This story (at least after the Prologue) begins after the end of The Indigo Spell…
Prologue
Eddie Castile watched Jill Mastrano as they ate. Not that it was creepy, it was his job.
When they were first sent to Palm Springs, he was the only guardian assigned to her. But soon Strigoi had shown up in Palm Springs. They were not after Jill, she hadn't been found by them, but he and the Moroi princess had gone to save Adrian Ivashkov and Sydney Sage, the Alchemist that had been assigned to help Jill and those with her. It was after that incident that Angeline Dawes, the erratic Keeper dhampir, had joined them.
And now, he sat next to another guardian that had been sent to Palm Springs – Neil Raymond. Syndey had admitted that she said something that had resulted in Neil being sent to join them. She had been vague, and he wanted to question the alchemist about it, but it didn't look like he would have the chance. Sydney was leaving Palm Springs.
He had trouble believing it. Sydney had put her life and reputation on line for the Moroi and dhampirs so often – first for Rose, now for Jill. She had survived a Strigoi assault, defended Sonya Karp in front of a group of hostile vampire hunters, and done so much more for them. She was even able to control Angeline, or control her more than anyone else.
But Sydney was leaving, and though he knew Jill had tried to talk her out of it, it apparently hadn't worked. Not that Jill had told him anything specific about what was said, she was just so upset. He and Angeline were upset as well. Angeline was too embarrassed about her recent indiscretion to look at him or Jill, if she looked at anyone, she looked at Neil; but mostly she just looked at her food.
So Eddie watched Jill, but not just because it was his job – he watched her for any sign that Sydney had changed her mind. He didn't know everything about Sydney and Adrian – Adrian barely spoke to him, and Sydney never said anything about them. He had, however, seen enough to suspect that something was going on between them, something that meant that if anyone would know that Sydney had changed her mind, it would be Adrian. And because of their bond, if Adrian knew, Jill would know. So he watched Jill.
Unfortunately, Jill was still depressed. Eddie had to wonder what Neil thought about all if it. He wondered if the newly-arrived guardian had misgivings about coming to Palm Springs. Neil had to know about Eddie's controversial status among the guardians, a status so controversial that it had taken the queen to get him assigned to Jill. He had to wonder what was said to Neil about Angeline, though he doubted the Keepers were mentioned. Neil had to know that Jill was in hiding, that other Moroi were searching for her. He didn't know if Adrian had been mentioned, though he was sure that the fact that Adrian had brought Jill back to life, creating the bond they shared, was not mentioned. Only he, Adrian, Jill and Sydney knew about that.
And he had to wonder what Neil was told about Sydney. He doubted anyone had mentioned how she had helped and protected Rose, he doubted her trouble with the Alchemists had been mentioned; these were secrets kept by the Moroi and the Alchemists. Neil probably thought of Sydney as a cog in the Alchemist machine, someone who could be easily replaced. Someone who would be replaced as soon as Eddie reported her missing in a day or two. Neil would never know what he had missed.
Neil had given up on making small talk with the other dhampirs and the vampire princess. He was mostly playing with his food, just like the others. As they played with their food, Eddie watched Jill and worried. Who would replace Sydney? Could he even begin to hope that her replacement could do what she had done? What could he do if…
Jill sat up straight suddenly. She had a confused look on her face for a few seconds, then it melted into a smile. She looked at him and visibly relaxed. For the first time since Sydney had told him she was going to Mexico, he had hope – hope that she had changed her mind.
"So, Guardian Raymond," Jill started, switching her attention to Neil, "where are you from?"
The First Night
I rarely heard my alarm go off, though I set it every night. I was awake a couple of minutes before the alarm this morning. I turned it off, as always, getting out of bed to start the day. As I stood, I was disappointed to realize that the night had passed without a visit from Adrian. I slept undisturbed. Since we had parted with his promise to 'call me first thing in the morning', I shouldn't have been surprised. I wasn't surprised, just disappointed.
As I looked for my phone, just to be sure it would be in my hands when he called, I noticed Zoe. The events of the previous night returned to my mind at the same time I heard a knock on my door. As I walked to the door, I glanced back at Zoe – at least she was still sleeping. I was pretty sure that I had arrived long after her bedtime last night – she may sleep for awhile, which would be fine with me.
As soon as I opened the door I was pulled into a hug at the same time someone yelled "Sydney!"
I pushed Jill back through the door, back into the hall, though she held on to me tightly. I thought I saw Zoe stirring as I closed the door behind us. Great.
I returned her hug, though briefly and awkwardly. I was not used to being hugged by vampires – other than Adrian. Even Jill's hug made me cringe a little. Whatever I had with Adrian, it obviously did not extend to other Moroi, or, I would guess, dhampirs. Not that I planned to test my hypothesis with either race.
"Sydney, you stayed!" Jill said excitedly as soon as I managed to get her to release me. "I knew you would. I mean, I thought you would, I hoped you would, and you did!"
She was speaking very fast, a habit she had when she was excited.
"Jill, calm down," I said.
She did, but not before she said, "Adrian's so happy."
A reminder of the bond, a reminder that we needed to be careful. It never bothered me when I was with Adrian, only when I remembered that Jill might see everything that he and I did, know everything that he felt about me.
"Are you OK with it?" I asked tentatively. She seemed to be, but I still worried. How could I not?
"Why do you even ask? I told you how it makes me feel when he's with you…"
"Fine," I said, quickly cutting her off. I didn't want to hear it. We still needed to figure it out. "I need you to do me a favor, Jill. Okay?"
"Of course, anything."
"Adrian's supposed to call me this morning. Ask him not to. My sister's here, and we need to be even more careful than I thought before."
Jill looked a little confused. "Sister?"
I nodded. "Zoe. She's an alchemist, and apparently she's been assigned to Palm Springs."
"Alchemist?"
"Yes." I was a little annoyed. I didn't have time for her to repeat ever key word I was saying. "So call Adrian, tell him not to call me today. In fact, I probably shouldn't even see him today, Zoe's going to be with me all day."
Jill sighed. I thought it odd that she looked disappointed. "Sydney…"
"Will you do that right away?" I asked, interrupting her again.
She nodded, and turned to leave.
"We'll meet later today so I can introduce Zoe to everyone at school, OK?"
"Fine. Meet later today, call Adrian right now," she mumbled as she headed for the stairs to return to her room.
"Thanks." I said as she walked away. Then I took a deep breath and went back into my room.
Zoe was sitting on the edge of her bed. Though I had my own room, I was glad that it still had two beds, like the other rooms in the dorm.
"Who was that?" Zoe asked.
"Jill, the Moroi princess," I answered. As her eyes widened, I continued, "You'll meet them all in a couple of hours."
For the first time since I arrived to find Zoe in my room, my sister looked nervous. I doubt she had ever met a vampire, or dhampir. I knew how she felt. With everything the alchemists taught about the Moroi and dhampirs, meeting them for the first time was a nerve-racking experience.
"Zoe," I said, trying to reassure her, "it'll be fine. I know these people, you'll like them and they'll like you."
"Like?" she asked, her eyes seeming to widen even more. Had I slipped up already?
"Come on," I said, shaking my head. "We need to move. You know we have to be out today."
She finally smiled. "I know, and I know where we're going. I have already been added to your reservation."
"Yay," I said with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.
All I could think of as we packed and dressed was 'how am I ever going to see Adrian?'
The First Day
Latte was still out of commission, but the new guardian had brought a large van that could hold all six of us, and our luggage. We stood outside of it as 'proper' introductions were made. I had, of course, met the new guardian yesterday; though only briefly. And having Zoe here was a surprise to everyone.
"Miss Sage," Neal was saying to Zoe as he shook her hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you."
"Call me Zoe," Zoe managed to say, repeating what I had said when Neal told me it was a 'pleasure to see me again.' At least he was nice, and Zoe managed to act fairly confident. I think the vampire and dhampirs noticed her nervousness, but were too nice to say anything.
Angeline was the worst, she shook Zoe's hand enthusiastically and wouldn't release it until I intervened. I really think she noticed Zoe's nervousness and was just trying to be nice.
I wondered if Adrian would have said something, something like he said to Keith when they first met. It was on the doorstep of a house, a house full of vampires and dhampirs, and after being introduced, Adrian offered his hand to Keith. Keith didn't take it. Noticing how uncomfortable Keith was, he told Keith "They're waiting for you, go on in," then he added "if you dare," with a sinister laugh. It got to Keith, and though I had glared at Adrian then, I did think it was a little funny. As big a jerk and traitor as Keith had proven himself to be, the memory of it nearly made me laugh out loud now.
I assumed Adrian wouldn't say anything to Zoe, or even anything about her nervousness - for my sake, if nothing else. But you never knew with Adrian. Hopefully Zoe would be more relaxed around Moroi by the time she met Adrian.
"Sydney?" Eddie broke me out of my trance. "We need to go."
It was time. We were checked out of the dorm for the holidays, we were switching one hiding place for another and we would only have time to get there, unpack, and go to bed.
For today, anyway. For tomorrow, I would have start figuring out how Zoe would fit into all of this.
The Second Night
I'm not one to use drugs. I don't need them for my health – the alchemist tattoo includes vampire blood, and who knows what else, that makes healing from disease or injury much easier for me than for a normal human. At least it did, who knows what Marcus' injection did to it.
Still, no drugs - not for health, not for sleep – nothing. But I really wanted to get to sleep that night – the night we arrived at our new, temporary, hiding place.
When I excused myself from the group earlier than anyone expected, saying I was tired, I was sure Jill was giving me a knowing smile. Another reminder that I needed to be careful about anything she might see.
Then Zoe followed me to our room – a reminder that I needed to take care in nearly everything I did, everything I said. But the Zoe worry was one for tomorrow. It was Jill that I needed to be careful for tonight.
I was in bed, lights off, much earlier than Zoe hoped. I even put her off, telling her I was unbelievably tired, when she tried to talk to me.
"We can talk tomorrow," I told her, "tonight, I need to sleep."
It was true, though not because I was tired.
It wasn't all that tired, but I could still fall asleep. No drugs, I'm not one for drugs. But I am one for spells, and I took note of a spell in one the books Ms. Terwilliger had made me read. A spell to help the spell-caster sleep.
I closed my eyes and spoke under my breath. I could feel my awareness of the room slip away as I drifted to sleep. I'm not sure how much, if any time passed; but I became aware of myself in a totally different place – a room filled with easels and paintings in various stages of completion.
I knew Adrian would be looking right at me, and he was. I didn't make him come to me, or say anything – I just ran to his open arms.
"Sage," He said warmly as he wrapped his arms around me. "When Jill called, I thought you might be dumping me again."
It was strange that I cringed a little. Even though his arms were wrapped around me, I felt a bit of a sting about what I had done to him so often, so recently.
"No, never again," I said. "Things have just gotten a little more complicated. But we'll work it out."
"We'll work it out," he repeated. "That's what we do."
"That's what we do," I repeated under my breath. And I knew we would. I also knew that, whatever I had to do during the days, for Zoe, the alchemists, or whoever; I would always have Adrian for the nights. Well, maybe Adrian and Jill, but we would work that out.