The Indigo Spell Chapter Nineteen

SOMEHOW, I STILL LOST.If Adrian were cap fit of on-the-fly calculations, Id sclothing he was using his powers to affect the guidance the dice rolled. almost desirely, he either had some innate and abstruse Monopoly skills I just couldnt understand or he was very, very lucky. barely finished it wholly, I had fun, and losing to him was a rotary better than having Veronica haunt me in my sleep. He continued the dream reproofs for the next few days, and although I never felt completely ca exposechouc from her, I at least didnt score her occupying the read/write head of my mind at either eons. That honor was salve for my week discontinue trip to St. Louis, which came slightly to a greater extent than(prenominal) chop-chop than I anticipate.Once I was on the plane, the man of what I was near to attempt boot me. This was it, the signify of no re bit. In the safety of Palm Springs, Id been able-bodied to maintain a somewhat cool and sedate attitude. St. Louis had expected far out-of-door back indeed. Now the t carrys forward of me depended daunting and kind of crazy. And dangerous. T here(predicate) was no agency of this that wouldnt dismount me into serious trouble. Lying to Stanton. Breaking into run secret servers. yet charming entropyrmation a agency of Ian could see repercussions.And in signifi ejecttity who was I to think I would contri thate whatsoever(prenominal) ability to lure secrets from him? I wasnt like come up or Julia. They had men bootlicking all oer them. But me? I was socially awkward and pretty inept when it came to romance. Maybe Ian desire me, exactly that didnt mean Id have some sorcerous power oer him. Of course, if that part of the plan with him failed, then Id be free of my other tasks.Every ace part of this was all overwhelming, and as I stared out the planes window, ceremony St. Louis grow finishingr and closer, my feelings of dread grew. My palms were too sweaty to tick off-key a boo k, and when I ref utilise food, it was beca routine of the queasiness in my stomach, non some obsession with calories.Id gone back and onward on whether to work over a hotel inhabit or stay at the facility itself, which provided guest admit for visiting Alchemists like me. In the end, I opted for the former. The slight metre I spent under the wakeful eye of my masters, the better.It also meant I didnt have to care roughly my outfit attracting attention. I hadnt exactly fol junior-gradeed all of Adrians suggestions, further the trim feel Id purchased for this trip was a rubbish racier than my normal business casual wardrobe. Okay, a lot racier. It would have been completely out of place among the low and neutral-colored attire Alchemists usually wore. But when Ian met me in the hotels merelytonhole for dinner, I knew Id shit the right choice.Wow, he verbalise, eyes widening. You look amazing.Apparently, his Alchemists sensibilities werent offended by my outfit. It was a form-fitting minidress that went just closely to my mid-t in high spirit ups, with an disseminate back and a disconcertingly low V-neck that gave me cleavage I hadnt nevertheless k this instantn was possible. either demureness the dresss great sleeves might have offered was done for(p) by the fabric combination a ecru underdress covered in black and forsake lace. It gave the illusion that I was wearing lace with postal code underneath. The saleswoman had assured me that both part of the dress was com erected to fit that snugly (for once in my life, Id real suggested a larger size) and that I unavoidable at least four-inch black heels to shuffle it all tap. With the help of a lot of hairpins, Id even managed to cast my hair up into a bun, which wasnt easy with my work haircut.I felt conspicuous walking by means of the lobby, exactly no one gave me any ball over looks. The few I did energise were admiring ones. The hotel was pretty posh, and I was just one of a number of women garbed in holiday cocktail dresses. Nothing s go past the gatedalous or out of the ordinary. You can do this, Sydney. And wearing a revealing dress wasnt rise-nigh as catchy as breaking into a server, right? reclaim?I smiled as I appro hankerd Ian and gave him a rapid hug, which was weird both because it was with Ian and because I felt naked as a jaybird in the dress. This femme fatale thing was harder than Id ruling itd be.Im glad I got to see you again, I said. I get laid what an hold out this must be, with no nonice.Ian shake his head so adamantly that I almost expected to reveal rattling. N-no. No trouble at all.Satisfied hed gotten a look, I slipped on my finishing, a mid-length black trench, and gestured toward the exit. snip to brave the elements?He hurried ahead of me to open the door. A scattering of s straightwayflakes drifted overmatch, resting on my come up and hair. My hint do a frosty cloud in the air, and I had a momentary flashba ck to traipsing across that theatre of operations with Adrian. Little had I make loven that search for Marcus would authorise to me running errands for him in a tight dress.Ian had place in the hotels front circle drive. He s torrid a Toyota Corolla, which was made even more verbose by the fact that hed chosen it in white. A puny air freshener shaped like a tree hung from the rearview mirror, provided rather than the usual yen scent, a small label declared it to be New Car Scent. nearlyly it smelled like plastic. I put on a brave face. Marcus sincerely owed me one.I made us a military reserve at this in fairness great seafood place, he told me. Its close to the facility, so we can head on over to the service right away.Sounds great, I said. I never ate seafood in any landlocked state.The restaurant was called Fresh Cache, which didnt improve my opinion of it. Still, I had to fertilize it credit for attempts at a romantic atmosphere. near of the lighting came from can dles, and a pianist in the receding played covers of easy-listening songs. More well-dressed passel filled the tables, express joy and chatting over wine and shrimp cocktails. The host showed us to a corner table, covered with burgundy linen and decorate with a scattering of green orchids. Id never seen any up close and was actually quite interpreted with how exotic and sensual they were. If only I was here with anyone but Ian.I was hesitant to take my coat off. It made me feel exposed, and I had to remind myself of the consequences of Alchemists and Warriors on the job(p) together. As soon as the dress was relinquished again, I had the satisfaction of seeing Ian melt once more. I remembered Adrians advice somewhat confidence and put on a smug smile, hoping I gave the impression that I was doing Ian a great favor by allowing him to be in my presence. And, to my complete and utter amazement, it seemed to work. I even allowed myself to corrupt in a dangerous opinion perchanc e it wasnt the dress wielding such power here.Maybe it was me. inauguration the menu, I began skimming for a beef or poultry option. What do you recommend?The mahi mahi is great here, he said. So is the s give voicefish.The host intermitped by, and I tenacious a chicken Caesar salad. I figured they couldnt sincerely mess up the anchovies in the dressing.We were left alone to wait, with slide fastener to do now but impel on to small talk. Ian picked up the ball. I suppose you ease cant tell me very such(prenominal) round where youre at, huh? timid not. You know how it is. I buttered a sourdough roll with what I was pretty sure was exactly half a tablespoon. I didnt want to go too crazy, but I could allow myself a little madness since I ordered a salad. I can tell you Im in the field. I just cant telephone out much else.Ians attention shifted off my neckline as he stared into the candles flame. I miss that, you know. Being in the field.You used to be, right? What author iseed? I hadnt thought much about it lately, but when Ian had accompanied Stanton and me to the Moroi court, he had been pulled from his post to make the trip. Hed been assigned somewhere in the south, Florida or Georgia, I thought.Those Moroi holding us prisoner is what happened. He shifted his compliments back to me, and I was startled at the delirium I proverb. I didnt handle it very well.Well, no(prenominal) of us did.He shook his head. No, no. I really didnt handle it well. I kind of freaked out. They direct me to anger management preparation laterward.I nearly surrenderped the roll. I had in no way expected that. If someone had asked me to name the top ten people who needed anger management, Ian wouldnt have even made the bottom of the list. My fore acquire, however, would have been near the top.How how long were you thither? I stammered.Two weeks, and then I was good enough to go.Admittedly, I didnt know the extent of the rage that had set d avouch him in anger ma nagement, but I give it interesting that cardinal weeks was good enough to see him mark to work again. Meanwhile, Keiths scheme to use Moroi to make money had earned him at least d evil-minded months in re-education maybe more, since I hadnt hear any updates in a while.But they wouldnt let me work in the field, Ian added. Figure I shouldnt be somewhat Moroi for a while. So thats why Im stuck here.In the archives.Yes.Doesnt sound so gravid, I told him. I wasnt perfectly lying. dozens of books.Dont fool yourself, Sydney. He began tearing a black simoleons roll into pieces. Im a glorified librarian.Maybe so, but that wasnt my concern. What was my concern was Wade telling me that the archives were on a see to it level, one floor up from the surveillance elbow room that held security footage. Hed drawn me a map of to each one floor, making sure I memorized the layout and the best ways to get in and out.Id chill out admire to see them, I said. I mean, the chronicle they c ontain is amazing. Again, not entirely a lie. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table, and had the satisfaction of seeing his eyes drop to my plunging neckline again. This wasnt that difficult Really, I didnt know why I hadnt been using my womanly charms a long time ago. Actually, I never really knew I had any, until now. Could you get me in for a tour? Of the archives specifically. You seem like the kind of guy who could get vex to . . . a lot of places.Ian choked on his roll. later on a bout of coughing, he glanced up at my face, then my cleavage (again), and then back to my face. Id, um, love to, but its not really open to the familiar I mean, even the Alchemist public. Only those with special pupil access are allowed in. We could look at the public access parts of the building, though.Oh. I see. I looked down at my scale leaf, pouting slightly, but didnt say anything else. As the waiter arrived with our food, I hoped my silence was making him reconsider what he c ould be missing out on.Eventually, Ian couldnt take it anymore. He cleared his throat, maybe because there was muted bread stuck in it. Well, I might be able to . . . you see, the problem is just getting you down to the secure levels. Once youre through that checkpoint, its not hard to get you into the archives especially if Im working.But you cant do anything about the main checkpoint? I coaxed, as if all real men should be able to do that.No, I mean . . . maybe. Ive got a friend who works there. I dont know if hes got a shift tomorrow, but he still might be able to help. He owes me some money, so I can use this as a trade. I hope.Oh, Ian. I flashed him a smile that I hoped rivaled one of Marcuss. Thats amazing. I remembered what Adrian had said. Id be so, so grateful if you could pull it off.My reaction understandably delighted Ian, and I wondered if Adrian had been right about how so, so grateful was translated. Ill call him tonight after the service, Ian said. He looked determ ined now. Hopefully we can make it happen in front your flight tomorrow.I rewarded him by suspension system on his every word for the rest of dinner, as though Id never heard anything quite so fascinating. All the while, my heart raced with the knowledge that I was now one smell closer to fulfilling Marcuss task, one step closer to potentially proving a association to a bunch of gun-toting zea carve up and the organization Id served my whole life.The salad was tiny, so I agree to see the dessert menu after dinner. Ian suggested we share, but that was a little too intimate for me, not to mention unhygienic. So, I ate an entire lemon tart by myself, confident in the knowledge that I was still a long ways from the five-pound mark. When Adrian had told me Id look healthier if I gained a little weight, hed added that it would improve my bra size. I couldnt even imagine what that would do for this dress.The Alchemist center in St. Louis was contained indoors a giant, industrial buil ding that went undercover as a manufacturing plant. Moroi facilities the court and their schools usually posed as universities. How ironic that creatures of the night would live among beautifully embellish gardens while servants of the light like us skulked in ugly buildings with no windows.Inside, however, everything was pristine, bright, and well-organized. A receptionist checked us in when we arrived at the main desk and buzzed us through, along with many others who arrived for the service. There were golden lilies everywhere. For many, this was a fun-filled family event, and lots of children trailed their Alchemist parents. It made me feel strange as I watched them, these churls who had been born into our profession. I wondered how theyd feel ten historic period from now. Would they be excited to step up to the plate? Or would they start questioning?The center had tercet floors aboveground and five underneath. People off the track could hardly just come wandering in, but we still took precautions by keeping the more propitious offices on the main floor. As we all walked down the corridor to the auditorium, we passed Payroll, Travel, and Maintenance. All the offices had clear windows looking into them from the hall, maintaining the Alchemist ideal that we had slide fastener to hide.The secure offices belowground werent quite so open, however.Id been in this facility once before for a training seminar, and it had actually taken place in the auditorium we entered for the service. scorn the spiritual theme of tonights event, the room wear little resemblance to a church. Someone had gone to the hunting expedition of decorating the walls with red-bowed evergreen garlands and setting pots of poinsettias on the layer. The room had a state-of-the-art audio-visual system, including a giant screen that gave a larger-than-life look at whatever was occurrence onstage. The auditoriums seating was so efficient that even those in the farthest corners had a pr etty clear view, so I think the screen was just for emphasis.Ian and I found two seats near the fondness of the auditorium. Arent you going to take off your coat? he asked hopefully.No way was I going to unleash the dress in this den of taupe and high collars. Besides, if I kept the coat on, it would just give him something to keep looking forward to. Adrian would be proud of my ability to manipulate the opposite sex . . . and I couldnt help but wonder just how well Adrian would be able to stand up to this dress. Clearly, I was getting overly confident with this new power.Im algid, I said, pulling the coat tighter. It was kind of ridiculous since the lights from the stage and high number of bodies had already made the room stifling, but I figured since it was so cold outside, I could get away with it.For someone who unceasingly seems to be so cold, you sure can cordially up pretty fast.Sydney? Is that you?I froze, not from the break of hearing my name, but from the voice that had said it. Id know that voice anywhere. Slowly, I turned away from Ian and looked up into my begets face. He was standing in the aisle, wearing a heavy wool suit, with melted snowflakes in his graying shadowy blond hair.Hi, daddy, I said. Then I saw who was standing beside him. Zoe?It was all I could do not to jump up and hug her. I hadnt seen or spoken to my younger sister since that night Id been pulled out of bed and sent on my Palm Springs bang. That was the mission she believed Id stolen from her, no matter my protests. It was the mission that had driven her away from me.I eyed her now, trying to assess where we stood. She didnt wear the blatant hatred she had at our last encounter, which was a good sign. Unfortunately, she didnt look all that warm and companionate either. She was cautious, studying me carefully almost warily. She did not, I noticed, have a golden lily on her cheek yet.Im impress to see you here, said my father.His parting course to me had been Dont jam me, so I wasnt really astonished by his low expectations. Its the holidays, I said. Forcing a smile now was far more difficult than it had been with Ian. Its important to be here with the group. Do you know Ian Jansen?Ian, wide-eyed, jumped up and shook my fathers hand. Clearly, he hadnt expected a parental meeting so soon. Its a pleasure to meet you, sir.My father nodded gravely and looked back and forth between the two of us. Whatever surprise hed had at seeing me here had just been trumped by me being here with a date. Glancing at Ian, I tried to guess how hed step forward to someone like my papa. Clean cut, respectful, an Alchemist. The fact that Ian tended to bore me was irrelevant. I doubted my father had ever thought much about me dating, but if so, he probably hadnt thought Id get a catch like this.Would you like to join us, sir? asked Ian. I had to give him credit hed strike his initial shock and was now in correct suitor mode. It would be an honor.At first, I thou ght Ian was just laying it on thick. Then I ca-cad meeting my father might actually very well be an honor. Jared Sage wasnt a rock star, but he did have a reputation among the Alchemists that, by their standards, was outstanding. My father seemed to like the sycophancy and agreed. He took a seat beside Ian.Sit by your sister, he told Zoe, nodding in my direction.Zoe obeyed and stared straight ahead. She was offensive too, I realized. Looking her over, I felt an ache from how much Id missed her. Wed inherited the same brownish eyes from our father, but shed gotten mammary glands brown hair, which made me a little jealous. Zoe also looked a lot more put together than the last time Id seen her. She wore a pretty dark brown cashmere dress and didnt have a single hair out of place. Something about her appearance bothered me, and I couldnt quite put my finger on it at first. It soon hit me. She looked older. She looked like a young lady, like my peer. I supposed it was silly of me to feel sad, since she was fifteen, but I kind of wished she could stay a little kid forever.Zoe. I kept my voice low, not that I needed to worry about the men overhearing. My dad was interrogating Ian. Ive been absent to talk to you for so long.She nodded. I know. Mom tells me each time you call. But there was no apology for dodging my calls.Im sorry about the way we left things. I never meant to hurt you or one-up you. I thought I was doing you a favor, prudence you from getting involved.Her mouth tightened, and something hard flashed in her eyes. I dont mind being involved. I want to be involved, you know. And it wouldve been great Being in the field at fifteen. I could have a stellar career. Dad would be so proud.I chose my next words very carefully so that she wouldnt take offense. Yeah, but other year with Dad will really be, um, stellar. Hes got so much experience and you want to get as much as you can, believe me. Even if you have to wait for an assignment at sixteen, youl l still be ahead of the rest of us.Each word out of my mouth made me feel sick, but Zoe seemed to buy it. I wasnt bothered by her wanting to be part of the cause but it killed me that she was intelligibly doing it to impress our dad. I suppose. And I am larn a lot. I wish I could at least get some field experience even if its not my own post. Its all possibleness with Dad. Ive never even seen a Moroi.Im sure hell influence that. I didnt like encouraging this, but at least she was speaking to me.The lights dimmed, ending our conversation. Organ unison filled the room, and the scent of frankincense drifted around us. scent and resin were common components in magic, and my mind was promptly starting to make associations from the spell books Id painstakingly copied. thus is used to heal burns. It can also be used when casting divining or purifying spells I immediately stopped that train of thought. Even if I was keeping it to myself, thinking about magic in the middle of an Al chemist church service was pretty sacrilegious. I shifted uncomfortably, wondering what all these people would think if they knew the truth about me that I practiced magic and had kissed a vampire. . . .Alchemist priests were called hierophants. They performed blessings and offered moral advice, when needed. In day-to-day affairs, they wore suits, but for this occasion, the look at hierophant wore robes that reminded me uncomfortably of the robes some of the Warriors had donned. It was yet another admonisher of our shared history and maybe our shared early. Marcus had been right. This was a mystery I had to solve, regardless of where I stood on breaking the tattoo.Id attended services like this off and on throughout my life and knew the Latin prayers by heart. I chanted along with the rest of the multitude and listened avidly as the hierophant reaffirmed our goals, his voice echoing through the sound system. Even though the Alchemists religion had let out confederations to Chr istianity there was very little mention of immortal or Jesus or even Christmas. Most of his sermon was about how we had to help protect kindness from the temptation of following Strigoi who offered unholy immortality. That warning, at least, wasnt exaggerated.Id heard stories and even seen for myself what happened when humans resolved to serve Strigoi. Those Strigoi promised to turn their servants as a reward. Those humans helped Strigoi spread their evil and became monsters themselves, no turning needed. Keeping those dark vampires hidden was for the good of weak humans who couldnt protect themselves. I paid especially close attention when the hierophant mentioned the Moroi offhandedly in his sermon, as a means to an end in defeating the Strigoi. He didnt exactly inspire warm and fuzzy feelings about them, but at least he wasnt calling for Moroi and dhampir destruction either.I agreed with a good part of the message, but it no longer filled me with the fire it once had. And when the hierophant started pilotless aircraft on and on about duty, obedience, and what was natural, I really began feeling disconnected. I almost wished there was more talk of the divine, like youd visit at a normal church service. With everything going on in my life, I wouldnt have minded a connection to a higher power. Sometimes, when I listened to the hierophant, I wondered if everything he was byword had just been made up by a bunch of people sitting around in the Middle Ages. No holy authority required.I felt like a traitor when the service ended. Maybe Adrians joke had been right I didnt even need Marcus to break my tattoo and connection to the group. Glancing at my companions and even the other Alchemists in the room it was clear I was alone. All of them looked captivated by the sermon, devoted to the cause.I was again eerily reminded of the Warriors and their rabid devotion. No, no, whatever else the Alchemists are guilty of, we have nothing to do with that kind of unh inged behavior. And yet . . . it was more complicated than that, I realized. The Alchemists didnt shoot first and ask questions later or make our members battle each other. We were civilized and logical, but we did have a leaning to just do what we were told. That was the similarity, one that could be dangerous.Zoe and my father walked out with Ian and me. Isnt it amazing? she asked. Hearing that . . . well, it just makes me so glad Dad decided to raise another Alchemist in the family. Its good to boost our numbers.Had that truly been his motivating? Or was it because he didnt trust me after Id helped Rose?It was infuriating that the only conversation I could have with Zoe centered around Alchemist rhetoric, but Id take it over the silence of the last few months. In my heart, I longed to talk the way we used to. I valued it back. Even though shed warmed up a little, that old familiarity that had once existed between us was gone.I wish we had more time, I told her once our groups were ready to part in the parking lot. Theres so much I want to talk to you about.She smiled, and there was a genuineness in it that warmed me. Maybe the outperform between us wasnt irreparable. Me too. Im sorry about . . . well, the way things were. I hope we get some time together soon. I . . . Ive missed you.That nearly broke me down, as did her hug. Well be together soon, I promise.Ian whom my father now seemed to regard as a future son-in-law drove me back to my hotel and couldnt stop gushing about how awesome it had been to meet Jared Sage. As for me, I could still feel where Zoe had hugged me.Ian promised hed get in touch with me in the morning about a tour of the archives. Then, weirdly, he closed his eyes and leaned forward. It took me a moment to realize that he expected a good-night kiss. Seriously? That was how he went about it? Had he ever even kissed anyone before? Even Brayden had displayed a little more passion. And, of course, uncomplete guy measured up to Adri an.When I did nothing, Ian eventually opened his eyes. I gave him another hug with the coat on and told him how content I was that hed met my dad. That seemed to satisfy him.Adrian made his nightly check-in with me once I was drowsing(prenominal) later on. Naturally, he wanted to know about my dress. He also kept trying to find out how exactly Id won Ian over and seemed entertained at the few details I decided to give him. But mostly I couldnt stop talking about Zoe. Adrian soon gave up on the other topics and simply listened to me gush.She spoke to me, Adrian I paced around the reception hall, clasping my hands in excitement. And she wasnt mad. By the end, she was happy to see me. Do you know what thats like? I mean, I know you dont have any brothers or sisters, but to have someone you havent seen in a while welcome you back?I dont know what its like, he said quietly. But I can imagine.I was too caught up in my own joy at the time, but later, I wondered if he was talking about his incarcerated mother.Its nice to see you so happy, he added. Not that youve been miserable lately, but youve had a lot to worry about.I couldnt help but laugh at that and came to a halt. Are you saying evil witches and espionage are stressful?Nah. He walked over to me. All in a days work for us. But Im going to make my way to bed now. You seem like you can get by without me tonight.Hed visited me every night since Veronicas dream. Most of the trips were short now, but I still knew it was a lot of effort and spirit for him. Thank you. I feel like I cant say that to you enough.You dont have to say it at all, Sage. skillful luck tomorrow.Right. Stealing top secret info from a highly secure facility.Thanks, I said again. A little of my mood dimmed, but not all of it. No matter what happens, though, patching things up with Zoe makes me feel like this mission is already a success.Thats because you havent been caught. He cupped my face in his hands and leaned close. carry out that yo u arent. I dont want to have to dream visit you in prison . . . or wherever it is bad Alchemists go.Hey, at least Id have you for company, right?He gave me a rueful headshake, and the dream vanished around me.