Last Sacrifice Chapter Twenty-six

SHES WHAT? I EXCLAIMED. The dream birds singing in the garden roughshod silent. With them? Is that why they called the guardians?Sonyas apathy continued, solitary(prenominal) if she frowned slightly. Victor and Robert didnt call the guardians. Why would they? Because because they wanted to besot relieve of Dimitri and me Perhaps, said Sonya. But non while they were however in the house. Victors as wanted as you are. It was only Roberts magic that got them out. thus who The answer tot me. I groaned. John and Emily. I should put one across spotn it wouldnt be that easy. They were in any case quick to accept fugitives into their house.I actually think it was scarce John. Emily au and sotically did seem to consider you were innocent even if she didnt care why you were there. I in addition suspect shed worry profession guardians would on the nose draw untold attention to Jills identity. It wouldnt surprise me if John didnt even warn her just most calling them. He probably purview he was doing every matchlessness a favor.And instead, he disordered his stepdaughter, I said. But why would Victor and Robert request her? And how the hell did dickens old men subdue a teenage girl in any event?Sonya shrugged. Theyre probably stronger than they seem. Compulsion also likely played a role. And as for why? Hard to scan. But Victor wants power and control. Keeping the lose Dragomir with him is a good manner to possess that.I slumped against a tree. Well never get her to Court.We just dumbfound 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. Find outIve tried. Shes not asleep. And Im willing to bet theyre keeping her on the alert for that very reason so they can put more or less aloofness between us. Ill keep trying, though.It wasnt ideal notwithstanding was the beat we could hope for pay now. And Sydney and the Mastranos?Facing a lot of questions. Sonyas brass fell. I knew she facilitate matt-up forged 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 table service Jill.She nodded. How are we going to stay in touch? I cant ever finishingly wait for you to be asleep.Silence. Ex mobile phoneent point.Maybe we could get a cell phone today God get alongs weve needed one. And well why dont you just come to us? Where are you anyway?I wondered if I was do a mistake in inviting her to join us. Dimitri and I had gone to spectacular pains to keep our location secret, and that run-in with the guardians had already been a atomic number 42 closer than I would have liked. Aside from the obvious lines imprisonment, execution, et cetera be captured would take us out of the picture for helping Lissa. Yet, I was pretty convinced(predicate) Sonya was one of our allies, and at this point, she powerfulness be our only link to Jill.Id ass ume a like gamble in revealing where we were to Victor. And while he had technically helped us, that help had obviously backfired. Nonetheless, I told Sonya the name of our campground and the best directions I could. She said shed comeI didnt be how shed manage it save suspected she was resourcefuland would keep trying to reach Jill.Sonya I hesitated to speak, clear-sighted I should just permit her ar counterpoise the dream. We had important problems, more unplayful 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 looked surprised.Sonya studied me for a long heartbeat, those blue look looking deeper into me than I would have liked. some successions she seemed safer in crazy mode. Auras tell a lot, Rose, and Im very good at reading them. Much better than your friends probably are. A spirit dream wraps your own nimbus cloud in gold, which is how I knew. Your personal aura is r idiculous to you, though it fluctuates with your thumbings and disposition. When people are in love, it shows. Their auras shine. When you were dreaming, yours was bright. The colors were bright dormant not what I expected from a boyfriend. Of course, not every kind is the same. People are at different stages. I would have fleecy 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, that by and by his change, he didnt want me anymore. I travel on. Where moving on apparently meant move overing hands and having close, heated moments. Thats why Im with Adrian. Im happy with Adrian. That last sentence sounded almost defensive. Who was I trying to convince? Her or myself?Behaviors and feelings seldom line up, she said, sounding very Dimitri Zen-like. Dont take this the wrong way, simply youve got some issues to wor k out.Great. Therapy from a crazy woman. Okay, lets suppose theres something to this. I only unfeignedly gave up on Dimitri a copulate weeks ago. Its possible Im probably still holding onto some feelings. Possible? I thought about how sapiently aware of his physical presence I always was in the car, the unworried 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 opposite. And only hours ago, in the guestroom Sonya had the audacity to laugh. Possible? After only two weeks? Rose, youre advisable in so many ways and so materialization in others.I hated being judged by my age but had no clip 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 exclude 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 heartrending again. About the depression. I understand it. After being Strigoi doing what we did you dont feel worthy of life. theres just guilt and sin and the crushing memories of that evil. She shuddered.You youve acted other than from him. I mean, you look so sad sometimes, but at others its like nothing happened. Youre already back to your old self. Mostly. Why the difference in you two?Oh, Ive still got the guilt, intrust 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 fact that I can feel it proves Im not Strigoi. But he told me I cant let that stop me from embracement life again. Weve been given second chances, he and I. We cant throw them away. He also said it in any casek him a while to realize it and that he didnt wa nt me to puzzle out the same mistakes. He told me to embrace life and its debaucher and the people I love in front it was too lateeven though itd be difficult. Shaking that Strigoi past its like a weight, always pressing on me. He swore he wasnt going to let it control him anymorewhich, 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 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 m ate 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 all of that in his aura and in yours. Only you can choose what to do with that breedingif 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. unmatchable 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 little each day. You carry darkness toobut its not fading.I shivered. Lissa. Its the darkness Im taking from her, isnt it?Yes. I dont dwell much about bonds, but what youre doingeven if its helping heris very dangerous. Spirit snap us apart, no question, but in some ways I think we spirit users are built for it a little be tter. 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 fasten it explode inside you.What happens then? I whispered.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 adept his warmth. Everything Id just discussed with Sonya came pouring back to me. Too much, too much. I didnt know where to begin 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 dark ness, 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. Sternly 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 wa s 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 and our escape had occupied me today, but events at Court still weighed heavily on me. Someone had tried to kill Lissa, and a meeting of guardians had just dragged off Eddie.When I looked through with(predicate) 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 jammed with all sorts of people. Adrian and Christian stood by Lissa, and I needed no aura reading to know the two laugh ats were as uneasy as she was. Hans stood stub a table, hands pressed on it as he leaned onward and glared at everyone. Opposite Lissa, against the far wall, Eddie sat st one-faced in a head with a guardian on either side of him. Both of his guards were tense, set 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 digit at a photograph lying on the table. Taking a step forward, Lissa saw that the picture was of the guy whod attacked hera picture interpreted after his death. His eyes were closed, his skin gone palebut it provided a detailed look at his facial brags, 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 adept 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 protected 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 third witnesses snapped Christian . Are you saying 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. presently Lissas temper flared. You did Eddie was there.And there was no way you could have protected her without cleanup position him? asked Hans.Eddie didnt answer, and I knew he was seriously considering the question, wondering if he might authentically 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 none 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 Li ssa felt herself frowning.Yes? asked Hans, immediately spring 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 scarred 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 Ed die 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 fantastic you mention Hathaway. Because we just had a sighting of her.Lissa stiffened, panic flashing through her. They found Rose. But how? Abe had assured her I was safe in that township 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 shoot questioning looks at Christian and Adrian.Hans nodded, and although he gave the appearance of just passing on information, I knew he was ceremonial for some sort of telling reaction 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.Jai lbait? 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.