By the time Abe and I had finished sharing stories, and by the time he had finished advising me on what I needed to do to get into the castle undetected, the moon was high in the sky and I could barely keep my eyes open.

"You need to rest. There's a bedroom set up upstairs that you can use." Abe told me.

"I don't have time to rest. I need you to teach me everything you know so that I can get Dimitri out of there. I can feel him slipping away from me with every second I waste." I hated that I had to speak to my newly found Father this way, but I had more important things to deal with. Dimitri's life depended on me; I could set aside my own problems for now.

"Don't be so dramatic." He had the audacity to say with an eye roll. "I'm not telling you a single thing until you've had a good night's sleep and there's some food in your stomach."

I knew there was no way I could get anything out of him unless I did as he said, I was staying in his house after all. I needed to cooperate.

I reluctantly got to my feet, trying not to make the effort that it took visible to the man in front of me. "Fine. But we're starting tomorrow or I'll find a way to get to him without your help."

Abe got to his feet as well. We stood there awkwardly for a moment before he put his hand upon my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I am so glad I found you, Rose. I'm just sorry it took this long." The contact felt odd, as did hearing those words come from his mouth, but I made myself meet his eyes and give him what I hoped was a sincere smile before stepping towards the door.

"Up the stairs and it's the second door on the left, there is a bathing chamber in there too. Make yourself at home." He told me before taking a seat again and rubbing at his temple.

"Thank you." I muttered while making my way out of the room.

The halls were dimly lit with oil lamps on the walls. There were no paintings to admire and very little decorations to be seen as I navigated my way to the stairs and then up them.

I climbed the stairs which led to an open landing. I felt the need to explore the house further, but my shaking limbs told me I needed to rest more than anything, and my exhaustion overruled my curiosity.

I headed to the door Abe had directed me to and opened it to reveal a well furnished room which lacked a personal touch, much like the rest of this grand house.

In the centre of the far wall was a four-posted double bed made of dark wood which looked like it had fallen straight from heaven. There was an armoire to its left and a dressing table beside that, all crafted form the same solid wood. To the right of the bed was a door which I could only assume led to the bathing chamber. I chose to ignore it and instead locked the bedroom door before stripping off to my undergarments and practically throwing myself in the bed.

I was swept away into a deep sleep before my head even hit the pillow.

I slept undisturbed by dreams for some time before the darkness around me shifted and I found myself standing in the heart of a dense forest.

The trees rose around me until they were hundreds of feet high. I was barefoot; I could feel the fallen pine needles beneath my toes. The air was cool and crisp and smelled like damp leaves.

I had absolutely no idea where I was. I willed my flames to flicker at my fingertips for precaution, but I was startled to find that the well of power within me was bone dry. In fact, upon closer inspection, I found that there was no well at all. My breath escaped me and I couldn't help but begin to panic.

"Sorry about that," A familiar yet irritating voice drawled from behind a tree. "I just didn't want you to burn my forest down." Adrian Ivashkov said as he stepped out from behind his hiding place. He was dressed to impress, though I had no idea why. He wore a deep emerald suit, the same colour I imagine the leaves on these trees would turn as the sun began to set.

"Nice dress." He commented, running his eyes up and down my form.

I glanced down at myself and gasped at the sight. I was wearing a beautiful silver dress, the light shifted every time I moved making it appear as if I was sparkling. It clung to my body in a way that made me want to cover myself with my arms, but I resisted.

"What the hell is this?" I knew I was dreaming, but everything felt so real.

"What, don't you like the colour?" The Prince questioned with his usual smirk. "I think it suits you."

I clenched my fists and took a threatening step towards the man, causing him to raise his hands in front of him in defence. He was smart to be wary of me, though I didn't have my flames, that didn't mean I couldn't inflict damage on anyone that bothered me.

It was in that moment that I realised all of my ailments from before had vanished, I felt no ache in the back of my head, no sharp pain when I took a step with my leg.

"Cut the crap, Princeling. Where are we? And don't even think about saying a forest."

He released a heaving laugh at my demand, but had the sense to answer me. "Alright, alright. Seeing as you asked so kindly, we are in a dream."

I was right then. This was still a dream.

I was about to demand more answers from the strange Prince, when he interrupted me.

"Despite your wonderful conversational skills, I didn't bring you here just to chat, Princess." He really did talk out of his ass.

I crossed my arms, waiting for him to elaborate. "Don't you want to know who I brought along to see you?"

He gestured to his right, swinging his arms like it was some dramatic revelation, and actually, I suppose it was. For it was Dimitri that stepped from behind a tree this time.

He looked just as confused as I'm sure I had when I first found myself in this strange place. But then his eyes met mine and he faltered a step, as if his legs might not carry him much farther.

"Ro...Roza?" His voice was barely a rasp of breath from his throat, but I would have heard him from miles away.

It only took a few steps before I had thrown myself into his awaiting arms. He felt so very real, he was exactly how I remembered him. He was solid and yet soft, warm and strong. I was dimly aware of the fact that he too was dressed smart, and his face was free from imperfections such as the bruises and cuts that covered his beautiful features last time I had seen him. I supposed that was Adrian's doing.

I breathed in his oh so familiar scent and knew that I was home. Perhaps home is nothing but two arms holding you tight when you're at your worst.

Dimitri pulled away only enough to cradle my face in his hands. "This can't be real." He breathed against the skin of my cheek.

"I don't know how, but I'm here Dimitri, I'm with you." A tear rolled down his cheek and I brushed it away with my lips, the taste of salt only making my own tears fall faster.

"Are you alright?" I asked. "Not here, but wherever you really are."

His brows furrowed in confused. "I... I'm alive. What do you mean, where I really am?" He questioned.

I explained that this was only a dream, and even his most practiced emotionless mask couldn't hide the way his face crumpled in despair for just a second. I ran my fingers through his feather-soft hair.

"I will find you, Dimitri. No matter what it takes, I will save you." I promised him.

"No! No Roza, you mustn't come here, that's exactly what they want, they're waiting for you."

I could not promise him that I wouldn't go to help him, and so instead I pulled him to me and held him again. "Just hang in there; I'll always be with you." I soothed.

We only stood that was for a few seconds before something changed. It was like he started to feel hollow. Dimitri stepped back in alarm, as if he felt it too. It was like he had blurred around the edges. "What's happening?"

Adrian spoke for the first time in what seemed like hours then. "He's being woken up; I can't keep him here for much longer." The Prince was leaning against one of the many trees, I wondered if keeping both Dimitri and I in this dreamscape was taking its toll on him.

Though Dimitri looked perfectly healthy, I could still see the haunted look in his beautiful bottomless eyes. "I'm with you, Dimitri. This is not goodbye."

He pressed a kiss to my lips which didn't last nearly long enough. And when I opened my eyes again Dimitri had faded to almost nothing, instead of holding him, I held nothing but air and I could see right through him.

"Roza, I lo..."

And he was gone.

I wouldn't let myself think of what he almost told me. He could tell me again when we were reunited, and I would tell him I felt the same way.

I brushed away my tears and faced Adrian. He was breathing heavily, and bags had formed under his eyes.

"I can see that this has taken its toll on you, Adrian, so I thank you."

"Dimitri and I were once friends. He's losing himself, Rose. He needed to see you."

I squared my shoulders, feeling the weight of what I needed to do land upon them.

"We'll meet again, Prince Ivashkov, and when we do, you need to decide whose side you are on."

The Prince gave me a thoughtful smile, before sending me back to my own dreams undisturbed.

I awoke what must have been hours later, as the sun was now making its way up the sky.

The hours of sleep I had gained had worked their magic on me, for though I still felt aches and pains throughout my body, my mind now felt clearer than it had in days.

I hauled myself out of the comfortable bed and searched through the armoire that was against the wall. There was a mixture of men's and women's clothes inside, and so after swiftly bathing I opted for a pair of women's fitted trousers and tucked a man's white shirt into the waistband. I couldn't face putting my old clothes on, the grime that coated them only served as a reminder of what happened in that castle. I ran my fingers through my now damp hair and braided it back.

When I wandered downstairs, I found Abe in the kitchen serving breakfast. The scent of the cooked meat and bread sent pangs of hunger thrumming through my stomach until it growled in protest. When had I last eaten?

The thought made me feel even guiltier than before. Dimitri probably hadn't eaten anything either. What if they were starving him?

Abe and I barely spoke throughout breakfast other than the greeting we shared when I entered the room. I couldn't take my mind off the dream the three of us had shared the night before. I kept replaying every word and aspect in my mind. Had Dimitri really always looked that way? If Adrian presented us both to be healthy, then I really had no idea how bad Dimitri's condition was. Anything could be wrong with him and I would have no idea.

Once I had eaten until I could fill my stomach no more, Abe lead me out towards the back of the house, revealing a sizeable clearing in the trees which we would apparently be using as a training area.

"Alright." He began. "I know how you can get into the castle unnoticed. It will take time and you are going to have to open your mind and trust me. Can you do that?" He questioned.

I knew I could have put on a mask of false-bravado, but now was neither the time nor the place. And so I nodded. "I promise."

"Good." He looked relieved that I would cooperate so easily. "You and I share two of the same powers. The flames which you have mostly mastered. And another one inherited from Tatiana, my mother- your grandmother." He explained.

I nodded, urging him to continue. "Our control over this one is not as strong as our ability to control flames, but it will be enough to get you into the castle once you can master it."

"I trust you've got a plan, Old Man." I pressed.

"Oh yes. I'm going to teach you everything I know, and then you are going to shape shift into someone or something else entirely, and walk straight into and out of that castle unnoticed."

His words sparked a new sense of both hope and fear within me. I had no idea I possessed this level of power within me, and quite frankly I had no idea how I was going to trigger it to life.

"Well then, we'd better get started."

There we have Chapter 26! I'm going to be honest, I had absolutely no idea when I started this story that I was going to give Rose the powers to shape shift, but I have recently read Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Mass and the shape shifters in there really inspired me, I think it's such an interesting ability! It's obviously difficult to add Romitri moments into this part of the story while Dimitri is being held captive, and so I hope that this little snippet will keep you all going! Thank you all so much for sticking with me while I update so irregularly, I appreciate it so much and love reading what you think, so please keep the reviews coming! Thanks again so much, I am so glad that I have found this website as I've discovered something that I actually enjoy and that I'm not completely terrible at! I would no way have the confidence to write these stories if it weren't for your guys' amazing comments, so honestly thank you from the bottom of my heart.