Chapter One
Sydney's point of view

We were all gathered around the room after receiving a notice from the Queen to report for update on the solution to the strigoi turnings. And I was feeling guilty.

"So far we haven't found a way to replicate what we did with Olive's blood," Sonya says. She's pacing near the door but stops to give a appreciate look at Adrian, who was responsible for the first success.

He nods back and when she turns round goes back to staring at me, making me flush.

They continue to talk about the situation and I turn towards the window, trying to shake the growing guilt rolling over in my stomach and not hearing a word. Finally I can't take it anymore and I interrupt whatever they are discussing and pull a vial out of my messenger bag that rests on my hip.

"Here," I say thrusting it out towards Sonya and trying to stop my hand from shaking.

"Pardon?"

Everyone in the room turned and looked at me and then down at the clear liquid in the vial that lay partially enclosed in my out stretched hand. The liquid seemed to glimmer a little under the attention.

"The ink will make the recipients blood impossible for strigoi to drink and therefore make it impossible for that person to be turned into one of those fifthly creatures."

I had discovered earlier this morning that the ink I made to break the compulsion of the alchemists also worked to flavour the blood so that strigoi couldn't stomach it.

Marcus had called, telling me about how one of his "merry men" had been attacked by one of those monsters but the strigoi found it impossible to drink his blood. Luckily a nearby dhampir guardian had heard his screams before it snapped his neck out of spite. Leading me to the conclusion that the magic in the tattoos had coated the blood of Marcus's test subjects, much like my blood was coated.

I had discussed the incident with Adrian but never told him what I had planned to do with the information, as I had not known myself either.

"Isn't that-"

I cut of Adrian, "Yes, it is."

"But Sydney, I mean-"

"It's my decision Adrian. It is the right thing to do."

Lissa, as I was told repeatedly to call her, moved forward to stand in front of me. "What's in it?"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that it works. Though, it also may take away a moroi's magic, it at least works in dhampirs and humans."

Adrian moves closer to me. "Take away our magic?"

I touch my tattoo hoping he remembered those times I had explained to him how human magic would break away and destroy the vampire magic in the blood, in humans at least. He then nods, confirming that he remembers. But the others remain curious.

"We'll need to know what's in it to replicate it," Sonya says.

I shake my head. "You can't. I'll make as much of it as you need as long as Abe can get the ingredients and this is kept a secret from the alchemists. If they knew what I was doing-" I cut of shuddering. Re-education. Not only for helping vampires but for using magic. I can't even image what my father would say. "You also have to promise not to test it or use it for any other purpose."

"But-"

"No," Adrian interrupts. "Sage's is already making enough sacrifices for us as it is and if she says that you can't make it then you can't."

She looks at him strangely. In fact, they all did. They seemed surprised, I however, only felt pride at his tone of authority. I also knew what I was doing was a dangerous, especially trusting Abe, but I believed it would be worth it.

With a sigh I turned towards the man in question, who was bizarrely dressed as always.

"If I give you a list, will you be able to get me what I require?"

He nods but then begins to exit the room, gesturing for me to follow and closing the door behind us.

"What do you get out of this, alchemist?"

I glare at him for calling me 'alchemist' unfearfully, knowing that I have the upper hand.

"I don't want - "

I thought about it. Did I want something? And could I trust him with something like that?

"If I asked you for a favour could you promise me absolute silence on your behalf?'

He nods. "If what you are offering to make works, then it would save my loved ones from that cursed fate. It's the least I could do to ensure their safety."

I eye him warily, before making my decision.

"I need a new passport and new papers, including a birth certificate."

He looks at me, probably for the first time in his life, astounded. "What – Nevermind. I trust you have a good reason. So the ingredients?"

I pull out a note pad and write them down and give it to him, before writing on another and handing it to him. Again, he is shocked, but he hides it better when he looks down at what's written on the paper.

"I get the other ingredients, but salt? That's the core ingredient? And - " He looks back down at the name I put down on the other paper, perhaps seeing it for the first time.

Mrs. Iolanthe Jaclyn-Rose Ivashkov