them here, by that taint, you know? I feel alike I cant even let loose half the time. That probably sounds ridiculous.I cut my rambling off. When Marcus had first suggested taking advantage of knowing somebody in St. Louis, Id immediately thought of Ian. Then I realized that wasnt enough. Alchemists on assignment couldnt just ask for casual time off to visit friends. Time off for something more spiritual and group-oriented say, the Alchemists annual holiday services was a different press. Lots of Alchemists were given clearance to travel and attend those services. They were tied to our credit and group unity. In fact, Ian had even brought it up at the wedding in the hopes of luring me to visit him. Little had he known his trick would pay off. Kind of.It doesnt sound that ridiculous, Stanton said. That was promising, and I tried to unclench my fist and relax.I was thinking maybe I could go before were out for w inter break, I added. Jill can stay indoors the confines of the school, so there shouldnt be too much risk. And Eddie and Angeline are unendingly with her. I could just hop over to St. Louis for a quick weekend trip.St. Louis? I could almost happen upon her frown by dint of the phone. thither are services in Phoenix as well. That would be much closer.I know, maam. Its just. . . . I hoped being genuinely nervous would help me sound convincing. I, uh, was hoping I could also divulge Ian again.Ah. I see. There was a long pause. I find that more surprising than you wanting to attend services. From what I saw at the wedding, you didnt seem to be that charmed by Mr. Jansen.So. Id been right that Stanton had noticed his crush on me. However, shed also noticed I didnt return his affection. She was observant, even to little details, which brought Marcuss warnings back to me, about how the Alchemists paid attention to everything we did. I started to understand his fears and why he pulle d his recruits out of the Alchemists so quickly Was I already attracting attention? Were all the little things I did even asking for this slowly building a case against me?Again, I hoped my fretfulness simply made me sound like a flustered, love-struck girl, one Stanton would feel sorry for and shake her head word over. St. Louis wasnt that much farther away by plane, and the end result was the same. Well, that was business, maam. I didnt want to get distracted from our goal.Of course. Her next pause was only a few seconds long, but it felt like an hour. Well, I see no reason why you cant go. Youve done an admirable job in your work, and from a personal point of view I can understand why youd want to be with familiar faces again. Youve spent more time with the Moroi than many Alchemists ever will in their lives, and you didnt undulate when that Ivashkov pushed himself onto you at the wedding.I didnt really hesitate when he pushed himself onto me at the sorority, either. Or di d I push myself on him?Thank you, maam.She authorized me to go next weekend and said I could use Alchemist funds to book my travel arrangements. When we got off the phone, I contemplated calling Ian but then obdurate on a more impersonal approach. I jotted out a quick email telling him that Id be in town and that I hoped we could meet up. After a few moments of thought, I then texted Marcus Arrangements made.Lunchtime came around, and Eddie texted to ask if I could meet Jill and him in my dorms cafeteria. I headed below at the appropriate time and found a glum Eddie sitting by himself at a table. I wondered where Angeline was and noted he hadnt mentioned her in his text. Rather than claim that up, I focused on who he had mentioned.Wheres Jill?He nodded toward the opposite side of the cafeteria. I followed his gaze and saw Jill standing near a table, laugh and rebukeing. She held a tray and looked as though shed been stopped on her way back from the food line. Micah and some othe r guys were at the table, and I was happy to see he did indeed seem comfortable with being her friend again.Thats nice, I said, turning back to my own food. Im glad shes getting along with everyone.Eddie stared at me in amazement. Dont you see whats breathing out on?Id been about to bite into an apple and stopped. I hated these kinds of loaded questions. They meant Id missed out on some social subtlety something that wasnt my strong suit. Glancing back at Jill, I tried to postulate my best guess.Is Micah trying to get back together with her?Of course not, said Eddie, like I shouldve known. Hes going out with Claire Cipriano now.Sorry. I cant keep track of everyones dating lives. Ill add it to my to-do list after, you know, busting Alchemist conspiracies and finding out whether the Warriors are after Jill.Eddies gaze was locked on Jill, and he nodded, making me think he hadnt really comprehend a word Id said. Travis and Juan want to ask her out.So? She learned her lesson about h uman and vampire dating. I wished I had. Shell tell them no.They still shouldnt be douseing her, he growled.Jill didnt seem to be particularly fazed by their attention. In fact, I liked seeing her bright and smiling for a change. Confidence worthy her and emphasized her royal status, and she clearly was enjoying whatever banter was going on. One thing Id learned in my social education was that flirting wasnt the same thing as going out with soulfulness. My friend Julia was an adept at the difference. If it made Jill happy, I certainly had no problems with it.Honestly, it looked like the person who was most bothered by Jills suitors was Eddie. He theoretically had the excuse of wanting to protect her, but this seemed pretty personal. I decided to bring him back to his own romantic life, the one he should actually be concerned about.Wheres Angeline?Jill began walking toward us. looking relieved, Eddie turned back to me. Well, thats what we wanted to talk to you about.Whe neer any one wanted to talk to me, it meant something weird was about to happen. Actual essential issues were neer given an introduction. They were just delivered immediately. This premeditated stuff was a wild card.Whats going on? I asked once Jill sat down. With Angeline?She exchanged a knowing glance with Eddie. We think Angelines up to something, she said. A moment later, she clarified, Something bad.Not this again. I turned to Eddie. Is she still being distant?Yeah. She had lunch with us yesterday. He frowned. But she was acting weird. She wouldnt explain why shes been so busy.Jill concurred. She actually got really upset the more we kept skeptical her. It was strange. I think shes in some kind of vexation.I leaned back in my chair. The kind of trouble Angeline gets into is usually spontaneous and unexpected. Youre talking like shes masterminding something in secret. Thats not her style. At worst, shes harboring an illicit wardrobe.Eddie looked like he wanted to smile but couldnt qu ite manage it. True.Jill apparently wasnt convinced. You have to talk to her. Find out whats going on.Cant you talk to her? I asked, looking between their faces. You live with her.We tried, protested Jill. I told you. She just got mad the more we talked.Well, I can understand that, I snapped. Look, Im sorry something weird is going on with her. And I dont want her in trouble, believe me. But theres only so much hand-holding I can do with her. I fixed her math problem. My job is to make for sure she stays in school and doesnt blow your cover. Everything else is extraneous, and I just dont have time for that. And if she wouldnt talk to you, why on earth do you think shed talk to me?Id spoken a bit more harshly than I intended. I really did care about them all. I also didnt want trouble in the group. Nonetheless, it was always a little frustrating when they came to me with dramas like this, as though I were their mother. They were some of the smartest, most competent mess I knew. The y didnt need me, and Angeline was no criminal genius. Figuring out her motives couldnt be that difficult.Neither one of them had an immediate response for me. You just always seem to get through to people, Jill said at last. Youre good at communication.That certainly wasnt a felicitate I heard very often. I dont do anything special. Im just persistent. Keep trying, and maybe youll get through. comprehend Jill start to protest, I added, Please. Dont ask me to do this right now. You both know Ive got a peck going on.I gave each of them a meaningful look. Both knew about Marcus, and Jill also knew about Ms. Terwilligers sister. After a few moments, that knowledge set in, and they both looked a little embarrassed.Eddie gave Jill a gentle nudge. Shes right. We should keep works on Angeline ourselves.Okay, said Jill. My relief was short-lived. Well try a little more. Then, if it still doesnt work, Sydney can step in.I groaned.When I parted ways from them later, I couldnt help but think again about Marcuss 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 wouldnt actually have to intervene. Presuming, of course, Angeline really wasnt 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, perfect(a) 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 shed be staging a coup or committing arson. His troubled expression concerned me, though.She . . . she didnt hit you again? I didnt see any no ticeable 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 dont know. Mostly Id been focusing on getting her through the present, not the future. One thing at a time. Shell have her final coming up before break. If she passes, then I guess youre post free. Unless you want to keep up with it after break I mean, provided she doesnt 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. Id 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 gentlemans gentleman.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 plant scientist who was always happy to supply Ms. Terwilliger with various plants and herbs. She thought Ms. Terwilliger used them for home craft projects, like concoction 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, maam.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 Id 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 ail in potpourri?Oh, thats for some, um, cooking shes 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 consider ed visiting Trey and Angeline at the library, just to assess her behavior myself, but decided itd be better to not get involved. Eddie and Jill would handle it. With naught else to do, I dared to hope I might actually just be able to stay inwardly and read today. But, when I returned to my dorm, I was greeted with the astonishing sight of Marcus sitting outside on a bench, play an acoustic guitar. A group of four girls stood around, listening in awe. I walked up to the circle, my arms go through 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 eye turned to me, displaying a mix of both disbelief and jealousy. Hey, I said. Youre the last person I expected to see here.I never do whats 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 openha nded guy would want to talk to me? His followers dispersed reluctantly, and Marcus and I strolled around the grounds.Arent you supposed to be in hiding? I asked. Not panhandling with your guitar?I never asked them for money. Besides, Im incognito today. He tapped his cheek, and I noticed the tattoo was barely noticeable.Are you wearing makeup? I asked.Dont judge, he said. It lets me move around more freely. Sabrina helped affectation match me.We came to a halt in a relatively private copse of trees. So why are you here? Why didnt 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 careworn diagrams. I jerked my gaze back to him.Wades floor plans.As promised. A little of that self-satisfaction faded, and he actually looked impressed. Youve really got a way to get to St. Louis?S anctioned and everything, I said. I mean, aside from the part where I break into their servers. But Ive got a few ideas on how to pull that off.He laughed. Of course you do. I wont bother asking. Every girls got her secrets. Maybe someday youll 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 wouldve liked.He gave me a long, level look. No, not really. But getting the tattoo sealed in Mexico is kind of fun. I hope youll 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 dont drink.Well, maybe one of these days we could go out for coffee. I know you drink that.Im pretty busy, I said, thinking of everything weighing on me. And you know, I also havent decided if Im going to do the first phase of tattoo breaking.You should, Sydney. He was all business again and tapped my cheek. If naught else, do that. Dont let them have any more control over you than they have to. I know you think were a little out there, but this is one thing were 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 eye went wide, and she stumbled and dropped everything she was carrying. She flushed.Oh, God. Im such an idiot.I started to help her, but Marcus was by her side in a flash, his depiction star grin firmly in place. Happens to the best of us. Im Dave.J-Julia, she said. In all the time Id known her, Id 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 didnt have to do that. I mean, it was my own fault. Im not usually that clumsy. And Im sure youre busy. You must have lots to do. Obviously. Id 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. Ive got to go. Sydney, Ill 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 palpitation answers out of me.Just a guy I know. I thought about it more. A friend, I guess.Her breath caught. You guys arent I mean What? No Why would you think that?Well, hes gorgeous, she said, as though that were enough to make us soul mates. Dont 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 dont know what to think of you sometimes. I mean, Im glad hes available he is available, right? but Id be all over that if I were you.Jills 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 wasnt 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 didnt 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 youre crazy. Thats the kind of guy youd 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 couldnt resist.