'The Golden Lily Chapter 16\r'

'I WASTED NO TIME in attempt the group together. This was big. I even soness didnt experience the take of danger we were facing, neertheless I ref apply to take either chances. I chose Cl atomic number 18nces house as a shock spot, pictureing as the hunters didnt k straight style to the highest degree it however. It muted practise me nervous. I wouldve been nervous until now if wed been impact in an Alchemist bunker.\r\nAnd apparently, â€Å"hunters” wasnt even the function term. check to their low-quality pamphlet, they c all in alled themselves â€Å"The Warriors of Light.” I wasnt sure they deserved that fancy title, eespecial(a)ly since in their mission statement, they disco biscuited â€Å"abyss” as â€Å"abiss.” The pamphlet was genuinely very sparse, simply stating that there was an sinister walking among humanity and that the Warriors were the force there to destroy it. They urged their gallant humans to be ready and stay p ure. no(prenominal) of the lamias were insinuateed by name, for which I was glad.\r\nThe pamphlet also didnt mention over frequently close either of the shared taradiddle they claimed to present with the Alchemists.\r\nBefore we went to Clarences, Eddie scoured caffe latte for all sort of tracking device. The very idea creeped me come out, the very(prenominal) way cosmos watched at Adrians did. There was a feeling of violation to it all. It was only my lack of belief in their technology that gain me feel roughly better.\r\nâ€Å"It specifyms un resemblingly theyd be that advanced,” I told Eddie, as he wiggled below the gondola railcar. â€Å"I mean, that pamphlet run intoed like it had been made on a 1980s copy machine. I dont hold out if thats because theyve had the pamphlets sitting nearly that long or if thats the actual machine they still use… exclusively regardless, they dont scream high tech to me.”\r\nâ€Å" possibly,” he ag reed, comp mavinnt slightly muffled. â€Å"But we fagt take some(prenominal) chances. We dont discern what theyre capable of. And for all we sack out, theyre attempt to hook up with the Alchemists to score technology.”\r\nChills ran by me. It was an outrageous thought process: that the Alchemists and this ruddy fringe group could be related. It had been crazy when Adrian and I had speculated some(a) it and was hard to accept even in the sheath of mounting evidence. At least now I had enough selective informationrmationrmation to take to my superiors without being ridiculed. Even though Id never heard of hunters like this, it seemed plausible that some(a)where, at some point, theyd tried to draw with my organization. Hopefully someone in the Alchemists could tending.\r\nEddie scooted out from under Latte. â€Å"Youre clean. Lets head out.” Jill and Angeline were waiting nearby, both tense and anxious. Jill gave Eddie an admiring grin. â€Å"I didnt adm it you knew how to do any of this. I never would affirm even thought slightly it.”\r\nHe wiped sweat turned his forehead. â€Å"You thought guardian educational activity was all about hitting and kicking?”\r\nShe flushed. â€Å" fairly much, yeah.”\r\nâ€Å"Can you tell me about some of this barricade sometime?” asked Angeline. â€Å"Seems like I should pick out it.”\r\nâ€Å"Sure,” verbalise Eddie, look like he meant it. She beamed.\r\nHed been much easier nigh her ever since her attitude had become to a greater extent sobering and restrained. I stand for some of that good air had played a role in me getting permission for her to join us tonight. She was still technically on rest, yet Id managed to get a special exemption on the grounds of our familys so-called religion. Id used a similar excuse when Jill had been suspended lead month, in order to take her to feedings. Even still, we were on very strict orders with Angeline to night. She couldnt be out for to a greater extent(prenominal) than two hours, and the price was adding an extra day of suspension to her sentence.\r\nWe took an abnormal route to Clarences, and Eddie watched behind us carefully, looking for for any signs of pursuit. He tried to explain some of the things I holded to watch for when I was on my own. I was so nervous, I hardly heard. by and by a tense ride, we made it safely to Clarences. There, we constitute Adrian already waiting for us. Dimitri had apparently been business district earliest and picked Adrian up †no doubt taking all the akin precautions Eddie had for travel.\r\nId lapsen Eddie and Dimitri some of the info on the hunters, merely everyone else required a more complete(a) explanation. We gathered in our usual spot, the formal brisk room, and Dimitri paced around the room, bracing for an besiege at any moment. Clarence looked on from his chair with that typical distracted gaze. When I held up the pamph let, however, he came to life.\r\nâ€Å"Thats them!” he cried. I thought he might actually spring up from the chair and rip the pamphlet from my hands. â€Å"Those are their symbols!” entirely about of the same alchemical symbols that had been on the sword were strewn across the pamphlets front end. â€Å"That circle. I remember that circle.”\r\nâ€Å"The gold symbol,” I confirmed. â€Å"Or, I guess in their cocktail dress, the sun symbol since theyre so obsessed with light and dark.”\r\nClarence looked around frantically. â€Å"Theyre jeopardize! We be in possession of to get out of here. I came to this city to fly them, but theyve found me. We have no time. Wheres Dorothy? Wheres lee(prenominal)? I must pack!”\r\nâ€Å"Mr. Donahue,” I tell, in as a gentle a touch as I could manage, â€Å"they dont have a go at it youre here. Youre safe.” I didnt love if I believed that and hoped I was convincing.\r\nâ€Å"Shes right,” verbalize Dimitri. â€Å"And even if they did, you last I wouldnt let them hurt you.” There was such(prenominal)(prenominal) confidence and strength in the way Dimitri intercommunicate that I had a feeling that wed believe him even if a group of Strigoi were invading, and he state, â€Å"Its fine, youre safe.”\r\nâ€Å"If what youre saying is true,” give tongue to Sonya, â€Å"Im the one thats in danger.” She seemed much solaceer than I would be in that situation.\r\nâ€Å"Theyre not sacking to hurt you either,” verbalise Dimitri sharply. â€Å"Especially if you dont leave this house.”\r\nâ€Å"The research †” she began.\r\n” †is nothing compared to your safety,” he finished. There was a look in his eyeball that give tongue to he would tolerate no arguments. â€Å"You need to get stomach to Court. You were planning on it anyway.\r\n only pay back the trip early.”\r\nSonya didnt loo k happy about that. â€Å"So I leave the rest of you in danger?”\r\nâ€Å" perchance we arent,” said Eddie, though the instruction in his carcass said otherwise. â€Å"From what Sydney said †and their mini-manifesto †their cerebrate seems to be Strigoi, not Moroi.” He glanced over at Jill. â€Å" non that we can let our guard down. If theyve faux Sonya for a Strigoi, who knows what other craziness they might do? Dont worry. I wont let them near you.” Jill looked ready to swoon.\r\nâ€Å"Thats a good idea,” I said. â€Å"They still weigh the Moroi are a threat but not as much as the Strigoi.”\r\nâ€Å"Kind of like the Alchemists,” said Adrian. He was sitting in a corner armchair and had been placidness this whole time. I hadnt seen him since the night of the bound or had any communication with him, which was odd. Even when he wasnt sending me pathetic e-mails about the experiments, he or so always had some witty qui p to gag along.\r\nâ€Å"True,” I admitted, with a smiling. â€Å"But were not trying to kill any of you. no. even Strigoi.”\r\nâ€Å"And theres the problem,” said Dimitri. â€Å"These warriors are convinced Sonya used to be a Strigoi and is using some trick to disguise herself.”\r\nâ€Å"Maybe they have some tracking or gunstock system,” Sonya mused. â€Å"They keep tabs on various Strigoi in the outlandish and because try to hunt them down.”\r\nâ€Å"And yet they didnt know about you,” I pointed out to Dimitri. His face stayed neutral, but I knew it was hard for him to be re pointed of his Strigoi days. â€Å"And from what I know… you were much more of a, um, notable record than Sonya.” Hed basically been a Strigoi mobster.\r\nâ€Å"So, if youre off their radar, they probably dont have an transnational presence †or at least not a Russian one.”\r\nAngeline leaned forward, hands clasped, and regarded Clarence with a smile sweet enough to justify her name. â€Å"How do you know about them? How did you first run into them?” At first, he looked too terrified to answer, but I think her softly attitude soothed him. â€Å"Well, they killed my niece, of course.”\r\nWe all knew Lee had killed Clarences niece, but the old man didnt believe this any more than he believed Lee was dead. â€Å"Did you see them when they did it?” asked Angeline. â€Å"Did you ever see them at all?”\r\nâ€Å"Not when Tamara died, no,” he admitted. His eyeball got a far forward look, as though he were staring straight into the past. â€Å"But I knew what signs to look for. Id run into them before that, you see. Back when I was alert in Santa Cruz. They like California, you know. And the Southwest.\r\nGoes back to their sun fixation.”\r\nâ€Å"What happened in Santa Cruz?” asked Dimitri.\r\nâ€Å"A group of their young ones began stalking me. nerve-racking t o kill me.” The rest of us exchanged glances. â€Å"So they do go after(prenominal) Moroi,” said Eddie. He actually go closer to Jill.\r\nClarence shook his head. â€Å"Not usually. From what Marcus told me, they prefer Strigoi.\r\nThese were young, undisciplined members of their order waiver off on their own, without the knowledge of their superiors. I assume it was the same type who killed Tamara.”\r\nâ€Å"Whos Marcus?” I asked.\r\nâ€Å"Marcus Finch. He saved me from them a few years ago. Fended them off during an attack and subsequently got in touch with their order to keep those ruffians away from me.” Clarence shivered at the memory. â€Å"Not that I stayed around after that. I took Lee and left. That was when we moved to Los Angeles for a while.”\r\nâ€Å"This Marcus,” I said. â€Å"Was he a guardian?”\r\nâ€Å"A human. He was about your age then. He knew all about the hunters.”\r\nâ€Å"I suppose he would if he got in touch with them,” Dimitri speculated. â€Å"But he must be friendly to Moroi if he servicinged you?”\r\nâ€Å"Oh, yes,” said Clarence. â€Å"Very much so.”\r\nDimitri looked over at me. â€Å"Do you think †â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Yes,” I said, guessing his question. â€Å"Ill see if we can find this Marcus guy. Itd be nice to get a author of info thats not one of these crazy warriors. Im also going to report on all of this, actually.”\r\nâ€Å"Me too,” said Dimitri.\r\nAlthough Clarence wasnt the practiced on the hunters that this mysterious Marcus was, the old Moroi still had a surprising amount of info to share †info none of us had cherished to hear before. He verified what wed already deduced, about the hunters â€Å"devotion to the light.” The groups focus was Strigoi (for now), and all of their hunts were carefully planned and organized.\r\nThey had a ritualized nonplus of behaviors, particularly in rega rd to their younger members â€\r\nwhich was why the rogue group harassing Clarence had been gag lawped. From what Clarence had gathered, the group was quite strong-armer on their new recruits, emphasizing discipline and excellence.\r\nWith the time ticking down on Angelines reprieve, we needed to roam things up shortly thereafter. I was also in charge of taking Adrian home, since we witnessd itd be shell to eliminate any chance of Dimitri being followed back to Clarences. Besides, I could tell Dimitri was anxious to begin put certain things in motion. He cute to go under Sonyas departure and also confer with the guardians †in case Jill needed to be removed. Her face reflected what I mat up about that possible outcome. Wed both become addicted to Amberwood.\r\nWhile he was giving some unpunctual instructions to Eddie, I pulled Sonya aside for a quiet word. â€Å"I… Ive been thinking about something,” I told her.\r\nShe canvass me carefully, probably reading my aura and other body language. â€Å"What is it?” she asked.\r\n â€Å"If you want… if you in reality want it, you can have some of my squanderer.” It was a huge, huge admission. Was it something I wanted to do? No. Absolutely not. I still had the same instinctive fears about giving my melodic line to Moroi, even for scientific purposes.\r\nAnd yet, yesterdays events †and even the alley attack †had begun making me re-analyze my knowledge baseview. Vampires werent the only monsters out there. They were hardly monsters at all, especially next to these vampire hunters. How could I valuate the enemy on race? I was being reminded more and more that humans were just as capable as vampires of evil †and that vampires were capable of good. It was actions that mattered, and Sonya and Dimitris were solemn ones. They were fighting to destroy the ultimate evil of all, and as squeamish as I felt about giving my blood, I knew the right thing was t o help them.\r\nSonya knew what a sacrifice this was for me. Her face stayed calm †no whoops of joy †and she nodded solemnly. â€Å"I have my collection kit out here. I can take a savour before you leave, if youre sure.”\r\nSo soon? Well, why not. It was exceed to get it over with †especially if Sonya would be go forth town soon anyway. We did it in the kitchen, which seemed slightly more sanitary than the nourishment room. Sonya was no doctor, but whatever training shed had, it was right in line with what Id ascertained when getting physicals. Antiseptic, gloves, a new syringe. All the right procedures were followed, and after a quick poke of the needle, she had my blood sample.\r\nâ€Å"Thank you, Sydney,” she said, handing me a plastic bandage. â€Å"I know how thorny this must have been for you. Believe me, this could really help us.”\r\nâ€Å"I want to help,” I told her. â€Å"I really do.”\r\nShe smiled. â€Å"I know. A nd we need all the help we can get. After being one of them…” Her smile faded. â€Å"Well, I believe more than ever that their evil needs to be stopped. You might be the key.”\r\nFor one fleck, her words inspired me †that I might someways play a greater role in the fight against evil and possibly even stop it. Immediately, that thought was replaced by my old panic. No. No. I wasnt special. I didnt want to be. I would make a good faith effort to help, but surely nothing would come of it.\r\nI returned to engender the others. Adrian and Jill were having some earnest conversation in the corner. Eddie and Angeline were also talking, and I overheard her say, â€Å"Ill stay with Jill more at schoolhouse, just to be safe. We cant have her be part of some accident or mistaken identity.” Eddie nodded and looked impressed that shed suggested it. â€Å"Agreed.” Amazing, I thought.\r\nI left soon with my carpool and swung by downtown to drop Adrian off. As I pulled up in front of his building, I saw something that made my chit-chat drop. Awe and disbelief rolled through me. In what was probably the more or less ungraceful pose personal credit line Id ever done in my life, I brought Latte to an abrupt stop and was out of the car the second I pulled my keys from the ignition.\r\nThe others followed moments later.\r\nâ€Å"What,” I breathed. â€Å"Is that?”\r\nâ€Å"Oh,” said Adrian casually. â€Å"Thats my new car.”\r\nI took a few steps forward and then stopped, afraid to approach it in the same way someone hesitated before royalty. â€Å"Its a 1967 Ford Mustang convertible,” I said, knowing my eyes were probably bugging out of my face. I began walking around it. â€Å"The year they did a study overhaul and increased the size to keep up with other high-powered competition. See?\r\nIts the first work with the concave tail lights but the last to have the Ford block lettering up front until 1974 .”\r\nâ€Å"What in the world is that color?” asked Eddie, not look impressed at all.\r\nâ€Å"Springtime Yellow,” Adrian and I said in unison.\r\nâ€Å"I wouldve guessed Lemon Chiffon,” said Eddie. â€Å"Maybe you can get it repainted.”\r\nâ€Å"No!” I exclaimed. I tossed my purse over onto the grass and carefully moved(p) the cars side. Braydens better-looking new Mustang suddenly seemed so ordinary. â€Å"Its been moved(p) up, obviously, but this is a classic color. Which engine scratch is this? C, right?”\r\nâ€Å"Um… not sure,” said Adrian. â€Å"I know its got a V-8 engine.”\r\nâ€Å"Of course it does,” I said. It was hard not to roll my eyes. â€Å"A 289. I want to know what the horsepower is.”\r\nâ€Å"Its probably in the paperwork,” Adrian said lamely.\r\nIt was at that moment that I really processed Adrians prior words. I looked up at him, knowing my face must be filled with disb elief. â€Å"This is really your car?”\r\nâ€Å"Yup,” he said. â€Å"I told you. The old man uneven me the money for one.”\r\nâ€Å"And you got this one?” I peered in through the window. â€Å"Nice. Black interior, manual(a) transmission.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah,” said Adrian, a crease of unease in his voice. â€Å"Thats the problem.” I glanced back. â€Å"What is? The black is great. And the leathers terminus is fantastic. So is the rest of the car.”\r\nâ€Å"No, not the interior. The transmission. I cant run a irritate.” I froze. â€Å"You cant cause a lay?”\r\nâ€Å"Neither can I,” said Jill.\r\nâ€Å"You dont have a license,” I reminded her. Although, my mother had taught me to drive before I had a license †both automatic and manual transmission. I knew I shouldnt be surprised the stick was a lost art, as savage as such a lack seemed to me. That paled, of course, in coincidence to the other obvious problem. â€Å"Why on commonwealth would you buy a car like this if you cant drive a stick? There are wads of cars †new cars †that have automatic transmission.\r\nItd be a million times easier.”\r\nAdrian shrugged. â€Å"I like the color. It matches my living room.” Eddie snorted.\r\nâ€Å"But you cant drive it,” I pointed out.\r\nâ€Å"I figure it cant be that hard.” Adrian sounded remarkably unconcerned about what I found blasphemous. â€Å"Ill just practice taking it around the block a few times and figure it out.” I couldnt believe what I was hearing. â€Å"What? Are you out of your mind? Youll put down it if you dont know what youre doing!”\r\nâ€Å"What else am I supposed to do?” he asked. â€Å"Are you going to watch me?” I turned back to the beautiful Mustang. â€Å"Yes,” I said adamantly. â€Å"If thats what it takes to save it from you.”\r\nâ€Å"I can show you too,” said Edd ie.\r\nAdrian ignored him and focused on me. â€Å"When we can start?” I ran through my school schedule, knowing Id have to make talking to the Alchemists about the Warriors of Light my top priority. Then, the obvious hit me. â€Å"Oh. When we see Wolfe this week. Well take this out there.”\r\nâ€Å"Is that really to help me?” asked Adrian. â€Å"Or do you just want to drive the car?”\r\nâ€Å"Both,” I said, not embarrassed to admit it.\r\nAngelines quantify at school was ticking, so the rest of us had to leave. Id driven three blocks away when I realised Id left my purse on the grass. With a groan, I looped around and returned to his building. My purse was there, but the Mustang was departed.\r\nâ€Å"Wheres the car?” I asked, panicked. â€Å"No one could have stolen it that fast.”\r\nâ€Å"Oh,” said Jill from the backseat, sounding slightly nervous. â€Å"I saw through the bond. He, um, moved it.”\r\nIt was handy ha ving the bond as a source of information, but her words made me panic more than if the car actually had been stolen. â€Å"He what?”\r\nâ€Å"Not far,” she said quickly. â€Å"Just behind the building. This streets got weird overnight parking rules.”\r\nI grimaced. â€Å"Well, Im glad it wont get towed, but he shouldve had me move it! Even if its not far, he could ruin the transmission.”\r\nâ€Å"Im sure its fine,” said Jill. There was a impertinent note to her voice.\r\nI didnt respond. Jill was no car expert. none of them were. â€Å"Its like letting a toddler light-colored in a room full of china,” I muttered. â€Å"What was he thinking? About any of this?” No one had an answer for that. I got us back to Amberwood in time for Angelines curfew and retreated to the sanity and calm of my room. As soon as I was well-to-do my friends were safe and secure for the night, I e-mailed Donna Stanton †a high-up Alchemist whom Id inexpl icably developed a good relationship with †about the hunters and what wed learned. I even took pictures of the pamphlet and e-mailed those as well. erst that was done, I sat back and tried to think if there was anything else at all I could pop the question her with that might help.\r\nIt was only when Id exhausted all options (and brisk my inbox a few times to see if shed responded already) that I finally moved on to homework. As usual, I was pretty much caught up on every assignment †save one.\r\nMs. Terwilligers.\r\nThat stupid book was on my desk, staring back at me, daring me to disseminate it. I still had a number of days before her spell was due, time during which I could pass off to procrastinate.\r\nI was beginning to accept, however, that this assignment wasnt going to go away. Considering how long some of the prep on these took, possibly itd be best to bite the bullet and get it out of the way.\r\nResolved, I brought the book over to my bed and opened it to the table of contents, scanning some of the spells shed gone over with me. My stomach twisted at most of them, every instinct telling me how wrong it was to even be attempting these. Magic is for vampires, not humans.\r\nI still believed that to be true, but the analytical part of my mind couldnt help but apply some of the vindicatory spells to various situations. Much like my decision to give blood, recent events had made me look at the world differently. Was conjuring wrong? Yes. But that blindness spell would have certainly been useful in the alley. another(prenominal) spell, one that temporarily immobilized people, couldve been used if Id wanted to lam from the hunters at the cafe. Sure, it only lasted thirty seconds, but that was more than enough time for me to have escaped.\r\nOn and on, I went down the list. They were all so wrong and yet… so useful. If I hadnt seen the fire charm Id made ignite a Strigoi, I wouldnt have believed any of these were possible.\r\nBut b y all accounts, they were.\r\nSo much power… the ability to protect myself…\r\nImmediately, I rebuked myself for such a thought. I had no need for power. That kind of thinking was what led freaks like Liam to want to be Strigoi. Although… was it really the same? I didnt want immortality. I didnt want to hurt others. I just wanted to protect myself and those I cared about. Wolfe had a lot to teach me, but his preventative techniques wouldnt help if determined vampire hunters cornered Sonya and me again. As time went on, it was becoming classify that the hunters were very determined.\r\nI returned to the table of contents, finding several(prenominal) that would be useful and well within my capabilities to make. According to Ms. Terwilliger, someone like me had excellent potential for magic because of inborn talent (which I didnt entirely believe) and the wet Alchemist training in measurement and attention to detail. It wasnt difficult to figure out how long it woul d take me to construct any of these likely candidates.\r\nThe question was which spell did I make? Which did I have time to make?\r\nThe answer was eerily simple.\r\nI had time to make all of them.\r\n'