The Indigo Spell Page 0,46

back to my dorm to sleep off what had been a pretty crazy day. I was awakened at the crack of dawn by heavy pounding at my door. I squinted at the clock, grimacing when I saw that it was an hour earlier than I usually got up. I stayed in bed, hoping whoever it was would go away. If there was something really urgent happening, someone would've called me on my cell phone. The display showed no missed calls, however.

Unfortunately, the knocking didn't stop. With a feeling of dread, I finally dragged myself up, half-afraid of what I'd find outside my door.

It was Angeline.

"Finally," she said, inviting herself into my room. "I thought you'd never answer."

"Sorry," I said, shutting the door behind her. "I was busy sleeping."

She walked right up to my bed and sat down like she owned it. I really didn't know her schedule, but she always struck me as a late riser. Apparently not today. She was dressed in a school uniform, with her brilliant red hair pulled back in what was, for her, a rather tidy ponytail.

"I have a problem," she said.

My feeling of dread grew. I turned on my coffeemaker, which I always had ready with fresh grounds and water. Something told me I was going to need a cup to get through this. "What's going on?" I asked, settling into my desk chair. I made no attempt at even guessing. When it came to Angeline, her problems could range from throwing a desk in rage or accidentally spilling hydrochloric acid on another student. Both had happened recently.

"I'm failing math," she said.

This was unwelcome but not unexpected news. Angeline's mountain community, while still educating its children, didn't quite match the standards of Amberwood's elite curriculum. She struggled in a number of her classes but had managed to scrape by so far.

"I'm already in trouble in my Spanish class," she added. "But that pinata I made got me some extra credit, so I'm hanging in there okay for now."

I'd heard about the pinata. It had been for her class's cultural day, and she'd been so thorough with her papier-mache that none of her classmates had been able to open it through normal means. Angeline had ended up beating it against a wall and had to be stopped by her teacher when she'd produced a lighter.

"But if I slip there and in math, I could get expelled."

That dragged me away from the flammable pinata and back to the present. "Ugh," I said, having no better way to articulate my thoughts. The problem with a school that had high standards was . . . well, it had high standards. Trouble in one class might be tolerated, but not two. And if Angeline got kicked out, we'd be down one level of security for Jill - not to mention the fact that I'd probably get blamed for it all.

"Ms. Hayward told me I need to get a tutor. She says I either need to get better or at least show I'm trying."

That was promising, I supposed. Even if a tutor couldn't help, hopefully the school would be lenient with her good faith effort.

"Okay," I said. "We'll get you a tutor."

She frowned. "Why can't you do it? You're smart. You're good at math."

Why couldn't I? Well, first I had to stop an evil sorceress from sucking the youth and power from innocent girls. Then I had to crack the secrets and lies that the organization I'd been born into was telling me.

Instead I said, "I'm busy."

"You have to do it. It'd be easy for you," she protested.

"Really busy," I said. "I'm surprised Eddie can't do it."

His name brought a smile to her face. "He offered, but his grades are just average. I need someone really good."

"Then I'll get you someone really good. I just can't do it myself right now."

Angeline didn't like that answer, but at least she didn't flip over my desk. "Okay. Fine. Just hurry up."

"Yes, your majesty," I muttered, watching her strut out of my room in a huff.

At least Angeline's academic problems were something a little easier to deal with than the other supernatural intrigues occupying my time. Since I was already awake and had coffee, I decided there was no point in going back to sleep. I showered and dressed, then caught up on some extra homework while I waited for breakfast. When the serving time started in our cafeteria, I headed downstairs and lingered near the entrance. It only took about five minutes