Author's note: I just killed a gigantic moth which was frantically flying all over my room… which means I can celebrate by writing this chapter! Yaaaay… and I'll also be able to sleep tonight knowing I'm not going to get eaten by a huge, hungry moth… :D Enjoy and review!

Rose's POV

"We're here," Andreev announced. I glanced out the window and looked around. I felt my face fall a little. I was definitely confused. I glanced at Adrian and his expression matched my own.

"There's nothing here but woods?" I exclaimed. I wasn't sure if he was just joking, or if the secret headquarters of the rogues were just in the woods. I had no idea. I just hoped he hadn't driven us all the way out here to kill us. I doubted it, but still, it could be a possibility. On top of the Demidov mystery the bond between Lissa and I had been going frantic for the past few hours. I couldn't check in yet though so I actively had to force myself to stay out of her head.

"We have to hike from here," Andreev chuckled, "It's only an hour away."

"Oh," Adrian and I both shared a relieved glance. I climbed out of the car and began to stretch. My muscles felt tight and sore after spending so many hours in a car. I was glad we'd be walking from here. At least my muscles would have a chance to warm up.

I patted my pocket to ensure the phone was still there and then checked to make sure the stake was too. Good, I was ready to hike. Andreev took the lead, wearing a backpack. Adrian and I reluctantly removed our own bags from the boot and began to follow Andreev into god only knows what. I didn't enjoy not knowing exactly what I was walking into.

"There's wards covering this whole area," Andreev stated, "And we've installed surveillance cameras all over the place to ensure we see a threat coming long before it arrives. That means we can also see if people try to leave." He gave us both a pointed look. Did he really think we'd come all this way just to try to escape all by ourselves? I wondered if he knew Dimitri was following us. I quickly snuck out the phone and I walked slower so I was behind Adrian and out of Andreev's sight, just in case he looked back.

I quickly texted Dimitri to let him know not to follow us into the woods, because of the surveillance, I couldn't risk the rogues finding him. I doubted they would be too lenient with a Guardian trespassing on their rogue territory. I could only try to imagine the severity of his punishment. I knew Dimitri would hate being an hour away from us, but he'd be in more danger if he was in the woods.

I slipped the phone back in my pocket and caught up to Adrian's side. He glanced down at my worried look and gave me a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry," Adrian whispered, "He doesn't seem like an axe wielding murderer. Chances are we're safe." I let out a small laugh. Adrian could always find a way to lighten the mood.

"I can hear you, you know," Andreev glanced back at us, amusement in his eyes. He seemed to like Adrian which I took as a good thing. Adrian could always use more Spirit user friends. I knew Andreev would be able to help him learn more about himself and his powers, which meant he could also help Lissa. The bond felt like an ocean current, trying to drag me out to sea. I took a deep breath and tried not to get sucked under.

"What's wrong?" Adrian asked, alarm in his voice. Andreev instantly stopped walking and turned to face us, regarding me with concern.

"Nothing," I replied. I didn't sound very convincing. I felt dizzy, like I was going to faint. The bond was pulling so strongly on my mind that it felt like it would just rip out. I took another deep breath, trying to get the pounding to stop.

"You look really pale," Andreev stated, his voice filled with concern and worry.

"Rose," Adrian's voice sounded like he was almost panicking, "You look like you're going to faint. What's wrong?"

Suddenly I felt it, everything. I felt Lissa's utter sadness, and her complete fear. It filled her so much that her fear was now forcing its way through the bond and into me. Both Adrian and Andreev seemed to stare wide-eyed at me. Duh, I thought through the fear, they can see auras. They could probably see my auras quick transformation.

"Is it Lissa?" Adrian asked. I could only nod in response. "Go," He said, "Do what you need to do."

Andreev watched in confusion as I nodded again, and finally I let myself be pulled through the bond and into Lissa's mind. I was terrified of what I might find when I got there.

"You understand then," A lady in a charcoal suit questioned, "You know what you're being accused of?"

"Yes, I understand." Lissa replied. I could barely see through her tears, but I noted that she was in a small room with nothing but a table in the middle. Her arms were folded in his lap and I noticed that she was pinching the skin underneath her long sleeved shirt.

I instantly knew that she had been arrested and my own fear began to fill me. She'd been caught. I felt sick to my stomach. Why on earth would she risk both her life and Dimitri's just to drag me back to the court? I would have returned eventually, after I cooled off and had some time away from Dimitri.

"And how would you like to plea when you go to trial?" The lady, Miss Peterson, questioned. I guessed this was Lissa's lawyer. She seemed…young and inexperienced. I didn't want my best friends future to be up to this girl to save.

"Guilty." Lissa whispered, not glancing up at the women.

"Compulsion is a grave offence, you do understand that?" Peterson asked, raising one eyebrow at Lissa. She seemed like a condescending bitch. I instantly hated her.

"Yes I understand," I could feel Lissa was annoyed, but she didn't show it.

"Here's my card, for later," Peterson smiled, and slid a small rectangular card across the table. Lissa glanced down at it and let out a small sigh. I repeated the number over and over in my head and pulled out of Lissa's mind.

Suddenly I was once again standing in the woods with Adrian and Andreev staring at me intently. Adrian looked concerned, while Andreev looked a mixture of concerned and intrigued. They both went to talk but I held up a hand to stop them.

I pulled out the phone and quickly dialed in the number, hoping I got it right. I could just imagine miss hoity-toity excusing herself in some condescending way to answer an oh-so-important phone call.

"Hello, this is Miss Peterson, how may I help you," Her voice sounded even more stuck-up over the phone.

"Could you please put Vasilisa Dragomir on the phone," I replied, "This is an urgent phone call."

"I'm sorry," She replied, "Princess Vasilisa is not allowed to receive calls. Who is this anyway?"

"My name is Rosemarie Hathaway, I'm her Guardian, so put her on now." I could hear the annoyance and anger in my voice, but it seemed she couldn't.

"Rosemarie Hathaway?" She said with a little awe in her voice, "I hear you left the court not too long ago. I believe that means you've already failed in your duty to protect the Princess, no need to try and rectify the situation now." I let out a groan. I could hear a muttered conversation occurring between Peterson and Lissa.

"Rose!" I heard Lissa's voice exclaim through the phone a second later.

"Lissa," I replied, "How did you get her to let you talk to me?" I asked. I figured I already knew the answer, but I found myself asking anyway.

"I compelled her," She sounded scared but hopeful, "Rose I'm so sorry." I could practically hear the tears in her voice. I didn't want to discuss this now. It seemed like an extreme waste of time.

"We can talk about all that later," I replied with a sigh, "We need to find a way to fix the damage you did by helping Dimitri escape. And you need a new lawyer because that chick is a bitch. I'll find a way to contact Christian; he can be sort of like a go between so Adrian and I can help you."

"Oh, Rose!" I could hear her crying, "He hates me. I doubt he'd do anything to help me after everything that's happened."

"He loves you, and he'll help you," I reassured, "And I'm sure I can persuade him if he wants to do otherwise. I promise Lissa, I'll help you through this. Don't give up."

I hung up and Adrian was instantly at my side.

"What's wrong?" He asked, panicked now, "What happened to Lissa?"

"She's been arrested for using compulsion on Dhampirs in order for Dimitri to escape prison." I replied. I could hear the worry in my voice. I couldn't believe Lissa and Dimitri would think they could get away with that! And if Dimitri had wanted to escape prison so badly in order to rescue me and whisk me away to the court he shouldn't have involved Lissa in his escape plan. But Lissa shouldn't have persuaded him to find me.

I just knew we had to help her, otherwise she'd be imprisoned.

Prison is no place for a princess.

Karma is a bitch… I wrote at the beginning of this chapter that I killed a gigantic moth… so after that was dead I peacefully started to write this chapter.. and then I hear this sound…and for a second I thought the moth was back.. but NO.. there was a GIGANTIC COCKAROACH! And I have no idea if I was successful in killing it as it ran under my bed. I shall sleep in fear tonight!

REVIEW and let me know what you think.