To touch her exquisite petals is to be pierced by her remorseless thorns.

This wasn't the first time I've heard Adrian's random manifests where he gets poetic out of nowhere. But this time the words seemed to cut my skin and buried themselves there. All I wanted to do was wallow in my guilt and shame for what I'd done to someone like him.

Adrian, who never failed to understand me. He understood when I went after Dimitri to kill him-even when Lissa didn't. Adrian, who told me to be sorry when I lied to him, and not because I loved Dimitri. For an understanding and compassion person like him-though he doesn't show his sensitivity-his words sure damn hurt.

Anyway, though at that moment I thought the world stop rotating and we were forever frozen that way-Adrian, on the floor, me, still crossing my arms but looked defeated, and Lissa, kneeling by his side-the world obviously didn't freeze because Adrian threw up right there and then.

So, I went out and told the first guardian I saw to fetch a cleaner to Lord Ivashkov's place. I went back to the room to find Lissa wiping Adrian's face with a towel. He was already on the bed, though his shoes were still on and he wasn't tucked in the blanket.

"You actually managed to move him," I smirked. "Impressive."
"Yeah, right. Being Adrian Ivashkov's best friend sure does have some perks. Cleaning vomit, dealing with a drunkie, et cetera, et cetera," she laughed. Then we were silent for a moment.
"Listen, Rose. I'm not going to pretend that his words didn't bother you, because I saw hurt written all over your face."
"I never pretended that I wasn't. But what he said; he's right. He was."
"Oh, c'mon! Don't be melodramatic. He was drunk."
"What makes you think that he wouldn't say anything worse when he's already sober?"
"I know because he wouldn't openly hurt you with words. Push you away? Maybe. But verbally attack you? No. You don't do that to someone you love."

Someone you love.

I thought about how Dimitri pushed me away when he turned back into a dhampir. He never did once disrespect or shame me. Same went for Lissa and Christian when they temporarily broke up.

I was opening my mouth to say something in response when the cleaner came. He also delivered a message to Lissa that she was Jill, her half-sister, was looking for her. She hesitantly left, afraid to leave me with a drunk Adrian but I assured her that it'd be fine. Thirty minutes later, the cleaner's job was done and he managed to change Adrian out of his dirty shirt. He left after leaving aspirin and I was left alone with Adrian who had been sleeping soundly. I resisted the urge to lay my head on his chest. Instead, I made myself comfortable on the floor and stayed awake thinking - about Tasha's trial, about Lissa's new throne. But mostly, I thought about him. Adrian.

Knowing I had so little time with him, that was, if I failed to convince him to stay, I tried to memorize the image of him sleeping, with his eyes slightly shut and his chestnut-brown curls falling perfectly on his forehead.

His bed was by the window and the moon shone directly on his flawless face, making him seem as if he shines; reminding me of how he looked when he healed my wound-so bright, so beautiful. It was daytime on vampire schedule, but seeing him like this, I can almost imagine for a second that we didn't live in a world of blood and magic, that he could be a human who didn't have to depend on alcohol in order not to lose his sanity, that he didn't have to suffer so much, that if he-we-could be normal, for instance, if I was human too met him by chance in a coffee shop, our fate could've been diff-

Wait, what? Since when did I have delusional thinking like this? This is the first time ever that I've thought about being, God forgive me, human. No, I thought. Thinking about things like that wouldn't change anything. Many that are ordinary are willing to give up anything in order to be anything other than average. This, I know from how many humans I've seen that gave up everything to be Strigoi. I shuddered from the memory.

I quickly tried to think of something else other than that topic. It wasn't hard at all, considering I'm staring at the boy who saved my life-literally. For a second, I wished he would open his eyes just so I could catch the warm green color of his eyes which I already missed. But that would mean that he would be awake, and I'd have to talk to him, whereas I have no clue how to plead with him…

And that was what ran in my head for the next hour or so.

I don't know how much time passed when I finally sighed and muttered, "Oh, Adrian. What would I do with you?"

I gave up resisting to touch him, sat beside him on the bed and ran my thumb lightly along his jaw. Somehow, that small gesture sent a wave of different emotions through me. A simple act like that, was more electrifying than anything he and I had ever done to each other in a past. I felt my heart jump. Is it the bond? The connection between a spirit-user and the shadow kissed? That must be it, right? It must be, it must be, it must be, I told myself. Yet... I never felt that way when I touched Lissa when I was bonded to her.

I drew my hand back because of the sudden sensation that rushed through my veins. But before I did, Adrian opened his eyes, caught a tight grip on my wrist and said, "Little dhampir, what would I do without you?" Now that he was fully awake, his thoughts and emotions found their way to me through the bond. I was startled by how strong his mixed emotions were that I almost stumbled back. Desperation. Awe. Fury. Affection. Hope.

And that's when it hit me. What would he do without me? Lots of things.

Travel.

Have a clean start in London.

Meet someone new.

Fall in love.

I am selfish person; that, I've always known.

I, Rose Hathaway, have made so little sacrifices in life compared to most people. I can count with my fingers the number of selfless moments I had.

But how could I? How could I feel guilty about what I've done to him yet plan to talk him into staying here with me, when he would be nothing but hurt, seeing Dimitri and I?

So I took a deep breath, and with a lump in my throat, and vowed that I'll never ever try to persuade him to do anything contrary to his wants.

Not after what I'd done.

If he stays, it should be of his own will.

Not influenced by my persuasion.

I prayed to God that he changes his mind on his own, and stay.

This chapter is a little uneventful, but the story doesn't end here.

What are your thoughts? Do you want Adrian stay in the Court? Do you think he'd change his mind without Rose's persuasion? Review please :) Thanks for reading!