The Golden Lily (21 page)

Now that Adrian had given me the seeds, my mind was already working out the idea. “Because they’re only kiling Strigoi—if these hunters exist. If some group were taking out Moroi, your people would notice. The Strigoi aren’t organized the same way, and even if they noticed, it’s not like they’re going to report kilings to us. Plus, Strigoi are kiled all the time by Moroi and dhampirs. A few dead ones would just be written off to you guys—if anyone even found them. Toss a Strigoi out in the sun, and you’d never even know they’d been there.” Relief poured through me at my conclusion. If a group like this did exist, they couldn’t be kiling Moroi. Strigoi-hunting was still dangerous, however. Only Alchemists could be trusted to deal with those fiends’ deaths and keep them secret from average humans.

“Could you ask other Alchemists about hunters?” Adrian asked.

“No, not yet. I might be able to dig through some records, but I could never bring this up officialy. They’d stick to my dad’s theory—that it was just some random, weird group of humans.

Then they’d laugh me away.”

“You know who wouldn’t laugh you away?”

“Clarence,” we both said in unison.

“Not a conversation I look forward to,” I said wearily. “But he might realy know something after al. And all his paranoia might pay off. All that home security? If this group realy has it in their heads to come after Sonya, then she might be in even more danger than we realized.”

“We need to tell Belikov. He excels at that protection thing.

He won’t sleep if we convince him she’s in trouble—which seems likely after the sword attack.” I noticed that this was the first time Adrian had ever spoken about Dimitri without bitterness. In fact, Adrian’s words and praise sounded legitimate.

He did believe in Dimitri’s skil. I said nothing about my observation, though. If Adrian was going to get over his hatred of Dimitri, it needed to come gradualy and without any outside

“help.”

I dropped Adrian off with plans to talk later. When I got back to Amberwood, I was immediately flagged down by Mrs.

Weathers. What now? I was ready to hear that Angeline had set something on fire. Instead, Mrs. Weathers’s face looked calm—

pleasant, even—and I dared to hope for the best.

“Some things came for you, dear,” she said. From a small

“Some things came for you, dear,” she said. From a small office behind her desk, she produced two hangers with zipped garment bags on them. “A short, energetic woman dropped these off.”

“Lia.” I took the hangers, wondering what contents I’d find inside. “Thank you.”

I started to turn away, but Mrs. Weathers spoke again. “One more thing. Ms. Terwiliger left something for you too.” I tried to keep my face neutral. I was already drowning in Ms.

Terwiliger’s latest assignments. What now? Mrs. Weathers handed me a large envelope that felt like it had a book in it.

Scrawled on the outer side was: Not classwork. Maybe you won’t hate this. I thanked Mrs. Weathers again and took my haul up to my room. After depositing the costumes on my bed unopened, I promptly tore into the envelope. Something about her note made me feel uneasy.

I wasn’t entirely surprised to see it was another spell book.

What did surprise me was that unlike the others I pored over for her, this one was new. Modern. There was no publisher listed on it, so it was probably someone’s home project, but it had clearly been printed and bound within the last few years. That was startling. I’d pointedly never asked Ms. Terwiliger about her magic-using pals and their lifestyle but had always assumed they were reading the dusty old volumes she had me translate and copy. That they might be working from their own, new, and updated books hadn’t even crossed my mind—though it should have.

I had no time to beat myself up, though, not once I got a look I had no time to beat myself up, though, not once I got a look at the book’s title. The Invisible Dagger: Practical Spells for Offense and Defense. Flipping through the pages, I saw that the spels were exactly as the title suggested but written in a more modern way than I was used to. Their origins were cited, times and places. Those varied wildly, but what didn’t was the spels’

efficiency. All were either the kind of spels that could be cast in very little time or ones that could be made in advance for immediate destructive effects—like the fire efficiency. All were either the kind of spels that could be cast in very little time or ones that could be made in advance for immediate destructive effects—like the fire charm.

These were exactly the kinds of spels I’d been asking Ms.

Terwiliger about.

Angry, I stuffed the book back in the envelope. How dare she try to lure me in with this? Did she think this would make up for everything she’d put me through?

Mrs. Weathers would still be downstairs, and I had half a mind to drop the book off and tell her it had been sent to me in error. Or I could simply leave it on Ms.

Terwiliger’s desk first thing in the morning. I wished now I hadn’t even opened it. “Returning to sender” unopened would have made a powerful statement, that she wasn’t going to trick me into her magic ring by finding a topic of interest to me.

Mrs. Weathers knew about my connection to Ms. Terwiliger, though, and would simply tell me to return it tomorrow if I tried giving it back tonight. So, I’d have to hang on to this until the morning. I consoled myself by getting out some tape. I couldn’t undo opening the envelope, but there’d be something psychologicaly soothing about resealing it.

Yet, as I started to unwind the tape, my mind spun back to my evening with Adrian and Wolfe. Wolfe had calmed me a bit my evening with Adrian and Wolfe.

Wolfe had calmed me a bit in his constant reminders that most attacks were random and came from carelessness on the victim’s part. Knowing that and what to look for had made me feel empowered. He’d offhandedly mentioned attacks of a more premeditated or personal nature, but those clearly weren’t his focus. Nonetheless, they brought me back to my discussion with Adrian. What if there was truth to Clarence’s stories? What if vampire hunters were real? We’d all known Sonya’s attack wasn’t random, but if she realy was dealing with some faction that had existed since the Middle Ages … wel, then. My and Adrian’s fears would be correct.

They would probably come for her again. No amount of avoiding isolated parking spots or walking confidently would stop them.

I looked down at the envelope and decided not to seal it quite yet.

THE DAY OF THE DANCE, I seriously considered going back to the costume store and buying the flammable white costume.

Lia’s dress was … a bit more than I had expected.

She had done a fair job copying the chiton style worn in ancient Greece, I’d give her that. The dress was sleeveless, pinned at my shoulders to drape into a neckline lower than I was comfortable with. The dress was floor length, and she’d somehow nailed my height perfectly without measuring me. That was where the historical resemblance ended. The material was some sort of silky, flowing fabric that draped around me and showed my figure better than you’d expect a dress like that to manage. Whatever the material was, it was nothing the Greeks could have produced, and it was … red.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d worn red. Maybe when I was a child. Sure, the Amberwood uniform variations sometimes had burgundy in them, but it was a subdued shade.

This was a briliant, flaming scarlet. I never wore colors that intense. I didn’t like the attention they attracted. Amplifying it was the amount of gold she’d worked into the dress. Gold thread danced along the edge of the red fabric, glittering in the thread danced along the edge of the red fabric, glittering in the light. The belt was golden too—and not the cheap plastic of the costume’s. The pins holding the dress were gold (or at least some high quality metal that appeared gold), as were the accessories she’d provided: a necklace and earrings made of little coins. She’d even given me a gold comb with little red crystals on it.

I tried it on in my dorm room and stared at the glittering, red display I made.

“No,” I said aloud.

Someone knocked at my door, and I grimaced. It would take forever to change out of the elaborate dress, so I had no choice but to answer in costume. Fortunately, it was Jil. Her mouth opened to speak and then just hung there in silence when she saw me.

“I know,” I said. “It’s ridiculous.”

She recovered herself a few seconds later. “No … no! It’s amazing. Oh my God.”

I hurried her into the room before our classmates could see me. She was also dressed for the dance, in a fairy confection of pale blue gauzy material that looked perfect on her wilowy Moroi frame. “It’s red,” I told her. In case it wasn’t obvious, I added: “I never wear red.”

“I know,” she said, wide-eyed. “But you should. It looks amazing on you. You should burn all your gray and brown clothes.” I shook my head. “I can’t wear this. If we leave now, there’s still time to go by the costume store and get something else.” still time to go by the costume store and get something else.” Jill shook off her awed state and took on an adamant, fierce look that seemed kind of extreme for the situation. “No.

Absolutely not. You are wearing that. It’s going to blow your boyfriend away. And you should put on a little more makeup—I know, I know. You don’t like anything crazy, but just darken the eyeliner and put on some lipstick. Just a little. You’ve got to match the dress’s intensity.”

“You see? Already this color is causing problems.” She wouldn’t back down. “It’ll take like a minute. And that’s all we’ve got. If we don’t leave soon, we’re going to be late.

Your boyfriend’s always early, right?”

I didn’t answer right away. She had me there. Brayden was always early, and as much as the costume pained me, I couldn’t stand the thought of making him wait—

especialy since he wouldn’t be able to get into the dance without an Amberwood student.

“Fine,” I said, with a sigh. “Let’s go.” Jill grinned triumphantly. “But first—the makeup.” I conceded to the makeup and then, at the last minute, added my cross necklace. It didn’t go with the theme and was instantly swalowed by the more flamboyant gold jewelry, but it made me feel better. It was a piece of normality.

When we finaly left, we found Eddie waiting for us in the lobby. He was dressed in normal clothes, his only nod to Haloween being a plain white half-mask that reminded me of the Phantom of the Opera. I was half-tempted to ask if he had a second one so that I could do a quick wardrobe change and just second one so that I could do a quick wardrobe change and just go masked.

He jumped up from his chair, his face going dreamy when he saw Jill in her blue, ethereal glory. Honestly, how could no one else see how crazy he was about her?

It was so painfuly obvious. He drank her in with his eyes, looking as though he might swoon then and there. Then, he flicked his gaze over to me and did a double-take. His expression wasn’t lovestruck so much as dumbfounded.

“I know, I know.” I could already see tonight’s pattern forming. “It’s red. I never wear red.”

“You should,” he said, echoing Jil. He glanced between her and me then shook his head. “Too bad we’re ‘related.’ I’d ask you guys to dance. Seeing as my cousin already wants to go out with me, though, I suppose we shouldn’t start any more rumors.”

“Poor Angeline,” said Jil, as we walked out to my car. “She realy wanted to go.”

“Seeing as there’ll be speakers there, it’s probably best she doesn’t,” I said.

Eddie paused when we reached Latte. “Can I drive? I feel like I should be a chauffeur tonight. You guys look like royalty.” He grinned at Jil. “Wel, you’re always royalty.” He opened one of the back doors and actualy swept her a bow. “After you, milady. I’m here to serve.” royalty.” He opened one of the back doors and actualy swept her a bow. “After you, milady. I’m here to serve.” Practical, stoic Eddie was rarely given to such dramatic shows, and I could tell it caught Jill off guard. “Th-thank you,” she said, getting into the backseat. He helped her tuck her skirt she said, getting into the backseat. He helped her tuck her skirt inside, and she regarded him wonderingly, like she’d never noticed him before.

After that, I could hardly deny his request and gave him the keys.

The Haloween dance was being held at a very pretty hall adjacent to some botanical gardens. Eddie and I had checked it out this week so that he could determine its safety. Micah was meeting Jill there, though for different reasons than Brayden meeting me. Supervised buses were shuttling most students from the school to the dance. Upperclassmen like Eddie and me were alowed to take our own transportation, along with family like Jil.

No one would technicaly know if Micah dropped her off later, but for now, she could only leave campus in the family carpool.

“I hope I’m ready for this,” I muttered, as we puled into the parking lot. The dress had distracted me so much that I hadn’t had time to ruminate over my other concern: going to a dance.

All my old social anxieties returned. What did I do? What was normal here? I hadn’t had the nerve to ask any of my friends.

“You’ll be fine,” said Eddie. “Your boyfriend and Micah will both be speechless.”

I unfastened my seatbelt. “That’s the third time I’ve heard

‘your boyfriend.’ What’s going on with that? Why won’t anyone say Brayden’s name?”

Neither of them answered right away. Finaly, Jill said sheepishly, “Because none of us can remember it.”

“Oh, come on! I’d expect that from Adrian but not you guys.

It’s not that weird of a name.”

“No,” admitted Eddie. “But there’s just something so … I

“No,” admitted Eddie. “But there’s just something so … I don’t know. Unmemorable about him. I’m glad he makes you happy, but I just start to tune out whenever he talks.”

“I can’t believe this,” I said.

Brayden was waiting out front for us, no doubt having been there for at least ten minutes. My stomach fluttered as he looked me over from head to toe. He didn’t comment, though his eyes widened a bit. Was that good or bad? I flashed my student ID to get him in the door, and Jill almost immediately joined Micah.

Eddie’s brief romantic flare was gone as he shifted into business mode. A brief look of pain crossed his face, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. I touched his arm.

“You going to be okay?” I asked softly.

He smiled back. “I’ll be fine. Just have fun.” He walked away, soon melting into the crowd of students. That left me alone with Brayden. Silence fell between us, which wasn’t uncommon. It sometimes took us a few minutes to warm up and get the conversation going.

“So,” he said, as we walked further inside. “You have a DJ. I wondered if it’d be that or a live band.”

“Our school just had a bad experience with a live band,” I said, thinking of Angeline.

Brayden didn’t press for details and instead gazed around at the decor. Fake cobwebs and twinkling lights were strewn near the ceiling. Paper skeletons and witches hung on the wals. Over on a far table, students were scooping punch out of a giant plastic cauldron.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” said Brayden. “How a pagan Celtic

“Amazing, isn’t it?” said Brayden. “How a pagan Celtic holiday has become such a commercial event.” I nodded. “And a very secular one. Wel, aside from attempts to merge it into All Saints Day.”

He smiled at me. I smiled back. We were safely in familiar academic territory.

“You want to check out the punch?” I asked. Some fast, bass-heavy song was on, drawing lots of people to the dance floor. Fast dancing wasn’t realy my style. I didn’t know Brayden’s take and was afraid he might want to join in.

“Sure,” he said, looking relieved to have a purpose.

Something told me he’d been to as many dances as I had: none.

The punch provided us with a reason to discuss sugar vs.

artificial sweeteners, but my heart wasn’t into it. I was too concerned about something else. Brayden hadn’t said one word about my dress, and it was filing me with anxiety. Was he as shocked by it as I had been? Was he politely holding back his true thoughts? I could hardly expect compliments if I wasn’t giving them, so I decided to take the plunge.

“Your costume’s great,” I said. “That’s from the theatrical company, right?”

“Your costume’s great,” I said. “That’s from the theatrical company, right?”

“Yes.” He glanced down and smoothed out the folds of his tunic. “Not entirely accurate, of course, but it’ll do.” The tunic was knee-length, pinned on one shoulder, and made of very light, off-white wool. He had a woolen cape over it dyed in a dark brown that was accurate to the time period. Even with the cape, a fair amount of his arms and chest were exposed, cape, a fair amount of his arms and chest were exposed, showing a runner’s body with a lightly muscled build. I’d always thought he was cute, but it wasn’t until this moment I realized he might actualy be hot. I expected that to trigger a stronger feeling in me, but it didn’t.

He was waiting for me to say something. “Mine’s not entirely, um, accurate either.”

Brayden studied the red dress in a very clinical way. “No,” he agreed. “Not at al. Wel, the cut’s not that far off, I suppose.” He thought for several moments more.

“But I still think it’s very pretty on you.”

I relaxed a little. Coming from him, “very pretty” was high praise. While he often had a lot to say about every other topic, he was thrifty with words when it came to emotions. I shouldn’t have expected anything more than a simple statement of facts, so this was a big deal.

“Whoa, Melbourne. Where have you been hiding?” Trey stroled over to us and began liberaly filing a cup with the fluorescent green punch. “You look badass.

And hot.” He shot Brayden an apologetic look. “Don’t take that the wrong way.

Just teling it like it is.”

“Understood,” said Brayden. I couldn’t help a smile. Trey had been behaving weirdly around me for the last day or so, and it was nice to see him back to usual form.

Trey gave me another admiring look and then turned back to Brayden. “Hey, check it out. We both went for togas. Romans rule!” He held up a hand to high-five Brayden but didn’t receive it.

it.

“This is a Greek chiton,” Brayden explained patiently. He studied Trey’s homemade toga, which looked suspiciously like it had been made from a bed sheet.

“That’s, um, not.”

“Greek, Roman.” Trey shrugged. “What’s the difference?” Brayden opened his mouth, and I knew he was about to explain exactly what the difference was. I quickly rushed in.

“Yours looks good on you,” I told Trey. “Looks like all those hours of weight training paid off—and I finaly get to see the tattoo.” Like Brayden’s, Trey’s tunic was draped over one shoulder, giving a glimpse of his lower back. Trey, like half the school, had a tattoo. But unlike the rest, his hadn’t been part of the high-inducing, sinister vampire blood ones that had swept the student body. Trey’s was a sun with highly stylized rays. It had been done in normal, dark blue tattoo ink. Eddie had told me about it, but I’d never gotten a look at it before, seeing as Trey didn’t realy go shirtless around me.

Some of Trey’s enthusiasm dimmed, and he turned slightly, keeping his back away from us. “Wel, it’s pretty softcore compared to yours. Nice to see it out again, by the way.” I absentmindedly touched my cheek. I usualy covered the golden lily with makeup at school, but I figured here at the dance, I could claim it as part of the costume if any teachers griled me about the dress code.

Another fast song came on, and Trey brightened again. “Time to show off my moves. You guys coming? Or are you going to supervise the punch all night?” supervise the punch all night?”

“I don’t realy do fast dancing,” said Brayden. I nearly sagged in relief.

“Me either,” I said.

Trey gave us a rueful smile before heading out. “Color me surprised.”

Brayden and I spent a good deal of that evening by the punch, actualy, continuing our discussion of Haloween’s origins and the larger subjugation of pagan holidays. Friends of mine came by occasionaly, and Kristin and Julia in particular couldn’t stop gushing about my dress. Every so often, I’d also catch a glimpse of Eddie patroling the crowds, silently and covertly. Maybe he should’ve been a ghost. He was almost always within sight of Jill and Micah but focusing on guardian mode seemed to have saved him from pining over her too much.

Both Brayden and I stopped talking when a slow song finaly came on. We tensed and then exchanged glances, knowing what was coming. “Okay,” he said. “We can only avoid this for so long.”