Rose has heard enough. She cuts off the connection to Lissa, planning to talk more to her friend later. She’d been so absorbed by the bond, she didn’t even realize that someone she knows is standing right in front of her—Ambrose, the queen’s masseur and secret lover. Since Rose is waiting around to talk to Lissa later, he suggests that she see his aunt Rhonda for another tarot card reading.
Actually, she could use a little insight on her future at the moment—so she agrees. Just like last time, though, the cards aren’t all that helpful.
I scanned the cards. Heartache. An enemy. Accusations. Entrapment. Travel. “Some of it tells me things I already know. The rest leaves me with more questions.”
She smiled knowingly.“ That’s how it usually is.”
—page 390
Great. Real helpful there. But there’s one card—the Page of Cups—that confuses Rhonda. It’s possible that it points to the reason for the journey Rose will go on—a search for an unknown girl or a boy. Unfortunately, she can’t be of much more help.
As they leave, Rose vents to Ambrose the anger she feels toward Tatiana about the quorum and the age law, but Ambrose defends the queen. It wasn’t her sole decision—the Council voted. Even so, he believes the queen will eventually change the decree.
Sure.
Rose will believe that when she sees it.
Lissa calls to her through the bond. There’s something Rose should see—and it involves Dimitri.
Say no more. Rose finds Lissa and Dimitri outside in the sunshine sitting opposite three Moroi—and Hans. They’re being interrogated in front of a scattering of guardians and a crowd of curious Moroi onlookers. The officials want to determine once and for all if Dimitri is still Strigoi. Well, being out in the sunshine should clue everyone in. But no, they’re still asking questions. Lots of them.
When Lissa testifies on Dimitri’s behalf, he watches her with with wonder . . . and worship. Again, Rose is jealous of the connection the two seem to have formed without her.
His feelings weren’t romantic, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was that he had rejected me but regarded her as the greatest thing in the world. He’d told me never to talk to him again and sworn he’d do anything for her. Again I felt that petulant sense of being wronged. I refused to believe that he couldn’t love me anymore. It wasn’t possible, not after all he and I had been through together. Not after everything we’d felt for each other.
—pages 397-398
By the end of the session, the official determination is that Dimitri is no longer Strigoi and that Lissa, somehow, has worked a miracle to restore him. He won’t be held in the locked cell anymore but will still be kept under watch by guards for now.
Lissa warns Rose to back off and not to provoke Dimitri. He needs to stay in control—something he definitely
doesn’t
do whenever Rose is around—to ensure that he’s not seen as a threat. If Rose keeps pushing, it will ruin everything they’ve worked toward.
It totally sucks. But even Rose can see it’s the truth.
Rose becomes aware of someone lurking nearby. She confronts the stranger, and he identifies himself as a messenger from her father. He gives Rose a laptop and a satellite modem for a meeting she’s to have momentarily. She quickly returns to her room to set up the equipment. But instead of her father, she’s surprised to come face-to-face with Sydney, the Alchemist she met in Russia.
Sydney questions Rose about a recent break-in she thinks Rose might have been involved with (thankfully, it’s not at Tarasov!). The Alchemists had some files stolen—files about Eric Dragomir, Lissa’s father. He’d made some large deposits to an anonymous woman’s bank account in Las Vegas.
Rose didn’t steal the files, but now she’s wondering who did and what this all means.
She goes to sleep, forgetting all about a promise she’d made to meet Adrian for a cocktail party.
Oops.
Adrian’s waiting in Rose’s lobby the next morning, and he’s not too cheerful at being stood up. It’s obvious to him she’s been so distracted visiting Dimitri that he’s the last thing on her mind.
Rose tries to assure him that it’s not true—she values their relationship.
Really
she does. He gives her another chance but warns that she needs to really mean it this time. He isn’t interested in playing games with her.
She takes the opportunity to pick his brain about Eric Dragomir and what trouble he might have gotten into in Las Vegas. Adrian figures gambling debts, but the family’s rich, so that doesn’t make much sense. Why would anyone want to steal info like that anyway?
Rose heads to church. Not so much to worship, but because she has a hunch who might be there. And she’s right. Dimitri’s there, with guards in tow. She sits next to him, which he doesn’t appreciate very much. Too damn bad.
She tries to convince him again that his Strigoi deeds are in his past. Besides, what he did as a Strigoi was completely out of his control. She presses for some sign that he still cares about her, but Dimitri begins to lose his patience, and his desperation and frustration bleed through. Her being there with him is too hard. He wants them to stay away from each other. It’s better that way.
But Rose is nothing if not stubborn. After everything they’ve been through together, it
can’t
end like this. She still feels the connection between them.
Without even realizing it, I reached toward him, needing that touch. He sprang up like I was a snake, and all of his guardians shot forward, braced for what he might do.
But he did nothing. Nothing except stare at me with a look that made my blood run cold. Like I was something strange and bad. “Rose. Please stop. Please stay away.” He was working hard to stay calm.
I shot up, now as angry and frustrated at him. I had a feeling if I stayed, we’d both snap. In an undertone, I murmured, “ This isn’t over. I won’t give up on you.”
“I’ve given up on you,” he said back, voice also soft. “Love fades. Mine has.”
—page 430
The words are like a stake to Rose’s heart. But she finally accepts that he doesn’t want her around. She runs out of the church and lets out her grief and pain in the privacy of her room.
Lissa calls to her through the bond, but she just wants to be alone. She avoids everyone and wanders the Court grounds. When she returns to her room, Adrian stops by to see her. He has some info on Lissa’s father courtesy of his mother. Daniella thinks the anonymous woman might have been a mistress he was supporting. It’s unbelievable and shocking, but it doesn’t sound like anything that could put Lissa in danger, which is a definite relief.
The rejection by Dimitri has made her realize how much she’s been taking Adrian’s affections for granted. He’s a great guy and endlessly supportive of her. She apologizes for how much she’s been taking him for granted lately. He needs to know that she’s willing to give him a real shot—that what she’d had with Dimitri is truly over.
“I realize now that it’s over with him. I’m not saying that’s easy to get past. It’ll take a while, and I ’d be lying to both of us if I said it wouldn’t.”
“ That makes sense,” Adrian said.
“It does?”
He glanced at me, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. “ Yes, little dhampir. Sometimes you make sense. Go on.”
“I . . . well, like I said . . . I ’ve got to heal from him. But I do care about you . . . I think I even love you a little. ” That got a small smile. “I want to try again. I really do.”
—page 436
Dimitri’s in her past, but Adrian could be her future. At the moment, she doesn’t want to feel
anything
for Dimitri—it only causes her pain. She wants to block out those feelings completely. He’s rejected her and she wants to feel wanted again. Adrian makes her feel wanted . . . and loved. What more could she ask for?
A passionate moment between them leads them to do something Rose never thought she’d do again. She bares her neck to Adrian, and he hesitates only briefly before sinking his fangs in. The endorphins kick in and all is blissful and perfect. Nothing else seems to matter—for a little while, anyway.
ACCUSATIONS
Getting breakfast at the café the next morning seems like an innocent enough way to start the day. Of course, Dimitri’s there with his ever-present guards. Rose tries to avoid him but gets to talking to one of the guardians about the age law, which gets Dimitri’s attention and stirs his passions. In the moment, he spots the bite marks on her neck and knows where they come from. He’s dry about this observation—almost triumphant, as if he’s known she’d get over him all along; it was only a matter of time. This is the proof. Despite her claims to still love him, Rose has moved on with her Moroi boyfriend in a very physical way. She’s about to argue when guardians suddenly storm the café.
Rose fears they’re there for Dimitri. They’re not. They’re there for her.
Dimitri immediately springs into action when they grab her. He can’t help but fight them off—protecting Rose is like second nature to him. But no, he
can’t
be violent—Rose realizes what will happen if the guardians perceive him to be a threat. They’ll think there’s still some Strigoi left in him! Rose does the only thing she can think of—she gives herself up so Dimitri doesn’t get in any more trouble.
Too bad Rose didn’t realize how much trouble
she’s
in. She’s under arrest for high treason—
—for the murder of Queen Tatiana!
There will be a hearing first to determine if there’s enough evidence for the trial. Alibis are questioned—and Adrian steps forward to say he and Rose were together last night.
All
night.
Christian tries to comfort Lissa, who is now frantic and worried. This leads to the first kiss they’ve shared since their breakup. As far as any jealousies she’s had . . .
“ There is only one person I have ever wanted,” he said. The steadiness of his gaze, of those crystal blue eyes, left no question as to who that person was. “No one else has ever come close. In spite of everything, even with Avery—”
“Christian, I ’m so sorry for that—”
“ You don’t have to—”
“I do—”
“Damn it,” he said. “Will you let me finish a sent—”
“No, ” Lissa interrupted. And she leaned over and kissed him, a hard and powerful kiss that burned through her body, one that told her there was no one else in the world for her either.
—pages 468-469
Rose always meant to help bring Lissa and Christian back together. Who knew it would be her murder accusation that would do the trick?
In the courtroom, Rose is introduced to her Moroi lawyer. But there’s suddenly a commotion as someone else strolls in. It’s Abe and he wants to represent his daughter. Except . . . he’s not
exactly
a lawyer. Still, he asks Rose to trust him. She’s understandably worried about how this will all turn out.
“ They’re going to send me to trial and convict me!”
Every trace of humor or cheer vanished from his face. His expression grew hard, deadly serious. A chill ran down my spine.
“ That,” he said in a low, flat voice, “is something I swear to you is never, ever going to happen.”
—page 478
Zmey doesn’t make promises he can’t fulfill. Rose takes him on as her official representation. The investigation has led to some pretty damning evidence, though. Rose’s silver stake, with her fingerprints, was the murder weapon. Adrian’s alibi is confirmed by a witness and has him at her room
after
the murder occurred.
POP QUIZ:
Sprit Bound
1. Where does Rose sneak into a security office in order to get info on Tarasov Prison?
2. What is the name of the guardian who was in love with former St. Vlad’s teacher and current Strigoi Sonya Karp?
3. In order to sneak into the prison, Lissa and Rose wear charmed silver jewelry that makes them appear to the guards as what?
4. Complete Robert Doru’s quote:
“That which is dead doesn’t _______ stay dead . . .”
5. To restore a Strigoi back to his or her Moroi self, they must be stabbed through the heart with a silver stake charmed with which element?
6. What is the name of the Moroi casino in Las Vegas?
7. When Dimitri is restored and willing to do anything to prove his loyalty and gratitude to Lissa, what is the one thing he refuses to do?
8. What is the name of the secret, masked ceremony that Moroi royals hold to honor the dead?
9. Queen Tatiana’s controversial royal decree is that guardians will now graduate from their training at what age, ready to be assigned to protect Moroi?
10. Who shows up just in time to act as legal representation for Rose after she’s accused of murder?