The Indigo Spell Chapter Thirteen

WADE TOLD ME EVERYTHING he knew. It was alto brookher usageful, simply I didnt k at unitary time if it would be enough. First, I had to get to St. Louis . . . and that was red ink to be tricky. I gear up myself for the ph oneness calls Id establish to enlighten, hoping I had enough Alchemist wiles to pull them turned.Before I took on that task, I good wanted the normality and comfort of my bear room. Eddie and I drove pole to Amberwood, analyzing e very detail of our meeting. He was chomping at the bit to make progress, and I promised Id keep him in the loop.I had bonny r separatelyed my brink when my phone rang. It was Ms. Ter departiger. I s contact in, nearlytimes I thought she had a sensor stunned(p)side my room so that shed know the instant I re saturnine.Miss Melbourne, she express. We exact to meet.My heart s turn overped. There hasnt been a nonher victim, has at that place? You tell we keep back time.We do, she replied. Which is why we need to meet soon er rather than later. Reading up on spells is one thing, simply you require some(a) extends-on practice. I refuse to let Veronica get to you.Her wrangling triggered a mix of emotions. Naturally, I had my knee-jerk reaction against practicing magic. It was quickly squashed by the realization that Ms. Terwilliger autoed rough me and was so c formerlyrned intimately keeping me safe. My own individualal desire to non be in a coma was also a ardent motivator.When do you want to meet, maam? I asked.Tomorrow dayspring.I realized tomorrow was Saturday. Already? Where had the week gone? I was driving Adrian to hen-peck up his car in the morning, which hopefully wouldnt take a coarse time. Could we meet at noon? Ive got an errand to run.I approximate so, said Ms. Terwilliger, with some reluctance. Meet me at my place, and then well go come to the fore to solitary Rock Park.I was about to lie back on my bed and froze. Why do we have to go out to the middle of the desert? Lone R ock Park was remote and rarely saw numerous tourists. I hadnt forgotten how terrifying it was the last time shed brought me out into the wilderness. At least this time wed be in daylight.Well, we ordure hardly practice on school grounds, she pointed outTrue. . . .Bring your book, and the components youve been lastings on.We disconnected, and I jotted out a quick text to Adrian Need to be fast tomorrow. Meeting Ms. T at 12. His receipt wasnt entirely un pass judgment Why? Adrian naturally needed to know everything that was going on in my life. I texted back that Ms. Terwilliger wanted to work on magical protection. This time, he did surprise me Can I wait? Wanna know how shes protecting you.Wow, Adrian actually asked? He had a history of simply inviting himself along on outings. I hesitated, still confused aft(prenominal) our heated moment at the sorority. Hed never mentioned it again, though, and his c at a timern now stirred me. I texted back that he could come along and wa s rewarded with a smiley facet.I didnt entirely know what to wear to magical training, so I opted for comfort suitable layers the adjoining morning. Adrian gave me a once-over when he got into Latte. Casual mode, huh? Havent seen that since the Wolfe days.I dont know what she has in head word, I explained, doing a U-turn on his street. Figured this was take up.You could have worn your AYE shirt.Wouldnt want to get it dirty, I said, grinning.That was partially true. I still thought the fiery heart hed multi-colour was exquisite. But each time I looked at the shirt, too numerous memories seized me. What had I been cerebration? That was a question Id asked myself a hundred times, and every answer I came up with sounded fake. My preferred theory was that Id simply been caught up in how serious Adrian had been about his art, how the emotion and expendion had seized hold of him. Girls worryd artists retri only whenory as a good deal as unsuitable boys, right? til now now, som ething stirred in my chest when I thought about the rapturous look on his face. I loved that he possessed something so powerful in him.But, as I told myself constantly, that was no excuse for climbing all over him and letting him kiss me on my neck. Id bought and plentyloaded the bad boy book online, save it had been completely useless in advising me. I finally decided the best way if not the healthiest one was to act equal the moment had never happened. That didnt mean I forgot it. In concomitant, as I sat beside him in the car, I had a difficult time not hypothesizeing about how it had felt to be pressed up against him. Or how his fingers had felt entangled in my h aura. Or how his lips had Sydney Stop. Think of something else. Conjugate Latin verbs. Recite the periodic table.None of those did any good. To Adrians credit, he continued to refuse any commentary about that night. Finally, I found distraction in placeing him about my depend on to San Bernardino. Rehashing the conspiracy, rebel groups, and break-ins pretty much killed any passionate emotional states I still had. Adrian didnt desire the idea of Alchemists working with Warriors or of the tattoo controlling me. But he also didnt care me walking into danger. I attempt to downplay the near impossibility of breaking into the St. Louis facility, only he clearly didnt weigh me.Ms. Terwilliger texted me twice not to be late to our meeting. I kept an eye on my watch, entirely the care of a Mustang was not something I took lightly, and I had to take my time at the mechanics shop to make sure the Mustang was in primeval condition. Adrian had wanted to go with basic tires, but Id urged him to upgrade, convincing him the extra cost would be worth it. And once I inspected them, I congratulated myself on the choice. Only after I was satisfied the car hadnt been unnecessarily scratched did I finally allow him to pay. We drove both cars back to Vista Azul, and I was pleased to see my measure wa s perfect. We werent late, but Ms. Terwilliger was waiting on her porch for us.We designated Adrian as our carpool driver. Jeez, I said when she hurriedly got in the car. Do you have somewhere to be after this?The smile she gave me was strained, and I couldnt help but notice how pale she looked. No, but we do have a schedule to follow. I cast a large spell this morning that wont last forever. The countdown is on.She wouldnt say any more until we feeded the park, and that silence unnerved me. It gave me the opportunity to imagine all sorts of stir outcomes. And although I trusted her, I suddenly felt relieved that Adrian was along as a chaperone.Although it wasnt the busiest place, Lone Rock Park still had the occasional hiker. Ms. Terwilliger who was actually in hiking boots set off across the gravelly terrain, searching for a suitably remote space to do whatever it was she had in mind. A few stratified rock formations dotted the landscape, but I couldnt really appreciate their beauty. Mostly I was conscious(predicate) that we were out here when the sun was at its fiercest. Even if it was nigh winter, wed still be feeling the heat.I glanced over at Adrian as we walked and found him already looking at me. From his jacket pocket, he produced a bottle of sunscreen. I knew youd ask. Im to the highest degree as prepared as you are.Nearly, I said. Hed done it again, anticipating my thoughts. For half a heartbeat, I pretended it was on the dot the two of us out on a pleasant good afternoon hike. It seemed like most of the time we spent together was on some urgent mission. How nice would it be to just hang out without the weight of the world on us? Ms. Terwilliger soon brought us back to our grim reality.This should do, she said, surveying the land around her. She had managed to mark one of the most desolate areas in the park. I wouldnt have been surprised to see vultures circling overhead. Did you bring what I asked for?Yes, maam. I knelt on the ground and rifled with my bag. In it was the spell book, along with some herbal and liquid compounds Id mixed up at her request. squander out the shootball patternling, she instructed.Adrians eyes went wide. Did you just say fireball? Thats badass.You see fire all the time, I reminded him. From Moroi who empennage wield it.Yeah, but Ive never seen a human do anything like that. Ive never seen you do anything like that.I wished he didnt look so awestruck because it kind of drove home the severity of what we were about to attempt. I wouldve felt better if hed treated it like it was no big deal. But this spell? Yeah, it was kind of a big deal.Id once performed some other spell that involved throwing a painstakingly made amulet and reciting words that made it burst into flashs. That one had a huge physical component, however. This spell was another of those cordial ones and essentially involved summoning fire out of thin air.The kindling Ms. Terwilliger had referred to was a small bowed s tringed instrument bag filled with ashes made from burnt yew bark. She took the bag from me and examined its contents, murmuring in approval. Yes, yes. Very nice. Excellent consistency. You ruin it for exactly the right amount of time. She handed the bag back. Now, eventually you wont need this. Thats what makes this spell so powerful. It jackpot be performed very quickly, with very micro preparation. But you have to practice eldest out front you can reach that point.I nodded along and tried to stay in student mode. So far, what she was saying was uniform to what the book had described. If I thought of all this as a classroom exercise, it was much less daunting. non really scary at all.Ms. Terwilliger tilted her head and looked past me. Adrian? You might want to keep your distance. A considerable distance.Okay. Maybe a little scary.He obeyed and sanction up. Ms. Terwilliger apparently had no much(prenominal) dread for herself because she stayed all a few feet outside from me. Now then, she said. Apply the ashes, and hold out your hand.I reached into the bag, jot the ashes with my thumb and forefinger. Then I lightly rubbed all my fingers together until my whole palm had a comely gray coating on it. I set the bag down and then held out my hand in front of me, palm up. I knew what came next but waited for her instruction.Summon your magic to call the flame back from the ashes. No incantation, just your will.Magic surged within me. Calling an element from the world reminded me a little of what the Moroi did, which felt strange. My attempt started off as a red glimmer, hovering in the air above my palm. Slowly, it grew and grew until it was about the size of a tennis ball. The high of magic filled me. I held my breath, scarcely able to hope what I had just done. The red flames writhed and swirled, and although I could feel their heat, they didnt burn me.Ms. Terwilliger gave a grunt that seemed to be equal parts amusement and surprise. Remarkable. I fo rget sometimes what a natural you really are. Its wholly red, but something tells me, it wont take long before you can produce blue ones without the ashes. Calling elements out of the air is easier than trying to transform one substance into another.I stared at the fireball, entranced, but soon found myself acquiring tired. The flames flickered, shrank, and then faded away altogether.The sooner you get rid of it, the better, she told me. Youll just use up your own energy trying to sustain it. Best to throw it at your adversary and quickly summon another. depict again, and this time, throw it.I called the fire once more and felt a small bit of contentment at visual perception it take on more of an orange hue. Id learned in my very first childhood chemistry lessons that the lighter a flame was, the hotter it burned. Getting to blue anytime soon still seemed like a long shot.And speaking of long shots . . . I threw the fireball.Or, well, I tried. My control of it faltered when I at tempted to send out it off toward a bare patch of ground. The fireball splintered apart, the flames disappearing into smoke that was carried off by the wind.Its hard, I said, knowing how lame that sounded. Trying to hold it and throw it is just like an ordinary physical thing. I have to do that while still controlling the magic.Exactly. Ms. Terwilliger seemed very pleased. And thats where the practice comes in.Fortunately, it didnt take too many attempts before I figured out how to make it all work together. Adrian cheered me on when I successfully managed to throw my first fireball, resulting in a beautiful shot that perfectly hit the rock Id been aiming for. I flashed Ms. Terwilliger a triumphant look and waited for the next spell wed be moving on to. To my surprise, she didnt seem nearly as impressed as I evaluate her to be.Do it again, she said.But Ive got it down, I protested. We should try something else. I was reading the other part of the book You have no business doing t hat yet, she scolded. You think this is exhausting? Youd pass out attempting one of the more advanced spells. Now. She pointed at the hard desert floor. Again.I wanted to tell her that it was impossible for me not to read in advance in a book. It was just how I operated with all my classes. Something told me now was not the best time to bring that up.She made me practice the throw over and over. Once she was convert I had it down, she had me work on increasing the fires heat. I finally managed to get up to yellow but could go no farther. Then I had to work on casting the spell without the ashes. Once I reached that milestone, it was back to practicing the throws. She picked various targets for me, and I hit them all effortlessly.Just like Skee-Ball, I muttered. Easy and boring.Yes, Ms. Terwilliger agreed. Its weak impinging inanimate objects. But moving targets? Living targets? Not quite so easy. So, lets move on to that, shall we?The fireball Id been holding above my hand vanis hed as shock shattered my control. What do you mean? If she expected me to start aiming at birds or rodents, she was in for a rude awakening. There was no way I was going to incinerate something alive. What am I supposed to hit?Ms. Terwilliger pushed her glasses up her nose and backed up several feet. Me.I waited for the punch line or at least some but explanation, but none came. I glanced behind me at Adrian, hoping perhaps he might shed some light on this, but he looked as astounded as I felt. I turned back to the singed ground where my earlier fireballs had struck.Ms. Terwilliger, you cant ask me to hit you.Her lips twitched into a small half smile. I differentiate you, I can. Go ahead, you cant hurt me.I had to think a few moments for how to phrase my next response. Im a pretty good shot, maam. I can hit you.This earned an outright laugh. Hit, yes. Hurt, no. Go ahead and throw. Our time is running out.I didnt know how much time had passed exactly, but the sun was definitely d ismantle in the sky. I looked back at Adrian, silently asking for help in dealing with this insanity. His only response was a shrug.Youre a witness to this, I told him. You heard her tell me to do it.He nodded. Youre all in all blameless.I took a deep breath and summoned my next fireball. I was so frazzled that it started off red, and I had to work to heat it up. Then I looked up at Ms. Terwilliger and braced myself for the shot. It was more difficult than I expected and not just because I was worried about hurting her. Throwing something at the ground required almost no thought. The focus in that location was on aim and little else. But facing a person, seeing her eyes and the way her chest rose and fell while breathing . . . well, she was right. It was entirely different from hitting an inanimate object. I began to tremble, unsure if I could do it. Youre wasting time, she warned. Youre sapping energy again. Throw.The command in her component jolted me to action. I threw.The fir eball flew from my hand, straight at her but it never made contact. I couldnt trust my eyes. About a theme in front of her, it hit some kind of invisible barrier, shattering apart into small flames, which quickly dissipated into smoke. My jaw dropped.What is that? I exclaimed.A very, very powerful protect spell, she said, clearly enjoying my reaction. She lifted up a pendant that had been hanging under her shirt. It didnt look like anything special, just a piece of unpolished carnelian wrapped in silver wire. It took incredible effort to make this . . . and requires more effort still in order to maintain it. The result is an invisible shield as you can see thats impervious to most physical and magical attacks.Adrian was by my side in a flash. Hang on. Theres a spell that makes you invulnerable to everything, and you only now just thought to mention it? Youve been going on this whole time about how Sydneys in danger Why dont you just teach her this one? Then your sister cant to uch her. Although it didnt seem like Adrian was about to attack her as he had Marcus, he was almost just as upset. His face was flushed, his eyes hard. He had clenched his fists at his side, but I didnt even think he noticed. It was more of that primal instinct.Ms. Terwilliger remained strong in the face of his outrage. If it were that simple, then believe me, I would. Unfortunately, there are a number of problems. One is that Sydney, prodigy that she is, is nowhere near strong enough to cast this. Im hardly strong enough. The other problem is that it has an extremely short time frame, which is why Ive been so adamant about a schedule. It only lasts six hours and requires so much effort that you cant just cast it and permanently keep it on you at all times. Im already worn out and will be even more so once it fades. I wont be able to cast it or hardly any other magic for at least another day. Thats why I need Sydney to be prepared at all times.Neither Adrian nor I said anything ri ght away. Id taken punctuate of her weary state when she got in the car but hadnt thought much more about it. As wed continued to practice out here, Id observed her sweating and looking more fatigued, but Id written it off to the heat. Only now could I fully appreciate the extent of what she had done.Why would you go to so much effort? I asked.To keep you alive, she snapped. Now, dont make this a waste. Weve only got one more hour before it wears off, and you need to be able to aim at someone without thinking twice. You hesitate too much.She was right. Even knowing that she was invulnerable, I still had a difficult time attacking her. Violence just wasnt something I embraced. I had to push down all my inner worries and treat it exactly like Skee-Ball. Aim, throw. Aim, throw. Dont think.Soon, I was able to fight past my anxieties and throw without hesitation. She even tried moving around a little, just to give me a better feel for what itd be like with a real foe, but I didnt find it to be much of a challenge. She was simply too tired and unable to run around or dodge me. I actually started to feel bad for her. She looked like she was about ready to pass out, and I felt guilty sizing up my next shot and AhhFire arced from Ms. Terwilligers fingertips just as I released my fireball. My shot went wide, the ball disintegrating before it got anywhere near her. The fire shed released passed me, about a foot away. With a weary grin, she sank to her knees and exhaled.Class dismissed, she said.What was that? I asked. I dont have a magic shield on meShe didnt display my same concern. It was nowhere near you. I made sure of that. It was simply to prove that no matter how boring and easy this seems, all bets are off when someone is actually attacking you. Now then. Adrian, would you be kind enough to bring me my bag? I have some dried dates in there that I think both Sydney and I would appreciate right about now.She was right. Id been so caught up in the lesson that I ha dnt noticed how exhausted I had become. She was in worse shape, but the magic had definitely taken its toll on me. Id never worked with amounts this big for so long, and my body felt weak and drained as the usual blood sugar drop occurred. I began to understand why she kept warning me away from the really difficult stuff. I splits inhaled the dried dates shed brought for us, and although the sugar helped, I was desperate for more. Adrian gallantly helped us both walk back to the parking lot at the parks entrance, keeping one of us on each arm.Too bad were out in the middle of nowhere, I grumbled, once we were all in Adrians car. I think youd be stupid(p) at how much I could eat right now. Ill probably faint before were back to some civilization and restaurants.Actually, said Adrian. You might be in luck. I think I saw a place not far from here when we were driving in.I hadnt noticed anything, but Id been too preoccupied worrying about Ms. Terwilligers upcoming lesson. Five minu tes after we were back on the highway, I saw that Adrian was right about a restaurant. He exited onto a disconsolate little road, pulling into the gravel parking lot of a small but freshly painted white building.I stared at the sign out front in disbelief.Pies and Stuff?You wanted sugar, Adrian reminded me. The Mustang kicked up dust and gravel, and I winced on behalf of the car. And at least its not Pies and Bait or anything like that.Yeah, but the Stuff part isnt exactly reassuring.I thought it was more the Pie part that had you upset.Despite my misgivings, Pies and Stuff was actually a cute and clean little establishment. Polka-dot curtains hung in the windows, and the display case was filled with every pie imaginable as well as stuff like carrot cake and brownies. We were the only people under threescore in the whole place.We enjoin our pie and sat down with it in a corner booth. I ordered peach, Adrian had French silk, and Ms. Terwilliger went with pecan. And of course, she and I had the waitress bring us coffee as soon as humanly possible since wed had to abstain, painfully, for the magic. I took a sip and immediately felt better.Adrian ate his slice at a reasonable rate, like a normal person, but Ms. Terwilliger and I dug in as though we hadnt eaten in a month. Conversation was irrelevant. Only pie mattered. Adrian regarded us both with delight and didnt try to interrupt until wed practically licked the ordered seriess clean.He nodded toward mine. another(prenominal) piece?Ill take more coffee. I eyed the sparkling plate and couldnt help but notice that inner voice that used to nag me about calories was quiet these days. In fact, it didnt seem to be around anymore at all. Id been so angry about Adrians food intervention, but his words had ended up having a bigger impact than Id expected. Not that it had anything to do with him personally, of course. Lightening up my dieting restrictions was just a reasonable idea. That was it. I feel pretty good now .Ill get you another cup, he told me. When he returned, he even had a mug for Ms. Terwilliger. Figured youd want one too.She smiled in appreciation. Thank you. Youre very astute. As she drank, I couldnt help but notice she still looked tired, scorn the fact that wed just replenished with sugar. She no longer seemed in danger of passing out, but it was obvious she hadnt recovered as quickly as I had.Are you sure youre okay? I asked her.Dont worry, Ill be fine. She sipped more coffee, her face lost in thought. Its been years since I performed the shield spell. I forgot how much it takes out of me.I was again struck by all the vex shed gone through for me. Ever since shed identified me as a potential magic user, Id done nothing but resist her and even be antagonistic.Thanks, I told her. For everything . . . I wish there was a way I could make it up to you.She set her cup down and stirred in more sugar. Im happy to do it. Theres no need to reciprocate. Although . . . once this is all over, Id like very much if youd meet my coven. Im not asking you to join, she added quickly. Just to speech. I think youd find the Stelle very interesting.Stelle, I repeated. Shed never called them by name before. The stars.Ms. Terwilliger nodded. Yes. Our origins are Italian, though as youve seen already the magic we use comes from a number of cultures.I was at a loss for words. Shed gone to so much trouble for me . . . surely it wasnt a big deal just to talk to the other witches, right? But if it was such a small thing, then why was I terrified? The answer came to me a few moments later. lecture to others, seeing the larger organization, would kick my involvement with magic up to the next level. It had taken me a long time to come around to the magic I already used. Id overcome many of my fears, but some part of me treated it as just some sideline activity. Like a hobby. Meeting other witches would change everything. I would have to accept that I was part of something so much bi gger than just the occasional dabbling. Meeting a coven seemed official. And I didnt know if I was ready to be considered a witch.Ill think about it, I said at last. I wished I could give her more, but my protective instincts had seized meIll take what I can get, she said with a small smile. Her phone chimed, and she glanced down. Speaking of the Stelle, I need to talk to one of my sisters. Ill meet you at the car. She finished her coffee and headed outside.Adrian and I followed a few minutes later. I was still troubled about the coven and caught hold of his sleeve to keep him back. I spoke softly.Adrian, when did I reach this point? Trying to crack open the Alchemists and practicing magic in the desert? Last summer, when Id been with Rose in Russia, I couldnt even tolerate the idea of sleeping in the same room with her. Id had too many Alchemist mantras running through my mind, warning me of vampire evils. And now, here I was, in league with vampires and questioning the Alchemists. That fille in Russia had nothing in common with the one in Palm Springs.No, Im still the same person at heart. I had to be . . . because if I wasnt, then who was I?Adrian smiled at me sympathetically. I think its been a culmination of things. Your curious nature. Your need to do the right thing. Its all led you to this point. I know the Alchemists have taught you to think a certain way, but what youre doing now its not wrong.I raked my hand through my hair. And yet, despite all of that, I cant bring myself to have one tiny conversation with Ms. Terwilligers coven.You have boundaries. He softly smoothed one of my wayward locks. Nothing wrong with that.Marcus would say its the tattoo holding me back.Adrian dropped his hand. Marcus says a lot of things.I dont think Marcus is trying to deceive me. He believes in his cause, and Im still worried about mind control . . . but honestly, its hard to believe Im being held back when Im out here doing stuff like this. I gestured outside, to where Ms. Terwilliger was. Alchemist dogma says this magic is unnatural and wrong.Adrians smile returned. If it makes you feel better, you actually looked natural out there back in the park.Doing . . . what? Throwing fireballs? I shook my head. Theres nothing natural about that.You wouldnt think so, but . . . well. You were . . . amazing, throwing that fire like some kind of ancient warrior goddess.Annoyed, I turned away. Stop making fun of me.He caught my arm and pulled me back toward him. I am absolutely serious.I swallowed, speechless for a moment. All I was mindful of was how close we were, that he was holding me to him with only a few inches between us. Almost as close as at the sorority. Im not a warrior or a goddess, I managed at last.Adrian leaned closer. As far as Im concerned, youre both.I knew that look in his eyes. I knew because Id seen it before. I expected him to kiss me, but instead, he ran his finger along the side of my neck. There it is, huh? Badge of honor.It t ook me a moment to realize he was talking about the hickey It had faded but wasnt entirely gone. I pulled away. It is not It was a mistake. You were out of line doing that to me.His eyebrows rose. Sage, I distinctly remember every part of that night. You didnt seem that unwilling. You were practically on top of me.I dont really remember the details, I lied.He moved his hand from my neck and rested a fingertip on my lips. But Ill stick to just kissing these if it makes you feel better. No mark. He started to lean toward me, and I jerked away.You will not Its wrong.What, kissing you, or kissing you in Pies and Stuff?I glanced around, suddenly aware that we were creating a dinner show for the senior citizens, even if they couldnt hear us. I backed up.Both, I said, feeling my cheeks burn. If youre going to attempt something inappropriate something you said you wouldnt do anymore then you could at least pick a better place.He laughed softly, and the look in his eyes confused me further . Okay he said. The next time I kiss you, I promise itll be in a more amatory place.I what? No You shouldnt try at all I began moving toward the door, and he fell in step with me. What happened to loving me from a distance? What happened to not, um, bringing up any of this stuff? For someone who was allegedly just going to watch from afar, he wasnt doing a very good job. And I was doing an even worse job of being indifferent.He moved in front of the door and blocked my way. I said I wouldnt if you dont want me to. But youre kind of giving me mixed signals, Sage.I am not, I said, amazed that I could even say that with a straight face. Even I didnt believe it. Youre presumptuous and exacting and a whole lot of other things if you think Ive changed my mind.You see, thats just it. There he was again, moving into my space. I think you like the other things.I shook off my daze and pulled away. I like humans.Another Alchemist lesson came to mind. They look like us, but dont be deceived . The Moroi dont display the malice of the Strigoi, but creatures who drink blood and pull strings nature have no place in our world. Work with them only as you must. We are not the same. Keep your distance as much as possible. Its for the good of your soul.Adrian didnt look like he believed this either, but he stepped away and headed outside. I followed a few moments later, thinking Id played with fire more than once today.