“She couldn’t just call me?”

“She says it’s too complicated and that you should be there firsthand since you helped contain it.”

“I see.” Spirit dreams and auras were problematic enough . . . how in the world was I supposed to even come close to replicating what I’d done before? And yet I wasn’t ready to tell Lissa about the pills either.

“Sonya was also wondering if . . .” Lissa’s voice grew hesitant. “Well, do you think Sydney would come? If we got permission from the Alchemists?”

My heart sped up. “Why her?”

“Sonya thought we could make some kind of binding tattoo out of the blood and says Sydney’s had experience with that kind of thing.” It was true. Keith had been busted for masterminding a performance‑enhancing tattoo ring that Sydney had uncovered. And if they really just did need me as an advisor on an experiment, then maybe I could hide my fading spirit. “And let’s face it, Sydney’s probably the only Alchemist who’d be able to handle time here at Court. It may be a few days. Do you think she’d do it? Travel with you? Or . . . well, maybe separately to hide your connection to Jill.”

Holy shit. I could scarcely believe what I was hearing. Lissa was offering the chance for me to get away with Sydney. True, it wasn’t exactly a romantic escapade, but the Moroi Royal Court was pretty much the last place we’d have to worry about Alchemist eyes. We’d just have to worry about my kind.

“If the Alchemists tell her to, she will.” I played it as cool as I could. “Orders trump fear with them. She’d probably be able to handle traveling with me too, if you want to have us meet up on a connection like last time.”

Lissa’s relief poured through the phone. “I’m so glad. That’ll make things a lot easier if we bring you guys and Neil together.”

“Neil?”

“Well, yeah. You should travel with protection. Unless you want Eddie this time?”

So much for my alone time with Sydney. Hopefully we’d find some at Court. “No, send Buckingham Palace. He’ll do less damage this way.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing.”

She promised I’d have flight details in the morning, and when we disconnected, I collapsed onto the bed and fell almost instantly into asleep.

More buzzing woke me up, but it took me longer to find my phone since it was lost in the covers. I just barely answered in time and squinted at the bright morning sunlight coming in from the window I’d forgotten to cover last night.

“Adrian?” It was Jill, sounding anxious. “I just heard you’re going to Court.”

“Yup. Royal directives and all. Don’t worry, Jailbait. I’ll bring you a T‑shirt.”

“Adrian.” The sternness in my name was a remarkable match for what Sydney used sometimes. “I had to hear it from Neil.”

I groaned. “Don’t start this. Lissa said it’d be only a few days. You can live that long without him.”

“No,” she said impatiently. “You missed the point. I had to hear it from him. Because I didn’t read it from you.”

My brain was still groggy with sleep and fatigue, though a prickling along my skin warned me that I was teetering on the edge of something. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying, I don’t know what’s going on with you anymore. The bond’s gone dark.”

CHAPTER 14

SYDNEY

IT’S AMAZING HOW NICE PEOPLE CAN BE when they think you’re going to die.

“Sydney, I’m sorry. I really am.”

“And I told you to forget about it.” I didn’t even look at Zoe as I perused my sweater selection. My clothes were kept in a complex system organized by temperature and occasion. Pennsylvania in December was going to require some of my heaviest clothing.

“I just got upset that Dad didn’t even seem to notice me,” she continued.

Welcome to my world,  I thought. It was ironic that I was now in a phase of my life where I finally had his attention and didn’t want it. I was at least glad we were having this discussion, though. We’d talked little about our dinner with Dad, and if she was second‑guessing criticizing me, that was good both for me personally and perhaps for her progress in lightening up in Alchemist beliefs. I felt a little bad that this was coming out because she thought my Court trip would endanger my life, but no way would I correct her.

“He was right about you being so good at your job,” she added. “If you hadn’t gotten so comfortable with them, you’d never be able to go to their Court now. I know it’s a big deal that you got chosen. Not many people could handle it. I couldn’t.” She sighed. “But I wish you weren’t going. I’m so worried about you.”

I finally looked over at her, sitting cross‑legged on her bed. A pang stirred in my heart. Despite all the jealousy and suspicion, she was still my sister, and she loved me. She was just confused and insecure about her life right now, which was totally understandable. I was pretty sure she didn’t want this strife between us any more than I did. It was just the lot we’d been given.

“I’ll be fine. The Moroi are safe, and they want my help. Nothing’s going to happen to me.”

She still looked skeptical. “But you’re staying overnight with them. Surrounded by them.  Couldn’t you have gotten a hotel in a nearby town? Isn’t that what we usually do for trips there? It would keep you away from them.”

It would also keep me away from Adrian. “Staying on‑site means I can finish my work faster and get home faster,” I said reasonably. That was hard logic to beat. “And I survived staying with them when they were all partying and drinking champagne at that wedding. This has to be better.”

“Text me all the time so that I know you’re okay.”

I couldn’t help a smile. “I’ll see what I can do. And you text me too on how everything’s going.”

“I will,” she assured me, nodding eagerly. “I’ll be just like you.”

“I know you’ll do a great job.” I actually meant it. She was smart and competent–and now motivated.

“And I’ll make sure they get dinner at Clarence’s and that Angeline doesn’t do anything crazy. Too crazy.” Her lips turned up in a mischievous smile. “Did you hear that she threatened to sue the school for misrepresentation when her history teacher explained that the War of 1812 lasted until 1815?”

“No, I hadn’t heard that.” I shook my head in exasperation yet was secretly thrilled to hear Zoe laughing over someone she thought of as a wacky acquaintance–and not as a creature of evil.

“I’ll keep her in line, don’t worry.” Zoe grew a little more serious. “I don’t suppose . . . well, could I drive them? You know I can do it. And it’s not that far.”

“It’s not legal,” I rebuked gently, hating to see the longing in her. “If you got pulled over–”

“I wouldn’t! I’d be careful.”

“It’s the other drivers you have to worry about,” I said, knowing I sounded like a driving instructor. “Just keep practicing with Eddie. You’ll get your license at some point.”

She sighed. “But when?”

“The next time you’re back in Utah, I guess.”

A moment of silence descended between us. From her face, I had a good guess at what she was thinking. When would she be back in Utah? I knew my dad wouldn’t let her stay license‑less forever. It was something she needed for the job. It wasn’t a priority for him right now, though, so she’d have to wait. If she went back there to live with our mom, however . . .

“I guess . . . I guess I’ll just be patient.” Her mournful look intensified. “Anyway. I’ll worry about you until you get back.”

I patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t. This is one of those times you can’t think of me as your sister. Treat me like I’m another Alchemist, off to do a job.”

“It’s hard,” she said, in a voice that made my heart break. “I don’t know if I can.”

“You’ll learn to,” I said.

My flight was leaving soon, and I spent the rest of our time together trying to look stoic and resigned about this unpleasant mission. But after a while, I had to admit that I was secretly elated. Adrian and I were getting away from here! True, it was no free‑for‑all, but it’d be a relief to be away from suspicious eyes–and to actually have reason to be together.