CHAPTER SEVEN
Lissa was pacing in front of my cell; it hadn't taken her long to get to me at a run.
She had a million thoughts going through her head, but the more she paced the more her thoughts collected into intelligent sentences, instead of random ravings.
"Oh my god. You should have heard them all." Lissa finally started after five minutes of pacing.
"They were all 'How do you think your age will affect your chances at ruling' and 'what are you views on the political side of things'. Seriously Rose it was like they all had the same speech writer. Aaahhh!"
When she finally paused I thought it was time I told her I did know what they had said.
"I know Liss, I was with you."
She stopped pacing.
"For the all of the meetings?" she asked me with a concerned look on her face. I could feel her hoping that I hadn't heard what Tasha had said.
"Yeah, all of them." I said trying to keep any tone from my voice. She was obvious worried that I would kick off about what Tasha had said to her.
"Oh." Lissa said. Her thoughts now going to pity for me.
"It's fine Liss, honestly. I mean she's probably right. The whole, best friends with a suspected killer thing, isn't really going to help with your chances of ruling."
She didn't say anything; she was stunned by my reaction.
"I mean, it's fine, I get it. I didn't think it would come from Tasha, but its right all the same."
"I wouldn't, I couldn't do that to Rose." Lissa said in the same strong tone I had heard her use with the representatives'.
"I need you now more than ever, and I know you didn't do it."
"You don't need me Liss, I heard the way you handled those people. You have a good mind, and a good heart. And if you need to be a little bit harder, I just know Christian will make sure you are." I really didn't know who I was trying to convince more, me or her.
Lissa ignored the fact that I had just told her I thought she would make a good queen
"Rose, you're talking like you won't be around to help me, like it's already decided."
"I just know that someone is doing a damn good job of pinning this on me Lissa. And you need to learn how to do things without me."
Tears started rolling down Lissa face. The reality of the situation was finally hitting home.
"This can't happen, you are my centre." She sobbed out.
I walked up to the cell door and put my hand on her cheek.
My guardians didn't move. One of them was guardian Tanner, and the other one as some newbie who hadn't been told about the non-contact order yet.
"Lissa, I know it'll be hard, but you'll get there, you stacked a Strigoi a few days ago, hell it's all cake after that." I said trying to lighten the mood.
I felt like crap for not telling her that no way in hell was I going to be put to death for something I didn't do, but instead go find her half-sibling she knew nothing about.
"I can't do this without you, not just you as my best-friend, but without you as my shadow kissed guardian."
I had nothing to come back to that with, she was right. After all that was the one of the reasons I was trying to get out of this place.
At that point the door at the end of the hall opened.
"Oh crap." I said.
Lissa turned around wiping her eyes and greeted my mother, Janine Hathaway, Guardian Hathaway to almost everyone but me.
"Hi." Lissa said to my mother.
"Princess, how are you?" Mum asked in her stoic tone.
"Please call me Lissa, you're my best friend's mother there is no need for a title." Lissa said shyly. "And I'm alright considering.
As Mum came level with her in front of my cell she turned back toward me.
"Hello Rose." Mum said. "Abe tells me you're communicating now." She winced a bit then, like it hurt that I had talked to a father I barely knew before her. But to be fair I barely knew her either.
Me and mums relationship wasn't as bad as what it used to be. My killing Strigoi and losing people I cared about had kind of even the scales between us. Like my dealing with those things had made me worthy of her attention.
"Hey." Was all I responded, I didn't know what else to say.
Mum turned to Lissa. "Would you mind if I had Rose to myself for a while Lissa?"
Lissa looked at me and I gave a slight nod, I wasn't looking forward this conversation but I had known it was coming.
"I'll catch you later Liss."
"Okay, get the guards to send me a message if you need me."
"Bye Janine." Lissa said as she left
My mother just nodded.
When Lissa had closed the hall door mum turned to the newbie guardian, who was staring at her awe struck.
"Would you please find me a chair and then leave us. I'm sure that Guardian Tanner and I can deal with my daughter if the need arises."
The newbie just nodded and set off at a run, only to pleased to do anything that the great Janine Hathaway asked. I however just rolled my eyes.
Two minutes later the Newbie came back with a chair and then dutifully left us.
"So, I wondered when you would come by." I said.
"This was the first chance I've had since you started talking again."
"I thought you'd be gone by now."
Mum just looked at me with that, aaahhh teenagers look that parents get.
"This is far too important for me to be anywhere else Rose."
"Right. So who is looking after your family while you're here?"
"They are here as well. We thought given the current state of things that the best thing to do was be at court."
"Figures." Was all I said. She probably wouldn't have been here if it wasn't for that fact.
Mum leaned forward and grabbed hold of the bars.
"Rose please. I'm here to help you, not to argue." She pulled back from the bars and put her head in her hands. "I thought we were past this."
When she lifted her head to look at me again she had tears in her eyes.
She was right we were passed this. I was just taking out my situation on her.
"I'm sorry mum." I said honestly.
"Janine." Mikhail said. "It's almost time."
Mom looked at her watch and stood up.
"Rose, I meant what I said, I'm here to help."
I watched her, stunned as my perfect guardian mother pulled out a lock picking set from her pocket and opened my cell door.