Free The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

didn’t try to talk Kristin out of my sound fashion advice. A few moments later, Julia perked up. “Hey, is it true Trey set you up with some guy?” Julia perked up. “Hey, is it true Trey set you up with some guy?”
    “I … what? No. Where’d you hear that?” Like I had to ask.
    She’d undoubtedly heard it from Trey himself.
    “Trey said he’d talked to you about it,” said Kristin. “How this guy’s perfect for you.”
    “It’s a great idea, Syd,” said Julia, face as serious as if we were discussing a life or death matter. “It’d be good for you. I mean, since school started, I’ve gone out with …” She paused and silently counted out names on her fingers. “… four guys.
    You know how many you’ve gone out with?” She held up a fist.
    “That many.”
    “I don’t need to go out with anyone,” I argued. “I have enough complications already. I’m pretty sure that would add more.”
    “What complications?” laughed Kristin. “Your awesome grades, kiler body, and perfect hair? I mean, okay, your family’s a little out there, but come on, everyone has time for a date now and then—or lots, in Julia’s case.”
    “Hey,” said Julia, though she didn’t deny the charge.
    Kristin pushed forward, making me think she was more suited to a legal internship than a counseling one. “Skip homework for once. Give this guy a shot, and we can all go out together sometime. It’d be fun.”
    I gave them a forced smile and murmured something non-committal. Everyone has time for a date now and then.
    Everyone but me, of course. I felt a surprising pang of longing, not for a date but just for social interaction. Kristin and Julia went out a lot with a larger group of friends and love interests went out a lot with a larger group of friends and love interests and often invited me on their outings. They thought my reticence was because of homework or, perhaps, no suitable guy to go with me. I wished it were that simple, and suddenly, it was as though there was a huge chasm separating me from Kristin and Julia. I was their friend, and they had welcomed me to every part of their lives. Meanwhile, I was full of secrets and half truths.
    Part of me wished I could be open with them and able to confide all the woes of my Alchemist life. Heck, part of me just wished I realy could go on one of these outings and let go of my duties for a night. It would never work, of course. We’d be out at a movie, and I’d probably get texted to come cover up a Strigoi slaying.
    This mood wasn’t uncommon for me, and it began lightening as I started my school day. I fell into the rhythm of my schedule, comfortable in its familiarity.
    Teachers always assigned the most work over weekends, and I was pleased to be able to turn in all that I’d done on my plane rides. Unfortunately, my last class of the day derailed all the progress of my mood. Actualy, class wasn’t the right word. It was an independent study I had with my history teacher, Ms. Terwiliger.
    Ms. Terwiliger had recently revealed herself to be a magic user, a witch of sorts or whatever those people referred to themselves as. Alchemists had heard rumors of Ms. Terwiliger had recently revealed herself to be a magic user, a witch of sorts or whatever those people referred to themselves as. Alchemists had heard rumors of them, but it was nothing we had a lot of experience with or facts about. To our knowledge, only Moroi wielded magic. We utilized it in our lily tattoos—which had trace amounts of vampire blood—but the thought of humans producing it in the same way was crazy and twisted.
    That was why it was such a surprise when Ms. Terwiliger not only revealed herself to me last month but also ended up kind of tricking me into wielding a spell. It had left me shocked and even feeling dirty. Magic was not for humans to use. We had no right to manipulate the world like that; it was a hundred times worse than what Sonya had done to the red lily on the street.