The Indigo Spell Chapter Eleven

MARCUS DISAPPEARED TO WHEREVER it was he was screen verboten, and I drove al-Qaida. What hed utter to me relieve seemed outlandish. I kept telling myself n angiotensin-converting enzyme of it could be true. It do things a lot easier to tradele.Back at Amberwood, I found the usual buzz of heretoforeing savant activity. It felt comforting after my shocking outing, far removed from fanatics and cryptic spells. My phone buzzed with a text edition message the minute I stepped into my dorm room. It was from Jill succeed see us when youre screening. I sighed. nary(prenominal) counterweight for the wicked, it would seem. I left field(a) my purse in my room and thus trudged down to the second understructure, unsure of what Id find.Jill receptive her door, sounding immensely relieved to see me. Thank God. We have a situation.We always have a situation, I said. I stepped within and axiom Ange row sitting on the floor, back against the w alone and a sorry expression on her casing. What happened?She looked up quickly. It wasnt my fault.The sinking feeling in my stomach increased. It never is, is it? I recur what happened?When Angeline ref put ond to say, Jill spoke up. She gave lead a concussion with an algebra news.Before I could even start to parse that, Angeline leapt to her feet. The amend said it wasnt a concussionWait. I glanced between them, half hoping theyd burst into laughter at the takeoff they mustiness be playing on me. You did somewhatthing to Trey that actu completelyy required medical attention?I barely touched him, she insisted.I sat down on Jills bed and resisted the urge to crawl nether its covers. No. You idlert do this. non again. What did the principal say? Oh, God. Where are we going to send you? After Angelines fray with a motivational group, it had been made precise clear that further fighting would cling her expelled.Eddie took the blame, said Jill. A small smile crossed her face as she spoke. There werent in real ity numerous witnesses, so Eddie said they were playing nigh in the library and tossing the book back and forth. He claimed he got business organisationless and threw the book too hard . . . and that it accidentally hit Trey on the head.Angeline nodded. Thats kind of what really happened with us.No, it wasnt, protested Jill. I saw it. You got mad when Trey told you it shouldnt be that hard to understand that x always has a different value.He implied that I was duncicalVari qualifieds didnt seem like too hard a concept to me, exclusively I could tell under Angelines bravado that she really was flustered. I always had the impression that back among the Keepers, Angeline had been a ottoman among her peers. Here she was constantly exhausting to hold up academically and socially adrift in a world very different from the one shed grown up in. That would imbibe anyone insecure. And while I questioned if Trey had ever said she was stupid, I could understand how some of his snarky c ommentary could be perceived that way.Did Eddie get in any serious trouble? I asked. I doubted hed get expelled for something like this, merely it would be effective my luck that hed get the punishment hed saved Angeline from.Detention, said Jill.He accepted it very bravely, added Angeline.Im sure he did, I said, wondering if either female child knew they were wearing mirror expressions of adoration. Look, Angeline, I slam the tutoring process must be frustrating, plainly you have to watch your temper, okay? Treys just trying to help.She looked skeptical. Hes got kind of an attitude sometimes.I know, but spate arent exactly lining up to fill his position. We need you here. Jill needs you here. Eddie needs you here. I saw some of her indignation fade at the mention of her friends and duty. Please try to lead with Trey.She gave a weak nod, and I stood up to leave. Jill hurried after me into the hallway. Hey, Sydney? How was your outing with Marcus?It was fine, I said, certainl y non round to dredge up Marcuss alarming revelations. Informative. And I learned how to play Skee-Ball.Jill nearly looked offended. You played Skee-Ball? I plan you were supposed to be learning virtually the Alchemists secret history.We multitasked, I said, not liking her tone.I left before she could comment further and texted Eddie when I reached my room. I striked what happened. Sorry. And thanks. His response was quick At least(prenominal) it wasnt a concussion.I braced myself for snark when I went to meet Adrian the next day. Jill had plausibly told him about my arcade trip, which would probably elicit a comment like, Nice to know youre so dedicated to crack the Alchemists. Way to keep your eye on the ball.When I hustleed up in front of Adrians apartment building, he was already time lag out front for me. As soon as I saw his grim face, my heart stopped. I jumped out of the car, just barely pausing to grab the keys as I went.Whats wrong? I exclaimed, jogging up to him .He slumbered a hand on my shoulder, but I was too worried to care about the touch. Sydney, I dont requisite you to freak out. Theres no lasting damage.I looked him over. Are you okay? Were you detriment?For a moment, his somber expression turned puzzled. Then, he understood. Oh, you mobilize its me? No, Im fine. Come on.He led me rough the back of his building, to the private parking lot used by residents. I came to a halt, my jaw dropping as I took in the terrible, ghastly scene. A couple other(a)(a) residents were milling approximately, and a jurisprudence officer stood nearby taking notes. Around us, seven parked cars had their tires slashed.Including the Mustang.NoI ran over to its side, kneel and examining the damage. I felt like I was in the middle of a war, kneeling by a fallen comrade on the battlefield. I was practically on the verge of shouting, Dont you die on meAdrian crouched beside me. The tires can be replaced. I think my insurance will even cover it.I was still horrified. Who did this?He shrugged. Some kids, I guess. They hit a few cars one block over yesterday.And you didnt think that was outlay mentioning to me?Well, I didnt know they were going to come here too. Besides, I knew youd flip out and want to assign up twenty-four-hour surveillance on this place.Thats not a bad idea. I glanced up at his building. You should call down to the landlord about it.Adrian didnt seem nearly as concerned as he should have been. I dont know that hed go for it. I mean, this isnt really a dangerous neighborhood.I pointed at the Mustang. Then how come this happened? raze though we could take Latte to Los Angeles, we still had to wait around to finish up with the police and then get a tow truck. I made sure the tow truck driver knew that he better not get a scratch on the car, and then I watched mournfully as it was hauled away. Once that sunny splash of yellow disappeared around a corner, I turned to Adrian.Ready to go?Do we have enough time?I lo oked at my cell phone and groaned. Wed burned up a lot of time handling the vandalism aftermath. And yet, I hated to wait until tomorrow, seeing as Id already lost time yesterday while dealing with Marcus. I called Ms. Terwilliger and asked if shed cover for me if I came in after curfew.Yes, yes, of course, she said, in a tone that suggested she couldnt understand wherefore Id even bothered calling her. average talk to more of those missys.Ms. Terwilliger had given me six names. Wed already taken care of Wendy Stone. Three of the girls lived relatively constrictive together, and they were our goal tonight. The last two were closer to the coast, and we hoped to reach them tomorrow. Adrian tried making conversation with me throughout the drive, but my mind was still on the Mustang.God, Im an idiot, I said, once wed almost reached our destination.Thats never a term Id use to describe you, he said promptly. Articulate. Well dressed to the nines(p). Smart. Organized. Beautiful. Id us e those terms, but never idiot.I nearly asked why beautiful had come after organized and then remembered the actual concern. Im obsessing about that car when girls lives are on the line. Its stupid. My priorities are messed up.My eyes were on the road, but I could tell he was smiling. If your priorities were really messed up, you wouldve followed that tow truck. further here you are, off to help perfect strangers. Thats a portentous thing, Sage.Dont rule yourself out, I said. Youre pretty noble too, going on all these outings with me.Well, its not the same as Skee-Ball, but itll have to do. How was that anyway? Did you really learn anything?I learned a lot some pretty unbelievable stuff, actually. Im still time lag to get some proof, though.Luck was with us initially. The first two girls were home, though their reactions were similar to Wendy Stones. This time, Id had the foresight to leave the newspaper article, in the hopes it would make a stronger impression. That ghastly pi cture at least gave them pause, but I left not knowing if theyd really take me seriously or use the agate charms.Our good component ran out when we reached the last name. She too was a col sticke student, meaning we had another campus visit. Her name was Lynne Titus, and she lived in a sorority house. I admit, as I knocked on the door, I was fully prepared to find a group of girls dressed in pink, having a pillow fight in their living room. But when we were shown in, we discovered an orderly home not all that different from Wendys building. Some girls were coming and going, while others sat around with textbooks and papers.Lynne? asked the girl whod permit us inside. You just missed her.I knew this shouldnt be a surprise. These girls had lives. They wouldnt all be delay around for me to come by and talk to them. I glanced uneasily at a window, taking note of the purpling sky. each idea when shell be back?The girl shook her head. No, sorry. I dont know where she went.Adrian and I exchanged looks. Youre detached from your curfew, he reminded me.I know. But that doesnt mean I want to spend all night waiting for Lynne. I did some mental calculations. I suppose we could wait a couple of hours. Three at most.Adrian seemed supremely delighted by this, and I couldnt help but wonder if he was more frantic at hanging out on a college campus . . . or at spending time with me. Whats dramatic play to do around here? he asked our hostess. He glanced around at the quiet academic environment. No raging parties here, huh?The girl put on a disapproving expression. Were a very serious sorority. If youre looking for parties, I guarantee theres one going on just down the street. Those girls have one both night. Adrian shot me a hopeful look.Oh, come on, I said. Cant we find some nice museum?We want to proceed close, in case Lynne comes back, Adrian said. Something told me if the party had been all the way across campus, he still wouldve pushed for it. Besides, if you want to go to college so badly, you should see the full scope of what it has to offer. And arent you a fan of Greek stuff?That was hardly what I had in mind, and he knew it. I reluctantly agreed but warned him he couldnt drink. I was sporting the browned wig and presumed he was using spirit to mask us further. Alcohol would diminish his ability to pull it all off. Plus, I just didnt want to see him drunk.It was easy to find the party house because we could hear the music blasting from it. A guy and a girl openly drinking beer from plastic cups contestd us at the door. This is Greek only, the girl said. She looked as though she might fall off her stool. Who are you with?I pointed vaguely toward Lynnes sorority. Um, them.alpha Yam Ergo, said Adrian, without hesitation. I expected the door squad to point out that most of those werent even Greek letters. Maybe it was because Adrian spoke so confidently or because theyd had too oftentimes beer but the guy waved us inside.It was almost l ike being back at the arcade, an overwhelming run of stimuli. The house was crowded and loud, with smoke hanging in the air and alcohol flowing freely. Several people offered us drinks, and some girl invited us three times to play beer pong, forgetting that shed already spoken to us. I regarded it all in amazement, trying to keep the disgust off my face. What a waste of tuition. This is ruining all my collegiate dreams, I shouted to Adrian. Isnt there anything to do thats not drinking or being stupid?He scanned around, able to see more of the room from his greater height. He brightened. That looks promising. He caught hold of my hand. Come on.In a surprisingly nice and spacious kitchen, we found several girls sitting on the floor painting blank T- fit outs. Judging from the sloppy job and paint spills, they too had been indulging in alcohol. virtuoso girl had a cup of beer next to an identical cup of paint, and I hoped she wouldnt mix them up.What are you doing? I asked.One of th e girls glanced up and grinned. Making shirts for the winter carnival. You want to help?Before I could say no, Adrian was already on the ground with them. Do I ever. He helped himself to a white T-shirt and a clangour with blue devil paint on it. What are we putting on these? The girls shoddy die hard made that a valid question.Our names, said one girl.Winter stuff, said another.That was good enough for Adrian. He set to work painting snowflakes on the shirt. Unable to help myself, I knelt down to get a better look. any(prenominal) his faults, Adrian was a decent artist. He mixed in a few other colors, making the snowflakes involved and stylized. At one point, he paused to light a clove cigarette, sharing one of the girls ashtrays. It was a vestments I didnt really like, but at least the rest of the smoke in this place masked his. As he was finishing up the shirt and writing out the sororitys name, I noticed that all the other girls had stopped to stare.Thats amazing, said one , her eyes wide. Can I have it?I want it, insisted another.Ill make each of you one, he assured them. The way they looked at him was an unwelcome reminder of the breadth of his experience with other women. I shifted a little closer to him, just so they wouldnt get any ideas.He pass on the white shirt to the first girl and then set to work on a blue shirt. Once he fulfilled his promise to each girl, he sifted through the T-shirt stack until he found a mens-size black one. Gotta pay tribute to my fraternity.Right, I scoffed. Alpha Yam Ergo.Adrian nodded solemnly. A very old and prestigious societyIve never heard of them, said the girl whod claimed the first shirt.They dont let many people in, he said. In white paint, he wrote his fake fraternitys initials AYE.Isnt that what pirates say? asked one of the other girls.Well, the Alpha Yams have nautical origins, he explained. To my horror he began painting a pirate skeleton travel a motorcycle.Oh, no, I groaned. Not the tattoo.Its our l ogo, he said. Adrian and I had once had to investigate a tattoo parlor, and to steal the owner, hed gone in and pretended to be interested in a tattoo that sounded very very much like what he was drawing now. At least, I assumed hed been pretending. Isnt it badass?Badass wasnt quite the word I wouldve used, but despite it being such a ridiculous image, he actually did a good job. I made myself comfortable, drawing my knees up to me and leaning against the wall. He soon stopped with his banter and grew completely oblivious in his work, meticulously painting the skeletons bones as well as that of a skeleton parrot sitting on the pirates shoulder. I studied his features as he worked, fascinated by the joy in his eyes. Art was one of the few things that seemed to anchor him and drive that darkness in him away. He seemed to glow with an internal light, one that enhanced his already handsome features. It was another rare and beautiful glimpse of the intense, passionate constitution l ying beneath the jokes. It came through in his art. It had come through when he osculationed me.Adrian suddenly glanced up at me. Our gazes locked, and I felt like he could read my mind. How often did he think about that kiss? And if he really was crazy about me, did he imagine more than just kissing? Did he fantasize about me? What kinds of things did he think about? His lips on my neck? His hand on my leg? And was that leg bare . . . ?I was afraid of what my eyes might betray and quickly looked away. Desperately, I groped for some witty and nonsentimental comment. Dont forget the ninja throwing stars.Right. I could feel Adrians gaze on me a few moments longer. There was something unmistakable to it, a warmth that enveloped me. I didnt look back until I was certain his attention was again on the shirt. He added the stars and then sat back triumphantly. Pretty cool, huh?Its not bad, I said. In truth, it was kind of amazing.You want one too? The smile he gave me stirred up those wa rm feelings again. I couldnt help but smile back.We dont have the time, I managed to say. Weve got to check on Lynne.Ill make you a fast one.Not the pirate, I warned. He found a small purple shirt and began painting on it in coin. proud?Its your color, he insisted. A thrill ran through me at his words. Adrian could see auras, the light that surrounded all people and was tied into their personalities. Hed told me that mine was yellow, a color most intellectuals had. But hed also said I had flares of purple, which indicated a passionate and spiritual nature. Those werent qualities I usually thought I possessed . . . but sometimes, I wished I did.I watched, enthralled, as he particolored a large silver heart with flames edging one side. The whole design was Celtic in style. It was beautiful.Where did you get that from? I asked in awe. Id seen a lot of his work but never anything like this.His eyes were on his heart, completely caught up in his work. Just something squawk around in my head. Reminds me of you. Fiery and sweet, all at the same time. A flame in the dark, illumine my way. His voice . . . his words . . . I recognized one of his spirit-driven moments. It shouldve unnerved me, but there was something sensual about the way he spoke, something that made my breath catch. A flame in the dark.He swapped out the silver paintbrush for a black one. Before I could stop him, he wrote over the heart AYE. Underneath it, in smaller letters, he added HONORARY MEMBER.What are you doing? I cried. The spell had shattered. You ruined itAdrian regarded me with a mischievous look. I figured youd be flattered at being accepted as an honorary member.How can I get in? asked one of the girls.In spite of my outrage, I took the shirt when he offered it to me. I held it up gingerly, elaborated not to mess up the paint job. Even through the ridiculous words, the fiery heart was still stunning. It shone through, and I couldnt stop admiring it. How could someone so irreverent c reate something so beautiful? When I eventually looked up again, I found Adrian watching me. That earlier thrall seized me, and I found myself unable to move.You havent painted anything, he said softly.Thats because I have zero creativity, I told him.Everyones got some creativity, he insisted. He reach me the silver brush and slid over to join me against the wall. Our legs and arms touched. He laid out his own AYE shirt across his lap. Go ahead. Add something, anything.I shook my head in protest and tried to hand him the brush. I cant draw or paint. Ill ruin it.Sydney. He pushed the brush back into my hand. Its a pirate skeleton, not the Mona Lisa. Youre not going to decrease its value.Maybe not, but I had a hard time imagining what I could possibly add to this. I could do a lot of things, but this was out of my league particularly compared to his skill. Something in his expression drove me, however, and after a lot of thought, I gave my best shot at drawing a tie around the ske letons neck. Adrian frowned.Is that a noose?Its a tie I cried, trying not to feel offended.He laughed, clearly delighted at this. My mistake.He can go to a boardroom meeting, I added, feeling a need to defend my work. Hes very proper now.Adrian seemed to like that even more. Of course he is. Proper and dangerous. A little of his mirth faded, and he grew pensive as he studied me, holding me in his gaze. Just like you.Id been so worried about the artistic challenge that I wasnt aware of just how close hed moved to me until now. So many details came into focus. The shape of his lips, the line of his neck. Im not dangerous, I breathed.He brought his face toward mine. You are to me.And somehow, against all reason, we were kissing. I closed my eyes, and the world around me faded. The noise, the smoke . . . it was gone. All that mattered was the taste of his mouth, a mix of cloves and mints. There was a fierceness in his kiss, a desperation . . . and I answered, just as hungry for him. I d idnt stop him when he pulled me closer, so that I almost sat on his lap. Id never been wrapped around someones body like that, and I was shock at how eagerly mine responded. His arm went around my waist, pulling me onto him further, and his other hand slid up the back of my neck, getting entangled in my hair. Amazingly, the wig stayed on. He took his lips away from my mouth, gently trailing kisses down to my neck. I tipped my head back, gasping when the intensity returned to his mouth. There was an animalistic quality that sent shock waves through the rest of my body. Some Alchemist voice warned me that this was exactly how a vampire would feed, but I had no fear. Adrian wouldnt hurt me, and I needed to know just how hard he could kiss me and Oh my GodAdrian and I jerked apart as though someone had thrown cold water on us, though our legs stayed entangled. I glanced around in a panic, half expecting to see an outraged Stanton standing over us. Instead, I looked up into the terrified face of a girl I didnt know. She wasnt even looking at us.You guys wont believe what happened she exclaimed, directing her words to our faller artists. She pointed vaguely behind her. Over across the street at Kappa, they found one of their girls unconscious, and they cant wake her up. I dont know what happened, but it sounds like she was attacked. Theres police out front and everything.Adrian and I stared at each other for one shocked moment. Then, wordlessly, we both stood up. He held my hand to steady me until my trembling legs strengthened. Im weak because of this news, I told myself. Not because I was just making out with a vampire.But those dangerous and intoxicating kisses faded almost instantly when we returned to Lynnes sorority. It was busy with frightened people, and campus security moved in and out, allowing us to step right inside the open door.What happened? I asked a brunette standing nearby.Its Lynne, she said, biting her lips. They just found her in an dispatch a uditorium.Something in the way she spoke made me uneasy. Is she . . . alive?The girl nodded. I dont know . . . I think so, but they said theres something really wrong. Shes unconscious and looks . . . well . . . old.I met Adrians eyes and vaguely noticed he had silver paint in his hair. Id still been holding the brush when Id wrapped my arms around him. Damn, he murmured. Too late.I wanted to scream in frustration. Wed been so close to warning her. Shed allegedly left just before wed arrived. What if wed come sooner? What if wed visited her before the other two girls? Id chosen the order randomly. Worse, what if wed been able to find her instead of having art time with the drunken sorority girls?What if I hadnt been all over Adrian? Or by chance hed been all over me. Whatever you wanted to call it, I hadnt exactly resisted.The more we learned, however, the more marvellous it seemed we wouldve been able to do anything if wed stuck around Lynnes house and investigated. Nobody knew w here shed gone. Only one person had seen her leave, a girl with curly blond hair who frustrated the campus police with her vague answers.Im sorry, she kept saying. I just . . . I cant remember the girl she left with.Nothing? asked one of the officers. Height? Age? Hair color?The girl frowned, looking as though she was using every ounce of mental effort. At last, she sagged in belabor and shook her head. Im sorry.Did she have black hair? I suggested.The girl brightened a little. Maybe. Er, wait. It might have been brown. No. Red, maybe?Adrian and I stepped away, knowing we could do no more. That girl seems awfully confused, I said as we walked back to my car.She certainly does, he agreed. Sound familiar?Very, I muttered, recognizing the signs of magic.No one could deny it. speedwell had been here. And wed been too late to stop her.