I knew it was an illusion, seeing as the glass eye couldn't really stare, but I felt like he was glaring at me with both eyes. "I'm doing plenty. Don't even think to criticize me."

"What were you doing here?" I asked, suddenly realizing how weird that was. He'd accused me of "socializing" but had never explained his motives. "I had to see Clarence, not that it's any of your business."

I wanted more details but refused to let on how curious I was. He'd been here yesterday too, according to Lee. "Will you call the school tomorrow and get Jill excused from PE?"

Keith gave me a long and heavy look. "No."

"What? Why not?"

"Because being out in the sun won't kill her."

Again, I bit down on my anger and tried for the diplomacy I'd been schooled in. "Keith, you didn't see her. Maybe it won't kill her, but it was miserable for her. She was in agony."

"I don't really care if they're miserable or not," Keith said. "And neither should you. Our job is to keep her alive. There was no mention of making sure she's happy and comfortable."

"I wouldn't think anyone would have to tell us," I said, aghast. Why was he so upset? "I'd think being sensitive human beings, we could just do it." "Well, now you can. You can either get someone above us to issue a note to the school or you can give her ice baths after gym class. I really don't care what you do, but maybe it'll keep you busy enough that you'll stop coming over here unannounced and throwing yourself at creatures of darkness. Don't let me hear about this happening again."

"You are unbelievable," I said. I was too upset and at a loss for words to manage anything more eloquent.

"I'm looking out for your soul," he said loftily. "It's the least I can do for your dad. Too bad you aren't more like your sisters."

Keith turned his back on me and unlocked the car door without another word. He got in and drove off, leaving me staring. Tears threatened my eyes, and I swallowed them back. I felt like an idiot - but not because of his accusations. I didn't believe for an instant that I'd done anything wrong by coming over here. No, I was mad - mad at myself - because I'd let him walk away with the last word and because I hadn't had the nerve to say anything back. I'd stayed silent, just like everyone always told me to.

I kicked the gravel in my anger, sending a spray of it into the air. A few small rocks hit my car, and I winced. "Sorry."

"Would he accuse you of being evil for talking to an inanimate object?"

I spun around, heart racing. Adrian was leaning against the house, smoking. "Where did you come from?" I demanded. Even though I knew everything there was to know about vampires, it was hard to shake superstitious fears of them appearing out of thin air.

"Other door," he explained. "I went out to smoke and overheard the commotion."

"It's rude to eavesdrop," I said, knowing I sounded unbearably prim but unable to stop myself.

"It's rude to be an ass**le like that." Adrian nodded toward where Keith had driven away. "Are you going to be able to get Jill out of class?" I sighed, suddenly feeling tired. "Yeah, I should be able to. It'll just take a little longer while I get some other Alchemist to be our fake parents. Would've been a lot faster if Keith had done it."

"Thanks for looking out for her, Sage. You're okay. For a human."

I almost laughed. "Thanks."

"You can say it too, you know."

I walked over to Latte and paused. "Say what?"

"That I'm okay... for a vampire," he explained.

I shook my head, still smiling. "You'll have a hard time getting any Alchemist to admit that. But I can say you're okay for an irreverent party boy with occasional moments of brilliance."

"Brilliant? You think I'm brilliant?" He threw his hands skyward. "You hear that, world? Sage says I'm brilliant."

"That's not what I said!"

He dropped the cigarette and stamped it out, giving me a devil-may-care grin. "Thanks for the ego boost. I'm going to go tell Clarence and Lee all about your high opinion."

"Hey, I didn't - "

But he was already gone. As I drove away, I decided the Alchemists needed an entire department devoted to handling Adrian Ivashkov. When I got back to my dorm room, I found Jill sitting surrounded in textbooks and papers, undoubtedly trying to catch up from yesterday. "Wow," I said, thinking of the homework that waited for me too. "You've got a whole command center set up."

Rather than smile at my joke, Jill looked up with an icy gaze. "Do you think," she said, "that maybe next time you want to mess with my dating life, you could talk to me first?"

I was speechless. Adrian had said he'd talk to Jill. I just hadn't realized it'd be so quickly.

"You don't have to go behind my back to keep me away from Micah," she added. "I'm not stupid. I know I can't date a human."

So Adrian had apparently told her that much.

"And," Jill continued, still in that cold tone, "you don't have to set me up with the only eligible Moroi within a hundred miles in order to keep me out of trouble."

Okay... Adrian had apparently told her everything. I would've expected more discretion from him, especially with the Lee part.

"We... we weren't setting you up," I said lamely. "Lee wanted to ask you out anyway."

"But rather than talk to me, he asked permission from you guys! You don't control my life."

"I know that," I said. "We weren't trying to!" How had this just blown up right in front of me? "Lee acted on his own."

"Just like you did when you went to talk to Adrian behind my back." Her eyes glittered with angry tears, daring me to deny it. I couldn't and only now realized the wrongness of what I'd done. Ever since she found out she was royal, Jill had watched other people dictate her life for her. Maybe my intentions to get Adrian to talk to her about Micah were good, but I'd addressed them in the wrong way.

"You're right," I said. "I'm sorry that I - "

"Forget it," she said, slipping a pair of headphones on. "I don't want to hear any more. You made me look stupid in front of both Adrian and Lee. Not that they'll even think twice about me in Los Angeles tonight." She waved a hand at me and looked down at the book in front of her. "I'm done with you."

Whether she couldn't hear me because of the music or simply because she'd now chosen to ignore me, I couldn't say. All I knew was that I once again found myself comparing her to Zoe. Just like with Zoe, I'd tried to do something good for Jill, and it had backfired. Just like with Zoe, I'd ended up hurting and humiliating the one I'd tried to protect.