The Golden Lily (8 page)

I was already closing the spell book before she finished speaking. When I’d begun as her assistant, I’d resented the constant errands. Now, I looked forward to the escape. Not to mention my own caffeine fix.

When I reached the coffee shop, I found Trey was just starting his shift, which was great—not just because he was a friendly face, but because it meant discounts.

He began making my order before I even placed it since he knew the drill by now.

Another barista offered to help, and Trey gave him meticulous instructions on what to do.

“Skinny vanila latte,” said Trey, grabbing the caramel for Ms.

“Skinny vanila latte,” said Trey, grabbing the caramel for Ms.

Terwiliger’s cappuccino. “That’s sugar-free syrup and skim.

Don’t mess it up. She can sniff out sugar and 2% milk a mile away.” I suppressed a smile. Maybe I couldn’t reveal Alchemist secrets to my friends, but it was nice to know they at least knew my coffee preferences backwards and forwards.

The other barista, who looked to be our age, gave Trey a drol look. “I’m well aware of what skinny means.”

“Nice attention to detail,” I teased Trey. “I didn’t know you cared.”

“Hey, I live to serve,” he said. “Besides, I need your help tonight with that lab write-up from chem. You always find things I miss.”

“It’s due tomorrow,” I chastised. “You had two weeks. I’m guessing you didn’t get much done in your cheerleader study session.”

“Yeah, yeah. Will you help me out? I’ll even go to your campus.”

“I’ll be up late with a study group—a real one.” The opposite sex was banned from our dorms after a certain hour. “I could meet you on Central Campus afterward if you want.”

“How many campuses does your school have?” asked the other barista, setting down my latte.

“Three.” I reached eagerly for the coffee. “Like Gaul.”

“Like what?” asked Trey.

“Sorry,” I said. “Latin joke.”

“Omnia Galia in tres partes divisa est,” said the barista.

I jerked my head up. Not much could have distracted me I jerked my head up. Not much could have distracted me from coffee, but hearing Julius Caesar quoted at Spencer’s certainly did.

“You know Latin?” I asked.

“Sure,” he said. “Who doesn’t?”

Trey roled his eyes. “Only the rest of the world,” he muttered.

“Especialy classical Latin,” continued the barista. “I mean, it’s pretty remedial compared to Medieval Latin.”

“Obviously,” I said. “Everyone knows that. All the rules became chaotic in the post-Empire decentralization.” He nodded agreement. “Although, if you compare it to the Romance languages, the rules start to make sense when you read them as part of the larger picture of the language’s evolution.”

“This,” interrupted Trey, “is the most messed-up thing I’ve ever seen. And the most beautiful. Sydney, this is Brayden.

Brayden, Sydney.” Trey rarely used my first name, so that was weird, but not nearly as weird as the exaggerated wink he gave me.

I shook Brayden’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too,” he said. “You’re a Classics fan, huh?” He paused, giving me a long, considering look. “Did you see the Park Theatre Group’s production of Antony and Cleopatra this summer?”

“No. Didn’t even know they performed it.” I suddenly felt kind of lame for not having known that, as though I should be up on all arts and culture events in the greater Palm Springs area. I added by way of explanation, “I only moved here a month ago.” added by way of explanation, “I only moved here a month ago.”

“I think they have a couple performances left in the season.” Brayden hesitated once more. “I’d see it again if you wanted to go. Though I’ll warn you—it’s one of those reinterpreted Shakespeare productions. Modern clothes.”

“I don’t mind. That kind of reinterpretation is what makes Shakespeare timeless.” The words roled automaticaly off my lips. As they did, I suddenly had one of those epiphany moments where I realized there was more going on than I’d initialy thought. I replayed Brayden’s words. Between that and Trey’s enormous grin, I soon had a startling realization. This was the guy Trey had been teling me about. My “soul mate.” And he was asking me out.

“This is a great idea,” said Trey. “You kids should totaly go see that play. Make a whole day of it. Grab some dinner and hang out at the library or whatever it is you do for fun.” Brayden met my eyes. His were hazel, almost like Eddie’s but with a little green. Not as much green as Adrian’s, of course. No one’s eyes were that amazingly green. Brayden’s brown hair occasionaly picked up glints of gold in the light and was cut in a no-nonsense way that showed off the angles of his cheekbones. I had to admit, he was pretty cute. “They perform Thursday through Sunday,” he said. “I’ve got a debate tournament over the weekend … could you do it Thursday night?”

“I …” Could I? There was nothing planned, so far as I knew.

About twice a week, I took Jill to the home of Clarence Donahue, an old Moroi who had a feeder. Thursday wasn’t a scheduled feeding night, though, and technicaly I wasn’t scheduled feeding night, though, and technicaly I wasn’t obligated to go to experiment nights.

“Of course she’s free,” Trey jumped in before I could even answer. “Right, Sydney?”

“Yes,” I said, shooting him a look. “I’m free.” Brayden smiled. I smiled back. Nervous silence fel. He seemed as unsure as I was about how to proceed. I would have thought it was cute, if I wasn’t so worried that I looked ridiculous.

Trey elbowed him sharply. “This is the part where you ask for her number.”

Brayden nodded, though he didn’t look like he appreciated the elbowing. “Right, right.” He puled a cell phone out of his pocket. “Is it Sydney with a y or i?” Trey roled his eyes.

“What? I’m guessing the former, but as naming conventions become increasingly untraditional, you never know. I just want to get it right in my phone.”

“I would have done the same thing,” I agreed. I then told him my phone number.

He looked up and smiled at me. “Great. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too,” I said, and actualy meant it.

I left Spencer’s in a daze. I had a date. How on earth did I have a date?

Trey hurried out to me a few moments later, catching me as I was unlocking my car. He still wore his barista apron. “Wel?” he asked. “Was I right, or was I right?”

“About what?” I asked, though I had a feeling I knew what

“About what?” I asked, though I had a feeling I knew what was coming.

“About Brayden being your soul mate.”

“I told you—”

“I know, I know. You don’t believe in soul mates. still,” he grinned, “if that guy isn’t perfect for you, then I don’t know who is.”

“Wel, we’ll see.” I balanced Ms. Terwiliger’s cup on top of the car, so I could drink from my own. “Of course, he doesn’t like modern Shakespearean interpretations, so that might be a deal breaker.”

Trey stared at me in disbelief. “Seriously?”

“No,” I said, giving him a look. “I’m kidding. Wel, maybe.” The latte Brayden had made me was pretty good, so I was wiling to give him the benefit of a doubt on the Shakespeare thing. “Why do you care so much about my romantic life anyway?”

Trey shrugged and stuffed his hands into his pockets. Already, beads of sweat were forming on his tanned skin from the late afternoon sun. “I don’t know. I guess I feel like I owe you for everything that went down with the tattoos. That and all your homework help.”

“You don’t realy need my help with that. And the tattoos …” I frowned, as an image of Keith beating on the glass flashed through my mind. Keith’s vampire blood ring had resulted in high-inducing tattoos that had wreaked havoc on Amberwood.

Trey, of course, didn’t know about my personal interest in the Trey, of course, didn’t know about my personal interest in the matter. He just knew I’d gotten rid of those who were using the tattoos to unfair advantage in sports. “I did it because it was the right thing to do.” That made him smile. “Of course. still, it’s saved me a lot of grief with my dad.”

“I should hope so. You don’t have any competition on the team now. What more could your dad want?”

“Oh, there’s always something else he thinks I could be the best at. It’s not just football.” Trey had hinted at that before.

“I know what that’s like,” I said, thinking of my own father. A moment of silence fell between us.

“It doesn’t help that my perfect cousin’s coming into town soon,” he said finaly. “Makes everything I do look completely lame. You got a cousin like that?”

“Er, not realy.” Most of my cousins were on my mom’s side, and my dad tended to shy away from her family.

“You probably are the perfect cousin,” Trey grumbled.

“Anyway, yeah, there’re always these expectations in the family … always these tests. football’s given me some respectability for now.” He winked at me. “That and my awesome chem grade.”

That last comment wasn’t lost on me. “Fine. I’ll text you when I get back tonight. We’ll make it happen.”

“Thanks. And I’ll give Brayden a talking-to so he doesn’t try anything on Thursday.”

My mind was still full of Latin and Shakespeare. “Try what?” Trey shook his head. “Honestly, Melbourne, I don’t know Trey shook his head. “Honestly, Melbourne, I don’t know how you’ve survived this long in the world without me.”

“Oh,” I said, blushing. “That.” Great. Now I had something else to worry about.

Trey scoffed. “Between you and me, Brayden’s probably the last guy in the world you have to worry about. I think he’s as clueless as you are. If I didn’t care about your virtue so much, I’d actualy probably give him a lecture on how to try something.”

“Wel, thanks for keeping my best interests at heart,” I said dryly. “I always wanted a brother to watch out for me.” He studied me curiously. “Don’t you have, like, three brothers?”

Oh no.

“Er, I meant figuratively.” I tried not to panic. I rarely slipped up on our background story. Eddie, Adrian, and Keith had all been passed off as my brothers at some point. “None of them are realy that concerned about my dating life. What I’m concerned about, though, is getting into air conditioning.” I opened my car door, and a wave of heat roled out. “I’ll talk to you tonight and help you with the lab.” Trey nodded, looking like he wanted to get back inside as wel. “And I’ll help you if you have any more questions about dating.”

I hoped my scathing look told him my opinion on that, but once he was gone and I was blasting the car’s air conditioning, my arrogance faded. Anxiety took its place. The question I’d asked myself earlier repeated in my head.

asked myself earlier repeated in my head.

How on earth was I going to get through this date alive?

WORD OF MY UPCOMING DATE spread fast.

I could only presume Trey had told Kristin and Julia, who had in turn told Jill and Eddie and God only knew who else. … So, I shouldn’t have been surprised when I got a call from Adrian just after dinner. He started talking before I could even say helo.

“Realy, Sage? A date?”

I sighed. “Yes, Adrian. A date.”

“A real date. Not, like, doing homework together,” he added.

“I mean like where you go out to a movie or something. And a movie that’s not part of a school assignment. Or about something boring.”

“A real date.” I figured I wouldn’t give him the specifics on the Shakespeare play.

“What’s the lucky guy’s name?”

“Brayden.”

There was a pause. “Brayden? That’s his real name?”

“Why are you asking if everything’s real? You think I’d make any of this up?”

“No, no,” Adrian assured me. “That’s what’s so unbelievable about it. Is he cute?”

about it. Is he cute?”

I glanced at the clock. It was time for me to meet my study group. “Gee, maybe I should just send you a picture to review?”

“Yes, please. And a full background check and life history.”

“I have to go. Why do you care so much anyway?” I finaly asked in exasperation.

His answer took a long time, which was uncharacteristic.

Adrian was usualy ready with a dozen witty quips. Maybe he couldn’t decide which one to use. When he finaly responded, it was in that usual sarcastic way of his

—though the levity sounded a little forced. “Because it’s one of those things I never expected to see in my lifetime,” he told me. “Like a comet. Or world peace. I’m just used to you being single.” For some reason, that bothered me. “What, you don’t think any guy would ever be interested in me?”

“Actualy,” said Adrian, sounding remarkably serious, “I can imagine lots of guys being interested in you.” I was certain he was teasing me and had no time for his jokes.

I said goodbye and headed off to my study group, which, thankfuly, was pretty dedicated and got a lot of work done. But when I met up with Trey at the library later, he was less than focused. He couldn’t stop going on and on about how briliant he was in getting Brayden and me together.

“This date hasn’t even happened, and I’m already tired of it,” I said. I spread Trey’s lab paperwork out on the table before us.

The numbers and formulas were comforting, far more concrete and orderly than the mysteries of social interaction. I tapped the lab assignment with my pen. “Pay attention. We don’t have a lot lab assignment with my pen. “Pay attention. We don’t have a lot of time.” He shrugged off my concerns. “Can’t you just finish it?”

“No! I left enough time so that you could do it yourself. I’ll help, but that’s it.”

Trey was inteligent enough to figure out most of it on his own.

Using me was just another way for him to dodge looking smart.

He let the date go and focused on the work. I thought I was free of Brayden interrogation until, just as were wrapping up, Jill and Micah came stroling by, hand in hand.

They were with a group of other people, which didn’t surprise me. Micah was easygoing and popular, and Jill had inherited a large circle of friends by going out with him. Her eyes sparkled with happiness as someone in the group told a funny story that made them all laugh. I couldn’t help a smile myself. This was a far cry from when Jill had first come to Amberwood and been treated as an outcast for unusual looks and odd behaviors. She was thriving with this new social status.

Maybe it would help her embrace her royal background. My smile faded when Jill puled Micah away from the group and hurried over to our table. Her eager expression worried me.

“Is it true?” she asked. “Do you have a date?”

“For the love of—you know it’s true! And you told Adrian, didn’t you?” I gave her a pointed look. Their psychic bond wasn’t active 100 percent of the time, but

“For the love of—you know it’s true! And you told Adrian, didn’t you?” I gave her a pointed look. Their psychic bond wasn’t active 100 percent of the time, but something told me she knew about his earlier phone call to me. When the bond was

“on,” she could see into his mind, observing both his feelings and actions. It only worked one way, however. Adrian had no such actions. It only worked one way, however. Adrian had no such insight. She turned sheepish.

“Yeah … I couldn’t help it when Micah told me …”

“I heard it from Eddie,” Micah added quickly, as though that might get him off the hook. He had red hair and blue eyes that were always cheerful and friendly. He was one of those people you couldn’t help but like, which made it harder to undo the tangled web Jill had woven by dating him.

“Hey, I did not tell Eddie,” said Trey defensively.

I turned my gaze on him. “But you told other people. And they told Eddie.”

Trey gave a half shrug. “I might have mentioned it here and there.”

“Unbelievable,” I said.

“What’s this guy like?” asked Jil. “Is he cute?” I thought about it. “Pretty cute.”

She perked up. “Wel, that’s promising. Where’s he taking you? Somewhere good? Night on the town? Fancy dinner?

Micah and I had an awesome time at Salton Sea. It’s so pretty.

You could go there, have a romantic picnic.” Her cheeks turned pink and she stopped for breath, as if realizing she was talking too much. Rambling was one of Jil’s most endearing traits.

“We’re going to see Shakespeare in the park,” I said.

That got me silence.

“Antony and Cleopatra. It’s good.” I suddenly felt the need to defend myself. “A classic. Brayden and I both appreciate Shakespeare.” Shakespeare.”

“His name is Brayden?” asked Micah in disbelief. “What kind of a name is that?”

Jill frowned. “Antony and Cleopatra … is that romantic?”

“Kind of,” I said. “For a while. Then everyone dies in the end.”

Jil’s horrified expression told me that I wasn’t realy improving matters.

“Wel,” she said. “I hope you have, um, fun.” A few moments of awkwardness ensued, then her eyes lit up again. “Oh! Lia caled me tonight. She said you two talked about me modeling for her again?”

“She what?” I exclaimed. “That’s not quite how I’d put it. She asked if you could do some print ads. I said no.”

“Oh.” Jil’s face fell a little. “I understand. From what she said … I just thought. Wel. I thought maybe there was a way …” I gave her a meaningful look. “I’m sorry, Jil. I wish there was a way. But you know why you can’t.” She nodded sadly. “I understand. It’s okay.”

“You don’t need a modeling campaign to be beautiful to me,” said Micah galantly.

That brought a smile back to her face that faded when she saw a nearby clock. Her transient moods reminded me of Adrian’s, and I wondered if some of that was the effect of the bond. “Ugh. Curfew’s coming. We’d better head out. You coming, Sydney?” I glanced at Trey’s lab. It was complete and, I knew, I glanced at Trey’s lab. It was complete and, I knew, absolutely perfect. “I’ll leave in just a couple minutes.” She and Micah left. Glancing over at Trey, I was surprised to find him staring at her retreating figure intently. I nudged him.

“Hey. Don’t forget to put your name on this, or it was all for nothing.”

It still took him several seconds to drag his gaze away. “That’s your sister, isn’t it?” His dismal tone made it sound more like a statement than a question, as though he were revealing some unfortunate fact.

“Um, yeah. You’ve seen her like a hundred times. She’s gone to this school for a month.” He frowned. “I just never thought much about it … never got a good look at her before. I don’t have any classes with her.”

“She was front and center in that fashion show.”

“She had a mask on.” His dark eyes studied me. “You guys don’t look alike at al.”

“We get that a lot.”

Trey still looked troubled, and I had no idea why. “You’re smart to keep her out of modeling,” he said at last. “She’s too young.”

“It’s a religious thing,” I said, knowing Trey wouldn’t quiz me for many details on our “faith.”

“Whatever it is, keep her out of the public eye.” He scrawled his name on the lab and shut his textbook. “You don’t want her plastered all over magazines or something. Lots of creepy people out there.”

Now I was the one left staring. I agreed with him. Too much Now I was the one left staring. I agreed with him. Too much exposure meant the Moroi dissidents could find Jil. But why would Trey feel that way, too? His claims that she was too young were sound, I supposed, but there was something vaguely unsettling about the exchange. The way he’d watched her walk away was too weird. But then, what other reason aside from concern could he have?

The normality of the next couple of days was welcome—

normality being relative around here, of course. Adrian kept sending me e-mails, asking me to rescue him (while also offering unsolicited dating advice). Ms.

Terwiliger continued her passive aggressive attempts to teach me magic. Eddie continued in his fierce dedication to Jil. And Angeline continued her not-so-subtle advances on Eddie.

After watching her “accidentaly” spil her water bottle all over her white T-shirt at practice with him one day, I knew something would have to be done, no matter what Eddie had said about his personal life. Like so many awkward and unpleasant tasks in our cohort, I had a feeling I was the one who would have to do it. I figured this would be some sort of stern, heart-to-heart talk about the proper way to solicit someone’s attention, but on the night of my date with Brayden, it was soon made clear to me that I was apparently the last person who should be giving dating advice.

“You’re wearing that?” demanded Kristin, pointing an accusing finger at the outfit I’d neatly set out on my bed. She and Julia had taken it upon themselves to inspect me before I went Julia had taken it upon themselves to inspect me before I went out. Jill and Angeline had tagged along without invitation, and I couldn’t help but notice that everyone seemed a lot more excited about this than I was. Mostly I was a tangle of nerves and fear.

This was what it must feel like to go into a test without having studied. It was a new experience for me.

“It’s not a school uniform,” I said. I’d had enough sense to know wearing that would be unacceptable. “And it’s a color.

Kind of.”

Julia held up the top I’d selected, a crisp cotton blouse with short sleeves and a high, button-up colar. The whole thing was a soft shade of lemon yelow, which I thought would score me points with this group since everyone accused me of not wearing colors. I’d even combined it with a pair of jeans. She shook her head.

“This is the kind of shirt that says, ‘You’re never get ting in here.’”

“Wel, why would he?” I demanded.

Kristin, sitting cross-legged in my desk chair, tilted her head thoughtfuly as she studied the shirt. “I think it’s more like a shirt that says, ‘I’m going to have to end this date early so I can go prepare my Power Point presentation.’”

That sent them into fits of laughter. I was about to protest when I noticed Jill and Angeline going through my closet. “Hey!

Maybe you should ask before doing that.”

“All your dresses are too heavy,” said Jil. She puled out one made of soft, gray cashmere. “I mean, at least this is sleeveless, but it’s still too much for this weather.”

“Half my wardrobe is,” I said. “It’s made for four seasons. I

“Half my wardrobe is,” I said. “It’s made for four seasons. I didn’t realy have a lot of time to switch to all summer stuff before coming here.”

“See?” exclaimed Angeline triumphantly. “Now you know my problem. I can cut a couple inches off of that, if you want.”

“No!” To my relief, Jill put the dress away. A few moments later, she produced a new find.

“What about this?” She held up a hanger carrying a long white tank top made of light, crinkly material with a scoop neckline.

Kristin glanced at Angeline. “Think you could make the neckline lower?”

“The neckline’s low enough already. And that’s not a shirt you wear on its own,” I protested. “It’s meant to be tucked in under a blazer.” Julia rose from the chair. She tossed her hair; this was serious business. “No, no … this might work.” She took the shirt from Jill and laid it across the jeans I’d set out. She studied it for a few moments and then returned to my closet—which was apparently free game for everyone. After a quick search, she puled out a skinny leather belt with a tan snakeskin pattern. “I thought I remembered you wearing this.” She laid the belt over the white shirt and stepped back. After a bit more scrutiny, she gave it a nod of approval. The others crowded in to look.

“Good eye,” said Kristin.

“Hey, I found the shirt,” Jill reminded her.

“I can’t wear the shirt alone,” I said. I hoped my protests covered up my anxiety. Had I realy been that off on the yelow shirt? I’d been certain it was date-

“I can’t wear the shirt alone,” I said. I hoped my protests covered up my anxiety. Had I realy been that off on the yelow shirt? I’d been certain it was date-appropriate. How was I going shirt? I’d been certain it was date-appropriate. How was I going to survive tonight if I couldn’t even dress right?

“If you want to put a blazer on over it in this weather, be my guest,” said Julia. “But I don’t think you have to worry about it showing too much. This wouldn’t even be worth Mrs.

Weathers’s notice.”

“Neither would the yelow blouse,” I pointed out.

They decided my clothing was a done deal and moved on to hair and makeup advice. I drew the line there. I wore makeup every day—very nice, very expensive makeup applied to make the most of my features in a way that made it look as though I didn’t even have makeup on. I wasn’t going to change that natural look, no matter how adamantly Julia swore pink eye shadow would be “hot.”

None of them put up much of a fight on my hair. It was currently in a layered cut that went just past my shoulders. There was exactly one way it could be styled, worn down with the layers carefuly arranged with a hair dryer. Any other style looked messy, and of course, I already had it in the perfect configuration today. No point messing with a good thing.