The Golden Lily

"I know better than to offer to heal you," Adrian told me, as we squeezed past a group of guardians. "Grab a seat in the living room, and I'll get you some ice." I started to say I could get my own, but my ankle was growing increasingly painful. With a nod, I left him and made my way to the living room. A couple of unknown guardians were there, along with a beaming Clarence. To my surprise, Eddie and Angeline were also in there, sitting side by side - and holding hands?

"Sydney!" he exclaimed. He immediately released Angeline's hand and hurried over to me, astonishing me with a hug. "Thank God you're okay. I hated having to leave you there.

That wasn't part of the plan. I was supposed to have gotten you out with Sonya."

"Yeah, well, maybe next time, someone can fill me in on the plan," I said pointedly.

Eddie grimaced. "I'm sorry about that. I really am. We just..."

"I know, I know. Didn't think I'd go along with it, were afraid something would go wrong, etc., etc."

"I'm sorry."

I didn't entirely forgive him, but I was too tired to push the matter much further. "Just tell me this," I said, lowering my voice. "Were you just holding hands with Angeline?" He blushed, which seemed ludicrous after the fierceness I'd seen him pull off back at the compound. "Er, yeah. We were just... talking. I mean, that is... I think we might go out sometime.

Not at school, of course, since everyone thinks we're related. And probably not anything serious. I mean, she's still a little out there, but she's not as bad as I used to think. And she was really great in that battle. I feel like maybe I should get my head out of the fantasy with Jill and try some normal dating. If you'll let me borrow your car." I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. "Sure," I said. "Far be it for me to stop a budding romance." Should I tell him Jill might not be such a fantasy after all? I didn't want to meddle. Eddie deserved to be happy, but I couldn't help but feel a little bad that I'd told Jill he might be interested.

I hope I hadn't made things more complicated.

Adrian returned with a bag of ice. I sat down in an armchair, and he helped position the ice on my ankle after I propped it up on a footstool. I relaxed as the ice began numbing the pain and hoped I hadn't broken anything.

"Isn't this exciting?" Clarence asked me. "Finally, you were able to see the vampire hunters for yourselves!"

I wasn't sure I'd describe the night with that much enthusiasm, but I did have to concede a point to him. "You were right," I said. "I'm sorry for not believing you sooner." He gave me a kind smile. "It's all right, my dear. I probably wouldn't have believed a crazy old man either."

I smiled in return and then thought of something from earlier. "Mr. Donahue... you said when you encountered the hunters before that a human named Marcus Finch intervened on your behalf."

Clarence nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes. Nice young man, that Marcus. Certainly hope I run into him again someday."

"Was he an Alchemist?" I asked. Seeing Clarence's puzzled look, I tapped my cheek. "Did he have a tattoo like mine?"

"Like yours? No, no. It was different. Hard to explain." I leaned forward. "But he did have a tattoo on his cheek?"

"Yes. Didn't you see in the picture?"

"What picture?"

Clarence's gaze turned inward. "I could've sworn I showed you some of my old pictures, back when Lee and Tamara were young... ah, such good days those were." I worked hard to stay patient. Clarence's moments of coherence were sometimes hard to get a hold of. "And Marcus? You have a picture of him too?"

"Of course. A lovely one of the two of us. I'll find it one day and show you." I wanted to ask him if he'd show it to me now, but with his place so crowded, it didn't seem like the right time.

Dimitri arrived shortly thereafter, along with the last of the guardians who'd been at the compound. Dimitri immediately asked about Sonya, who I'd learned was resting in her bedroom.

Adrian had offered to heal her, but Sonya had had enough clarity of mind to refuse him, saying she simply wanted blood and rest and a chance for the drugs to wear off naturally.

Once Dimitri got this report and could rest easy about Sonya, he came straight to me, looking down from his lofty height at where I sat with my ice. "I'm sorry," he said. "I know you must have heard by now what happened."

"That I was sent into a dangerous situation with only half the information I needed?" I asked. "Yeah, I heard all about that."

"I'm not a fan of lies and half truths," he said. "I wished there'd been another way. We had so little time, and this just seemed like the best option. No one doubted your ability to reason and make a compelling case. It was the Warriors' ability to listen and see reason that we didn't believe in."

"I can see why you guys didn't trust me with the plan." Near me, I saw Adrian flinch at the way I said "you guys." I hadn't intentionally meant anything by it but realized now that it sounded very condescending and Alchemist - so Us versus Them. "But I still can't believe the Alchemists went along with that - that they condoned keeping me out of the loop." There were no free chairs left, so Dimitri simply sat down cross-legged. "There's not much I can tell you about that. Like I said, it was all short notice, and when I spoke with Donna Stanton, she felt it would be safer all around if you didn't know what was coming. If it makes you feel better, she was very adamant about us keeping you safe once we were there."

"Maybe," I said. "It'd be better still if she'd thought about how I might feel when I found out I wasn't trusted with vital information."

"She did think about it," said Dimitri, looking slightly uncomfortable. "She said you wouldn't mind because you understand the importance of not questioning your superiors' decisions and that you know what they do is for the best. She said you're an exemplary Alchemist." Don't question. They know what's best. We can't take any chances.

"Of course she did," I said. I never question anything.

Chapter 23

IT TOOK SONYA a few days to recover, thus delaying her return to Pennsylvania. When she was ready to go to the airport, I offered to drive her. The rental car had been found, but Dimitri was using it to clean up after the mission. Within twenty-four hours, the Warriors had vacated their compound, which had turned out to be a rental facility generally used for retreats. They'd left almost no trace of their presence behind, but that hadn't stopped the guardians from scouring every inch of the abandoned compound.