All those eyes fell on me again, and Harrison came to stand in front of my desk. “It’s Sydney, correct? So charming to have you in class so fresh out of your reflection time. It’s especially charming to hear you speak so soon after joining us. Most newcomers bide their time. Now … would you be so kind as to repeat what you just said?”
I swallowed, again hating myself for having spoken, but it was too late to change things. “I asked where your proof was, sir. Your points are compelling and even seem reasonable, but if we don’t have proof to back them up, then we’re nothing but monsters ourselves, spreading lies and propaganda.”
There was a collective intake of breath from the rest of the detainees, and Harrison narrowed his eyes. “I see. Well then, do you have an explanation backed by ‘proof’?” More air quotes.
Why, why, why couldn’t I have just stayed quiet?
“Well, sir,” I began slowly. “Even if there were as many dhampir guardians as Strigoi, they wouldn’t be evenly matched. Strigoi are almost always stronger and faster, and while some guardians do make solo kills, often they need to hunt Strigoi in groups. When you look at the actual dhampir population, you see it’s not a match for the Strigoi one. The dhampirs are outnumbered. They aren’t able to reproduce as easily as Moroi and humans—or even Strigoi, if you want to call it that.”
“Well, from what I understand,” said Harrison, “you are an expert at reproduction with Moroi. Perhaps you’d be personally interested in helping increase those dhampir numbers yourself, yes?”
Snickers sounded from around the class, and I found myself blushing in spite of myself. “That wasn’t my intent here at all, sir. I’m just saying, if we’re going to critically analyze the reasons why—”
“Sydney,” he interrupted, “I’m afraid we won’t be analyzing anything, as it’s obvious you aren’t quite ready to participate with the rest of us.”
My heart stopped. No. No, no, no. They couldn’t send me back to the darkness, not when I’d only just gotten out.
“Sir—”
“I think,” he continued, “that a little purging might make you better able to participate with the rest of us.”
I had no idea what that meant, but two burly men in suits suddenly entered the classroom, which must have been under surveillance. I attempted another protest to Harrison, but the men swiftly escorted me out of the room before I could make much of a plea to my instructor. So I tried arguing with the henchmen instead, going on about how there was clearly some sort of misunderstanding and how if they’d just give me a second chance, we could work all of this out. They remained silent and stone-faced, however, and my stomach sank at the prospect of being locked away again. I’d been so condescending toward what I viewed as the Alchemists’ mind games with creature comforts that I hadn’t realized how dependent I’d already grown on them. The thought of being stripped of my dignity and basic needs again was almost too much to bear.
But they only took me down one floor this time, not back to the level with the cells. And the room they led me to was painfully well-lit, with a larger monitor at the front of the room and a huge armchair with manacles facing it. Sheridan stood nearby, looking serene as ever … and she was brandishing a needle.
It wasn’t a tattooist’s needle either. It was a big, wicked-looking thing, the kind you used for medical injections. “Sydney,” she said sweetly, as the men strapped me down in the chair. “What a shame I have to see you again so soon.”
CHAPTER 4
Adrian
I HAD SO MANY QUESTIONS for my mom that it was hard to know where to begin. Probably the most important one was what she was even doing here, since last I’d known she was serving time in a Moroi prison for perjury and interfering with a murder investigation.
“We’ll have plenty of time to talk later,” she insisted. “Right now we have a flight to catch. Human boy, can you find us a suitcase?”
“His name is Trey,” I said. “And he’s my roommate, not my valet.” I staggered to my closet and pulled out the suitcase I’d brought when I first came to Palm Springs. My mom took it from me and began packing up my room’s belongings as though I were eight again.
“You’re leaving?” asked Trey, looking as dumbfounded as I felt.
“I guess I am.” I thought about it a little more, and suddenly, it seemed like a great idea. Why was I still here, torturing myself in a desert? Sydney was gone. Jill was making rapid strides in learning to block me through the bond, thanks to my extreme behavior recently. Besides, she’d be leaving here in another month as well. “Yes,” I said more confidently. “I’m definitely leaving. It’s prepaid through fall. You can stay on.”
I needed to be away from this place and its memories of Sydney. She was everywhere I looked, not just in this apartment but also at Amberwood and even Palm Springs at large. Every place brought up some image of her, and although I hadn’t given up on finding her, I’d continue doing so in a place that didn’t cause me so much pain. Maybe this was the fresh start I needed.
That … and my mom was back! I’d missed her deeply, in a different way from Sydney, and had almost as little contact. My mother hadn’t wanted me to reach her in dreams, and my father wouldn’t deliver any letters. I’d worried about how Daniella Ivashkov had survived in a prison, but watching her now, she seemed no worse for it. She seemed as elegant as ever, well-dressed and well-made-up, moving around my room with that single-minded authority and confidence that defined her—and had played a role in her arrest.
“Here,” she said, handing me something from the dresser. “Keep these on you. You don’t want to check them in your luggage.”
I looked down and was met with a sparkling array of diamonds and rubies set in platinum. They’d been a gift from my Aunt Tatiana. She’d given them to me “for special occasions,” as though I’d have all sorts of reasons to wear thousands of dollars on my sleeves. Maybe I would have if I’d stayed at Court. Mostly in Palm Springs, they’d been a temptation, one I’d nearly pawned in a desperate attempt to get some cash. I squeezed them tightly a few moments now, letting the sharp corners dig into my palms, and then slipped them into my pocket.
My mom finished the suitcase in less than ten minutes. When I pointed out she’d only packed a fraction of my belongings, she waved my concern off. “No time. We’ll buy you new things at Court.”
So. We were going to Court. I wasn’t entirely surprised. My family had a few other guesthouses around the world, but the Moroi Court in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania was their primary residence. Honestly, I didn’t care where we were going as long as it was away from here.
In the living room, I found a watchful guardian waiting for us. My mom introduced him as Dale and said he’d also be our driver. I made an awkward farewell with Trey, who still seemed stunned by the abrupt turn of events. He asked if I wanted to send a message through him to Jill or the others, which gave me pause. At last, I shook my head.
“No need.”
Jill would understand why I needed to leave, why I needed to get away from my memories and my failures. Anything I told her in words would pale to what she’d learn from the bond, and she could either tell the others or come up with a pretty story for me. Eddie would think I was running away, but staying here for three months had brought me closer to only misery, not Sydney. Maybe this change of venue was what I needed.
My mom had booked us first-class seats to Pennsylvania, with Dale sitting right across the aisle. After living a frugal college student’s life for so long, that kind of expense made my mind reel a little, yet the more I sat with my mom, the more natural it became. A flight attendant came around offering drinks, but my pounding head made me abstain and stick to water. That, and I wanted my wits about me to hear what my mom had to say.
“I’ve been home for a week,” she said, as though she’d been away on holiday. “Naturally, I’ve been busy getting things back in order there, but you were first and foremost on my mind.”
“How did yo
u know where to find me?” I asked. My location, being tied to Jill’s, was a tightly guarded secret. No one would risk her by revealing me.
Her brow knit. “I received a puzzling message. Anonymous. Said you were ‘going through a tough time’ and needed me. It had your address and strict instructions not to share it, as you were conducting important business for the queen. A little of that’s gotten around—about the work you’ve been doing to protect us from Strigoi. It’s very impressive.”
Going through a tough time. Those were the words Jill had used to defend me last night for forgetting her fashion show. I nearly groaned. No one would risk Jill’s safety to tell my mom where I was—except Jill herself.
“Does anyone know you’re here?” I asked.
“Of course not,” said my mom, looking offended. “I’d never reveal secrets so important to the Moroi’s future. If there’s a way to eradicate the Strigoi, I’ll do my part and help you in yours … though, I must admit, darling, you do seem a bit out of sorts.”
If my mom thought we were just doing Strigoi research in Palm Springs, then so be it. She’d hopefully have no reason to give it a second thought now that she’d retrieved me.
“‘Out of sorts’ is putting it lightly,” I told her.
She rested her hand on mine. “What’s wrong? You were dealing so well. I understand you’ve been taking classes again? And doing this work for the queen?”
With a start, I realized I’d never checked on my other two classes. Did I have final exams in them? Culminating projects? Crap. I’d been so stunned over my mom’s arrival and the chance to escape that I’d completely forgotten to follow up at Carlton. I may have blown my last attempt at college success. The pride in her voice touched me, though, and I couldn’t bear to tell her that part of the truth.
“Yeah, I’ve been busy,” I said vaguely.
“Then what’s wrong?” she reiterated.
I met her eyes, seeing the rare compassion few saw. Before her imprisonment, most saw her as prim, aristocratic Daniella Ivashkov, cold and unconcerned with image. I knew her that way as well, but in these rare, shining moments, I also knew her as my mother. And suddenly, I found myself telling the truth … or at least a version of it.
“There … well, there was a girl, Mom.”
She sighed. “Oh, Adrian. Is that all?”
“It’s not all!” I exclaimed angrily. “She was the girl. The one who changed everything. The one who changed me.”
“All right, all right,” she said, trying to soothe me. “I’m sorry. What happened with her?”
I tried to find some way to accurately convey the truth. “Her family didn’t approve of me.”
Now my mother was angry, assuming, naturally, that I was talking about a Moroi girl. “That’s ridiculous! You come from the finest Moroi bloodlines, on both the Tarus and Ivashkov sides. The queen herself couldn’t ask for better lineage. If this girl’s family has problems with you, then they’re clearly deluded.”
I almost smiled. “Well, that we can agree on.”
“Then what’s the problem? If she’s an adult—oh, Adrian, please tell me she’s an adult and not a minor.”
“She’s an adult.”
Relief flooded my mother’s features. “Then she’s capable of making her own decisions and coming to you, regardless of what her family thinks. And if she stands with them, then she’s not worth your time, and you’re better off without her.”
I wanted to tell her that it wasn’t that simple, but she hadn’t reacted well to me being involved with Rose. A dhampir was unforgiveable. A human was inconceivable.
“I think it had as much to do with me personally as my bloodline,” I said instead.
My mother tsked in disapproval. “Well, we’ll see if she comes around. Who wouldn’t want my boy? In the meantime, I wish you wouldn’t let these things hit you so hard. What is it with you and girls, dear? Why do they either mean nothing to you or everything? It’s always an extreme.”
“Because I don’t do things in halves, Mom. Especially when it comes to love.”
When we landed and I was able to turn on my cell phone, I found a text message waiting from Jill: Yup, it was me. I know you came to Palm Springs for my sake, but I figured it was time for you to change things. When I heard from Lissa that your mom was back, I thought it’d be good for you to see her, so I helped get you two connected. Hope that was okay.
You’re the best, Jailbait, I wrote back.
Her response made me smile: You don’t know the half of it. Your other two classes required final projects, not exams. Trey and I dug around the apartment and found some of your rejected projects to turn in. Not sure if you’ll pass, but some credit is better than no credit.
It figured. Jill had kept track of what was due in my classes when I hadn’t. I started and stopped a lot of projects, so there was no telling what she’d turned in, but in my recent state, it was probably better than anything I would’ve attempted on purpose for those final grades. It was in fate’s hands now.
One thing puzzled me, though, as Dale drove my mom and me to Court. My mom herself had said that she’d been back for a week. Jill had given my address to my mom, which certainly created greater impact with a personal visit, but had it been necessary? Although Jill’s location was a secret, Lissa would have made sure my mom had a secure way to call me as soon as she was free, had my mom asked. Why hadn’t she? It was almost as though my mom had been putting off contacting me, and it wasn’t until Jill called her attention to the problems I was having that my mom had acted. Surely, even if everything was fine with me, my mom would’ve wanted to get in touch right away … right?
Or maybe I was overthinking things. I couldn’t doubt my mom’s love. Whatever her faults, she still cared about me, and seeing her alive and well drove home how worried I’d been about her while she was imprisoned. Whenever I tried to bring up her time away, though, she brushed the subject off.
“It’s done,” she said simply as we drove up to the Court’s front security gates. “I’ve served my sentence, and that’s all there is to it. The only thing you need to know is that it’s made me reassess my priorities in life and what really matters.” She gently touched my cheek. “And you’re at the top of those priorities, my darling.”
The Moroi Royal Court was arranged like a university, with lots of old Gothic buildings set on sprawling grounds. In fact, in the human world, its cover story was that it was an academic institution, a private and elite one that was generally left alone. Government officials and certain royal Moroi had permanent lodging there, and there were also accommodations for guests and all sorts of services to make life bearable. It was, in a sense, its own little enclosed city.
I expected my mother to take us to our family townhouse, but instead, we ended up at one of the guest housing facilities. “After living on your own, I couldn’t imagine you’d want to be holed up with your father and me,” she explained. “We can work on something more permanent later, but in the meantime, the queen has allowed these arrangements for you.”
I was surprised, but she was right about one thing—I didn’t really want my father tracking my comings and goings. Or her, for that matter. Not that I intended on too many wild and crazy goings-on. I was here for a fresh start, resolved to use what resources I could to help Sydney. After she’d gone out of her way to find me, though, I’d assumed my mother would want to keep me under lock and key.
An attendant at the building’s front desk set me up with a room, and my mother hugged me goodbye. “I have an appointment to get to, but let’s get together tomorrow, shall we? We’re having guests over for dinner. I’m sure your father would love to see you. Come by, and we’ll catch up. You will be okay now, won’t you?”
“Of course,” I said. We’d lost a lot of the day owing to travel and time change. “Not much trouble left for me to get into. I’ll probably call it an early night.”
She hugged me again, and then I made my way up to my room, which was
the kind of one-bedroom suite you’d find at any five-star hotel. Once I’d deposited my suitcase in the bedroom, I immediately made some phone calls and began setting up plans. With those in place, I took a quick shower (my first of the day) and promptly headed back out again. It wasn’t for any wild time, though.
Of course, some might consider any get-together with Rose Hathaway and Lissa Dragomir a wild time.
Both lived inside what was dubbed the royal palace around here, though from the outside, it maintained that same university facade. Once indoors, the full weight of Moroi history came pressing down with Old World grandeur: crystal chandeliers, velvet drapes, oil paintings of monarchs past. The queen’s rooms were pretty updated, however, having been decorated more for her personal tastes and less for her office. I was just glad she’d taken a set of rooms different from the ones my aunt had lived—and died—in. It was already surreal enough coming here sometimes without that memory to haunt me.
The girls were in Lissa’s living room when I arrived. Lissa was sitting cross-legged on a couch surrounded by books, while Rose had managed to arrange herself upside down in an armchair, her long, dark hair dangling and fanning out on the ground. She leapt upright to her feet with dhampir skill and grace upon my entrance. Hurrying over, she gave me a quick, friendly embrace. “You’re really here. I thought it was a joke at first. Figured you’d be staying with Jill.”
“She doesn’t need me right now,” I said, going over to hug Lissa as she rose up from her books. “School’s wrapping up, and there’s all sorts of things keeping her busy for now.”
“Tell me about it,” said Rose, rolling her eyes at Lissa. “Miss All-Study-and-No-Play here has been taking the fun out of everything.”
Lissa smiled indulgently at her best friend. “Exams start tomorrow.”
“Mine just ended,” I said.
“How’d you do?” Lissa asked, settling back down.