Disclaimer: These characters and world is owned by Richelle Mead. This plot is mine.

This is a short one, sorry. The first few chapters use a lot of dialogue from Spirit bound, I wanted the story to be as authentic as possible until the plot diverges off.

Chapter 2

Rose POV

I didn't want to see anyone after that. I trekked back to my room as quickly as I could, hardly noticing the obstacles and people in my path. Over and over, Dimitri's words played in my head: Love fades. Mine has. Somehow, that was the worst thing he could have said.

Don't get me wrong: The rest wasn't easy either. Having him tell me he was going to avoid me and last night was a mistake, ignoring our past relationship made me feel awful too. Yet, within that, no matter how much it hurt, was the tiny hope that last night showed that there was still some spark of "love between us. That he still loved me. But … love fades.

I heard lissa through the bond: Come join me?

Through the bond, I felt Lissa sitting alone at a cafe table. I wanted to see her and have breakfast. I threw on an oversized hoodie and walked out the door to meet Lissa.

When I was halfway to the cafe, though, I sensed something that ruined my breakfast plan. Christian had sat down with Lissa. Not wanting to ruin their rekindling of the relationship, I decided to head to another place near the guardians' buildings that also had coffee and doughnuts. It would do, provided no one there remembered that I was technically still on probation and had made a scene in a royal hall.

The sky was overcast as I walked toward the cafe's counter and ordered two chocolate eclairs and a chai. I sat down and waited for my food, picking at the eclair.

My plan had been to eat outside, but as I glanced toward the tinted windows, I could just barely make out the pattern of raindrops hitting the panes. I stared at the floor, replaying those 4 words in my head.

"Hey Rose. Are you going to the Council today?" I came to a halt. A guardian spoke to me, I couldn't recall the guy's name, but he'd seemed nice whenever we passed each other. I didn't want to be rude, and so, reluctantly, I answered back.

"Yup," I said. "Just grabbing a bite before I do."

"Are they going to let you in?" asked another guardians.

He too was smiling. For a moment, I thought they were mocking my last outburst. But no, that wasn't it. Their faces showed approval.

"That's an excellent question," I admitted. I took a bite of my eclair.

"But I figure I should give it a try. I'll also try to be on good behavior."

The first guardian chuckled. "I certainly hope not. That group deserves all the grief you can give them over that stupid age law." The other guardians nodded.

I shook my head and continued to sip on my chai and started on my second eclair.

Suddenly the room was swarming with guardians. And not just any guardians. They wore the black-and-white outfits guardians often did for formal occasions, but a small red button on their collars marked them as guardians specifically attached to the queen's guard. There had to be at least twenty of them. They were lethal and deadly, the best of the best.

Throughout history, assassins who had attacked monarchs had found themselves quickly taken down by the royal guard. They were walking death and they were all gathering around me.

I shot up, unsure what was happening but certain the threat here was directed at me.

"You need to come with us right now," one of the queen's guards said.

"If you resist, we'll take you by force."

"You're… you're here for me?" I asked. I tried to think of any new spectacles I might have caused recently. I considered the night of angry sex with Dimitri and my recent display at the royal council about it. That was hardly enough to send the palace guard for me, unless the queen decided to make a demonstration out of me.

Then I thought about Victor Dashkov and my eyes went wide. "That's crazy! I'm not going anywhere until you tell me how the hell this—"

The man kept his gaze on me. "Don't make me repeat myself: Come with us quietly, or we will make you." The glimmer of handcuffs showed in his hands and they stepped towards me.

"I'll come with you!" I said, not wanting to make things worse for myself. It had to happen some time.

As the handcuffs were clamped onto my wrists, I was starting to think I was much bigger trouble than my usual predicaments. Their leader took a deep breath and made the proclamation he'd been trying to make since entering. I swallowed, waiting to hear Victor's name.

"Rose Hathaway, you are under arrest for high treason." Not quite what I'd expected.

Hoping my submission had earned me points, I asked, "What kind of high treason?"

"The murder of Her Royal Majesty, Queen Tatiana."

What the F-

Dimitri POV

I watched Rose run out of my room and I sunk down to the floor. I know that I truely hurt her this time, but she can't be around me anymore. Not when there is a beast within.

The guardians came into the room, but I didn't look at them and stayed staring at the floor. I replayed the night in my head, I felt like the Strigoi part of me took over, and treated her like a plaything. There was none of the tenderness that we had in the cabin, I wasn't capable of it anymore.

Once I awoke, I couldn't stop thinking of the victims I killed, what I had done to her and how I never deserved to touch her again. I had to resolve myself to stay away from her, she deserved so much better than me.

My biggest regret was the look in her eyes when I told her that my love had faded. She looked so hurt, so broken. Nothing like the girl that I first met less than a year ago. I wanted to be that man that loved her, I wanted to take her in my arms and give her everything. But all I was capable of was anger and guilt, nothing like the man I used to be.

I got up and tried to read one of my old western novels. I stared and stared at the pages for hours, not reading a thing.

I heard a knock on the door, Guardian Adams opened it. He looked at me with a sympathetic expression and said "Your girl has been arrested for treason".