The Golden Lily (23 page)

And upping my alowance back to reasonable levels.”

“That’s a good thing,” I said. “Isn’t it?” My phone flashed with another text from Brayden. The dance will nearly be over by then.

“But why?” Adrian asked. He sat down on the floor beside me. There was an almost distraught look to him. He leaned closer to me and then seemed shocked as he realized what he was doing. He leaned back a little—but only a little. “Why would you do that? Why would you do that for me?” Before I could answer, another text came in. Will you even be back in time? I couldn’t help be annoyed that he wasn’t more understanding. Without thinking, I typed back: Maybe you should just leave now. I’ll call you tomorrow. Sorry. I flipped the phone over so I wouldn’t see any other messages. I looked back at Adrian, who was watching me intently.

“I did it because he wasn’t fair to you. Because you deserve credit for what you’ve done. Because he needs to realize you aren’t the person he’s always thought you were. He needs to see you for who you realy are, not for all the ideas and preconceptions he’s built up around you.” The power in Adrian’s gaze was so strong that I kept talking. I was nervous about meeting that stare in silence. Also, part of me was afraid that if I pondered my own words too hard, I’d discover they were just as much about my own father and me as Adrian and his. “It should have been enough for you to tell him who you are his. “It should have been enough for you to tell him who you are

—to show him who you are—but he wouldn’t listen. I don’t like the idea of using others to do things we can do ourselves, but this seemed like the only option.”

“Wel,” Adrian said at last. “I guess it worked. Thank you.”

“Did he tell you how to get in touch with your mother?”

“No. His pride in me apparently didn’t go that far.”

“I can probably find out where she is,” I said. “Or … or Dimitri could, I’m sure. Like you said before, they must let letters in.” He almost smiled. “There you go again. Why? Why do you keep helping me?”

There were a milion answers on my lips, everything from It’s the right thing to do to I don’t know. Instead, I said, “Because I want to.” This time, I got a true smile from him, but there was something dark and introspective about it. He shifted closer to me again.

“Because you feel bad for this crazy guy?”

“You aren’t going to go crazy,” I said firmly. “You’re stronger than you think. The next time you feel that way, find something to focus on, to remind you of who you are.”

“Like what? Got some magic object in mind?”

“Doesn’t have to be magic,” I said. I racked my brain.

“Here.” I unfastened the golden cross necklace. “This has always been good for me. Maybe it’ll help you.” I set it in his hand, but he caught hold of mine before I could pull back.

“What is it?” he asked. He looked more closely.

“Wait … I’ve seen this. You wear this all the time.”

“Wait … I’ve seen this. You wear this all the time.”

“I bought it a long time ago, in Germany.” He was still holding my hand as he studied the cross. “No frils. No flourishes. No secret etched symbols.”

“That’s why I like it,” I told him. “It doesn’t need embelishment. A lot of the old Alchemist beliefs focused on purity and simplicity. That’s what this is. Maybe it’ll

“That’s why I like it,” I told him. “It doesn’t need embelishment. A lot of the old Alchemist beliefs focused on purity and simplicity. That’s what this is. Maybe it’ll help you have clarity of mind.”

He had been staring at the cross, but now he lifted his gaze to meet mine.

Some emotion I couldn’t quite read played over his features.

It was almost like he’d just discovered something, something troubling to him. He took a deep breath and, his hand still holding mine, puled me toward him. His green eyes were dark in the candlelight but somehow just as enthraling. His fingers tightened on mine, and I felt warmth spread throughout me.

“Sage—”

The power suddenly came back on, flooding the room with light. Apparently, with no concern for electrical bils, he’d left all the lights on when he went out earlier.

The spell was broken, and both of us winced at the sudden brightness. Adrian sprang back from me, leaving the cross in my hand.

“Don’t you have a dance or a curfew or something?” he asked abruptly, not looking at me. “I don’t want to keep you.

Hel, I shouldn’t have bothered you at al. Sorry. I assume that was Aiden texting you?”

“Brayden,” I said, standing up. “And it’s okay. He left, and I’m just going to go back to Amberwood now.” I’m just going to go back to Amberwood now.”

“Sorry,” he repeated, moving toward the door with me.

“Sorry I ruined your night.”

“This?” I nearly laughed, thinking of all the crazy things I contended with in my life. “No. It’d take a lot more to ruin my night than this.” I started to take a few steps and then paused.

“Adrian?”

He finaly looked directly at me, once again nearly knocking me over with his gaze. “Yeah?”

“Next time … next time you want to talk to me about something—anything—you don’t have to drink to work up the courage. Just tell me.”

“Easier said than done.”

“Not realy.” I tried for the door again, and this time, he stopped me, resting a hand on my shoulder.

“Sage?”

I turned. “Yeah?”

“Do you know why I don’t like him? Brayden?” I was so astonished he’d gotten the name right that I couldn’t voice any answers, though several came to mind.

“Because of what he said.”

“What part?” Seeing as Brayden had said many things, in great detail, it wasn’t entirely clear which Adrian was referring to.

“‘Historicaly inaccurate.’” Adrian gestured at me with his other hand, the one not on my shoulder. “Who the hell looks at you and says ‘historicaly inaccurate’?” you and says ‘historicaly inaccurate’?”

“Wel,” I said. “Technicaly it is.”

“He shouldn’t have said that.”

I shifted, knowing I should move away … but I didn’t. “Look, it’s just his way.”

“He shouldn’t have said that,” repeated Adrian, eerily serious.

He leaned his face toward mine. “I don’t care if he’s not the emotional type or the complimentary type or what. No one can look at you in this dress, in all that fire and gold, and start talking about anachronisms. If I were him, I would have said, ‘You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen walking this earth.’” My breath caught, both at the words and the way he said them. I felt strange inside. I didn’t know what to think, except that I needed to get out of there, away from Adrian, away from what I didn’t understand. I broke from him and was surprised to find myself shaking.

“You’re still drunk,” I said, putting my hand on the door knob.

He tilted his head to the side, still watching me in that same, disconcerting way. “Some things are true, drunk or sober. You should know that. You deal in facts all the time.”

“Yeah, but this isn’t—” I couldn’t argue with him looking at me like that. “I have to go. Wait … you didn’t take the cross.” I held it out to him.

He shook his head. “Keep it. I think I’ve got something else to help center my life.” Chapter 15

I FELT SO BAD for Brayden the next day that I actualy caled him, as opposed to our usual texting and e-mailing.

“I’m so sorry,” I said. “Running out like that … it’s not my usual style. Not at al. I wouldn’t have left if it wasn’t a family emergency.” Maybe that was stretching it.

Maybe not.

“It’s okay,” he said. Without seeing his face, I couldn’t tell if it realy was okay. “I suppose things were winding down anyway.” I wondered what “things” he meant.

Did he mean the dance itself? Or was he talking about us?

“Let me take you out to make up for it,” I said. “You always do everything. I’ll handle it for a change. Dinner will be on me, and I’ll even pick you up.”

“In the Subaru?”

I ignored the judgment in his tone. “Are you in or not?” He was in. We made the necessary arrangements, and I hung up feeling better about everything. Brayden wasn’t mad.

Adrian’s visit hadn’t ruined my fledgling relationship. Things were back to normal—at least for me.

I’d kept to myself the day after the dance, wanting to catch up on work and not stress about social matters. Monday morning on work and not stress about social matters. Monday morning started the school week again, back to business as usual. Eddie walked into East’s cafeteria when I did, and we waited together in the food line. He wanted to know about Adrian’s visit to the dance, and I gave a glossed-over version of the night, simply saying that Adrian had gotten drunk and needed a ride home. I made no mention of my role in getting the queen to act on his behalf or of me being “the most beautiful creature walking this earth.” I certainly didn’t mention the way I’d felt when Adrian had touched me.

Eddie and I walked over to a table and found the unusual sight of Angeline trying to cheer up Jil. Normaly, I would’ve chastised Angeline for what she’d done at the dance, but there’d been no damage done … this time. Plus, I was too distracted by Jil. It was impossible for me to see her down without immediately assuming something was wrong with Adrian. Eddie spoke before I could, noticing what I hadn’t.

“No Micah?” he asked. “He was out the door before me. I figured he would’ve beat me over here.”

“You had to ask, didn’t you?” Angeline grimaced. “They had a fight.”

I swear, Eddie looked more upset about this than Jil. “What?

He didn’t say anything. What happened? You guys seemed to be having such a great time on Saturday.” Jill nodded morosely but didn’t look up from her uneaten food. I could just barely catch sight of tears in her eyes. “We did. So good that he actualy talked to me yesterday and asked … wel, he asked if I wanted to have Thanksgiving with asked … wel, he asked if I wanted to have Thanksgiving with his family. They’re from Pasadena. He thought he could either get permission from the school or talk to you guys.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” said Eddie cautiously.

“Thanksgiving with his family is serious! It’s one thing for us to hang out together here, but if we start expanding that … becoming a couple outside of school …” She sighed.

“It’s going to go too fast. How long would I be able to hide what I am? And even if that wasn’t an issue, it’s not safe anyway. The whole point of me being here is that it’s a safe, controled environment. I can’t just take off to meet strangers.” It was another step of progress to her accepting the difficulties of a “casual” relationship with Micah. I offered a neutral comment. “Sounds like you’ve thought a lot about this.” Jill looked up sharply, almost as if she hadn’t even realized I was there. “Yeah. I guess I have.” She scrutinized me for a few seconds, and weirdly, her distraught expression softened. She smiled. “You look realy pretty today, Sydney. The way the light hits you … it’s kind of amazing.”

“Um, thanks,” I said, uncertain as to what had prompted that comment. I was pretty sure there was nothing remarkable about me today. My hair and makeup were the same as ever, and I’d chosen a white shirt and plaid skirt uniform combo today. I had to make up for this weekend’s color splurge.

“And the burgundy trim in your skirt realy brings out the amber in your eyes,” Jill continued. “It’s not as good as the bright red, but still looks great. Of course, every color looks great on you, even the dull ones.”

great on you, even the dull ones.”

Eddie was still focused on Micah. “How’d the fight come about?”

Jill dragged her gaze from me, much to my relief. “Oh. Wel. I told him I didn’t know if I could do Thanksgiving. Probably if I’d just given him one reason, it would’ve all been fine. But I started freaking out, thinking about all the problems, and just went off on a ramble, saying we might go back to South Dakota or maybe family would come here or maybe you wouldn’t let me … or, wel, a bunch of other things. I guess it was pretty obvious I was kind of making it all up, and then he outright asked me if I didn’t want to be with him anymore. Then I said I did but that it was complicated. He asked what I meant, but of course I couldn’t explain it al, and from there …” She threw up her hands. “It all just kind of exploded from there.” I’d never thought much about Thanksgiving or meeting one’s family as a rite of passage in dating. Brayden’s family lived in southern California too … would I be expected to meet them someday?

“Micah’s not the type to hold a grudge,” said Eddie. “He’s also pretty reasonable. Just tell him the truth.”

“Micah’s not the type to hold a grudge,” said Eddie. “He’s also pretty reasonable. Just tell him the truth.”

“What, that I’m one of the last in a line of vampire royalty and my sister’s throne is dependent on me staying in hiding and surviving?” Jill asked incredulously.

Amusement flickered in Eddie’s eyes, though I could tell he was trying to stay serious for her sake. “That’s one way, I suppose. But no … I meant, just give him the simplified version.

suppose. But no … I meant, just give him the simplified version.

You don’t want to get too serious. You like him but just want to watch how fast things are going. It’s not unreasonable, you know. You’re fifteen and have been

‘dating’ for barely a month.” She pondered his words. “You don’t think he’d be mad?”

“Not if he realy cares about you,” said Eddie vehemently. “If he realy cares, he’ll understand and respect your wishes—and be happy at just any chance of spending time with you.” I wondered if Eddie was referring to Micah or himself, but that was a thought best kept quiet. Jil’s face lit up.

“Thanks,” she told Eddie. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.

You’re so right. If he can’t accept my feelings, then there’s no point to anything.” She glanced over at a wall clock and jumped to her feet. “I think I’m going to go try to find him now before class.” Like that, she was gone.

Good work, Eddie, I thought. You may have just helped get the girl of your dreams back together with her boyfriend.

When Eddie caught my eye, the look on his face told me he was thinking the exact same thing.

Angeline watched Jill dart out of the cafeteria, her blue eyes narrowed in thought. “Even if they make up, I don’t think it’ll last. With their situation … it can’t work.”