Unsurprisingly, I woke up with a headache. I was just looking up, trying to remember what happened. Blake had kidnapped me! That bastard! Dimitri hesitantly came in and I sat up.
"Hey," I said.
"Good Morning," He said. He's being distant. Hmm.
"Come and lay with me. We have to talk." I pat the bed right next to me. He hesitated only a moment, but then kicked off his shoes and came to lie down.
"What happened? What did I miss?" I asked.
"Blake kidnapped you with Avery. Blake bit you and Avery used some shock therapy on you. I was so scared that I lost you again." I kissed him. I pulled him closer and Dimitri came at my command.
"Dimitri, I love you. I will always love you. You are not going to lose me to some effing party boy."
"I realize that, Roza." His Russian name for me made my heart flutter.
"I hope you do." I said, snuggling into his chest. We could have frozen time for all I care. When I'm with Dimitri, he's all I think about. I sat up and grimaced. "I have to go see him. Blake."
"No," Dimitri said.
"This isn't your choice, Dimitri. This is my life. I just want to know why he did it."
"Avery – " I interrupted him.
"I want to hear it from him."
"I'm coming with you." Dimitri said.
"Is this the only way I can go?" I asked, eyeing him.
"Yep,"
"Then, lessgo." Dimitri helped me out of bed and took me to the jail. Everyone looked at me with sympathetic looks. Some Lazar's did too. I swear I saw Eugene Lazar give me a half smile. Wow. We entered the jail and Hans nodded to us.
"How are you feeling, Rose?" So… he's calling me Rose now? Da fuq happened to Hathaway?
"Better, actually," I said honestly. "I need to see Blake." Dimitri nodded and Hans sighed. I could see I would lose if I didn't argue my point. "Look we have three Guardians, you, me, and Dimitri. I'll be fine if anything goes wrong. Besides, didn't you give him an Anti-Magic shot?" Hans nodded.
"I swear Rose, you know too much." I rolled my eyes.
"I'm a Guardian. I'm supposed to know this. It's in the protocol," I smiled, but it didn't fully reach my lips.
"Alright, Guardian Belikov and I will stay out here. I know you need some anger released." I love how other Guardians get me.
"Thank you." I said.
"If anything goes wrong, you're out and Dimitri's in." OhMyGod, I officially love Hans.
"Deal," I sauntered my way into the room and Blake looked like shit. Looks like Abe got to him good. Blake looked up and was smug to see me.
"Why do you look so smug, Blake?" I went behind him and pulled his chair out from under him. I swear I could hear a groan.
"Because I got my way with you and those Day After pills don't always work. We'll have a beautiful child together." OH HELL NO.
"Like hell I am going to raise your child, Blake," I picked him up and threw him against the wall. He hissed at me and I laughed. "OhMyGod, they actually went through with it. They pulled your fangs out! Did it hurt? Did you cry like a baby?" With strength that I didn't know Blake possessed, he pushed me to the ground and attempted to punch me. I expected this. I mean, I always love a fight. So, I rolled him over and went into doggie position making sure my knees were putting the most pressure on his legs. He started screaming and when I heard two snaps, I got off.
"YOU FUCKING BROKE MY LEGS!" I had a smug smile that finally came to my face.
"Oh did I?" I giggled like a schoolgirl. "My bad." There was a knock on the window and I backed up. "I'll be right back." And I blew a kiss to Blake as I walked through the door. When the door closed, I saw Hans and Abe eating popcorn. Dimitri was just staring at them.
"The fuck? Did you save some for me?" I growled.
"We need to ask you a very important question," Abe said and he was dead serious.
"Okay, shoot." I said as Dimitri handed me some popcorn.
"Did you take the Day After pill?" Hans asked.
"Of course I did. I'm not an idiot. I don't want his baby. Why? Why such the sudden importance?"
"One of Hans' idiot Guardians let him make a phone call. He made a phone call to the hospital – which he has connections there apparently – and the nurse you had switched your Day After pill with a Water pill." I tried to process this.
"Is it too late? AM I GOING TO HAVE HIS BABY?" I started eating the popcorn frantically.
"We don't know if it's too late. We'll have to go back to the hospital. That nurse has been fired." I put my finger up and went back into the interrogation room. Dimitri was about to stop me, but Abe held him back.
"Back for more?" Blake managed. I kicked his legs over and over. He screamed at the top of his lungs. I punched him in both eyes.
"How. Dare. You. I will not have your baby! This will add more to your sentencing and I hope you know this." Adrenaline was rushing through me. Dimitri rushed in and pulled me back.
"NO! LET ME GO! He deserves to die, Dimitri!" I shouted.
"I agree, but not like this! He'll die in Tarasov." Dimitri started pulling me away and I fought back. Oh, believe me, I fought, but Dimitri outweighed me. He handed me to Hans while Dimitri and Abe went in. Oh, a lot happened there. A lot was graphic… too graphic for me to say. When they were done, Blake couldn't walk. He could barely move anything.
"I have to get to Lissa." I said.
"Why?" They all asked.
"She needs to know the charges have been changed." I ran out of the room, but before I did, I lifted up my shirt and looked at my stomach. No. I will not have his baby. Dimitri gave me a sympathetic smile and Abe was giving Blake a murderous look through the glass. I shook it off and walked to Lissa's room. It took about ten minutes to get there, but I had to bust my ass because I still had to get ready for the sentencing. I knocked on Lissa's door and she was surprised to see me.
"Rose, what's wrong?"
"You need to add a charge to Blake's sentence,"
"Okay. Well, what is it?" Lissa looked nervous as hell, but she tried to keep a calm and cool façade around me just to be the strong one of the pack.
"One of Hans' Guardian's on duty stupidly let Blake make a phone call. Blake made a call to the hospital. He got in contact with my nurse and told her to switch the Day After pill with a Water pill that does absolutely nothing."
"OhMyGod. Is it too late to get the pill?" Lissa felt terrified for me. She knew I didn't want his baby. I already had one.
"I don't know. We have to go back to the hospital, but the nurse was fired. So how about, 'Tampering with Victims Medicine?'"
"That makes sense. I'll try it at the sentencing." She hugged me and I took a deep ragged breath. "Everything's going to be okay."
"I know." At least, I hoped it would be.
We had just enough time to get changed for the sentencing. Lissa had to leave early to meet the other members of the council. Dimitri and I took our seats near Lissa and we nodded towards her. She nodded at me. All of the council members stood up as Blake Lazar entered the room… in a wheelchair. Lissa looked at me and I smirked. Abe and Dimitri? I nodded and also pointed to me. Her eyes widened.
"Blake Lazar, you are charged with one count of rape in the first degree, murder in the first degree, tampering with the victims medicine in the first degree, and conspiracy to kidnap in the first degree. How do you plead?" Lissa asked.
"Not guilty," He said confidently.
"Well, let's see what the Council decides." She smirked at Blake. Oh, Lissa was so mad. She was burning with hatred, but she had to keep it all in and keep calm. "Ava Drozdov, how does Blake plea?"
"Guilty," She said with no doubt. She then winked at me. I blushed.
"Robert Badica, how does Blake plea?"
"Guilty," He said. More and more guilty pleas came out until Nathan Ivashkov spoke up.
"Not Guilty," That caused an uproar. I almost stood in my seat, but Dimitri was holding me down.
"Well, we'll take note of that." Lissa said sarcastically. "Arianna Szlesky, how does Blake plea?"
"Guilty," Arianna said. Sadness shone in Arianna's eyes when she looked at me, but I shrugged and smiled, trying to be strong for everyone.
"Lastly, Marcus Lazar, how does Blake plea?" This was a tough one. Marcus was a total ass, an ass that was related to Blake, but when it came down to it, Blake made mistakes.
"Guilty," He said with no remorse, and Blake's eyes widened. Arianna spoke up.
"Queen Vasilisa Dragomir, how do you find Blake Lazar?"
"Guilty," She smiled at Blake. That was it. It ended. "I sentence you to life at Tarasov. I believe the Council agrees?" Everyone nodded. Nathan just stayed put.
"Oh, let me Queen Vasilisa," Abe said. "I'd be happy to transport him to Tarasov."
"Oh, Mr. Mazur, you're too kind." Lissa smiled. Blake was shaking his head no, but Lissa and I were smiling at each other like, 'FINALLY THIS IS ALL OVER!' Abe pulled Blake out and the Council Meeting was adjourned. I wiggled my fingers towards Blake and he paled. Abe winked to me and I laughed a little. Lissa came over to me. "So it's finally over."
"Yep," I said. "I'm just wondering one thing." I frowned.
"What?" Dimitri and Lissa both asked.
"What happened to Reed and Simon?"
"Yeah, I was wondering that too." Lissa frowned with me.
"Come on." I lead her to Guardian Headquarters. Normally, she would be leading me, but I think I had a hunch.
"Rose," Hans said. Wow – he said my first name and not Hathaway. That's a total shock. "What do you need?"
"I'm wondering the same thing." Lissa said, confused.
"I'm wondering if there was a recent Guardian death in the area. I know you keep them on record."
"Rose, if this is about Blake…" Hans started.
"It's not. It's about Avery. Blake's too stupid to commit what I think Avery did."
"Well, what name do you want me to look up?"
"Simon Hartwell," I said. Hans looked in the computer and nodded.
"This him?" Lissa and I both nodded.
"He was stabbed with what looked like an athame." Hans said. I paled.
"You mean the one that was found in the basement?" I asked. He nodded, noticing me going pale.
"Why? You look like you know something, Hathaway." Oh, so we're back to 'Hathaway' now.
"That's Avery Lazar's athame. She was about to stab me when Blake snapped her neck." I gulped. I really hated going back to those moments. Wake up, Bitch. I gasped and Lissa rubbed my arm.
"Well then, we can close the case after we see if this checks out." We nodded to Hans and left.
"Okay, so Simon's dead. What about Reed? We can't just go up to Eugene Lazar and ask him where his missing son is and then tell him his daughter is dead."
"Yeah, that'd be bad." Lissa said.
"Could you compel him?" I asked, looking to her.
"Compel him to do what?" She looked confused.
"Tell us where Reed is. Then when we find out he's dead, which I bet he is, we can move on from this part of our lives."
"Amen," Lissa praised. We walked to Eugene Lazar's room and hoped that Reed would be dead. It would cause less stress in our lives. Lissa knocked on the door and we could never believe who answered.
"Reed?" Lissa asked.
"Your Majesty… What a surprise. Can I help you?" How the hell is he alive! This makes no sense!
"We actually need to talk to you about your sister. And you know you can always call me Lissa. You knew me before I was Queen." Reed actually smiled. THE FUCK HAPPENED TO THE DEPRESSED SURLY TEENAGER?!
"Okay, Lissa, Guardian Hathaway, come on in." Reed led us in and ushered us to the couch. I just decided to be blunt.
"How are you alive?" I asked.
"Rose," Lissa scolded.
"It's okay, Lissa. You guys have a right to know. Simon was starting to reject Avery's compulsion. He was becoming stronger. Avery didn't like that. So when we were in Tarasov – you'll have to be easy on me, this is hard for me to remember -," We both nodded. "She used a Spirit disguise as a Guardian to get into Simon's cell."
"How'd she get the athame?" I asked curiously.
"She stole it off of one of the Guardians. She was the number one pick pocket in our family. Always stealing money from our dad or our mom or even me."
"After Simon was dead, what happened?" Lissa asked.
"I didn't have to take so much of Spirits Darkness. I wasn't as depressed as I was when Avery tried bonding with you."
"How did you two get out of Tarasov?" I asked.
"Since they thought it was a Guardian who killed Simon, Avery played it off as I was involved. She used a Spirit disguise on me as another Guardian and we were 'fired.'"
"So they just let you walk out?" Lissa asked incredulously.
"No. Of course they didn't. They flew us back to Pennsylvania and then she dropped the Spirit disguise. I told her I didn't want to be a part of whatever she had planned. I basically had more control over my life than I did before."
"Did she tell you what she had planned?" I asked. I hated pestering him, but even if Avery's dead, she had a motive. And hey! Maybe she mentioned Blake along the way.
"She told me she was going to and I quote, 'get back at the bitch who destroyed her chances of bonding with Lissa,'"
"That's me," I smiled.
"I thought so." Reed said.
"When did you know the bond between you and Avery broke?" Lissa asked.
"Um, I guess the first time I tried going into her head which was yesterday."
"Reed, do you have any Darkness left?" Reed smiled. Wow. This is not the same Reed I know.
"Nah. It's all gone. I think it disappeared when Avery died. I don't want any of the darkness, so that's good, anyway."
"Okay, well, thank you." Lissa and I both stood up.
"Lissa, wait," Reed said.
"Yeah?" Lissa looked to him.
"I'm really sorry for Avery's intentions of bonding with you too, and that I tried to help." Reed looked so guilty. I felt so bad for him that he had to put up with Avery's shit his whole life.
"It's not your fault," Lissa said, "You didn't have any control over your life." And Lissa and I walked out.
"We have to go get the Day After Pill." I said, sort of with an urging voice.
"Lessgo," Lissa took my hand as we walked to the hospital wing of The Royal Court.
BRUH! I CANNOT TELL YOU GUYS HOW GOOD IT IS TO BE BACK. HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER. MUCH MORE TO COME! MUAH! MUAH!