The Golden Lily (4 page)

“What did the Alchemists want?” asked Jil. She sat cross-legged on her own bed and began absentmindedly playing with the strands of her curly, light brown hair.

I shrugged. “Paperwork. Boring stuff. Sounds like things were a little more exciting here.” That was delivered with a pointed look at Angeline.

The dhampir girl jumped off her bed, face furious and blue eyes flashing. “It wasn’t my fault! That Weathers woman was completely out of line!” she exclaimed, a The dhampir girl jumped off her bed, face furious and blue eyes flashing. “It wasn’t my fault! That Weathers woman was completely out of line!” she exclaimed, a slight southern drawl in her words.

her words.

A quick scan of Angeline showed nothing too concerning. Her jeans were threadbare but decent, as was her T-shirt. Even her mop of strawberry blonde hair was tame for a change, tied back in a ponytail.

“What on earth did you wear that got her so upset then?” I asked.

Scowling, Angeline went to her dresser and produced a pair of jean shorts with the most ragged hem I’d ever seen. I thought they’d unravel before my eyes. They were also so short that I wouldn’t have been surprised if they showed underwear when she wore them.

“Where did you get those?”

Angeline almost looked proud. “I made them.”

“With what, a hacksaw?”

“I had two pairs of jeans,” she said pragmaticaly. “It was so hot out, I figured I might as well turn one into shorts.”

“She used a knife from the cafeteria,” said Jill helpfuly.

“Couldn’t find the scissors,” explained Angeline.

My bed. Where was my bed?

“Mrs. Weathers mentioned something about an indecent shirt too,” I said.

“Oh,” said Jil. “That was mine.”

I felt my eyebrows rise. “What? I know you don’t own anything ‘indecent.’” Before Angeline had come along a month ago, Jill and I had been roommates.

“It’s not,” agreed Jil. “Except, it’s not realy Angeline’s size.” I glanced between the two girls and understood. Jill was tall I glanced between the two girls and understood. Jill was tall and slim, like most Moroi, with a figure much coveted among human fashion designers, a figure I would’ve kiled to have. Jill had even done some modeling. With that figure came a modest chest. Angeline’s chest … was not so modest. If she wore a tank top in Jil’s size, I imagined the shirt’s structural integrity would indeed be stretched to indecent limits.

“Jill wears that tank top all the time and doesn’t get in trouble,” said Angeline defensively. “I figured there wouldn’t be a problem if I borrowed it.” My head was starting to hurt. still, I supposed this was better than the time Angeline had been caught making out with a guy in the boys’ bathroom. “Wel. This is easily fixed. We can go—

wel, I can go since you’re stuck here—and get you some clothes in your size tonight.”

“Oh,” Angeline said, suddenly turning more upbeat, “you don’t have to. Eddie’s handling it.” If not for Jill nodding along, I would’ve thought it was a joke.

“Eddie? Eddie’s buying you clothes?”

Angeline sighed happily. “Isn’t that nice of him?” Nice? No, but I understood why Eddie would do it. Getting decent clothes for Angeline was the last thing he probably wanted to do, but he would do it. Like me, he understood duty.

And now I could guess why Eddie had canceled the experiments

—and been vague about his reasons for doing so.

I immediately took out my cell phone and caled him. He answered right away, like always. I was certain he was never more than three feet from his phone at all times. “Helo, Sydney.

more than three feet from his phone at all times. “Helo, Sydney.

Glad you’re back.” He paused. “You are back, right?”

“Yeah, I’m with Jill and Angeline. I understand you’ve been doing some shopping.”

He groaned. “Don’t get me started. I just walked into my room.”

“You want to swing by with your purchases? I need the car back anyway.”

There was a moment’s hesitation. “Would you mind coming over here? As long as Jil’s okay. She is okay, right? She doesn’t need me? Because if she does—”

“She’s fine.” His dorm wasn’t far, but I’d been hoping for a quick nap. Nonetheless, I found myself agreeing, just like I always did. “Okay. I’ll meet you in the lobby in about fifteen minutes?”

“Sounds good. Thanks, Sydney.”

As soon as I disconnected, Angeline asked excitedly, “Is Eddie coming over?”

“I’m going to him,” I said.

Her face fel. “Oh. Wel, I guess it doesn’t matter since I have to stay here anyway. I can’t wait until I’m free to train again. I’d like to get some more one-on-one time with him.” I hadn’t realized how focused Angeline was on her training. In fact, she seemed realy excited about the prospect of it.

I left their room and was surprised to find Jill right behind me once the door shut. Her eyes were wide and anxious.

“Sydney … I’m sorry.”

“Sydney … I’m sorry.”

I regarded her curiously, wondering now if she’d done something. “For what?”

She gestured toward the door. “For Angeline. I should have done better at keeping her out of trouble.” I almost smiled. “That’s not your job.”

“Yeah, I know …” She glanced down, letting some of her long hair fall forward. “But still. I know I should be more like you. Instead, I’ve just been … you know.

Having fun.”

“You’re entitled to it,” I said, trying to ignore the subtle commentary on me.

“I should still be more responsible,” she argued.

“You are responsible,” I assured her. “Especialy compared to Angeline.” My family had a cat back in Utah that I was pretty sure was more responsible than Angeline.

Jil’s face brightened, and I left her so that I could return the suitcase to my room. Angeline’s arrival and my work in busting Keith had earned me my own private room in the dorm, something I treasured. Inside it, everything was quiet and orderly. My perfect world. The one place that the chaos of my life couldn’t touch. The neatly made bed was asking to be slept in. Begging, realy. Soon, I promised it. I hope.

Amberwood Prep was divided into three campuses, East (where the girls were housed), West (where the boys were), and Central (containing all the academic buildings). A shuttle bus ran between them on a regular schedule, or brave souls could walk between them in the heat. I usualy didn’t mind the temperatures, but walking seemed like a lot of work today. So, I took the but walking seemed like a lot of work today. So, I took the shuttle to West Campus and tried to stay awake.

The lobby of the boys’ dorm was a lot like my own, people coming and going to either catch up on academic work or simply enjoy the Sunday off. I glanced around, but Eddie wasn’t here yet.

“Hey, Melbourne.”

I turned and found Trey Juarez approaching, a grin on his tanned face. He was a senior like me and had picked up the Melbourne nickname after one of our teachers proved incapable of remembering Melrose. Honestly, with all these names, it was a wonder I knew who I was anymore.

“Hey, Trey,” I said. Trey was a bona fide high school football star—but also pretty brainy, no matter how much he tried to hide it. We got along well as a result, and my help in restoring his athletic status last month had gone a long way to raise my stock in his eyes. A backpack hung on one of his shoulders. “Are you finaly going to finish that chem lab write-up?”

“Yup,” he said. “Me and half the cheerleading squad. You want to join us?”

I roled my eyes. “Somehow I doubt there’ll be much work going on. Besides, I’m meeting Eddie.” Trey gave an easy shrug and brushed some unruly black hair out of his eyes. “Your loss. See you tomorrow.” He took a couple of steps and then glanced back at me. “Hey, are you dating anyone?”

I immediately started to say no, and then a panicked thought occurred to me. I had a tendency to take things very literaly.

occurred to me. I had a tendency to take things very literaly.

Friends of mine here, Kristin and Julia, had been trying to train me up in the subtleties of high school social life. One of their chief lessons was that what people said wasn’t always what they meant—particularly in romantic matters.

“Are you … are you asking me out?” I asked, taken aback.

This was the last thing I needed right now. How should I respond? Should I say yes? Should I say no? I’d had no idea helping him with chemistry homework would be so aluring. I should’ve made him do it on his own.

Trey looked as startled by the thought as I was. “What? No.

Of course not.”

“Thank God,” I said. I liked Trey, but I had no interest in dating him—or figuring out what the appropriate way to say “no” would be.

“Thank God,” I said. I liked Trey, but I had no interest in dating him—or figuring out what the appropriate way to say “no” would be.

He shot me a wry look. “You don’t have to look that relieved.”

“Sorry,” I said, trying to mask my embarrassment. “Why’d you ask?”

“Because I know the perfect guy for you. I’m pretty sure he’s your soul mate.”

We were back in familiar territory now: logic vs. lack of logic.

“I don’t believe in soul mates,” I said. “It’s statisticaly unreasonable that there’s only one ideal person for everyone in the world.” And yet, for half a moment, I wished it was kind of possible. It’d be nice to have someone who understood some of the things that went on in my head.

the things that went on in my head.

Trey roled his eyes. “Okay. Not a soul mate. How about just someone you could maybe go out with once in a while and have a nice time with?” I shook my head. “I don’t have time for anything like that.” And I didn’t. Keeping everything in order with the group, and pretending to be a student, was a full time job as it was.

“I’m teling you, you’d like him. He goes to a public school and just started at Spencer’s.” Spencer’s was a coffee shop Trey worked at, an arrangement that yielded me discounts. “The other day, he was going off on unaerobic vs. aerobic respiration, and I was thinking, ‘You know who this sounds like?

Melbourne.’”

“It’s anaerobic respiration,” I corrected. “And it still doesn’t mean I have the time. Sorry.” I had to admit, I was immensely curious about how that topic would have come up between baristas, but figured it was best not to encourage Trey.

“Okay,” he said. “Don’t say I never tried to help you.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I assured him. “Hey, there’s Eddie.”

“My cue to go then. See you guys.” Trey gave a mock salute to Eddie and me. “Don’t forget my offer if you want a hot date, Melbourne.” Trey left, and Eddie shot me an astonished look. “Did Trey just ask you out?”

“No. He’s just got some co-worker he wants to set me up with.”

“Maybe that’s not a bad idea.”

“It’s a terrible idea. Let’s go outside.”

“It’s a terrible idea. Let’s go outside.” The desert heat didn’t seem to care that it was October, and I led us to a bench right by the dorm’s stucco wals. Partial shade from some nearby palm trees offered mild relief. People swore the temperature would taper soon, but I’d seen no sign of change. Eddie handed me my car keys and a shopping bag from a local superstore.

“I had to guess at size,” he told me. “When in doubt, I went big. Figured it was safer that way.”

“Probably.” I sat down on a bench and rifled through his purchases. Jeans, khakis, a few solid colored T-shirts. They were very practical, very much something a no-nonsense guy like Eddie would pick out. I approved. “The size actualy looks right.

Good eye. We’ll have to send you out shopping more often.”

“If that’s what I have to do,” he said, face serious. I couldn’t help but laugh in surprise.

“I was joking.” I put the shirts back in the bag. “I know that couldn’t have been fun.” Eddie’s face gave nothing away. “Oh, come on. It’s okay. You don’t have to play stoic with me. I know you didn’t enjoy it.”

“I’m here to do a job. Doesn’t matter if I enjoy it or not.” I started to protest but then thought better of it. After al, wasn’t that my philosophy too? Sacrificing my own wants for higher goals? Eddie was intensely dedicated to this mission. He never backed down. I expected nothing less from him than single-minded focus.

“So, does that mean you’re up for some experiments tonight?” I asked.

I asked.

“Of cours—” He stopped and reconsidered. “Are Jill and Angeline coming?”

“No. Angeline’s still under house arrest.”

“Thank God,” he said with visible relief.

His reaction was probably the most surprising thing to happen today. I couldn’t imagine why Eddie would look so relieved.

Aside from his guardian loyalty to Jil, he was also crazy about her. He would’ve done anything for her, even if it wasn’t his job, but refused to share his feelings with her. He thought he was unworthy of a princess. An uneasy thought occurred to me.

“Are you … are you avoiding Jill because of her and Micah?” Micah was Eddie’s roommate, a nice guy who caused Eddie all sorts of therapy-worthy trauma because he bore so much similarity to Eddie’s dead best friend, Mason. Micah also had a weird pseudo-dating relationship with Jil. None of us were happy about it, since (aside from the Keepers) humans dating Moroi or dhampirs was strictly taboo. We’d finaly decided it would be impossible to keep Jill from a social life, and she swore nothing serious or physical was going on between her and Micah. They just spent a lot of time together. And flirted incessantly. He didn’t know the truth about her, but I wondered at what point he’d want more from their relationship. Eddie kept insisting it was better for Jill to have a casual relationship with a human than one with an “unworthy” dhampir like him, but I knew it had to be torturous.

“Of course not,” said Eddie sharply. “It’s not Jill I want to avoid. It’s Angeline.”

“Angeline? What’s she done now?”

Eddie ran a hand through his hair in frustration. His was a sandy blond, not far from my own, which was a dark gold. The similarity made it easy to pass ourselves off as twins. “She won’t leave me alone! She’s always dropping these suggestive comments when I’m around … and she won’t stop staring at me. Like, you wouldn’t think that’d be creepy, but it is. She’s always watching. And I can’t avoid her because she’s with Jill a lot of the time, and I have to keep Jill safe.” I thought back on recent interactions. “Are you sure you’re reading this right? I’ve never noticed anything.”