The Council

"What? Who? She has no idea what to do," council member, Howard Zeklos said. "We should just have a funeral and elect another queen or king."

"Lissa's not dead," I screamed, not even knowing for sure, just wanting to believe it true. "Strigoi wouldn't kill her. She's to valuable. And we all know how to change Strigoi back to normal. Dimitri and Sonya Karp are proof of that," I stated as I pointed to Dimitri who was right beside me. "All we have to do is get another spirit user and then find Lissa."

"Yeah. And we already have a plan on how to find her," Dimitri said.

"And what would that be?" Zeklos asked smugly.

"To ask Strigoi where she is, or kill them painfully," I stated.

"Just interrogate them? Are you insane?" he yelled.

"It worked when I went to find Dimitri, it'll work with her too." Sure, back when Dimitri was a Strigoi, I had no clue how to find him. I just did what came to my mind. Which, of course, ending up working. So it had to this time too, right?

"How are you so sure?" Ariana Szelsky asked calmly.

"I'm not. But it's worth trying. What else do we got? Just sit around and wait till she pops by to kill us all?"

"Like I said before," Zeklos said. "We can elect another queen or king."

"NO!" I yelled, making him flinch. "I will find Lissa and bring her back. In the meantime, Jill, Lissa's sister can fill in for her."

"And like I said again, she has no idea what to do. She doesn't know a thing about being in charge and making orders."

"I DON'T CARE. Lissa can and will be saved and she will be queen again. At the time being, just make sure Jill is safe. You got that? 'Cause I will find Lissa and safe her." And at that I walked out of the council room without waiting for a response even though I could hear Zeklos arguing. Dimitri ran to keep up with me as I went to Lissa's room to find Christian and maybe Adrian.

"Rose," Dimitri said. "What makes you so sure he'll do it? He still hasn't talked to you." He always knew what I was thinking.

"He'll do it. He wouldn't just leave Lissa a Strigoi. He cares to much about her. And just because he hasn't talked to me, doesn't mean he'll say no. He'll say yes, or I'll make him." I walked right into Lissa's room without knocking, finding Christian staring at the blank TV from the couch. "Christian," I said just as he looked up at me with sad eyes. "We have a plan and I need your help. But I also need Adrian. So do you know where he's at?"

Christian just looked behind me as I hear someone clear their throat, making me turn around slowly. "Adrian," I say as I reach out to him and hug him, with him just standing there, not hugging me back. I push away from him, getting red when he still doesn't move or say anything. "We've come up with a plan, and I need you Adrian."

"Oh, you need me?" Adrian stated. "You need me? Of course you need me. And why should I help you?"

"Because you wouldn't just leave Lissa. Because I know you care about her like a sister. Because she would help you if this had happened to you." I just stare at him, taking in his reactions as he slowly realizes that it's all the truth. "I know you hate me, but you can't not help Lissa just because of me."

"I'll help," he whispered. "I know what you want me to do, and I'll do it. But just remember one thing," he said as he looked me square in the eyes. "I'm not doing it for you."

"I know, and I understand." I looked back at Christian, who looks like he doesn't even understand what we're talking about, like always. "Do you remember when we turned Dimitri back?"

Slowly nodding his head he said, "Yeah."

"We're going to do the same thing."

"But how are we going to find her?" Adrian and Christian both asked, making me remember that they didn't know how I found Dimitri in Russia.

"By tracking down Strigoi and asking where she's at," Dimitri said, stealing the words right out of my mouth. Which of course made them both look at us like we'd just said that we'd just give them candy for Lissa.

"What are you? Crazy?" Christian said, half looking like his old self.

"No. It worked when I went to find Dimitri, so it should work this time too," I filled them in with everything that I had told the council. "Now we just need to talk to Jill."