Last Sacrifice Chapter Twenty-six

SHES WHAT? I EXCLAIMED. The pipe dream birds singing in the garden fell silent. With them? Is that wherefore they called the guardians?Sonyas calmness continued, still she frowned slightly. Victor and Robert didnt call the guardians. Why would they? Because because they wanted to get rid of Dimitri and me Perhaps, verbalize Sonya. except not while they were still in the house. Victors as wanted as you ar. It was nevertheless Roberts magic that got them out.Then who The answer hit me. I groaned. John and Emily. I should name known it wouldnt be that easy. They were too riotous to accept fugitives into their house.I actually pretend it was just John. Emily really did seem to remember you were innocent compensate if she didnt like why you were there. I also leery shed worry calling guardians would just draw more attention to Jills identity. It wouldnt surprise me if John didnt even warn her most calling them. He plausibly image he was doing everyone a favor.And inste ad, he lost his feelingdaughter, I said. But why would Victor and Robert take her? And how the hell did two old men subdue a teenage girl anyways?Sonya shrugged. Theyre probably stronger than they seem. Compulsion also likely played a role. And as for why? Hard to say. But Victor wants index finger and control. Keeping the missing Dragomir with him is a good way to possess that.I slumped against a tree. Well never get her to Court.We just befool to find her, said Sonya. Which I should be able to do once shes asleep.More dream-walking, I said. My hope began to rekindle. You should go to her now. describe outIve tried. Shes not asleep. And Im willing to bet theyre cargo holding her on the caseout for that very reason so they can put some distance between us. Ill keep trying, though.It wasnt ideal but was the best we could hope for right now. And Sydney and the Mastranos?veneer a lot of questions. Sonyas formulation fell. I knew she still felt bad about abandoning her cousin, just as I felt bad about Sydney.I gently touched Sonyas arm. Its okay. Theyll be okay. What you did will help Jill.She nodded. How are we loss to stay in touch? I cant always wait for you to be asleep.Silence. glorious point.Maybe we could get a cell phone today God knows weve selected one. And well why dont you just come to us? Where are you anyway?I wondered if I was making a mistake in inviting her to join us. Dimitri and I had gone to great pains to keep our location secret, and that run-in with the guardians had already been a bit closer than I would have liked. Aside from the obvious problems imprisonment, execution, et cetera creation captured would take us out of the picture for helping Lissa. Yet, I was comely certain(a) Sonya was one of our allies, and at this point, she might be our only link to Jill.Id made a similar gamble in revealing where we were to Victor. And while he had technically helped us, that help had obviously backfired. Nonetheless, I told Sonya th e name of our campground and the best directions I could. She said shed comeI didnt know how shed manage it but guess she was resourcefuland would keep trying to reach Jill.Sonya I hesitated to speak, knowing I should just let her end the dream. We had important problems, more serious than what I was about to ask. Plus, this was personal territory. What did you mean in the car when I said Id shared a dream with my boyfriend? You dateed surprised.Sonya studied me for a long moment, those blue look looking deeper into me than I would have liked. Sometimes she seemed safer in crazy mode. Auras tell a lot, Rose, and Im very good at reading them. Much go against than your friends probably are. A spirit dream wraps your own aura in gold, which is how I knew. Your personal aura is unique to you, though it fluctuates with your feelings and soul. When hatful are in love, it shows. Their auras shine. When you were dreaming, yours was bright. The colorize were bright but not what I ex pected from a boyfriend. Of course, not every relationship is the same. People are at different stages. I would have brushed it off, except Except what?Except, when youre with Dimitri, your auras like the sun. So is his. She smiled when I simply stared in stunned silence. Youre surprised by this?I that is, were over. We used to be together, but after his change, he didnt want me anymore. I moved on. Where moving on apparently meant holding hands and having close, heated moments. Thats why Im with Adrian. Im happy with Adrian. That last reprove sounded almost defensive. Who was I trying to convince? Her or myself?Behaviors and feelings rarely line up, she said, sounding very Dimitri Zen-like. Dont take this the wrong way, but youve got some issues to work out.Great. Therapy from a crazy woman. Okay, lets suppose theres something to this. I only really gave up on Dimitri a couple weeks ago. Its possible Im probably still holding onto some feelings. possible? I thought about how acu tely aware of his physical presence I always was in the car, the carefree harmony in the library, how good it felt to work with him in that way of ours, both so determined and almost never second- guessing the other. And only hours ago, in the guestroom Sonya had the audacity to laugh. Possible? After only two weeks? Rose, youre wise in so many ways and so young in others.I hated being judged by my age but had no time for temper tantrums. Okay, whatever. Ive still got feelings. But not him. You didnt see him after he was changed. It was horrible. He was depressed. He said he wanted to keep down me at all costs, that he couldnt love anyone again. It wasnt until this escape madness that he even started acting like his old self.He and I talked about that, she said, face serious again. About the depression. I understand it. After being Strigoi doing what we did you dont feel worthy of intent. Theres just guilt and darkness and the crushing memories of that evil. She shuddered.You youve acted differently from him. I mean, you look so sad sometimes, but at others its like null happened. Youre already back to your old self. Mostly. Why the difference in you two?Oh, Ive still got the guilt, believe me. After Robert changed me There was venom when she spoke his name. Well, I didnt want to leave my house, my bed. I hated myself for what Id done. I wished Id been staked to death. Then Dimitri talked to me . He said that guilt was inevitable. The particular that I can feel it proves Im not Strigoi. But he told me I cant let that stop me from embracing life again. Weve been given second chances, he and I. We cant dart them away. He also said it took him a while to realize it and that he didnt want me to make the same mistakes. He told me to embrace life and its beauty and the people I love before it was too lateeven though itd be difficult. Shaking that Strigoi past its like a weight, always pressing on me. He swore he wasnt exhalation to let it control him an ymorewhich, believe me, sounds noble but is very hard to doand that he wouldnt let his life be pointless. Hed already lost some things forever but refused to let go of the rest.He said all that? I Im not even sure what half of it means. He told me to embrace life and its beauty and the people I love before it was too late.Sometimes I dont either. Like I said, its much(prenominal) easier said than done. Still, I think he has helped me recover more quickly than I would have on my own. Im grateful. And as for you and your auras That small smile returned. Well, youve got to figure it out. I dont believe in soul mates, not exactly. I think its ridiculous to think theres only one person out there for us. What if your soul mate lives in Zimbabwe? What if he dies young? I also think two souls becoming one is ridiculous. You need to hold onto yourself. But I do believe in souls being in sync, souls that mirror each other. I see that synchronicity in auras. I can see love too. And I see al l of that in his aura and in yours. Only you can choose what to do with that informationif you even believe it.No pressure, I muttered.She looked like she was about to end the dream but then stopped and gave me a piercing look. One thing to be careful of, Rose. Your auras match, but they arent identical. Dimitris is spiked with bits of darkness, leftover from his trauma. That darkness fades a infinitesimal each day. You carry darkness toobut its not fading.I shivered. Lissa. Its the darkness Im taking from her, isnt it?Yes. I dont know much about bonds, but what youre doingeven if its helping heris very dangerous. Spirit tears us apart, no question, but in some ways I think we spirit users are create for it a little better. Not that its always obvious, she added wryly. But you? No. And if you take too much, I dont know whatll happen. Im afraid of it building and building. Im afraid its just going to take one sparkone catalystto make it explode inside you.What happens then? I whis pered.She shook her head slowly. I dont know.With that, the dream faded.I fell back into dreamless sleep, though my bodyas if knowing it was time to take my shiftwoke on its own a few hours later. Nights blackness surrounded me once more, and nearby, I could hear Dimitris even, steady breathing and sense his warmth. Everything Id just discussed with Sonya came pouring back to me. Too much, too much. I didnt know where to fix processing it. And no, I didnt know if I could believe it, not with what Id seen in real life. Behaviors and feelings rarely line up. With a deep breath, I forced myself to be a guardian, not an emotionally distraught girl.Your time for sleep, comrade.His voice came to me like light in the darkness, soft and low. You can get more rest if you need it.No, Im fine, I told him. And remember, youre notI know, I know, he chuckled. Im not the general. Oh lord. We finished each others jokes. I do believe in souls that are in sync. gravely reminding myself that Sonyas visit hadnt actually been about my love life, I recounted the rest of the dream to Dimitri, describing Johns betrayal and Jills abduction. Did I did I do the right thing telling Sonya where we are?Several moments passed before he replied. Yes. Youre right that we need her helpand she can find Jill. The problem is, Victor and Robert have to know that too. He sighed. And youre right that Id better rest up for whats to come.So, in that efficient way of his, he said no more. Soon, his breathing shifted as he fell back into sleep. It was amazing how he could do that with so little effort. Of course, that was something wed been taught as guardians sleep when you can because you dont know when youll be able to again. It was a trick Id never picked up. Staring into the darkness, I kept my senses sharp, listening for any sounds that might indicate danger.I might not have a talent for falling asleep instantly, but I could keep my waking body alert while still checking in with Lissa. Jill a nd our escape had occupied me today, but events at Court still weighed heavily on me. soulfulness had tried to kill Lissa, and a group of guardians had just dragged off Eddie.When I looked through her eyes, it was no surprise that I found most of my friends together. They were in a stark, intimidating room similar to the one shed been questioned in about my escapeexcept it was larger. And with good reason. It was packed with all sorts of people. Adrian and Christian stood by Lissa, and I need no aura reading to know the two guys were as uneasy as she was. Hans stood behind a table, hands pressed on it as he leaned forward and glared at everyone. Opposite Lissa, against the far wall, Eddie sat stone-faced in a chair with a guardian on either side of him. Both of his guards were tense, gear up to leap into action. They thought Eddie was a threat, I realized, which was ridiculous. Yet, Hans seemed to share their opinion.He jabbed his finger at a photograph lying on the table. Taking a step forward, Lissa saw that the picture was of the guy whod attacked hera picture taken after his death. His eyes were closed, his skin gone palebut it provided a detailed look at his facial features, bland as they were.You killed a Moroi exclaimed Hans. Id apparently tuned in to the middle of the conversation. How is that not a problem? Youre trained to protect themI did, said Eddie. He was so calm, so serious that the part of me that could still muster a sense of humor thought he was like Dimitri Junior. I saved her. What difference does it make if the threats Moroi or Strigoi?We have no proof of any of the details of this attack, growled Hans.You have three witnesses snapped Christian. Are you grammatical construction our reports are worthless?Im saying youre his friends, which makes your reports questionable. I would have liked to have had a guardian around to verify this.Now Lissas temper flared. You did Eddie was there.And there was no way you could have defend her witho ut killing him? asked Hans.Eddie didnt answer, and I knew he was seriously considering the question, wondering if he might truly have made a mistake. At last, he shook his head. If I hadnt killed him, he would have killed me. Hans sighed, his eyes weary. It was easy for me to be angry at him right now, and I had to remind myself he was just doing his job. He held up the picture. And no(prenominal) of younone of youhave ever seen this man?Lissa studied the face once more, repressing a shiver. No, she hadnt recognized him during the attack and didnt recognize him now. There was really nothing remarkable about himno notable feature you could point out. Our other friends shook their heads, but Lissa felt herself frowning.Yes? asked Hans, immediately jumping on that subtle shift.I dont know him she said slowly. The conversation with Joe the janitor popped into her mind.Whatd the guy look like? shed asked Joe.Plain. Ordinary. Except the hand.Lissa stared at the picture a moment longer, which just barely showed a blemish hand with a couple of bent fingers. I had also noticed it in the fight. She lifted her eyes to Hans. I dont know him, she repeated. But I think I know someone who does. Theres a janitor well, a former janitor. The one who testified about Rose. I think hes seen this guy before. They have an interesting business relationship. Mikhail was going to make sure he didnt leave Court.Adrian did not look happy at all about having Joe brought up, seeing as it implicated his mother for bribery. Theyll have a hard time making him talk.Hans narrowed his eyes. Oh, if he knows something, well make him talk. He gave a sharp nod toward the door, and one of the guardians by Eddie moved toward it. Find this guy. And send in our guests. The guardian nodded and left the room.What guests? asked Lissa.Well, said Hans, its funny you mention Hathaway. Because we just had a sighting of her.Lissa stiffened, panic flashing through her. They found Rose. But how? Abe had assur ed her I was safe in that town in West Virginia.She and Belikov were spotted outside of Detroit, where they kidnapped a girl.Theyd never Lissa stopped. Did you say Detroit? It was with great restraint that she didnt contain questioning looks at Christian and Adrian.Hans nodded, and although he gave the appearance of just passing on information, I knew he was watching for some sort of telling response from my friends. They had a few other people with them. Some of them got away, but we caught one.Who did they kidnap? asked Christian. His astonishment wasnt faked either. He too had thought we were safely stashed.Mastrano, said Hans. Something Mastrano.Jill Mastrano? exclaimed Lissa.Jailbait? asked Adrian.Hans clearly wasnt up to date on this nickname but didnt have a chance to question it because just then, the door opened. Three guardians entered, and with them was Sydney.