The Indigo Spell
Author: Richelle Mead
Synopsis: In the aftermath of a
forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she struggles to draw the line
between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do.
Then she finally tracks down the elusive,
enigmatic Marcus Finch—a former Alchemist who the organization denies exists,
and who lives in shadows, on the run. With Marcus’s help, Sydney realizes that
the group she’s been loyal to her whole life has been hiding the truth from
her. Is it possible that her golden lily tattoo might have more power over her
than she thinks?
As she struggles to come to terms with
what that might mean, Sydney is compelled to use her growing magical powers to
track down an evil magic user who is targeting powerful young witches. Using
magic goes against everything she always thought she believed, but she realizes
that her only hope is to embrace her special blood—or else she might be next.
Forging her own ways is harder than
Sydney ever dreamed. Maybe by turning off her brain—and following her heart—she’ll
be able to finally figure out where she belongs.
List of Characters
Sydney Sage
Adrian Ivashkov
Jill Dragomir
Eddie Castile
Angeline
Ms. Terwilliger
Chapters 11-15 Summary: Sydney returns to Amberwood after she
dropped off Marcus Finch and is quickly approached by Jill who informs her that
they have a new situation on their hands to deal with: Angeline gave Trey a
concussion with her Algebra book. Eddie took the fall for Angeline giving the
story that he and Trey were tossing the book back and forth and the book
accidently hit Trey. Eddie receives a week detention and Sydney tells Angeline
to try harder to keep her patience. The next day she heads off to Adrian’s
apartment and Adrian gives her the sad news that the tires to his Mustang had
been slashed along with seven other cars in the garage. Sydney nearly has a
heart attack and after making sure the tow truck guy would take good care of
the car, she finally agrees to head out with Adrian to warn the other girls on
Ms. Terwilliger’s list and to deliver to them the charms that will help protect
them.
They are able to
warn two of the girls and the third girl they visit, Lynne Titus, isn’t at her sorority.
Sydney decides they should wait around a while since Ms. Terwilliger has agreed
to cover for Sydney if she comes in after curfew. Adrian convinces Sydney they
should go to a frat party since Sydney has never gotten to experience college
life and they need something to do to pass the time while they wait for Lynne
to return. In order to get into the frat party, they need to belong to a
sorority so Adrian invents his own (“Alpha Yam Ergo”) and once inside, they
befriend a group of drunk girls who are painting T-shirts on the kitchen floor
for the upcoming winter carnival. Adrian jumps in to paint as well, creating a
shirt for his fake fraternity with the initials AYE (“Isn’t that what pirates
say?” asked one of the other girls. “Well, the Alpha Yams have nautical
origins.”). Sydney sits back and watches, mesmerized by the passion and skill
Adrian has for art, even when he’s creating some crazy pirate shirt with a
pirate riding a motorcycle as the logo. Adrian makes Sydney a shirt as well
with a silver heart with flames edging the side. He gets Sydney to paint on his
shirt and they wind up passionately kissing. A girl comes running in and
exclaims that a girl’s unconscious body was just found in the auditorium. The
girl looked really old. Adrian and Sydney know Veronica had been there and had gotten
to Lynne.
The next morning
Sydney feels like a complete failure but that feeling fades as Ms. Terwilliger
informs her she has a hickey on her neck and she may want to cover it up before
class begins (“I have hickey. I let Adrian Ivashkov give me a hickey.”) Sydney
quickly runs to her dorm to get a scarf and when she returns to class she
discloses her plan with Eddie to meet up with Marcus for the secret meeting.
Eddie agrees to tag along and later that evening they head off to San
Bernardino. At the meeting, Eddie and Sydney are introduced to two other
Alchemist: Amelia and Wade, who had already chosen to break their lily tattoos.
Marcus explains that the way to break the lily tattoo is by getting ink that’s
been charmed and a magic earth user to shatter the bond the lily tattoo has
with the other elements (air, water and fire) and inject the ink into the lily
tattoo. The tattoo is then inked in indigo ink to make sure the lily tattoo can’t
be reactivated. Marcus also adds another element. Before an Alchemist can break
his or her tattoo, he or she has to perform a task to prove that he or she is
ready to the rest of the group. Wade proved himself by getting a classified list
of names that were initialed. They found the initials for Zebulon Jameson, one
of the high officials in the Warriors of Light. Marcus wants Sydney to find out
how Jameson is connected to the Alchemists. Sydney agrees to help because she
needs to protect Jill and is determined to find out the truth for herself, as
long as Wade can get her more information on the operations of the Alchemist compound in St. Louis.
The next morning
Sydney takes Adrian to pick up his Mustang and he goes with her to meet up with
Ms. Terwilliger who wants to work with Sydney on protection magic. Ms. T
teaches Sydney how to conjure a fireball in her hand by rubbing the herbal and
liquid components turned into ash on her hands and calling forth the magic
inside of herself. Sydney then practices
throwing the fireball at a rock and then practices throwing them at Ms. T who
had already enchanted herself with a protective shield so she wouldn’t get
burned. After the magical training session is over, they head out to a nearby
diner to eat called Pies and Stuff. Adrian and Sydney almost have another
moment where they kiss.
The next day
Sydney gets a phone call from Taylor, the girl who works at the bed and
breakfast where Veronica had originally been hiding out, and tells Sydney
Veronica has returned. Before Sydney can go investigate, she gets a phone call
from Stanton. She convinces Stanton to let her go to the Alchemist services in
St. Louis by pretending to want to see Ian and needing a break from hanging out
with vampires all the time. Stanton gives her permission. Sydney quickly picks
up some herbs and plants for Ms. T she needs then starts to head back to her
dorm when the finds Marcus sitting outside, playing an acoustic guitar and a
swarm of girls around him. He delivers to Sydney the information she needed
from Wade (floor plans for St. Louis). Once he leaves, Sydney finds Ms. T
waiting for her in the lobby. She informs Ms. T of Veronica’s return and Ms. T
wants to go out to check out the bed and breakfast, but Sydney convinces her to
wait and let her and Adrian go check everything out during the day while Ms. T
prepares her magic and recovers from the training session.
The next day
Sydney picks up Adrian and they head out to the bed and breakfast. Sydney tells him
about her plans for St. Louis and how she’s using dinner with Ian as a way to
get in. Adrian gives her unsolicited advice about seducing Ian without having
him get suspicious (or putting out) by wearing a sexy dress. They arrive to the
bed and breakfast and sneak into the Velvet Suite while Taylor is being
distracted by another couple. They find clothes strewn about but quickly
realize Veronica had hurriedly packed up her stuff and left already.
Sydney
gets upset they somehow missed finding Veronica again. Adrian comforts her and
Sydney pulls away, scolding Adrian for continuously reminding her of his
feelings for her. Adrian tells her to lay down in the bed with him, he wants to
show her something. Sydney complies and Adrian touches her back which makes
Sydney’s aura turn purple. He desperately wants to know why Sydney keeps
denying having feelings for him when her aura tells him otherwise. Just as
Adrian and Sydney are about to kiss, they are interrupted by Taylor walking in
on them. Adrian and Sydney make a hastily escape and Adrian drops Sydney at
Amberwood. Sydney falls asleep quickly, exhausted and has a strange dream that
starts with Adrian then suddenly turned into both her and Adrian fighting a
Strigoi in Adrian’s apartment. A woman’s laughter fills the dream and echoes in
Sydney’s mind an ominous message: “She’s
kept you well hidden, but it can’t stay that way forever. You can’t conceal
power likes your forever. I’ve caught your trail. I’ll find you.” A pair of
hands wrap around Sydney’s neck, cutting off her air supply. She instantly
wakes up and decides to make a cup of coffee and study since she is scared to
go back to sleep but soon falls asleep once again on her books.
Annabell's Thoughts: Oye! Sydney what else is it going to take for you to admit your feelings for Adrian! I mean the guy can only pour out his feelings for so long before he finally gets too dejected to keep going! I loved the scene where Adrian painted the pirate shirt at the frat house. It was so funny with those drunk girls. It was so sweet he made a shirt for Sydney as yet another way to show how much he loves her *dreamy sigh* I like Marcus and his crew of "Merry Men" as Sydney jokingly called them channeling Adrian. Marcus is cute but he can get a little annoying. I can't wait to read what happens when Sydney breaks into the computer servers at the St. Louis Alchemist compound! I hope she's able to find a link from the Alchemist with the Warriors of Light and starts getting some answers. Angeline and Trey seem to be up to something. I don't know if its them developing feelings for each other or something else, but I'm curious to see what Eddie will think about these two getting closer considering he's dating Angeline. I still feel like Jill is a background character. Even though everyone is there to protect her, she doesn't really come up much in the book and all the attacks seem to happen to Sydney, so I sometimes wonder what is the real point of keeping Jill safe. I do hope Eddie finally ends up with her though since it's obvious he's still gaga for her.
Annabell's Thoughts: Oye! Sydney what else is it going to take for you to admit your feelings for Adrian! I mean the guy can only pour out his feelings for so long before he finally gets too dejected to keep going! I loved the scene where Adrian painted the pirate shirt at the frat house. It was so funny with those drunk girls. It was so sweet he made a shirt for Sydney as yet another way to show how much he loves her *dreamy sigh* I like Marcus and his crew of "Merry Men" as Sydney jokingly called them channeling Adrian. Marcus is cute but he can get a little annoying. I can't wait to read what happens when Sydney breaks into the computer servers at the St. Louis Alchemist compound! I hope she's able to find a link from the Alchemist with the Warriors of Light and starts getting some answers. Angeline and Trey seem to be up to something. I don't know if its them developing feelings for each other or something else, but I'm curious to see what Eddie will think about these two getting closer considering he's dating Angeline. I still feel like Jill is a background character. Even though everyone is there to protect her, she doesn't really come up much in the book and all the attacks seem to happen to Sydney, so I sometimes wonder what is the real point of keeping Jill safe. I do hope Eddie finally ends up with her though since it's obvious he's still gaga for her.
Bridget's Thoughts: Adrian and Sydney FINALLY start to move in the right
direction! There's so much kissing and feelings in these 5 chapters that
it was hard to repress the squeels of joy! It's actually kind of hard to say
what my favorite scene was because I loved them all so much! Ms. T teaching
Sydney how to throw fireballs? Epic! Those Alchemists aren't going to know
what hit them when Sydney Sage finally goes after them! Adrian's Mustang gets
attacked and get it's tires slashed and Sydney almost has a panic attack.
I think if she could love Adrian with just a little of how much she
loves his car then they will have a love story worthy of the
stars! Oh, then Angeline is being tutored by Trey and keeps sneeking off
and spending more time at basketball games... is this because Trey is also
attending said basketball games?? Love seems to be in the air folks and I for
one, am more excited then Rose being cut loose in a room full of Strigoi!
Favorite Scene
“Everything’s
going to be okay. She doesn’t know about you.”
I knew he was
right, but it was hollow comfort. I leaned my head against his shoulder,
wishing I could fix everything. That was my job, right? “All that means is that
someone else could suffer in my place. I don’t want that. I need to stop her
once and for all.”
“So brave.” He
gave me a small smile. His fingertips slid down my face, lightly stroking the
line of my neck, down toward my shoulder. Everywhere he touched, a trial of
goose bumps appeared. How did he keep doing this to me? Marcus—who made every
girl in the world swoon—had zero effect on me. But one whisper of a touch from
Adrian completely undid me. “You could give Castile a run for his money,” he
added.
“Stop that,” I
warned.
“Comparing you
to Castile?”
That’s not what
I’m talking about, and you know it.” His hands were too dangerous, as was being
with him on a bed. Terrified I might be kissed again, I jerked away, and the
sudden movement caught him by surprise. His fingers got tangled in my hair, as
well as in my two necklaces, which resulted in him snapping both chains and
nearly pulling off the brown wig. I quickly caught the garnet before it could
fall off, but the cross slipped away. Thank God I’d kept the important one on.
No more kissing,” I warned. I refastened the charm and straightened the wig.
“You mean no
more kissing unless it’s a romantic place,” he reminded me. “Are you saying
this place doesn’t scream romance?” He nodded around to our tacky velvet
surroundings. He then picked up the small cross and held it in the air, growing
thoughtful as he studied the way the light played off the gold surface. “You
gave this to me once.”
“And you gave it
back.”
“I was angry.”
“And now?”
He shrugged. “Now
I’m just determined.”
“Adrian.” I
sighed. “Why do you keep doing this? The touching . . .the kissing . . . you know
I don’t want it.”
“You don’t act
that way.”
“Stop saying
that. It’s obnoxious. Next you’ll be saying I’m ‘asking for it’” Why did he
have to be so infuriating? Okay . . . I hadn’t really sent a clear message back
at the sorority. Or Pies and Stuff. But this time I’d done better. “I just pulled
away. How much more direct do I have to be?”
“It’s not your
actions, exactly,” he said. He still clutched the cross in his hand. “It’s your
aura.”
I groaned. “No,
no, not that. I don’t want to hear about auras.”
“But I’m
serious.” He shifted over and stretched out on the bed, lying on his side. He
patted the bed near him. “Lie down.”
“Adrian—”
“I won’t kiss
you,” he said. “I promise.”
“How stupid do
you think I am?” I said. “I’m not falling for this.”
He gave me a
long, level look. “Do you really think I’d assault you or something?”
“No,” I said
quickly. “Of course not.”
“Then humor me.”
Warily, I lay
down on my side as well, facing him with only a few powerful inches between us.
An enraptured, slightly distracted look appeared in his eyes. He’d given
himself over to spirit. “Do you know what I see in you now? The usual aura. A
steady golden yellow, healthy and strong, with spikes of purple here and there.
But when I do this . . .”
He rested a hand
on my hip, and my whole body tensed up. That hand moved around my hip, slipping
under my shirt to rest on the small of my back. My skin burned where he touched
me, and the places that were untouched longed for that heart.
“See?” he said.
He was in the throes of spirit now, though with me at the same time. “Well, I
guess you can’t. But when I touch you, your aura . . . it smolders. The colors
deepen, it burns more intensely, the purple increases. Why? Why, Sydney?” He
used that hand on me to pull me closer. “Why do you react that way if I don’t
mean anything to you?” There was a desperation in his voice, and it was
legitimate.
It was hard for
me to talk. “It’s instinct. Or something. You’re a Moroi. I’m an Alchemist. Of
course I’d have a response. You think I’d be indifferent?”
“Most Alchemist
responses would involve disgust, revulsion, and holy water.”
That was an
excellent point. “Well . . . I’m a little more relaxed around Moroi than more
Alchemists. Probably this is just some purely physical response driven by
hormones and years of evolution. My body doesn’t know any better. I’m as susceptible
to lust as anyone else. There was probably a book about that or at least an
article in Cosmopolitan.
The hint of a
smile played over his lips. He was fully in tune with me again. “No, you aren’t.
I mean, you are, but not without reason. I know you well enough to realize that
now. You’re not the kind of person who’s ‘susceptible to lust’ without some emotion
to back it.” He moved his hand back to my hip, sliding it down my leg. I
shuddered, and his moved closer to mine. There was so much in his eyes, so much
desire and longing. “See? There it is again. My flame in the dark.”
“Don’t kiss me,”
I whispered. It was the only defense I could muster. If he kissed me, I’d be
lost. I closed my eyes. “You said you wouldn’t.”
“I won’t.” His
lips were only a breath away. “Unless you want me to.”
I opened my
eyes, ready to tell him no, that it didn’t matter what my aura allegedly said .
. . this couldn’t keep happening. There was no emotion backing this desire, and
I tried to cling to my earlier argument. I was so comfortable around Moroi now
that clearly some primal part of me kept forgetting what he was. This was a
base instinct. I was simply having a physical reaction to him, to his hands, to
his lips, to his body . . .
He caught hold
of my arm and rolled me over. I closed my eyes again and wrapped my around his
neck. I felt his lips touch mine, not quite a kiss, just barest breath of—
The door opened,
and I flinched.
Discussion Questions
What do you think it’ll take for Sydney
to finally reveal her feelings for Adrian?
Do you think the woman in Sydney’s
nightmare was Veronica? How do you think Veronica was able to find Sydney?
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