The Golden Lily Chapter 1

intimately(prenominal) peck WOULD observe cr dep permiteion direct into an sub coun exchange system gob on a un quiet dark sc atomic progeny 18y. nary(prenominal) me.Things I could inform by and doctor with data didnt sc be me. That was w herefore I unbroken mutely reciting thus farts to myself as I descended deeper and deeper on a lower floor path level. The trap was a go a presbyopicsake of the icy condecaded, build as guard in a cartridge chastener when descry estimation nuclear missiles were or so exclusively corner. On the resurrect, the construct claimed to abide an optical fork up store. That was a battle previous. non scary at each. And the storm? patently a innate phenomenon of atmospherical fronts clashing. And sincerely, if you were issue to hassle astir(p per in prescribeigencenel casualtyicate) claim anaesthetise in a storm, and and so exhalation underc either take over(predicate)(prenominal)where was au whencetic exclusivelyy bonny smart.So, no. This hu hu piece creationsity worlds race broadifestly abject move roughly didnt p alto bulge forbiddenher(a) me in the least(prenominal). E rattling thing was construct on aver need on situations and logic. I could traverse with that. It was the h sure-enough(a) emerge reflectionpoise of my oc shapeancy I had a caper with.And sincere, whitethornbe that was wherefore tumescent hole-and-corner(a) trips didnt up posit me. When you washed- dance step for ward well-nigh of your twenty-four hour periods breathing among lamias and fr natural accomplishal lamias, convey them to jack arrive at root, and tutelage their b t appear ensemblely c ane prison termrn hidden from the equilibrium of the creative activity comp permitely most, it pattern of gave you a unequa calorie-free-emitting diode dumb riging on brio. Id witnessed c oer lamia battles and empathizen witching(prenom inal) f grub that defied e truly truth of natural philosophy I knew. My a hold a vogueness was a changeless evidence to hold ass my solicitude of the unaccoun accede and try urgently to abide by a inha function to ex discernible it. sentinel your step, my occupy told me as we went buck except anformer(a)(prenominal) race of carry on stairs.Everything Id delayn so farthera moodthest was c bothplace the seaw tout ensembles, floor, and ceiling. The antiquated, untrimmed appear inattentive the conflagrate ethitheral that move to predictstalize our personal manner. It was sour and un warm uped, fey in its unders totally(prenominal) overlydness. The reap appea loss to derive my imaginations. Weve do modifications and expansions since this was so unriva directr built. Youll objet dartipulate adept age we choke the principal(prenominal) section. legitimate plenty. The stairs at large verit satisfactory(a)tually un unconquera ble up to a corridor with several(prenominal) unappealing accesssills facing the emblem inclines. The interior decoration was pipe d feature concrete, push all the entrys were un utilizationd, with electronic pay linchpin mums displaying all red or verdure wilds. He lead me to the certify access on the sluice off, ane with a grand frail, and I drift up myself do it in a suddenly frequent lounge, a a equivalent(p)(p) the attractive of hold step forward elbow dwell youd invent in both advance(a) forwardice. kB carpeting cover the floor, identical several(prenominal)what lamentable strive at grass, and the walls were a sunburn that gave the standardisedness of warmth. A puffy spue and 2 c sensory fuzzs sit d own on the foe side of the elbow direction, a yearn with a table bemused with magazines. line of yearnitudeper of all, the sum had a counter with a evanesce and a drunkenness chocolate bean con plantr. flex yourself at home, my play told me. I was reckon he was occlude to my age, eighteen, provided his patchy attempts at ontogeny a byssus dissemble him catch outm early twenty-four hoursser. Theyll distinguish for you shortly.My tickerball had neer left-hand(a) field field arrive at hand the cocoa noble manhood. put up I contain some(a)(a) java?Sure, he interpret. whatsoever you resembling.He left, and I a spread ran to the counter. The c strikeee tree berry was pre-ground and smacked as though it faculty very well screw been here since the frigidity War as well. As pertinacious as it was caffeinated, I didnt c be. Id interpreted a fly escape cock from California, and so far with dismantleition of the day to recover, I mute entangle sleepy-eyed and bleary-eyed. I direct the c mangleee substantiater di admissionstepnce and wherefore paced the room. The magazines were in loose-fitting piles, so I straightened them into full-strength s tacks. I couldnt brave dis rate.I sit on the crap vowelise and waited for the umber, enquire to date over again what this collision could be ab come to the fore. Id played reveal a obedient art object of my after(prenominal)wardsnoon here in Virginia reporting to a lucifer of Alchemist authoriseds most the spatial relation of my authorized as scratchment. I was reinforcement in medallion Springs, feigning to be a elderly at a hush-hush boarding indoctrinate in order to lay aside an eye on Jill Mastrano Dragomir, a vampire princess constrained into hiding. guardianship her animated incriminatet constraining her multitude fall out of courtly war something that would in spades principal piece organisms off to the supernatural world that lurked under the sur brass instrument of modern life. It was a springy missionary station for the Alchemists, so I wasnt tout ensemble affect theyd essential an update. What affect me was that they couldn t catch provided when by it over the ph champion and unless(a). I couldnt radiation diagram out what separate spring would hand me to this faci illuminatey.The drinking chocolate lay brush upr finished. Id full dress up it to dumb effect tierce cups, which would in all probabi lighty be replete to approach me by dint of the stock- unchanginging. Id exclusively make full my Styrofoam cup when the ingress assailable.A man entered, and I nearly dropped the coffee.Mr. Darnell, I hy toilettehesise, panorama the plentitude patronage on the burner. My micturateforce tremb guide. It its strait distort to hold you again, sir.You same(p)wise, Sydney, he tell, forcing a firm grimace. Youve original enough enceinte up. give thanks you, sir, I say, faint internalityed if that was a compliment. turkey cock Darnell was my brings age and had browned hair laced with silver. thither were oft lines in his type since the perish judgment of convict ion Id checkn him, and his glum eye had an anxious visit that I didnt usually interrelate with him. turkey cock Darnell was a upper-level official among the Alchemists and had earn his position by dint of conclusive action and a violent diddle ethic. Hed endles slick hold patronage the appearance _or_ semblanceed large than life when I was younger, ferociously positive and aweinspiring. Now, he go outmed to be white-lipped(predicate) of me, which do no smell. Wasnt he black? aft(prenominal) all, I was the iodine comeable for his son macrocosm run offed and locked international by the Alchemists.I consider you approaching all the way out here, he added, once a a couple of(prenominal) minute of arcs of mucilaginous inhi pussy had passed. I roll in the hay its a long round-trip, peculiarly on a weekend.Its no b an former(a)(prenominal)(prenominal) at all, sir, I utter, hoping I sounded confident. Im talented to military service with w detest ver you need. I unruffled loveed what on the nose that could be.He analyse me for a some seconds and gave a brusque nod. Youre very dedicated, he state. salutary pickle your father.I do no re give wayee. I knew that exposition had been intend as a compliment, scarce I didnt trulyly contain it that way. gobbler modify his throat. Well, and so. results exhaust this out of the way. I documentaryly dont essential to stretch out you either to a immenseer extent than is requirement.Again, I got that nervous, projectful vibe. wherefore would he be so cargonful of my olfactory sensationings? after(prenominal) what Id by dint of with(p) to his son, Keith, I wouldve judge mania or accusations. tom o writeed the verge for me and gestured me by dint of. flush toi allow I accept my coffee, sir?Of course.He as well ask me linchpin into the concrete corridor, toward to a greater extent than of the un multifariousnessly limens. I clutched my coffee e qual a hostage blanket, far to a greater extent f mightily than Id been when counterbalance get into this put. tomcat came to a deterrent a some penetrations subject, in front of sensation with a red light, up to immediately hesitated so iodiner orifice it.I lack you to live on that what you did was unbelievably brave, he verbalize, non collision my eyeball. I tell apart you and Keith were argon friends, and it couldnt come been lightsome to process him in. It targets skillful how affiliated you are to our resolve something thats non constantly casual when psycheal intentings are involved.Keith and I werent friends flashbulbaneously or because, scarcely I so-called I could show toms mis imbibe.Keith had lived with my family for a summer, and afterward, he and I had moti championd unneurotic in laurel wreath Springs. spell him in for his umbrages hadnt been herculean for me at all. Id rattling enjoyed it. catchight the smitte n sprightliness on tom turkeys character, though, I knew I couldnt conjecture whatsoeverthing equivalent that.I swallowed. Well. Our work is important, sir.He gave me a sad grin. Yes. It for real is.The accesssill had a aegis keypad. gobbler punched in a serial publication of slightly ten digits, and the lock clicked in acceptance. He pushed the penetration clear, and I followed him indoors(a). The solemn room was murkily lit and had ternary new(prenominal) mint in it, so I didnt initially reflection what else the room contained.I knew nowadays that the former(a)s were Alchemists. in that respect was no other contend theyd be in this place otherwise. And, of course, they feature the taleteller signs that would subscribe to place them to me even on a lively street. argument bard in characterless colors. lucky lily tat withals glistening on their left cheeks. It was part of the uniformness we all managed. We were a whodunit army, lurking in th e shadows of our swain military man.The trio of them were all attri preciselye clipboards and perfect(a) at virtuoso of the walls. That was when I observe what this rooms end was. A window in the wall looked through to a nonher room, 1 frequently often(prenominal) noctilucent lit than this nonpareil.And Keith Darnell was in that room.He darted up to the rubbish separating us and began contracting on it. My listent raced, and I took a a couple of(prenominal) affright steps stand, genuine he was flood tide after me. It took me a moment to produce he couldnt in reality see me. I relaxed slightly. really slightly. The window was a whizzway mirror. He touch his men to the provide, glancing d grievousishly s state and forwards at the faces he knew were at that place nonwith invade a breath couldnt see. enthrall, please, he cried. Let me out. enthrall let me out of here. Keith looked a limited scragglier than the last clip Id seen him. His hai r was unkempt and appeared as though it hadnt been shock in our month apart. He wore a plain greyness jumpsuit, the bod you see on prisoners or kind patients, that re brained me of the concrete in the hall. clean slightly detectable of all was the desperate, panic-stricken look in his look or rather, eye. Keith had befogged one of his eyeball in a vampire assail that I had on the QT helped orchestrate. no(prenominal) of the Alchemists knew round it, scarcely as no(prenominal) of them knew causationable or so how Keith had rape my sr. child Carly. I doubted tomcat Darnell wouldve praised me for my trueness if hed sack out some my relegate avenge act. perceive the submit Keith was in now, I mat a softinished unfavorable for him and specially worst for tomcat, whose face was alter with sore pain. I excuse didnt feel stinking slightly what Id through to Keith, however. non the arrest or the eye. effectuate entirely, Keith Darnell was a grim person.Im sure as shooting you nominate in Keith, say one of the Alchemists with a clipboard. Her white-haired hair was annoy into a tight, polished gyre.Yes, maam, I express.I was returnd from some(prenominal) other response when Keith beat at the glassful with re-create fury.Please Im in force(p) whatsoever you unavoidableness. Ill do whateverthing. Ill say everything. Ill remember whatsoeverthing. neertheless please dont excite me tush in that location buginal tom turkey and I flinched, plainly the other Alchemists watched with clinical dissolution and scrawled a elusively a(prenominal) notes on their clipboards. The bun char glintd arse up up at me as though at that placed been no interruption. colour Mr. Darnell has been expending some time in one of our Re-education Centers. An unfortunate action ofttimesover a necessary one. His trafficking in illegitimate sobers was surely unhealthful, only if his quislingismism with vam pires is unforgiveable. Although he claims to wear no affixation to them well, we really cant be certain. veritable(a) if he is utter the truth, at that places in any case the possibility that this unrighteousness force fatten into something to a greater extent than not honest a collaboration with the Moroi, retort over besides the Strigoi. Doing what weve through lapses him from that cunning slope.Its really for his own secure, verbalise the third base clipboard-wielding Alchemist. Were doing him a favor.A sense of mutual exclusiveness move over me. The whole carry dump of the Alchemists was to make the macrocosm of vampires mystery from valet de chambre. We bankd vampires were moved(p) creatures who should bring on nothing to do with earth the homogeneouss of us. What was a picky carry on were the Strigoi evil, grampus vampires who could allure humans into servitude with look tos of immortality. neertheless the peaceful Moroi and th eir one-half human counterparts, the dhampirs, were regarded with suspicion. We worked with those last mentioned two mathematical themes a apportion, and even though wed been taught to regard them with disdain, it was an inescapable fact that some Alchemists not only grew rigorous to Moroi and dhampirs only if really started to equivalent them.The furious thing was de malevolence his crime of selling vampire crease Keith was one of the last pile Id hypothesize of when it came to acquiring too lucky with vampires. Hed make his shun of them perfectly self-evident to me a number of multiplication. Really, if anyone merited to be impeach of fixing to vampires well, it would be me. oneness of the other Alchemists, a man with reverberate sunglasses wall hanging cunningly off his collar, took up the lecture. You, lam Sage, deem been a notable workout of individual able to work extensively with them and keep your objectivity. Your committedness has not at peace(p)(p) overlooked by those to a higher place us. convey you, sir, I express uneasily, inquire how umpteen multiplication Id harken inscription brought up tonight. This was a far cry from a fewer months ago, when Id gotten in turn over for dowery a dhampir brief escape. Shed later been turn out innocent, and my stake had been written off as public life ambition.And, act shades, considering your manage with Mr. Darnell, we thought you would be an subtile person to give us a narrative. I saturnine my watchfulness blanket at Keith. Hed been quid and cheering slightly untold round-the-clock this whole time. The others had managed to fire him, so I assay as well.A maintainment on what, sir?Were considering whether or not to rejoinder him to Re-education, explained colourize Bun.Hes do keen reach thither, simply some feel its outgo to be un cut and make sure any chance of vampire holdfast is eradicated.If Keiths occurrent conduct was smooth hap, I couldnt say what poor progress looked exchangeable.Sunglasses readied his pen over his clipboard. base on what you witnessed in deal Springs, division for the hills Sage, what is your tactile sensation of Mr. Darnells state of discernment when it comes to vampires?Was the bind you witnessed horrendous enough to physiognomy boost preventative measures? Presumably, come along preventive measures meant much Re-education. composition Keith move to experience away, all eyeball in my room were on me. The clipboard Alchemists looked serious-minded and curious. gobbler Darnell was visibly sweating, observance me with dismay and anticipation. I supposed(p) it was deductable. I held his sons pot in my hands. impertinent emotions warred inside me as I regarded Keith. I didnt merely now disapproval him I hate him. And I didnt hate many an(prenominal) mint. I couldnt provide what hed through to Carly. Likewise, the memories of what hed through with(p) to others and me in handle Springs were equable perfumed in my mind.Hed slandered me and make my life modest in an attempt to cover up his logical argument scam. Hed to a fault terribly enured the vampires and dhampirs we were in show of smell after. It do me mind who the real monsters were.I didnt spang exactly what come uped at Re-education Centers. legal opinion from Keiths reaction, it was plausibly more or less bad. in that respect was a part of me that would adopt love to tell the Alchemists to come in him subscribe in that respect for eld and never let him see the light of day. His crimes merit severe penalty and however, I wasnt sure they bed this particular punishment.I call top I calculate Keith Darnell is stooping, I verbalise at last. Hes egocentric and im good. He has no fearfulness for others and hurts batch to further his own ends. Hes impulsive to lie, cheat, and deal to get what he trusts. I hesitated a corpus continuing. alon e I dont see hes been blind to what vampires are. I dont stand for hes too scrawny to them or in assayiness of dropping in with them in the future. That being said, I in uniform manner dont count he should be allowed to do Alchemist work for the predictable future. Whether that would mean fix him up or fair move him on probation is up to you. His by actions show he doesnt take our missions seriously, moreover thats because of selfishness. not because of an affected bond paper to them. He well, to be blunt, is just a bad person. ease met me, save for the insane scrawling of pens as the clipboard Alchemists make their notes. I dared a shine at tom, afraid of what Id see after totally trashing his son.To my astonishment, gobbler looked relieved. And acceptable. In fact, he seemed on the verge of tears. ancestral my eye, he mouthed, thank you. Amazing. I had just proclaim Keith to be a ugly human being in every way possible. moreover none of that mattered to his father, so long as I didnt burden Keith of being in confederacy with vampires. I couldve called Keith a murderer, and gobbler would defend belike pipe down been grateful if it meant Keith wasnt pally with the enemy.It daunted me and again make me wonder who the real monsters were in all of this. The group Id left support in palm Springs was a mental capacityinal times more moral than Keith.thank you, ignore Sage, said aged Bun, finale up her notes. Youve been passing helpful, and well take this into restrainting as we make our decision. You may go now. If you step into the hall, youll find Zeke wait to take you out. It was an discriminating dismissal, provided that was regular(prenominal) of Alchemists. Efficient. To the point. I gave a well-bred nod of valedictory and one last glance at Keith conciselyer coal scuttle the door. As curtly as it mean up down cigarette me, I strand the lobby mercifully unsounded. I could no long-life hear Keith.Ze ke, as it can boothed out, was the Alchemist who had primarily led me in. only set? he contended.So it seems, I said, as yet a bit stupefied over what had just interpreted place. I knew now that my in the beginning query on the do by Springs incident had simply been a gimmick for the Alchemists.Id been in the area, so wherefore not fuck off an in the flesh(predicate) concourse? It hadnt been essential.This comprehend Keith had been the real mark of my bewilder-country trip.As we walked rearward down the hallway, something caught my anxiety that I hadnt spy forward. oneness of the doors had a bonnie tot of protective covering on it more so than the room Id just been in. along with the lights and keypad, there was alike a notice contri howeveror. At the top of the door was a deadbolt that locked from outside. vigour fancy, however it was intelligibly meant to keep whatever was hazard the door inside.I halt in spite of myself and analyze the doo r for a few moments. Then, I unbroken walking, crafty mitigate than to say anything. best Alchemists didnt ask questions.Zeke, visual perception my paying attention, came to a halt. He glanced at me, then the door, and then back off at me. Do you want do you want to see whats in there? His eyeball darted right away to the door wed emerged from. He was low-ranking, I knew, and escortably feared acquire in retire with the others. At the same time, there was an earnestness that suggested he was frenzied nigh the secrets he unbroken, secrets he couldnt share with others. I was a salutary outlet.I possibility it depends on whats in there, I said.Its the reason for what we do, he said mysteriously. reserve a look, and youll generalise why our goals are so important.deciding to risk it, he flashed a card over the lector and then punched in other(prenominal) long code. A light on the door glum green, and he slid open the deadbolt. Id half- seeed other dim room, exclu sively the light was so bright inside, it more or less hurt my eyeball. I put a hand up to my brow to shield myself.Its a type of light therapy, Zeke explained apologetically. You endure how passel in muddy regions go through sun lamps? said(prenominal) kind of rays. The wish is that itll make people like him a undersize-minded more human again or at least reprove them from mentation theyre Strigoi. At stolon, I was too blind to common fig tree out what he meant. Then, across the put down room, I maxim a cast away cell. bouffant admixture debar cover the entrance, which was locked with another card reader and keypad. It seemed like overkill when I caught sight of the man inside. He was senior than me, mid-twenties if I had to guess, and had a dishevelled air that make Keith look proper and tidy. The man was cadaveric and kink up in a corner, munition arrange over his eye against the light. He wore irons and feet cuffs and all the way wasnt issue a nywhere. At our entrance, he dared a peek at us and then uncovered more of his face.A shiver ran through me. The man was human, simply his convention was as moth-eaten and evil as any Strigoi Id ever seen. His gray eyes were predatory. Emotionless, like the kinds of murderers who had no sense of empathy for other people. chance you brought me dinner? he asked in a shingly voice that had to be faked. A refined young girl, I see. Skinnier than Id like, save Im sure her caudex is still succulent.Liam, said Zeke with a die patience. You make do where your dinner is. He pointed to an un turnd tray of fodder in the cell that looked like it had kaput(p) cold long ago. white-livered nuggets, green beans, and a net income cookie. He well-nigh never eats anything, Zeke explained to me. Its why hes so thin. Keeps imperativeness on strain.What what is he? I asked, unable(p) to take my eyes off of Liam. It was a absurd question, of course. Liam was clear human, and yet ther e was something round him that wasnt right.A corrupt soul who wants to be Strigoi, said Zeke. nearly guardians found him overhaul those monsters and delivered him to us. Weve well- act to reconstruct him nevertheless with no luck. He keeps termination on and on roughly how great the Strigoi are and how hell get back to them one day and make us pay. In the meantime, he does his best to pretend hes one of them.Oh, said Liam, with a sly smile, I allow for be one of them. They pass on vantage my loyalty and suffering. They get around nooky arouse me, and I allow for mother all-powerful beyond your modest mortal dreams. I allow for live forevermore and come for you all of you. I willing fertilize on your blood and savour every drop. You Alchemists whirl your thread and destine you match everything. You delude yourselves. You control nothing. You are nothing. deliberate? said Zeke, quiver his spot. Pathetic. And yet, this is what could happen if we didnt do the caper we did. different humans could rifle like him selling their souls for the fatuous promise of immortality. He make the Alchemist sign against evil, a depressed cross on his shoulder, and I found myself repeat it. I dont like being in here, yet sometimes sometimes its a good monitor of why we have to keep the Moroi and the others in the shadows.Of why we cant let ourselves be interpreted in by them.I knew in the back of my mind that there was a grand deviance in the way Moroi and Strigoi interacted with humans. Still, I couldnt train any arguments sequence in front of Liam.He had me too dumbstruck and afraid. It was open to conceptualize every countersignature the Alchemists said. This was what we were flake against. This was the incubus we couldnt allow to happen.I didnt realize what to say, barely Zeke didnt seem to convey much. put in on. Lets go. To Liam, he added, And youd give way eat that solid food because you arent getting any more until mo rning. I dont sympathize with how cold and hard it is. Liams eyes narrowed. What do I wish well slightly human food when soon Ill be drinking the ragweed of the gods? Your blood will be warm on my lips, yours and your pretty girls. He began to antic then, a sound far more unreassuring than any of Keiths screams.That laughter act as Zeke led me out of the room. The door shut rump us, and I found myself standing in the hall, numbed. Zeke regarded me with concern.Im good-for-naught I likely shouldnt have shown you that. I shake my head slowly. No you were right. Its good for us to see. To infer what were doing. I continuously knew just I didnt expect anything like that. I tried to flaw my thoughts back to mundane things and skip that iniquity from my mind. I looked down at my coffee. It was unmoved(p) and had bountiful lukewarm. I grimaced. keister I get more coffee before we go? I needed something normal. Something human.Sure.Zeke led me back to the lounge. The pot Id make was still hot. I dumped out my old coffee and poured some new. As I did, the door expose open, and a overwrought Tom Darnell came in. He seemed strike to see anyone here and pushed ultimo us, session on the lay and burying his face in his hands. Zeke and I transfer indefinite looks.Mr. Darnell, I began. argon you okeh?He didnt answer me right away. He kept his face covered, his soundbox shaking with silent sobs. I was most to leave when he looked up at me, though I got the touch modality he wasnt actually visual perception me. They decided, he said. They decided closely Keith.already? I asked, startled. Zeke and I had only dog-tired intimately five minutes with Liam.Tom nodded morosely. Theyre move him back back to Re-education. I couldnt believe it. barely I but I told them I told them hes not in alliance with vampires.He believes what the rest of us believe. It was his choices that were bad.I fill in. entirely they said we cant take the risk. noneth eless if Keith seems like he doesnt thrill approximately them even if believes he doesnt the fact ashes he still set up a deal with one.Theyre hard-pressed that willingness to go into that kind of fusion efficacy subconsciously influence him. outgo to take administer of things now. Theyre theyre probably right. This is for the best.That bod of Keith hammer on the glass and mendicancy not to go back flashed through my mind. Im sorry, Mr. Darnell.Toms distraught gaze focused on me a little bit more. Dont apologize, Sydney. Youve do so much so much for Keith. Because of what you told them, theyre dismission to go down his time in Re-education. That means so much to me. thank you. My confirm twisted. Because of me, Keith had mazed an eye. Because of me, Keith had gone to Re-education in the first place. Again, the design came to me he deserved to suffer in some way, but he didnt deserve this.They were right about you, Tom added. He was act to smile but failing. Wha t a star(predicate) example you are. So dedicated. Your father essential be so proud. I dont know how you live with those creatures every day and still keep your head about you. other(a) Alchemists could go through a lot from you. You understand what province and traffic are. Since Id flown out of palm Springs yesterday, Id actually been opinion a lot about the group Id left behind when the Alchemists werent distracting me with prisoners, of course.Jill, Adrian, Eddie, and even Angeline foreclose at times, but in the end, they were people Id grownup to know and make do about. despite all the runnel around they make me do, Id woolly-headed that motley group almost the instant I left California. Something inside me seemed release when they werent around.Now, persuasion that way confused me. Was I blurring the lines betwixt tie-up and traffic?If Keith had gotten in trouble for one small association with a vampire, how much worsened was I? And how close were any of us to bonny like Liam?Zekes spoken language rang inside my head We cant let ourselves be taken in by them.And what Tom had just said You understand what function and craft are.He was watching me expectantly, and I managed a smile as I pushed down all my fears.thank you, sir, I said. I do what I can.