Chapter 1 - Dream

I was sitting on a beach, staring at the vast blue ocean that seems sparkling. The wind toyed my hair and messed it up, not that I cared. Without realizing, I craved my name on the sand. R – O – S - E …

"Little dhampir."

My finger stopped a while before writing the next letter. Glancing behind my shoulder, I could see Adrian was approaching me.

He didn't say anything. Instead, he took a seat beside me. We were silent as the minutes passed by.

"How are you?" He asked gently, at last.

I shrugged. "Fine, I guess. They are not starving me or anything."

In term of 'they' I was directing to the guardians who kept watch on me while I was imprisoned. And they were quite many, considering I was the Queen murderer's suspect. Not that I did it, of course.

Unfortunately, most of people – Morois and dhampirs – didn't think so.

So, here I was, a traitor in a prison cell whose only visitor was Adrian. Well, just in my dream, but Adrian's spirit ability of entering people's dream made it much more meaningful.

I sighed. Adrian's arm embraced around my waist, and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"How's Lissa?" I murmured.

"She's doing hard." Adrian whispered softly. "And she misses you a lot. But she's fine."

"Glad to hear that."

"Of course, you have known that, haven't you?" He was referring to my bound with Lissa which allowed me to enter her head.

I grumbled a little. "Well, better to hear it from a person's mouth." I felt an urge to ask about the others – Christian, Mia, my mom, Abe.. and Dimitri. Not the right time, I said to myself.

Adrian stroked my hair. "Has any escape plan?"

I snorted. My trial was a week away, and he was convincing me to escape? Why now?

"Nope. No breaking law anymore."

I couldn't see his face, but I had a feeling he was rolling his eyes. "That's not the ordinary Rose Hathaway I knew."

"Well, duh, this is not a freaking ordinary circumstance either."

He hesitated. "..True enough."

Suddenly, I felt tired. All I want was some nice, long sleep in my own head. I released Adrian's arm and stood. "I want to take a nap." I declared.

Adrian followed me stand and shook the sand off his clothes. "Wait. I want to talk to you about something."

I paid no interest. "Let me guess – a crazy, suicidal-breaking-free plan?"

He shook his head. "No – it's about Ambrose."

His words stunned me. "How did you know Ambrose?" Ambrose was Queen's personal escort, and he was the one who gave me Tatiana's message about the existence of an illegitimate child of Dragomir's.

"From my great aunt, back then." Adrian? Yeah, he was a favorite nephew of the Queen.

"I see. What does he want with me?"

Adrian seemed uncertain. "Nah, he just asked me if you have made any move yet."

I raised my eyebrows. "What does it mean? Does he expect me to break free at first opportunity?"

He shrugged. "I am not sure. But he wanted to meet you – badly."

I felt chill ran down on my spine. Somehow, I really wanted to cradle in my mother's arm and slept for an eternity. To felt the peace I greatly longed for. Well, real world doesn't work that way.

Ambrose sure knew something. And not a good thing, I suspected.

I inhaled deep. "Thanks. Please convey it to Ambrose: I will move as fast as I can, and I'll try my best. But I promise him nothing. He may come to me as soon as he gets the chance." How come I find Lissa's brother and solve the mystery of Queen's murdering if I was stuck in a rotting cell with people who were eager to chop off my head?

Adrian looked confused, but again he said nothing and nodded. Man, that's what I love about him – he doesn't like poking his nose in where it shouldn't be.

"Thank you. Now I would like to have some privacy, please."

His gaze softened as he reached for me and kissed me on the forehead. "Sweet dreams, little dhampir."

I closed my eyes and soon fell into darkness.