The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead Page B

could be enough to break apart the garnet. I don’t know.” She spread out her hands.
    “So you’re saying . . . with each victim she attacks, the chance that she’ll find
     me increases.”
    “Yes.”
    “All right. I’ll help you hunt for her.” I shoved all my fears and doubts aside.
     The stakes were too high. My life, the other girls . . . Veronica had to be stopped
     for all our sakes. Someone like her couldn’t be allowed to go on like this.
    “There’s more,” added Ms. Terwilliger.
    Really?
    “More than hunting an evil witch who wants to drain me of my life and power?”
    “If we can stop Veronica from finding less powerful victims, we can save their lives
     and limit her ability to find you.” She produced a small velvet bag and emptied it
     out onto the table. Several small agate circles fell out. “These are charms that have
     some ability to mask magic. Not as strong as the garnet—that would take too long.
     But they’re a quick fix that might save some of these other girls’ lives.”
    I knew where this was going. “And you want me to deliver them.”
    “I’m sorry. I know I’m giving you some very difficult tasks here.”
    This was getting worse and worse. “Difficult? That’s an understatement. And putting
     aside the fact that you want me to find a woman who could suck my life away, there’s
     also the very small detail that the Alchemists would flip out if they knew I was involved
     with any of this.”
    Ms. Terwilliger didn’t answer right away. She just watched me. A black cat jumped
     up beside her and joined in the staring. Its yellow-eyed gaze seemed to say,
Do the right thing.
    “Where do I start?” I asked finally. “Finding that neighborhood is part of it, right?”
    “Yes. And I’ll tell you where to find her potential victims, if you’ll do the legwork
     of warning them. My coven keeps track of them. They’ll be girls very much like you,
     ones with power who refuse to train and have no mentor to look after them. Once we
     have a clear fix on Veronica herself . . .” Ms. Terwilliger’s eyes hardened. “Well,
     then. That’s when I’ll step in.”
    Once more, I wondered if I really wanted to know what that entailed.
    A moment later, she added, “Oh, and I thought it would be a good idea to obscure
     your appearance as well.”
    I brightened. I couldn’t explain it, but somehow, that made me feel immensely better.
     “There are a lot of spells for that, right?” I’d seen a number of them in my studies.
     Even if I had to use magic, it was better to at least look different.
    “Yes. . . .” She drummed her fingers against the table. “But the amulet might not
     be able to hide you wearing an ‘active’ spell, which would then defeat the whole purpose.
     What I was actually hoping was that your ‘brother’ Adrian might be able to help.”
    My legs felt weak, and I sat back down. “Why on earth should Adrian be involved in
     this?”
    “Well, he seems like he’d do anything for you.” I eyed her, wondering if there was
     a double meaning in that. Her gaze was far away, her thoughts turned inward. She’d
     meant her words honestly. “Veronica wouldn’t be able to detect vampire magic. His
     power . . . that spirit element he was telling me about . . . it can confuse the mind,
     right? Affect what others can see?”
    “Yes. . . .”
    She focused on me again, nodding in satisfaction. “If he could accompany you, help
     muddle whoever meets you . . . well, that would offer an extra level of protection.”
    I still didn’t know what all I’d be doing to hunt Ms. Terwilliger’s sister, but it
     sounded like, at the very least, there’d be a drive to Los Angeles in my future. Me,
     trapped in another small space with Adrian while he continued with that infuriating
     “loving from afar.” I was so caught up in the emotional turmoil that idea caused that
     it took me a moment to realize the larger issue I was letting myself