Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst Page A
Authors: Sarah Beth Durst
Tags: United States, Fiction, General, People & Places, Action & Adventure, Family, Juvenile Fiction, Magic, Fantasy & Magic, Performing Arts, Education, Adventure and Adventurers, School & Education, Adventure stories, Multigenerational, Body; Mind & Spirit, Dance, Locks and Keys, Magick Studies, Universities and colleges, College stories, Higher, Princeton (N.J.), Princeton University
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wondered why he didn't ask more about the creature. He understood that it was green, right?
Grandpa continued to prod her shoulder. "Did you take any extra medication today?"
Lily's eyes widened. How could he tell? "Are there side effects? Did I overdose? I know I shouldn't have. I was afraid of a brain hiccup. I took one of Mom's doses."
59
"It saved your life," Mr. Mayfair said. Lily gawked at him, but Grandpa didn't wait for her to digest that extraordinary statement.
He scowled at his oldest friend. "How could this happen? Your security--"
Mr. Mayfair spread his hands. "Perhaps you should take her home--"
"Or perhaps you should assign a guard," Grandpa interrupted.
Lily spoke up. "My guard has the creature pinned down in the East Pyne courtyard. But I don't know how long he can hold it. He needs help. He didn't want me to call 911...." Both men were staring at her. She trailed off. "What?"
Mr. Mayfair and Grandpa exchanged looks, and Mr. Mayfair said, "We didn't assign a guard."
"He said--," Lily began.
"Did he tell you his name?" Mr. Mayfair asked.
"His name's Tye," Lily said. "He has orange and black hair. Light-colored eyes. He said he was my guard. He knew Grandpa's name."
"Of course he did," Mr. Mayfair said, half to himself. To Lily, he said, "That boy cannot be trusted."
Lily looked from Grandpa to Mr. Mayfair and back to Grandpa. "But he saved me," she said. "He pulled the creature off me. It clawed him. He's hurt and waiting for help."
"I know this is upsetting," Mr. Mayfair said kindly. "You should know that you can stop this test at any time."
60
Lily opened her mouth to reply, but Grandpa beat her to it. "She cannot," Grandpa said. "This is her destiny. She was born for this."
Lily shut her mouth.
Grandpa smiled at her. "I promised your mother years ago that you would have this chance." And then his smile faded. "I need to check on Rose. If Lily was targeted--"
"You left her alone?" Lily looked around. She'd expected Mom to be nearby.
Grandpa nodded wearily. "She's in the room. She claimed she'd stay." For an instant, Lily thought, He's old. She had never seen him before as old, but now she noticed that the wrinkles on his cheeks were as deep as creases in a walnut shell. To Mr. Mayfair, he said, "Lily needs a guard. Could you--"
Mr. Mayfair squeezed Grandpa's shoulder. "You don't even have to ask. I'll see that she's taken care of."
"Thank you," Grandpa said gravely. He kissed Lily on the top of her head and then strode toward one of the gothic dorms.
Lily started after him. "Wait!" She should help him with Mom. But Tye also needed her. ... "Tye's expecting me," she said to Mr. Mayfair. "I'd planned to bring Grandpa."
Mr. Mayfair beckoned to a clump of college boys. One, a blond, broke away from the pack and walked across the tent. Under any other circumstances, Lily would have been content to stare and stare. He was angelically beautiful: perfect blond hair, piercing blue eyes, and a Superman cleft
61
chin. She half expected sunlight to burst through the tent in a halo around him and a heavenly chorus to swell in song. He was that perfect. Introducing him, Mr. Mayfair said, "My grandson, Jake. Jake, this is Lily Carter."
Jake smiled at her, the kind of smile that could make daffodils burst into full bloom. "Nice to meet you," he said. His voice was as warm as summer sun.
"Hi," she squeaked. Snap out of it, she told herself. He was just a cute boy. Okay, a godlike boy. She couldn't let that distract her from the fact that she'd been attacked by a monkey-thing and that Tye was waiting for her to return with the cavalry.
"Jake, Miss Carter encountered a Feeder," Mr. Mayfair said. "She'll lead you to the attack site in East Pyne."
Feeder. That thing had a name.
"Dispose of the Feeder and stay by Miss Carter for the remainder of her test. Don't interfere or aid her with her test, but do see to it that she remains safe from bodily harm. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Jake said. The "sir"
Grandpa continued to prod her shoulder. "Did you take any extra medication today?"
Lily's eyes widened. How could he tell? "Are there side effects? Did I overdose? I know I shouldn't have. I was afraid of a brain hiccup. I took one of Mom's doses."
59
"It saved your life," Mr. Mayfair said. Lily gawked at him, but Grandpa didn't wait for her to digest that extraordinary statement.
He scowled at his oldest friend. "How could this happen? Your security--"
Mr. Mayfair spread his hands. "Perhaps you should take her home--"
"Or perhaps you should assign a guard," Grandpa interrupted.
Lily spoke up. "My guard has the creature pinned down in the East Pyne courtyard. But I don't know how long he can hold it. He needs help. He didn't want me to call 911...." Both men were staring at her. She trailed off. "What?"
Mr. Mayfair and Grandpa exchanged looks, and Mr. Mayfair said, "We didn't assign a guard."
"He said--," Lily began.
"Did he tell you his name?" Mr. Mayfair asked.
"His name's Tye," Lily said. "He has orange and black hair. Light-colored eyes. He said he was my guard. He knew Grandpa's name."
"Of course he did," Mr. Mayfair said, half to himself. To Lily, he said, "That boy cannot be trusted."
Lily looked from Grandpa to Mr. Mayfair and back to Grandpa. "But he saved me," she said. "He pulled the creature off me. It clawed him. He's hurt and waiting for help."
"I know this is upsetting," Mr. Mayfair said kindly. "You should know that you can stop this test at any time."
60
Lily opened her mouth to reply, but Grandpa beat her to it. "She cannot," Grandpa said. "This is her destiny. She was born for this."
Lily shut her mouth.
Grandpa smiled at her. "I promised your mother years ago that you would have this chance." And then his smile faded. "I need to check on Rose. If Lily was targeted--"
"You left her alone?" Lily looked around. She'd expected Mom to be nearby.
Grandpa nodded wearily. "She's in the room. She claimed she'd stay." For an instant, Lily thought, He's old. She had never seen him before as old, but now she noticed that the wrinkles on his cheeks were as deep as creases in a walnut shell. To Mr. Mayfair, he said, "Lily needs a guard. Could you--"
Mr. Mayfair squeezed Grandpa's shoulder. "You don't even have to ask. I'll see that she's taken care of."
"Thank you," Grandpa said gravely. He kissed Lily on the top of her head and then strode toward one of the gothic dorms.
Lily started after him. "Wait!" She should help him with Mom. But Tye also needed her. ... "Tye's expecting me," she said to Mr. Mayfair. "I'd planned to bring Grandpa."
Mr. Mayfair beckoned to a clump of college boys. One, a blond, broke away from the pack and walked across the tent. Under any other circumstances, Lily would have been content to stare and stare. He was angelically beautiful: perfect blond hair, piercing blue eyes, and a Superman cleft
61
chin. She half expected sunlight to burst through the tent in a halo around him and a heavenly chorus to swell in song. He was that perfect. Introducing him, Mr. Mayfair said, "My grandson, Jake. Jake, this is Lily Carter."
Jake smiled at her, the kind of smile that could make daffodils burst into full bloom. "Nice to meet you," he said. His voice was as warm as summer sun.
"Hi," she squeaked. Snap out of it, she told herself. He was just a cute boy. Okay, a godlike boy. She couldn't let that distract her from the fact that she'd been attacked by a monkey-thing and that Tye was waiting for her to return with the cavalry.
"Jake, Miss Carter encountered a Feeder," Mr. Mayfair said. "She'll lead you to the attack site in East Pyne."
Feeder. That thing had a name.
"Dispose of the Feeder and stay by Miss Carter for the remainder of her test. Don't interfere or aid her with her test, but do see to it that she remains safe from bodily harm. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Jake said. The "sir"
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