The Fiery Heart

CHAPTER 12 SYDNEY

I DIDN’T BLINK AN EYE when my AP chemistry teacher told us we had a pop quiz. But when Zoe told me our dad was about to be in Palm Springs, I nearly had a meltdown.

“What? When’s he getting here?” I exclaimed. We’d just sat down for lunch in the cafeteria.

“Tonight. He wants to have dinner.” She picked up a french fry and scrutinized it as though it held more interest than the news she’d just delivered. “They burned these today.”

Food was the last thing on my mind, and it had nothing to do with concerns about weight. “How long have you known he was coming today?”

She shrugged. “I told you last week.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t exactly fine-tune the date and time! Couldn’t you have given me a little more warning?”

At last, I warranted more attention than her lunch. “What’s the problem? It’s Dad! You should be excited. It’s not like you have to prepare or anything.”

Well, I wouldn’t have minded preparing mentally. Even though I’d known he was coming, not having a fixed date had allowed me to relax about it. The rest of our gang was sitting with us—Jill, Eddie, Angeline, and Neil—and I could see them watching the exchange with interest. Only Jill really knew the full scope of my parental drama, and when it was clear neither Zoe nor I was going to say anything more on the subject, Jill helpfully shifted the conversation and began talking about some expo her sewing club was doing.

I robotically began eating my stir-fry without really tasting it. If I pretended to be interested in my food, maybe no one would notice I was on the verge of a panic attack. My dad would be here tonight! Calm down, I ordered myself. It was only dinner, and since we’d presumably be in public, he’d have to limit his ranting. It wasn’t like he was going to search my room or follow me around.

And yet, no matter how hard I tried to soothe myself with logic, I couldn’t shake my unease. Palm Springs had become a sanctuary for me, in which I tucked away all my secrets—not just my romance with Adrian, but also my true friendship with the others. And, of course, my illicit magic use. I kept all those things well guarded, but just knowing he would be here, in my territory, made me feel as though my entire life had just been exposed.

“Hey, Neil,” said Angeline abruptly. “You ever staked a Strigoi?”

Considering Jill had just been talking about catwalk lighting, it was kind of a weird subject change. From Neil’s expression, he thought so too.

“Er, well, not a real one.”

“But you’ve had lots of practice on fake ones.”

“Yes, of course.” He relaxed a little, now that he was in familiar territory. “It was a requisite part of our curriculum.”

She brightened. “You think you could give me some pointers after school today?”

Eddie frowned. “We went over that a couple months ago.”

“Well, yeah,” she said, “but I mean, it can’t hurt to get different opinions on it, right?”

“How can there be different opinions on driving a stake through a monster’s heart?” asked Jill. Her face declared she wasn’t a fan of Neil and Angeline spending time together.

“I’m sure Neil and Eddie have different skills,” Angeline insisted.

It was a dangerous comment, suggesting one might be more skilled than the other. The guys’ faces confirmed as much. “I’d be happy to show you,” said Neil, puffing with pride. “You’re right that you might benefit from a different style.”

“I’d be interested in seeing this,” remarked Eddie.

“Me too,” said Jill.

“No.” Angeline shook her head adamantly. “You’d just be a distraction, and this is serious business. Just me and Neil.” From the way she looked at him through her lashes, I wondered what business she had in mind. I grabbed hold of her arm as we were all dispersing for our classes later.

“Why the aggressive move on Neil?” I asked. “You were moping about Trey a couple weeks ago.”

Her face fell. “Still am. Can’t get him out of my mind. So I figure I have to get serious about Neil.”

I didn’t really know how to immediately respond to that. “But you said you didn’t think you could really get into him.”

“That’s why I have to try,” she explained, with a look that said I might not be as smart as everyone claimed. “Because then I won’t think about Trey.”

There was no point in fighting it anymore, and while I was dubious about her romantic methods, I knew her and Trey staying apart was a sound plan. “Well, good luck with that.”

Anxiety about my dad continued to eat me up all day. Although I knew I should stay far away from Adrian today, I couldn’t help myself. As soon as I stepped into Ms. Terwilliger’s room for my independent study, she took one look at my face and smiled. “Go,” she said. “Whatever it is you need to do, go.”

“Thank you, ma’am!” I was moving before I finished speaking.

I headed over to his place and let myself in with my key. He was sitting in his living room, working on an unexpected project. A number of his paintings lay on the ground, and he was carefully cutting them up into pieces. It was enough to momentarily allay the panic over my dad.

“What’s this?” I asked. “Did you hate them all that much?”

He smiled up at me. “Not exactly. I got an idea for the self-portrait. I realized all of these rejects are technically part of me, so I’m going to combine all of them into a collage there.” He nodded up to a canvas on an easel, which already held the remnants of a painting he’d done of his aura.

“You’re bending the assignment a little,” I said, sitting down beside him.

He returned to his cutting. “I’m sure my professor will be so amazed by my brilliance and ingenuity that she’ll want to keep it for herself and hang it above her fireplace. Or maybe her bedroom. Would you be cool with that? Or would that be weird?”

“I guess I could learn to share you,” I said.

“You’re a trooper, Sage.” Setting down the scissors, he turned his full attention on me and raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”

I almost smiled at that. Everyone said I concealed my feelings, but he always seemed to know how I felt. “You read my aura?”

I kept my tone light. We’d spoken very little about spirit in the last two weeks, ever since his breakdown at the pawnshop. Thinking about him and the way the magic drove him to such extremes still ate me up inside, but I’d been careful not to nag. He already knew I was worried, and I wasn’t going to bring it up again, unless he did first or I saw a reason. And recently, he’d seemed to be on good behavior. I’d seen no signs of excessive drinking or spirit use. That didn’t mean the problem was gone, of course, but it was a relief to be in calm waters while I tried to puzzle out a way to help him.

“Didn’t need to see your aura.” He tapped my forehead. “You get a cute little frown there when you’ve got something bothering you.”

“Not everything about me is cute.”

“That’s true. Some things are cute. The rest are sexy.” His voice was low as he leaned toward me. “So amazingly, agonizingly sexy that it’s a wonder I can get anything done when all I ever think about is the taste of your lips and the touch of your fingertips on my skin and the way your legs feel when I—”

“Adrian,” I interrupted.

His eyes smoldered. “Yes?”

“Shut up.”

We reached for each other at the same time, and all thoughts of my dad melted away at the crush of Adrian’s mouth on mine. Until him, I had always believed discussions of the periodic table or Latin declension would turn me on. Nope. When I touched Adrian, it was all about him. I came alive in a way I didn’t know was possible and became obsessed with the feel of our bodies wrapped together. I think sometimes he thought I was holding back on sex because I wasn’t ready to cross that physical threshold. But I actually was ready. Believe me, I was. It was the mental threshold that still held me up—the knowledge that once you crossed that line, there was no going back.

And in moments like this, when he laid me back on the floor and leaned over me, I wasn’t sure why I’d ever want to go back. He slid his hand over my leg and hip, then up and under my shirt. There was a confidence in every single move he made, an assurance in knowing exactly how each touch would take me to the edge. His eyes, burning with both desire and urgency, held me as he took in my response, and then he brought his hungry lips back to mine. Meanwhile, my fingers fumbled to undo his buttons, though I didn’t take his shirt off yet. It was just enough to run my hands over his bare chest and feel that warm skin under my fingertips. One day, I’d know what it felt like to have all my skin against his, but when he finally broke off our frantic kissing, I knew today wasn’t the day—especially when he pointed out the obvious.

“Not saying I don’t want to go on,” he told me, voice husky, “but by my count, we’ve got ten minutes until you need to hightail it back to school. Unless . . .” He brightened. “Your sister got transferred?” When I laughed and shook my head, he sighed and eased off me. “Well then, as hard as it is to believe, your mind takes precedence over your body. Tell me what’s wrong.”

I didn’t have to imagine how that concession felt for him, but I was pretty sure I felt the same. Reluctantly, I sat up and leaned against the couch.

“So, Zoe told me today that—”

“Wait. Are you going to talk like that?”

I glanced down and realized he was referring to the fact that my shirt was sitting on the floor beside me. “My bra’s still on. What’s the problem?”

“The problem is that I’m distracted. Very distracted. If you want my undivided attention and wisdom, you’d better put the shirt back on.”

I smiled and scooted over to him. “Why, Adrian Ivashkov, are you admitting weakness?” I reached out to touch his cheek, and he caught my wrist with a fierceness that was surprisingly provocative.

“Of course. I never claimed strength in the face of your charms, Sage. I’m just an ordinary man. Now put the shirt back on.”

I leaned forward, testing the strength of his hold. “Or what?” With my free hand, I caught hold of one of my bra straps and started to pull it down . . .

. . . which is how we ended up kissing and rolling around the floor again.

“Damn it,” he said a little while later, breaking free again. “Don’t make me be the responsible one here. We’re down to five minutes.”

“Okay, okay.” I made myself decent and gave him an extra-abbreviated rundown of the news about my dad. “The whole time I’ve been in Palm Springs, I’ve felt like I’m in control. With him here . . . I don’t know. I suddenly feel like there’ll be a power shift.”

Adrian was all business now. “You aren’t going to lose any power. He can’t take your life away. He can’t take away this.” He gestured around us. “It’s just dinner. He’s probably going to talk about the divorce.”

“I know, I know. It’s just been so hard keeping secrets from Zoe, but I’ve pulled it off. He plays in a whole other league.”

“You’re smarter than him. You’re a better person than him.” He clasped my hands and kissed them, but it was a gesture of support and affection, not raging passion. “There’s nothing to worry about. Be your clever Sage self and tell me about it later tonight.”

“If you’re awake,” I teased. Adrian’s dream visits had been few and far between the last week or so. He’d been sleeping better than usual and had apparently listened to me about the importance of avoiding excessive spirit use. “And we still need to get in touch with Marcus again, so you’ll have to be ready for that soon.”

“I guess I’ll just have to drink more coffee to stay awake.” There was a sly glint in his eye.

“Watch it,” I warned. Taunting me with caffeine was a low blow. “You better stay on good behavior if you want some indecency again.”

“Really? And here I thought it was bad behavior that earned me that.”

We kissed goodbye, and I headed back to Amberwood a little later than intended. It was worth it, though. That short talk with Adrian—and the longer physical contact—had strengthened me. I felt confident, filled with both love for Adrian and readiness for my battles. I could handle my dad.

Mentioning Marcus made me think of my charmed salt. So far, I hadn’t done anything with it. Maybe Adrian was right, and Marcus would want to test it on a new recruit. Ms. Terwilliger was keeping it at her house for me, and although I was familiar enough with Alchemist tattooing ink, I wanted her advice on the magical properties of certain substances that might go into the blend. But when I walked into her classroom, I saw I’d have no chance for magical discussion. Zoe was there, waiting impatiently. Despite being a little late, I’d made it back only a few minutes after classes had ended. She must have run straight from her last one here.

“There you are,” she said.

Ms. Terwilliger glanced up from her desk and gave me a knowing look. “Thank you for taking those papers to the office for me. I was just explaining to your cousin how helpful you’ve been to me.”

I smiled stiffly. “Happy to help, ma’am. Am I excused?”

“Yes, yes, of course.” She returned to her paperwork without a second glance.

“What’s the urgency?” I asked as Zoe and I left the classroom.

“We have to go meet Dad now,” she said.

“Now? It’s not dinnertime. It’s not even senior-citizen dinnertime.”

“Dad got into town early and didn’t want to waste time.”

I tried not to scowl. “And once again, I’m the last to know.”

She shot me a wounded look. “You seem to have other things you think are more important. Figured you wouldn’t care.”

“Don’t start,” I warned. We reached the parking garage, and I did my usual scan of Quicksilver to make sure no idiot parker had scratched the paint.

To my surprise, Zoe backed down. “You’re right. We shouldn’t be fighting with each other. Today we’re sisters, not just Alchemists. We need to unite against our common enemy.”

“You mean Mom?” I asked incredulously. Zoe nodded in confirmation, and I had to bite my lip on a retort, lest I really did get a fight going.

The restaurant my dad had chosen was exactly what I would’ve expected from him. He had no patience for what he saw as frills and excesses, so any fancy restaurant that played on mystery or romance was out. Yet, despite his pragmatism, he also couldn’t handle a bare-bones café that would be loud and have questionable cleaning and food standards. So, he’d managed to find a Japanese fine-dining place adjacent to a hotel that prided itself on minimalism. The decor was stark, with lots of clean lines, but the food and reputation were outstanding.

“Hello, Dad,” I said. He was already at the table when we arrived and didn’t stand up to hug us. Not even Zoe expected that.

“Sydney, Zoe,” he said. Naming me first wasn’t a sign of preference, so much as respecting the birth order. If Carly had been here, he would have named her first. For double efficiency, that was also alphabetical order. A waiter came by to offer us water and tea just then, and my dad handed over the menu. “This is a dinner menu. Please bring us the lunch menu.”

“Lunchtime is over, sir,” the waiter said politely. “We’ve switched menus.”

My dad met him squarely in the eye. “Are you trying to tell me three thirty is dinnertime?”

“No . . .” The waiter glanced helplessly around at the empty restaurant, save for two businessmen drinking at the bar. “It’s not really anytime.”

“Well, in that case, I see no reason I should have to pay dinner prices. Bring me the lunch menu.”

“But lunch ended at two.”

“Then bring me a manager.”

The waiter left and returned quickly—with a lunch menu. I tried not to sink into my seat.

“Now then,” said my dad, supremely proud of himself. “Let’s get food out of the way and get down to business.”

My stomach lurched as I wondered what kind of business he had to take care of exactly. Even without that anxiety, I wasn’t really hungry but made a good faith effort and ordered sushi.

“That’s a small plate,” my dad noted.

The correct words flowed right off my tongue. “It’s also the cheapest. Even on the lunch menu, this place is overpriced. No point in going overboard when eating during business is a social convention anyway. Besides, we’re getting free food at our dorm tonight as part of our tuition.”

He nodded in approval. “Very true. You look like you’ve gained some weight too, so it’s smart to back off.”

I gave him a stiff smile, swallowing the urge to tell him I still fit firmly in a size four. I was just a much healthier-looking four, rather than a slightly malnourished one. Meanwhile, Zoe—who’d been about to set the menu down—quickly opened it again when she heard him rebuke me. She’d probably planned on ordering tempura, one of her favorite dishes, and now feared my dad’s ire over fried food. I could stomach him making comments about my weight, but if he said anything to her, I was going to have to resist the urge to throw my tea at him. In the end, she ordered what I did, even though I knew she didn’t really like sushi.

Once the waiter left with our orders, my dad took out two manila envelopes and handed us each one. “No point in wasting time. As you can see, I’ve gathered information to help you in your testimony against your mother.”

I had to shut my jaw as I flipped through pages of my mother’s life. College transcripts, job history. There were a number of photographs, including one taken during what looked like a yoga class. I held it up. It showed several students, including my mom, walking out of the studio and carrying their mats.

“What is this?” I asked.

“See that man there?” My dad pointed at one of the guys talking to my mother. “That’s her instructor. She talked to him a lot during her sessions.”

“Well, wouldn’t she if he’s her instructor?”

There was an ugly sneer on my dad’s lips. “Unless there were other reasons.”

“What?” The picture slipped from my hand. “No. No way. Mom would never have an affair.”

He shrugged. “She wants a divorce, doesn’t she?”

I could’ve named a dozen reasons she wanted one, but I instead opted for neutrality. “Do you have any other proof?”

“No,” he admitted. “But it doesn’t matter. The insinuation is enough. We just need to make her look unreliable. Dropping out of college helps, as does her sketchy employment history. She’s never held a full-time job.”

“Because she was taking care of us,” I said. My dad had looked out for our education, but she was the one who handled our day-to-day lives, managing the house and hugging us through our injuries.

“Again—not important. There’s enough documentation here to demonstrate what a fickle parental figure she’d be. At the very least, it’ll ensure joint custody, though I’d be surprised if I didn’t get full.”

“Do you have any ins on the legal side?” I asked, again with a forced smile.

He scowled. “No, though not for lack of trying.”

“So they’ll just have to base the case on facts,” I remarked, deadpan.

“Yes. We’ll be fine if you girls do your part.” He paused as the waiter delivered hot towels. “I know I don’t have to tell you how important this is. Zoe is a valuable asset in our cause, which is growing more and more critical each day. The reintroduction of vampire hunters has gotten a lot of attention. We can’t let their chaotic nature ruin what we’ve worked for.”

That was a relief, at least. Most Alchemists found the Warriors of Light to be a primitive group of trigger-happy rebels, though Marcus had discovered recent evidence that some Alchemists were working with the Warriors. There was also evidence that the Warriors knew about Jill. I was glad my dad was on the side of reason and mainstream Alchemist thought here.

To my surprise, he looked directly at me. “A lot of what we know is a result of your efforts.” It was as close as he could get to a compliment.

“I just did what I had to do,” I told him.

“Between that, uncovering Keith’s crimes, and stomaching that wedding, you’ve caught the attention of many of our higher-ups.”

Awkward silence fell. Condemnation was more our status quo than praise, and I certainly wasn’t sure how to handle it. Zoe cleared her throat. “I supervised a feeding by myself,” she said proudly. “I mean, not the actual blood drinking part. But Sydney couldn’t make it when the Moroi had to go to Clarence Donahue’s house for a feeding. So I took over.”

My dad jerked his gaze back to me. “Why couldn’t you make it?”

“I had to work on a school project,” I explained.

“I see.” But there was a small frown on his face.

“Sydney’s always working on school projects,” Zoe added. I think she was hurt that her “supervising” role hadn’t received more acknowledgment. “Always gone after school. Always running errands and hanging out with her history teacher.”

“We don’t hang out,” I countered.

“You have coffee together, don’t you?” asked Zoe triumphantly.

“Well, yeah, but that’s not—”

“What subject is this for?” my dad interrupted. “Chemistry?”

Zoe and I answered in unison. “History.”

His frown deepened. “That’s a nonessential subject. All of them are, actually. You’ve already received a superior education.”

“Yes, but keeping my cover is essential,” I pointed out. “Being an exemplary student has a lot of advantages. They give me a lot of freedom, and being able to leave campus after hours to run errands for Ms. Terwilliger means I’m able to get away and help the Moroi if needed without drawing attention. We can’t risk them doing something stupid and creating a scene.”

That seemed to mollify our dad, but Zoe was on the offensive now. “It’s more than that. You and her are friends. You talk about vacations to Greece and Rome.”

Where had this come from? I’d expected to face interrogation from my dad, not her. “So what if we talk sometimes? She’s human. No harm.”

“The harm is you can’t give your full attention to the mission.” There was a hard look on Zoe’s face I didn’t like. “And maybe she’s human, but you certainly have Moroi and dhampir friends.”

Our dad’s eyebrows shot up, but the food arrived just then, giving me time to build a response. He jumped before I could. “What does that mean—Moroi and dhampir friends?”

“Sydney hangs out with them,” Zoe declared. “Does favors for them.”

I fixed her with a hard glare that made her flinch. “It’s my job to oversee them. There’s a fine line of learning how to socialize with them in order to earn their trust and get them to do what I need—something you haven’t picked up on yet. Good God, I had to live with one! I was ordered to, something you’d never be able to handle, seeing as you freaked out ‘supervising’ that dinner. So don’t judge my style, seeing as you aren’t the one who uncovered Keith, the Warriors, and everything else.”

“Now, now, girls. Don’t fight.” Yet I couldn’t help but notice my dad looked delighted by it. I think he thought competition made us stronger. “You both make excellent points. Zoe, Sydney has demonstrated time and again how loyal she is and how outstandingly she can perform her job. Sydney, Zoe’s right that you shouldn’t get too caught up in this teacher or the Moroi, even if it is part of your cover. There are certain lines that must never, ever be crossed. You saw that with Keith, when he succumbed to making deals with Moroi.”

Zoe and I were cowed for several moments. “Do you know how Keith is?” I asked.

My dad’s features smoothed out. “Yes, he’s been released.”

I was so surprised, I dropped the sushi I’d carefully lifted with my chopsticks. “He has?”

“Yes. He was successfully re-educated and is now working in Charleston. In an office, of course. He’s certainly not ready for the field. But it’s a relief to all of us that the education took. It doesn’t always, unfortunately. Not even when they reinforce the tattoo.”

The hair stood up on the back of my neck. “Reinforce the tattoo? You mean re-inking?”

“Somewhat.” He was very careful with his words. “Let’s just say, there are certain modifications to the ink that can help troubled souls like Keith.”

Until Marcus had told me about this, I’d never heard anyone give voice to it. “Ink with stronger compulsion for obedience and group loyalty?”

My dad’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know about that?” he demanded.

“I’ve heard rumors.” I prayed he wouldn’t demand details but was fully prepared to lie. His gaze weighed me for several long moments before he finally decided not to press me for more.

“It’s an ugly step,” he said at last. “And it relies on getting help from them. But it’s necessary. People like Keith are a danger not just to us, but to all of humanity. Maybe the Moroi aren’t as bad as the Strigoi, but they aren’t natural. They aren’t part of the order of this world, and we must keep their influence away from our fellow man. It’s our duty. Our divine duty. Anyone who can’t understand the balance we maintain with these monsters hurts the cause. Yes, it took a lot of intervention, but Keith has been reclaimed. We’ve saved his soul. You did, Sydney.” Inspiration lit my dad’s face. “You should talk to him sometime. You should see the good you’ve done.”

I shifted uncomfortably. “Oh, I—”

“After dinner,” my dad said decisively. “We’ll call him then.”

A rebellious part of me wanted to ask, “Aren’t we having lunch?” But I bit my tongue. I didn’t really feel like talking anymore. Thankfully, Zoe was still gung ho to get his attention and talked enough for both of us. And as the meal wound down, it drifted back to the court hearing. I nodded along mechanically.

“I’m glad I can count on you two,” he said as we stood up to leave. “Not that I doubted—but after Carly, well. It’s hard to say.”

“What about Carly?” I asked quickly. I noticed he hadn’t left a tip, and I discreetly tossed cash on the table as we walked away.

He scowled. “She’s going to speak on behalf of your mother. But don’t worry. It won’t be enough.”

Joy filled me, and I struggled to keep it off my face. Carly was standing up to our dad! Admittedly, she didn’t face the same pressures Zoe and I did, but I was so proud of my older sister. She was usually the timid one in the family. For her to make this stand for our mother meant she’d come a long way. I wondered if she’d ever have the courage to tell how Keith had raped her. This was a start.

Speaking of Keith . . . my father was determined to show me the “good” I’d done, no matter how much I assured him it wasn’t necessary. When we got to the parking lot, he made a couple of calls to get him through to Keith, and—worst of all—used the video feature. I silently begged for Keith to be doing something, anything, that would keep him away. No luck. After a minute or so, my dad finally got through, and Keith’s face appeared on the phone’s screen. Zoe and I crowded on each side of my dad.

“Mr. Sage,” said Keith. His voice was flat. “It’s so nice to hear from you.”

I gasped in spite of myself. Keith had once been arrogant and obnoxious. In re-education, he’d been frantic and terrified. Now . . . there was nothing. He was blank. An automaton. One of his eyes was glass, but if I hadn’t known which one, I never would have been able to tell now.

“I have Sydney and Zoe here,” my dad explained. “Sydney’s been worried about you.”

“Hello, Sydney.” I think he smiled, but it was hard to tell. “I’ve been wanting to thank you. I was sick, and now I’m better. I let myself get deceived by those creatures of evil. If not for you, I’d have lost my soul.”

My tongue felt thick. “That . . . that’s great, Keith. How is everything else? Outside Alchemist work?”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Um, I don’t know. Seen any good movies? Girlfriend?” I knew this was probably frivolous to my dad. “Are you happy?”

Keith barely even blinked. “My happiness doesn’t matter. Only the work does. That and continuing to do penance.”

“For . . . for what? For your moneymaking scheme with Clarence? I mean, it was bad . . . but it could’ve been worse.” I had no idea why I was trying to defend him to himself, but there was just something deeply unsettling about all this talk of souls and penance—especially when I knew the Alchemists’ real problem wasn’t the side effects of Keith’s scheme so much as the fact that he’d simply worked with a Moroi. “And you just said you were better.”

“Better, but not cured.” The tone of his voice sent chills through me. “Those who collaborate with those creatures for anything but the greater good have a long path to redemption, one I’m ready to walk. I have sinned against my own kind and let my soul become corrupted. I am ready to have the darkness purged.”

“You sound legitimately sorry,” I said weakly. “I mean, that’s good, right? That’s got to mean something.”

“I am ready to have the darkness purged,” he repeated. It was hard to say if he knew he was even talking to me. He sounded like he was reciting something. Something he’d recited many, many times, in fact.

Those who collaborate with those creatures for anything but the greater good have a long path to redemption. The impact of those words wasn’t lost on me. I was doing a lot more than collaborating with Adrian. Was this what I risked? This . . . deadness? The last time I’d seen Keith, he’d been screaming for release from the Alchemists. It had been terrible, yet at the same time, there’d been something real to it. A fight. A fire within him. There was nothing now. Keith had been obnoxious and selfish, but he had also always been outgoing and full of personality—even if it was an annoying one. How did he go from cocky to . . . this? What had to be done to him to strip him of all that he was, to get him to agree to whatever he was told?

The tattoo, I realized. They must have re-inked him with some pretty serious compulsion. And yet . . . some gut instinct told me there was more. The Alchemist ink could make you obey simple commands and make you susceptible to suggestions. This complete personality reversal? That required greater intervention. I was seeing what had to be a combination of a reinforced tattoo and whatever they did in re-education.

I was also seeing what my fate might be if caught.

“Keith,” I managed at last. “How exactly are you purging that darkness?”

“It’s time to go,” my father suddenly interrupted. “We’re very happy to see you doing well, Keith, and will talk to you later.”

Keith told us goodbye, and we headed out toward our respective cars. Zoe dared a quick, controlled hug to our dad before getting in Quicksilver. I turned to the driver’s door, but he caught hold of my hand. I didn’t resist because I was still numbed by what I’d just witnessed.

“Sydney,” he said, eyes cold. “You truly have done outstanding work. I’m glad Zoe’s here to learn from you. She’s headstrong and untried but will eventually learn. And she’s right about one thing—don’t get distracted. Even if it’s just this teacher of yours. There may be a time you can be allowed some recreation. It’d certainly be nice for you to continue talking to that young and upstanding Ian Jansen. But now, even a seemingly innocent social interaction—with a human—is dangerous. You must stay focused on your task. And I know I don’t have to tell you about friendships with the Moroi and dhampirs.”

“Of course not, sir.” I wanted to gag.

He gave me what passed for a smile with him and then turned without another word. I drove Zoe back to Amberwood, and awkwardness left over from our earlier spat lingered. As much I’d disliked her selling me out to our dad, I still loved her . . . and couldn’t entirely blame her. He was an intimidating person, one who excelled at making you feel inadequate. I’d had plenty of experience with it.

“Hey,” I said, noticing we were passing the ice cream place she and I had gone to last week. “You up for some praline pecan?”

Zoe stared straight ahead without even looking at it. “There’s a lot of fat and sugar in that, Sydney.” Silence fell for a few moments. “Maybe I should stop having driving lessons with Eddie.”

“Is he a bad teacher? Has he done anything, um, sinister?”

“No . . .” The conflict in her voice was nearly palpable. “But he’s still one of them. You heard what Dad said . . . what Keith said. No collaboration.”

“It’s not collaboration. It’s business,” I said pragmatically. “What if there’s an emergency, and you have to drive? We need you prepared. It’s for the greater good.”

Her face relaxed. “I suppose you’re right.”

She was quiet again after that, giving my thoughts ample opportunity to spiral around as I contemplated possible consequences of today’s meal. Maybe my sterling record still kept me untouchable, but Zoe had tattled on some of my other activities. Were my dad’s suspicions raised? It was hard to say, but I would’ve preferred he had no reason to think twice about me.

And of course, I was still troubled by Keith. His face haunted me. What had they done to him? What had he endured in re-education? And how big a role had re-inking played? Those questions tumbled in my mind over and over, and when we reached the school, I made a decision. It was a difficult one, and one that wouldn’t necessarily solve all my problems. But I had to act. Seeing Keith had driven home the desperation of my situation.

I had to make the ink. And I had to inject myself with it.

There was no other way. I had to start making preparations to find out if the ink would protect against Alchemist mental manipulation. One of Marcus’s recruits would’ve been a better guinea pig, but there was no time to get one. Inez had said my magic use might muddle the results, but what else could I do? I had no clean test subject, and doing nothing was unacceptable. If there was a way to prevent others—and myself—from turning into Keith, I had to find it. This was my starting point, and I refused to waste another moment.

After the dorm’s dinner, when Zoe went off to a study group, I prepared to go to Ms. Terwilliger’s house after first calling her with a very surprising request. Maybe it was dangerous running out on Zoe after the earlier lecture, but I would claim it was a mandatory assignment if she questioned me later. As I was walking toward the student parking lot, I ran into Trey. He looked like he was on his way to work.

“Yo, Melbourne,” he said, coming to a stop beside me. “I have to ask you something. Angeline’s been hanging out with that dhampir. I just saw them walking off together. Is something going on with them?”

“Which dhampir?” I asked.

“The one with the fake British accent.”

“I don’t think it’s fake.”

“Well, whatever.” Even I could read the jealousy in Trey’s features. “What’s up with them?”

“Pretty sure there’s nothing.”

“Then why are they always together?”

Because she’s trying to get over you, I thought. “I think they’re practicing or something. You know. Dhampir stuff.” He didn’t look convinced. “Maybe instead of stalking her, you should go out with someone else.”

He sighed. “You don’t think I’ve tried? How can anyone compare? You might not believe this, but there is no one like her at this school.”

“Oh, I believe it,” I said, thinking back to the time Angeline had forgotten her locker’s combination and tried to get into it with an axe. No one was really sure where she’d gotten it from.

“Is she going to the dance with anyone?”

“What dance?”

He pointed to a sign hanging in the dorm’s window that read VALENTINE’S DANCE. “Honestly, how do you miss this stuff?”

“I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“You don’t think she’ll go with Neil, do you?”

I thought about Neil’s indifference and focus on duty. “No. I’m pretty sure that won’t happen.”

He put his hands in his pockets and stared off morosely. I waited for some further comment, but when none came, I felt my eyes widen in surprise. “Is it really that big a deal? Her going to do the dance with someone?”

“She’s the big deal,” he said, turning back to face me. “I think . . . I think I may have made a mistake with her. I thought I wanted the Warriors to accept me. But do I? What I really want is to wipe out evil vampires and right wrongs. That kind of thing. I don’t need them to do that. I can think for myself and find a way to do that, maybe a way that involves Angeline.”

I found myself unexpectedly riveted, mostly because what he was suggesting echoed some of my own desires so closely. “So, what then? You’re going to get back together?”

“I don’t know. I need time to think about how I can make this all work. And I need her not to go out with Neil or any other guy in the meantime.” He shot me a wry look. “I know, I know. That sounds incredibly sexist, wanting her to put her life on hold so I can figure out what I want. But this isn’t exactly a typical situation we’re in.”

“Isn’t that the truth,” I muttered. More silence fell between us, and two revelations hit me. One was that as crazy as Trey and Angeline seemed together, I wanted them to work. The second was that I suddenly had an opportunity before me. “I’ll help you. I’ll help Angeline stay single.”

“What?” He scrutinized me closely. “You can do that?”

“Sure,” I said. It was an easy thing to promise, seeing as she was still hung up on him and her alleged rebound was completely disinterested, but Trey didn’t know that. A smile broke out over his face—then faltered.

“What do you want in return?” he asked cautiously.

“What makes you think I want anything?”

“You’re an Alchemist.” Again, he couldn’t quite manage the smile. “Alchemists don’t give things away.”

“Friends do,” I said, wondering if I should feel hurt at the insinuation or ashamed that he was right in this case. “I’ll help you with Angeline. But I need a favor—a big one and one that you, as a friend, are going to have to trust me on.”

He considered for several moments. “Go on.”

Excitement fluttered in my chest, and I attempted to sound calm and trustworthy. “How would you like another tattoo? One that no one can see?”

He stared in astonishment. “Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m serious. There’s something I’m trying to do, kind of a side project, that could help a lot of people. Human people. If you could do this, it would be huge.”

More than huge. Trey would be the perfect test subject.

“When you and tattoos are involved, they aren’t just decorative,” he reminded me. It was true. When I’d first come to Amberwood, I’d discovered that Keith was running an illicit ring of magical, performance-enhancing tattoos. It was what had landed him in trouble with the Alchemists. Trey had seen the dire side effects of Keith’s handiwork.

“No, but this one’s not going to control you. If it works, it’ll actually protect you from mind control.”

His eyebrows rose. “I didn’t even know I was in danger of that. And if it doesn’t work?”

“Then nothing will happen. You’ll just have had the chance to prove how tough you are by enduring another tattoo.” Well, I was pretty sure that nothing would happen. Ninety-nine percent sure. No need to mention the one percent. “Although . . . you’ll eventually need another tattoo to prove it works.”

“Sydney—”

“Trey, please.” I caught hold of his arm. “I can’t tell you everything, but trust me when I say this is really important. I hope you know me well enough to know I wouldn’t ask something like this casually.” His face confirmed that. “You said you wanted to right wrongs? Believe me, this’ll do it. And you’ll get help with Angeline.”

“So you won’t help me if I don’t do this for you?”

I hesitated, and some of my vigor faded. There was no way I could blackmail him. “No. I wouldn’t do that to you. I’ll still help keep her single, no matter what you decide.”

He weighed me with his dark eyes for several long moments. “I may regret this, but okay. We don’t always share the same philosophies, but when you say you’re going to help people, you mean it. When is this going down?”

“I guess after you get off work. Isn’t that where you’re going?” I disliked the delay but would take what I could get to have a solid test subject.

“Nah. Just picking up my paycheck.”

Luckier and luckier. “Can you go to Ms. Terwilliger’s after that? I’ll text you her address, and she’ll take care of curfew.”

“This is going down at Ms. T’s?”

“Yeah. You can meet her boyfriend. He has an eye patch.”

Trey mulled this over. “Why didn’t you just tell me that in the first place? I’m so there.”

I sent him her address and then headed off to my own car. Once I was on the road, I called Adrian.

“How’d it go with the old man?” he asked.

“Not great,” I said. “I’m heading over to Ms. Terwilliger’s place and need you to meet me there.”

“Okay,” he said unhesitatingly. “Do I get a heads-up why?”

“I found a guinea pig.”