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 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.
The Golden Lily: A Bloodlines Novel
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.
 Thanks again, Sonya told me.  I know how busy you must be.
 It s no problem. It s the weekend, and anyway this is what I m here for to help you
guys.
She laughed softly to herself. Her recovery in the last couple of days had been remarkable,
and she now looked as pretty and bright as usual. She wore her auburn hair down
today, letting it fall in fiery waves around the delicate lines of her face.  True, but it seems like
you keep having to go above and beyond your job description.
 I m just glad you re okay, I said earnestly. I d grown close to Sonya and was sad to see
her go.  Back in that arena& well, it was kind of terrifying.
Some of her amusement faded.  It was. I was out of it most of the time and not really able
to process what was going on around me. But I do remember your words. You were pretty
amazing, not to mention brave, to face down that crowd and defend me. I know how hard it
must have been to be in opposition with your own kind.
 Those people are not my kind, I said adamantly. Some part of me wondered exactly who
my kind were.  What s going to happen to your research now?
 Oh, it ll continue back East. Dimitri will be returning soon too, and there are other researchers
who can help us at Court. Having an objective spirit user like Adrian was extremely [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]