"They execute traitors"

Over and over, those three words. They haunted my dreams and filled my every waking thought. Execute? They couldn't do that. I didn't do anything! Pacing my cell, I replayed the last few days over in my head. I was eating some food in a diner, catching up, or more like fighting, with my long lost love, when suddenly, I was taken captive and was accused of murdering one of the most important and famous people known to the Moroi world, the Queen. Then I went on trial for my life. They decided to make me wait even longer for what would ultimately be my death. If that isn't exciting, I don't know what is.

I shouted in complete frustration and desperation. What the hell was I supposed to do? I was basically the main focus of the whole royal guard. They didn't have anything better to do. I was in complete lockdown. There was no getting out of this.

A clank of the outside door brought me back to reality. Mikhail was standing before me.

"What do you want?" I hissed, turning away. As soon as I said it, I felt bad. Mikhail was a good guy. I was just stressed about the whole, you know, dying thing. I looked over at him. He looked sad, but distracted. He wasn't bothered about anything that I said.

"Um, I've been ordered to set you free." He said. "Someone has confessed to murdering Queen Tatiana." Mikhail reached into his pocket and I heard the jingling of keys. Slowly and carefully, he unlocked the door, and slid it open. Standing aside, he gestured outwards. I was free. Just like that. But there was a problem.

"Mikhail?" I asked.

"Hmm?"

"Um, who exactly was it that, uh, you know… confessed?" I asked. He didn't say anything. All of the people that I would have thought to murder the Queen would never ever turn their selves in. Victor was my main suspect. But then again, his brother, Robert, could have done it too. Victor knew what it was like to be in prison. He wouldn't want to go back.

Oh yea, I reminded myself. You don't go to prison for killing the queen.

"Mikhail!" I snapped. He jumped. "Who. Killed. The. Queen?"

"I've been ordered not to tell you. I'm sorry Rose." He whispered. "Now go. And don't cause any trouble." He gave me a weak smile and gently guided me out the door.

With that, I left to investigate. I knew that the only way he wouldn't tell me who confessed was if that person told him not to tell me. Which also means that they didn't want me knowing that they were about to die. Instantly, I forced myself into Lissa's head.

"I can't believe it! Rose would never be stupid enough to kill a Queen. She didn't do it. She was framed." Lissa was talking to Christian. Instantly I was relieved. My best friend hadn't sacrificed herself, though I knew she would have. Neither did her boyfriend, of whom had started growing on me. He wasn't a bad guy.

Lissa was crying. Sobbing. And she was shaking. She had tried to come and see me but the guard wouldn't allow it. No one could come to see me.

"I know." Christian said. "Rose could do absolutely stupid things at times, but she wouldn't kill someone." Thanks a lot.

"When are they going to execute her?" Whispered Lissa.

"Tonight."

I heard even more hysteria as I brought myself back to my own head.

So, I mentally checked Christian and Lissa off my list of suspects. That left Adrian, Mia, Dimitri and Ambrose. I set off to Mia's house.

When she opened the door, her eyes were red and puffy. She had been crying, probably because of me. What else was there to cry about at this point? After she registered that I was actually here in front of her, she flung herself at me, blonde, curly ringlets flying into my face.

"Did they let you go or did you escape?" She asked cautiously.

"They let me go. But someone has confessed to the murder, and not who did it. I need to know whom. Will you help me?"

"Of course," She said, without hesitation. I couldn't believe we used to be each other's nemesis when we were in school. It made me smile.

"Okay. Can you go look for Adrian? I'm going to find Ambrose."

"Ambrose?"

"Yea. He works for the court. We're kind of… friends. That would leave Dimitri. If you don't find Adrian, go look for Bekilov. Got it?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Thank you so much." I said. I would have loved to stay and talk, but we didn't have much time. The sun was setting. We needed to figure this out soon.

Stepping into the little, red room, I saw Ambrose's Aunt, short and plump, sipping on her tea. She was there, as usual; ready to read anyone's fortune as they please.

"Hello Madame. Have you seen Ambrose?" I asked quickly.

"Right here." I heard a low, sweet voice say. Ambrose quickly stepped into my line of vision. As usual, he looked like a perfect angel.

"Okay. Thanks. I need to go now but-"

"Let my aunt read you're fortune again. Please. I know they've been bad before, but I think it will be different this time." He said. I knew he meant well, but, of course, there was no time for that.

"I really have to go." I said. I was almost out the door when he caught my arm and pulled me towards him, catching me off guard. I staggered back.

"I can't let you do that, Rose. I got specific orders to keep you here if you were to come and find me. Now that you're here, I'm not allowed to let you leave. Not until the execution is over." He said. An extreme sobriety showed in his face. He didn't want to do this. Someone must have made him a serious offer; one he couldn't refuse.

Shock washed over me. " What do you mean? I have to go. Someone is going to die because of me! Let me go!" I struggled in his muscular, tan arms. It was pathetic. I had killed so many Strigoi in the past. More than you could count! And now I was uselessly entangled buy one mere dhamphir. I yelled. I screamed. I kicked and bit and hit and punched. But it was all useless. I don't know what steroids he was taking, but they sure as hell were working.

Never in my life had I ever given up. But there was no use here. I despised him for it. With one last effort, I hit him in between the legs. Right were it hurt. But he stayed unfazed. I slumped down. Just then did I realize he had me pinned to the ground. I looked out the window. It was almost dark. Time was running out.

Now was not the time to give up. It was time to strategize.

I sat there until he felt like I wasn't going anywhere, his body relaxed. Slowly and gently, he eased off my body. When he turned around, it was my chance to move. I got up slowly, to not alarm him. I stayed standing in one spot for a minute or two for good measure. When he went to get his drink, I assumed tea, I bolted. It would give me about a thirty-second head start. That wasn't enough.

I slammed open the front door of Ambrose's house and burst out into the cool, night air. under any other circumstances, I would have loved to stay out and take a walk, but not tonight. Running as fast as I could, I was so thankful for Dimitri making me run that first year I was back at the academy. It has helped me in ways I never though possible. I went straight for the main building. That's where either Adrian or Dimitri was going to die.

I was so close!

500 meters

400

300

Then 200

100

I stumbled onto the cement. There were people everywhere. I couldn't see the front, given my short stature. I didn't even bother apologizing when I pushed everyone out of my way.

Adrenaline is a great thing. It didn't matter the size of the people. No matter how big some of them were, (And believe me, some of them were huge) I pushed them out of my way. And then I was there, the front of the crowd. And there, slumped in front of me, laid Dimitri, cuffed and unable to move. His hair was down, out of his ponytail, a dark brown blanket that veiled his face from anyone seeing his true feelings. He was sacrificing himself for me. He didn't kill Tatiana. I knew that. I could almost hear him whispering with that soft, Russian accent, "Oh Roza, what have you gotten yourself into now?" My heart sunk when I looked over. Standing In front of him was a juror with a gun, aimed and ready to shoot.

Tears flew from my eyes. He was going to try to save me.

I started running, my heart set on him. He wasn't doing this. I wouldn't let him. Faster and faster I flew.

BANG

The shot had been fired. I jumped. Shielding everything I've ever loved with my body. The bullet was almost here.

Then everything went black.