Adrian.
"You called me, little Dhampir."
I smiled despite myself. I walked towards him and put my arms around him. Technically, we were still dating. Dimitri didn't want me anymore. Adrian was the greatest guy in the world, because of that.
He looked a little shocked, but played along and hugged me as hard as he could, although neither of us could really feel anything. We were both dreaming after all.
"Is that all you wanted?" he asked behind my back.
I sighed and stepped out of his arms. "No. I just wanted to know how the leads are going? Have you found anything?"
"If I had, I would have told you ages ago. I'm sorry, Rose, I really have been trying."
"I didn't expect anything else. But I thought that we could narrow it down. Maybe you would have a few ideas on who would do this? Someone who has access to Strigoi."
He thought for a moment. "You're not going to like this, but when I think access to Strigoi, I think of Belikov."
I shook my head. "No, its not him. We were attacked. Did Lissa tell you? They knew Dimitri, but it was obvious he wanted to kill him too."
"Maybe he was acting." He suggested.
I rolled my eyes. "I know how to detect a liar, Adrian. Trust me, he wasn't."
He thought again. "Victor?"
"That's one." I agreed. "Avery?"
He frowned. "Isn't she locked up?"
I shrugged. "There are ways."
"Then we'll put her on the maybe list. Did you meet any new…friends while you were in Russia?"
"Not any significant ones that would go to this length to kill me." I said. "So Victor and Avery. Is that all we can narrow it down to?"
"Don't you think they're acting on impulse? According to Dimitri, you made some pretty awful friends when you were in 'that place'. Clue me in?"
"You really don't wanna know."
"I think I do."
I shook my head at him. "Don't push the envelope, Adrian."
He sighed.
"But long stories short, all the Strigoi in Russia are trying to kill me. Dimitri started the game, they'll finish it."
"I won't let him." He said suddenly.
I laughed. "You're too far away to stop them."
"So tell me where you are. I'll come. I'll make sure no one follows me. I'll keep you safe."
"I don't need anyone keeping me safe, and so long as they are, I can't get closer. I can't move from where I am. If I find a lead in Italy, I can't just jet over there."
Adrian stopped for a moment, stopped moving entirely, like he was considering something very serious. When he opened his mouth, it made sense to me.
"They framed you here. They would have needed to get past all those guards…better yet in the court. Don't you think they would already be in? They wouldn't send someone to do this part of the crime. It's too risky for that, and they would need to get it right first time."
I frowned in thought. "What are you saying? They're already in the court?"
He shrugged. "I'm guessing. And I'm also guessing their trying to pin it on you in as many ways as possible."
"No shit, Sherlock. That might have something to do with my stake they left sticking out of her chest."
He sighed at my sarcasm. "I'm not just talking about that. I'm guessing its someone who leads a group of people, who is so insistent that you did it, who is influencing others."
I nodded. I understood completely. "But that could be anyone. They all believe I did it, and they're all trying to spread it."
He sighed. "True dat."
I didn't let the strike end. "But we have something to work on. Keep an eye out? Tell Lissa and anyone else who it may concern?"
He nodded. "Of course."
I would have smiled in less anxious times. "Thanks, Adrian. It means a lot."
"It means your life." He corrected lightly.
I didn't see the joke. I sighed.
"Everything is what my life depends on nowadays."
"We're staying here?"
Olena saw the alarm in my eyes. "It's just for a few more days."
"And what happens when everything goes wrong? It always does." I warned.
She breathed in. "I don't like depending on you too much, Roza," Slap! "But if we get attacked again within the next four days, then we move. Otherwise, we stay here until further notice."
I sighed. "You know I don't like the sound of that."
"I know. But don't argue with me. It's your father you should take this up with."
I closed my eyes, but opened them quickly when I heard the screen door slam.
Olena sighed. "Silly wind."
"This isn't something to muck about with."
She turned to me. "Roza, I would never let anything happen to you. You know that, right? If I thought it was a bad idea, we wouldn't be here right now."
"I bet I can find more cons than pros in this situation."
She placed her hands on her hips. "Rose, please?"
"Do you actually care if they kill you?"
"I'm not worried about myself, Rose. Dimitri would never forgive me if anything happened to you."
It took me longer than necessary to shoot back at her, and it was hitting below the belt, I know. But it was necessary, I thought at the time anyway.
"Dimitri's dead." I said harshly.
She flinched, a tear running down her cheek.
"I'm not him! But I don't need to be protected in every way he wasn't. I can take care of myself."
She turned away from me, and I instantly felt bad.
"I'm sorry, but it's true. I can handle everything myself-"
"That's exactly how Dimitri got himself killed!" she shouted at me.
"No," I corrected. "Dimitri knew he had to rely somewhat on others, but when he went into battle, it was by himself mentally, and almost physically. But he was never alone! Not for one minute! He couldn't do what he needed to get himself out of there! He was thinking of others, just like he normally did.
"I'm not saying that I don't want people protecting me, but I want them hiding me, not making a prisoner of me. And no offense, but you're not a guardian! You couldn't protect me if you wanted too! If I die, we all die, and that's the hard truth."
She leaned against the kitchen counter, her eyes closed and thinking through her tears that were now drying up.
"You're right. I couldn't protect you," she whispered. "But you can't do this alone, Roza."
"I know that too. I just need…space. I need to figure out what is going on myself, not just allowing others to do it." I told her calmly.
She nodded. "I understand that too." She sighed. "Fine, Rose, but can you promise me one thing?"
I nodded. "Anything."
"You wait until daytime, and if I tell you to bring someone particular, you do it. You understand?"
I smiled. "Sure."
She smiled too. "Excellent."
She was happy…too happy.
I didn't expect to see Adrian in my dreams again the next night. The day had just flown past, and it was strange, almost if it was one after the other, to see Adrian in my dreams.
But that wasn't what shocked me the most. A lot of things shocked me that night. I didn't know which one was more surprising, but I knew which the worst was.
"The Court was attacked?"
Adrian nodded grimly. "Yeah, well, they tried at least. They couldn't get very far with all the wards set around the place, but it was still a serious fight. Most retreated after the third ward was broken. No Strigoi has been in the Court before. I guess they weren't thinking about the people inside."
"Thank god they weren't." I corrected Adrian's tone. "Is everyone okay? Is Lissa-? Oh god, please tell me she's okay."
He shrugged. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"
I stared at him for a moment, and then Lissa walked through the surrounding trees.
"Liss?"
She saw me, and grinned in pure happiness. "ROSE!" she ran up to me and tackled me in a hug that neither of us felt. "Oh, my god. I'm so sorry, Rose!"
"It's not your fault." I assured her.
She buried herself in my arms and cried a little as I looked over the top of her to talk to Adrian.
"Why did they attack the Court? What did they want?"
He shook his head. "You really don't want to know that, Rose, trust me."
I frowned. "Of course I do!"
He sighed. "Fine, but you asked for it."
I nodded, encouraging him to continue. He looked towards Lissa, closed his eyes, and sighed.
"You. They wanted you."
Lissa gasped a little, but it was obvious she had heard this news before.
"How do you know that?"
"Dimitri told us." I breathed in a little too hard, not that he noticed. "He was in fight, despite what Lissa told him about last time. He managed to get it out of one of them that they heard you were being held captive here, totally defenseless by your own accord. We couldn't get who he was working for, though. We were running short on time."
"I'm so sorry, Rose." Lissa took her head about my hands and stared at me. "I'm so sorry."
"Lissa! You didn't do anything!"
"YES I DID!"
I frowned. "This isn't your fault."
She nodded. "Yeah, I know that."
"Then what-" I paused. "What did you do?"
She sniffled. "I let him go, Rose. Dimitri's on his way to see his parents."
