"Rosemarie Hathaway." The way the prince said my name made it crystal clear that I was the last person he wanted to see. "I knew I shouldn't have underestimated you, but I had no idea just how much."

Despite the exhaustion weighing down on me, I smiled as I stepped toward him, gun aimed and steady. "It's not the first time I've heard that."

"I hope others will learn from my mistakes."

"Personally, I hope they don't."

My pistol was just inches from his forehead. I could see the anxiety in his eyes as he stared into the black barrel. For all the chaos he'd unleashed, I guessed the prince wasn't used to having a gun pointed at his face.

"Now, let me lay out the rules of the game. You're going to tell me everything and cooperate politely, and without exception. I don't think I need to explain that if you cause any trouble, you'll be gone in seconds. Claudia's only hope is that we agree to help her. You know who I am to Lissa. You know I can convince her to at least try. But if anything happens to any of my people, I make no promises."

The prince nodded, trying to mask the fear, holding onto the last scraps of his dignity. "I understand. I'll tell you everything. As you've likely figured out, I have no better options."

"Is anyone from your crew still left?"

"Not in the estate. But I did send a team—twelve human assassins—to follow your trail. Last I heard, they were closing in."

"Who's leading them?"

"Sternakov. Malvin Sternakov."

I nodded, satisfied. "Anyone else?"

"My staff. After the shooting started, the guards told them to hide in the library. They're not a threat."

I glanced at David. He sent two boys to deal with them. Then I turned my attention back to the prince. "Anyone else?"

"No one left. All the other units… well, they've been wiped out."

"Yeah, I heard." I aimed my gun right between his eyes again—just to remind him of the rules. "Where's Claudia?"

The prince let out a shaky breath and shuddered. Saying the next words seemed to take a piece of him. "She's in the estate."

"Where? We need to neutralize her, too."

"Claudia is harmless. She's unconscious."

"She could wake up."

"She can't. That's why I tried to help her. You can see her on the screen—there's a hidden room behind this study. I set up surveillance to make sure she was safe. But as long as you don't plan to move her, I'd rather you leave her be."

"I don't give a damn what you'd rather," I snapped, turning to the monitor.

On a canopy bed, a woman who matched Claudia's file from the Alchemist database lay motionless. Even through the grainy footage, I could tell something was wrong. Her skin was sheet-white, and her arms were disturbingly thin.

I scanned through the other cameras around the estate. Nothing suspicious. Outside, Lev and Jill were still in the car, waiting for further orders. No one else is in sight.

"Tie him up and gag him. Make sure he can't move even if he wanted to."

I called Leev and told him to bring Jill inside. David sent the boys to secure the estate and watch the captured guards. The prince was taken to the adjacent room, where I could still keep an eye on him via the surveillance feed. I planned to wait for backup, with Jill by my side.

She burst into the room and flung her arms around my neck. I hugged her tightly, knees going soft with relief. We weren't done yet, but I knew the worst was behind us.

"It's over now, right? No more running, no more gunfights, no more kidnappings?"

Despite the tears in her eyes, Jill was smiling—wide, honest, and full of hope.

"Well, with your luck? I'm not making any guarantees. But at least as far as Drozdov's concerned—this is the end."

Jill laughed, then glanced at the prince as he was led out of the room. His cold gaze locked onto her, unashamed and piercing. A chill ran down her spine.

"I just want to go home," she whispered. I hugged her tighter.

"Me too. Soon. I promise."

I held the phone in my hand, feeling its weight for a moment. My whole body buzzed with anticipation at the thought that calling Dimitri—actually dialing his number—was now within reach. That I could press a few buttons and hear his voice without bringing disaster down on us. That I could speak into this little machine, and he would come.

Even though I was still trembling from the adrenaline pumping through my veins, I felt the tension slowly beginning to ease. Fatigue settled on my shoulders and tugged at my eyelids. Still, I knew it would be a few more hours before I could finally rest and leave Jill and the prince in someone else's hands.

I also knew I was probably in for some trouble because of the way I dragged the guys into this and brought Jill right into the middle of the action. Screw it. If anyone had a problem with that, I'd be more than happy to tell them exactly where they could shove their opinion.

I dialed Dimitri's number and held my breath as I waited for him to answer. I bit my lip and closed my eyes, overwhelmed by a storm of emotion. I shivered when the ringing stopped, and I heard him breathe.

"Hello?"

His voice was cautious, guarded. He knew the prince's internal line—he had to be seriously thrown by someone calling from this network. But I couldn't stop the smile spreading across my face just from hearing that deep, familiar voice. A warm shiver ran from the base of my neck down my spine.

"Hey, comrade."

"Rose."

My name fell from his lips on an exhale, like he reacted without even thinking. Then I heard him draw a shaky breath, and suddenly his voice was filled with every buried emotion—relief, concern, longing. "Rose, I was hoping you'd call today." That must've been why he had Lissa at the meeting—he wanted me to see they'd caught the spy. "Are you okay? Is Jill okay?"

"We're both fine. Everything's under control..."

"We caught the spy. Communication lines are secure again. You can come back to Court. Just tell me where you are, and I'll come get you. Don't come back alone."

"Okay, okay. I'll tell you where to pick us up. But listen—no offense, your capture of Klara was impressive, but I've got even bigger news. Honestly, I think I might've one-upped you today."

There was a pause on the line. Sensing I was about to drop something big, Dimitri asked carefully, "What do you mean?"

"Only that I just captured Prince Drozdov. And his men. I'm at his estate right now. With Jill, of course."

I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the stunned silence on the other end while he processed that. I bit my lip, trying and failing not to grin. I could've sworn I didn't even hear him breathe.

"You're telling me..." Dimitri started slowly, his voice quiet and neutral. He cleared his throat and tried again. "...you're telling me that while we've been sitting here going over every step, you found the prince, took out all his men, and neutralized the entire threat… all on your own?"

"Oh no. You misunderstood."

"No?"

"Not on my own. I found help. I've got limits too, comrade," I laughed into the phone. I pictured him rubbing his eyes in disbelief, trying not to smile. I heard one of those sharp Russian curses muttered under his breath, and I grinned even wider.

"You know," he said with a sigh, "sometimes I think I've seen you in so many unbelievable situations that nothing you do could possibly surprise me anymore. And then something like this happens."

His voice held a kind of amused resignation. I laughed openly now, finally feeling free from the stress and pressure of the past few days. Just hearing his voice brought a deep sense of calm. My whole body ached for closeness.

"You know I've got to keep you on your toes."

"You don't have to. You've already got me wrapped around your finger." I stuck out my tongue, even though he couldn't see it.

I gave him my location and the address of the guys' safe house, asked him to send backup and a medical team. I listed off who was with me and asked for the first team to call me before arriving. Dimitri was supposed to come personally with the senior guardians.

"Bring a spirit user too—Sonya, if possible. If not, we'll have to move Claudia quickly, and I don't know what kind of condition she's in."

"Is something wrong? Is she hurt?"

"I'm not sure. And I'd rather not find out until I've got backup. I've got a live camera on her."

"Got it. I'll do what I can. We'll bring a medical crew too."

"Good. But don't worry—Jill and I are okay. Though it'd be great if you could get her a feeder."

"Of course. I'm getting ready now. I'll be there as fast as I can. Stay alert. Don't let your guard down. I'll do everything I can to get to you quickly."

"I know. And hurry, okay? I've missed you."

I heard him exhale softly.

"I missed you, too. Now I have to figure out how to explain all this to Hans in a way that doesn't get you fired."

I nodded in resignation. That reunion, I wasn't exactly looking forward to.

"Thanks. I appreciate it. See you soon."

"See you soon, Roza."

With a smile, I hung up and looked around the room. Jill was lying on the couch with her eyes closed, but something told me she wasn't asleep—just listening. Still, I didn't want to wake her, in case she was finally about to drift off.

I watched the boys on the monitor as they patrolled the hallways, kept an eye on the staff and the injured guardians, and tried to rest after the fight. Lev was icing his ribs—the shot to the vest left him bruised. Some of the others had made themselves comfortable in the kitchen, helping themselves to the prince's alcohol.

Any other time, I wouldn't mind a drink, but drinking while on duty was a step too far for me. Then again, what was I supposed to do? Fire them from the volunteer job they'd taken on for my sake?

Not long after, my phone rang—it was Hans. A very not-calm Hans.

They were already in the car, and my supervisor clearly decided to use the drive to rip me a new one. I asked Lev to take over the monitors, keep watch on the prince and Jill, and stepped into an empty room as Hans's voice exploded in my ear.

"How could you take Princess Dragomir—one of the two remaining Dragomirs—into the residence of someone who wants her dead, backed up by a band of deserters ? What the hell were you thinking?!"

"I didn't have a choice! You guys weren't doing anything at Court—and if it weren't for Dimitri, you still wouldn't know Klara was the one leaking information. I had the prince's people on my tail—I was literally a day or two from getting caught. I had nowhere to rest, no shelter, no support from any other guardians. What was I supposed to do? Give up and let them shoot me? I did what I had to do to keep Jill safe."

"You didn't have to storm the prince's estate with the princess in tow, Hathaway!"

"I didn't know you'd already caught the spy—" Okay, that was a lie, but no one had to know that. "For all I knew, the prince would have escaped the place I tracked him to and launched another attack on Jill. I had to eliminate the threat. Running and hiding wasn't working anymore—I tried that more than ten times and kept almost getting caught. I had no choice but to fight back."

"You didn't have to fight back with the princess !"

"And what was I supposed to do with her?!" I yelled, my temper finally snapping. Emotional control had never exactly been my strong suit. "Leave her on the sidewalk? Maybe in some other city? I needed to know she was safe, and I couldn't count on any help from your people. Admit it, Guardian Croft, this was a no-win situation."

I heard him breathing heavily through the speaker. He was furious—and honestly, I couldn't blame him. But I had to make him understand.

"If I'd kept running, and you guys hadn't caught Klara, they would have found us. It was only a matter of time. I was getting more exhausted with each day, and they were getting better at tracking us. Eventually, they'd have set up an ambush we couldn't escape. When I found people willing to help, I realized the only way to keep Jill safe was to eliminate the threat, because hiding just wasn't working anymore. I couldn't leave her behind. I had to stay with her. That's why she was with me the whole time. But I never let her get too close to the front lines. She was never directly in the line of fire."

"If I hadn't spoken to Belikov earlier, I swear I don't even know what I'd do with you, Hathaway. We will be talking about this later. And I'm especially looking forward to hearing how you plan to reward those noble volunteers who jumped in to help you."

I winced. He got me there. I had promised the boys they'd get compensated after all this was over.

"Well, that part probably isn't going to help you like me any better," I muttered.

Hans growled something as a goodbye and hung up.

Honestly? It could've been worse. He could have told me right then and there that I was fired. Or that as soon as I showed up, I'd be hauled off to jail for endangering a royal. Gotta appreciate the small wins.

Back in the room, I told Lev he could rest and take it easy. He rubbed his chest with a grimace and gave me a skeptical look.

"Shouldn't you be tending to your injury, too? You got shot, remember?"

"From farther away," I replied, trying to reassure him. The truth was, the spot where the bullet hit my vest did hurt, but it wasn't enough to keep me from functioning. I wasn't about to leave Jill and the prince unsupervised for long.

Lev waved me off and left. Jill was still fast asleep on the couch, her head resting against the backrest. I kept scanning the cameras, watching over the hostages we were holding.

About an hour later, the first guardians from nearby areas arrived. They called me, and I had David pass the word along to the others. They came into the office I was using, and I introduced myself—though clearly, they already knew who I was.

"We've been ordered to report to you and follow your instructions, Guardian Hathaway."

"To me ?" I asked, genuinely surprised. Was Hans actually leaving me in charge for a few more hours? As far as I knew, these guardians could just as easily have been sent to arrest me and throw me in with the prince for endangering a royal.

But if I had a crew to command, I wasn't about to waste them. I sent them out to patrol, to keep watch over the prince, the other guards, and the staff.

Jill watched it all with a tired, distant look, staying silent while I gave out orders. I couldn't wait to find her a proper bed and let her sleep for a whole day. Hell, I couldn't wait to do the same myself.

The new guardians had all been stationed in nearby Moroi households and were able to leave their charges with their partners. Shortly after my call with Dimitri, they got orders to head for Drozdov's estate and back us up. Better late than never.

A little while later, the medics arrived, sent from the nearest Moroi health center. We sent some of them over to the boys' hideout to help the more seriously injured group. They patched up the wounded guardians and finally checked on Lev and me. We both had bruised ribs, but no fractures.

Hours passed. I kept doing rounds—walking through the estate, checking on the captured guards and staff, watching the medics work, circling the grounds on patrol. Knowing that a guardian was upstairs with Jill made me feel a bit more at ease, though I wouldn't fully relax until I saw my trusted people arrive.

Jill couldn't sleep. Just like me, she was anxiously waiting for someone familiar to take her home. As we sat in the office, we kept glancing at each other—exhaustion and restless anticipation mirrored in both our eyes.

I finally heard the phone ring. The moment I saw Dimitri's number, my heart started pounding faster.

"Rose, we're approaching your location. Ten cars," he said.

"Ten? What the hell?"

Dimitri gave a short snort.

"You've captured the most dangerous man in our society right now. We want to make sure we have enough resources."

"Fine, I'll pass it along," I said with a sarcastic edge to my voice.

I hung up and used the intercom to let Derek, who was standing at the gate, know to expect company. I made sure the guardian Hans had sent would stay with the prince, then looked over at Jill.

She was already on her feet, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Please tell me it's them."

"Who else would it be?" I replied with a smile.

She beamed. I nodded toward the door, inviting her to come with me. Jill didn't wait for further prompting. She practically flew out of the room as if she had wings.

As we made our way down the old wooden staircase, I heard the gate opening and the sound of cars driving in. Suddenly, I had wings too—I made it to the front door before Jill did.

I threw it open and froze at the sight of Dimitri, impatiently questioning David. If I had to guess, my wild bet would be that he was asking where to find me.

The moment I opened the door, he turned toward me, sensing my presence. We'd always been hyper-aware of each other, drawn together by some inexplicable force. When he saw me, he stilled—just stood there staring like it was the first time he'd ever laid eyes on me. His gaze roamed my body, checking to make sure I hadn't been hurt.

Before he could snap out of it, I gave in to my feelings and ran straight into his arms. He had just enough time to open them before I slammed into him, and he caught me, pulling me tightly to his chest.

I threw my arms around him with all my strength, burying my face in his neck, and felt his cheek press into my hair. His arms wrapped around me completely, locking me into a warm embrace and holding me close.

The last time we'd seen each other, we both assumed it would be the last. Consciously, I refused to believe that, but deep down, a part of me had feared it was true.

Now I exhaled shakily, drinking in his nearness, his warmth, with every fiber of my being.

"Rose… Roza," he breathed, his voice thick with relief. His breath was uneven. I felt his lips touch my hair, my forehead, the bridge of my nose—anywhere he could reach.

I clutched the fabric of his duster tightly. God, I'd missed that stupid thing. I nestled deeper into the curve of his neck and took a deep breath, warmth spreading through me. The scent of his aftershave—my favorite—had a calming effect on me.

"Hey, comrade. Long time no see," I murmured, earning a kiss on the forehead in return.

Dimitri pulled back just enough to look at my face. His eyes scanned every inch of me carefully, making sure I was alright. I could barely breathe when I met his warm, love-filled gaze.

His fingers brushed along the edge of my cheek, and I leaned into his hand.

"Too long," he echoed quietly.

I watched as one of those rare, real smiles—my favorite kind—spread across his lips. I lit up at the sight of it. I leaned in and kissed him.

He returned it gently, tenderly brushing his lips against mine, like he was savoring a familiar, beloved flavor. I melted into the kiss, feeling his warmth seep into every part of me.

When we pulled apart, Dimitri held me tightly, pressing my head to the hollow of his neck. I exhaled steadily, finally feeling safe.

"I was so worried," he whispered into my ear, barely audible. I tightened my arms around his waist.

"I can imagine. You and your melodramatic visions," I muttered, trying to make him laugh. It worked. I felt the surprise of his chuckle, and then he pressed a long kiss to my temple. I melted into the sensation. His hand slid from my hair down my back, stroking it in soothing, rhythmic motions.

"Do I get a welcome like that, too?" I heard Eddie's voice behind me.

I turned, still holding onto Dimitri. Jill stood next to Eddie, clearly wide awake, with a huge smile stuck to her face.

I rolled my eyes. "You wish," I said dryly.

Eddie grinned widely, gave me a quick hug, and spun me around as Dimitri pulled Jill into a quick embrace.

Back on the ground, I instinctively gravitated toward Dimitri, who automatically wrapped his arm around me. We had just gotten each other back, and we had no plans of letting go unless we absolutely had to. I rested a hand on his chest, not wanting to miss even the smallest chance to be close.

"I can't believe that again, the second no one's watching you, you take care of the whole thing yourself," Eddie said with a wide grin.

Dimitri and I both laughed. He kissed the top of my head with affection and pride. "I just hope you know what you're going to tell Hans. He was ranting the entire way here," he said.

I rolled my eyes.

"Then maybe he should've handled it himself, so I didn't have to pull off this month's heist alone. That's on him. But don't worry—I've got a whole speech ready."

"We heard part of it over the phone," Eddie added with a grimace.

I glanced at Dimitri, who seemed completely unfazed by Hans's tantrums, focused only on the fact that I was near him. If he wasn't panicking, then I wasn't about to either.

"Anyway," I said, "somewhere in the middle of the argument, I plan to demand a week off. I doubt I'll even be able to get out of bed anytime soon."

Dimitri pulled me closer and gently pressed me to his side, as if he could sense how much comfort his closeness gave me. I laid my head on his shoulder and allowed myself to rest, just a little.

"I'm not leaving the bedroom either, no matter what anyone wants from me," Jill admitted, raising her hands in surrender.

Eddie gave her a concerned look. "Did both of you get checked out by the med team?" he asked sensibly.

I felt Dimitri's hand tighten protectively on my back.

Jill yawned and nodded. "We did. Everything's fine. Rose only has a few bruises from the shot…"

Dimitri froze and snapped his head toward me. I held my breath. Thanks, Jill. I was planning to tell him after we'd both calmed down and wrapped up this whole chaotic situation.

I looked at him quickly. Even though he tried to hide it, I saw the panic in his eyes. He didn't look me in the eye; instead, his gaze scanned every inch of my body again, even though he'd just done that moments ago.

"What?" he asked, stunned, his voice catching. He was asking for an explanation before his mind could spiral into a dramatic chain of imagined horrors.

"I had a vest, helmet—everything. I'm fine. Lev and I both got hit, but it was nothing serious, just some bruises."

I placed a hand on his arm, grounding him. Dimitri exhaled shakily, clearly trying to rationalize the information. His hand resumed its calming motion on my back, but I could tell his thoughts were elsewhere.

I had a good idea where they were—probably reliving last summer, when I was shot by Tasha and almost didn't make it.

"Hathaway!"

A familiar voice pulled me from my own flashback. I turned and saw another wave of guardians emerging from a car—among them, one of my colleagues from Lissa's team: Justin.

He strode up to me and pulled me into a hug, temporarily lifting me out of Dimitri's arms. "What the hell did you do this time?" he asked with a grin.

"Nothing special. Just your average cross-country chase with a bunch of thugs on our tail," I said with a shrug and a smirk.

Justin grinned broadly, clearly thrilled to see me in one piece. I instinctively shifted a step back toward Dimitri. I just needed to be close to him. He placed his hand gently on my back, clearly needing the same kind of contact, especially after hearing I'd been shot.

"And with a new squad of deserters, huh? Gotta say, that's quite the team you picked."

I rolled my eyes at his teasing.

"Everyone handled themselves professionally. We prepped, secured the area, and didn't break protocol. We minimized the risk of getting shot to the absolute minimum," I added, mostly for Dimitri's benefit.

I wasn't sure if anyone else heard him mutter a string of Russian curses under his breath, but I definitely did.

"Good thing you're okay," Eddie murmured, still watching me with concern.

I waved it off. "No one got seriously hurt. One of my guys took a shot to the leg, but we patched him up fast. We had a lot of luck, sure—but also solid planning."

" Hathaway !"

This time, it was the voice of our superior. My friends chuckled as I let out an exaggerated sigh.

"Showtime," I muttered. Dimitri gave my back a supportive rub as I turned to face Hans.

We never had the best relationship. From day one, I was a problem, and Hans had hovered over me with constant threats of desk duty.

Now he was marching toward me, eyes screaming You're going to answer for this . I braced myself for the inevitable lecture.

Still, I straightened up and gave him the formal guardian salute.

"Guardian Croft," I said sweetly. He stopped in front of me, glaring. I smiled innocently. "How nice to see you."

He shook his head, apparently too angry to form words. He looked like hell—probably hadn't slept a minute since the palace attack. Not that I could blame him. That kind of responsibility weighed heavily.

Behind him stood Reece, scanning the area carefully, especially the guys from David's team.

"We'll talk later, Hathaway," Hans snapped curtly. Then he turned to Jill, while I turned back to Dimitri and rolled my eyes. He looked mildly concerned, but at least Justin laughed, covering it up with a fake cough.

"Your Highness," Hans and Reece bowed to Jill. "Are you injured? Are you hurt in any way?"

"I'm fine, Guardian Croft. Not even a scratch. Rose handled everything. I'm just… a little hungry," Jill replied quickly, speaking more words per minute than usual—her nervousness obvious.

Hans gave Reece a glance, and Reece started talking into his comm.

"Of course. We'll have you transported back to the Court immediately. Castille, take the princess to her feeder, then report to Harvey. You'll leave shortly."

"Harvey's here?" I asked, scanning the area for my closest superior. Harvey was in charge of the royal guardians and oversaw field logistics. He knew how dedicated I was to Lissa, and despite my many stunts, he usually had my back.

"The queen sent him personally to retrieve the princess while we take care of the rest here," Hans replied.

Eddie nodded, glancing at Jill. She looked at me instead, uncertain. We'd spent so much time together under constant threat—running, planning, literally fighting for our lives. Through all of it, I was her anchor. Her source of safety and stability. Now, with everything seemingly over, she didn't know what to do next. She looked to me for guidance.

I gave her a reassuring smile and gently squeezed her arm. "It's over, Jill. We're safe. You're going home—finally."

"And you?" she asked, her voice trembling. I thought I saw tears in her eyes.

It wasn't sadness or even the fact that we were parting. It was the emotional crash—the relief, the exhaustion, and the collapse of fear all hitting at once. I gave her a soft, wry smile.

"I've got to stick around and handle a few things. I'm sure Guardian Croft has a delightful list prepared for me. But hopefully, he'll let me go soon—otherwise I'm going to collapse."

I said it loud enough for Hans to hear. He grunted in reply. But Jill smiled again when I threw her a conspiratorial wink.

She launched herself into my arms, pressing her bony frame into my sore muscles. "Thank you, Rose. For everything," she whispered, sniffling. I hugged her tighter.

"I told you—I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

We broke apart, and I gently nudged her toward Eddie. She wiped away a tear and headed in the direction he'd indicated. Hans turned to face me, his stance softening slightly.

"I'm glad you managed to protect her in such an unusual situation. You did very well. But there are also things I have very, very serious concerns about. You'll tell me everything during the debriefing, Hathaway. Every single detail."

"Can't wait," I muttered, yawning. Dimitri rubbed his hand over my back, watching me with concern.

"First, gather your team. Then I want to see the prince's men—and the prince himself."

"Fine, but I want our guardians to watch over the prince's crew."

Reece started organizing the escort, and I called David and our group to join us in the front yard. David was the first to arrive, calm and confident. In the meantime, I had managed to tell Hans about our deal, and he gave me a furious glare. Dimitri stood behind me as I introduced David to Hans, followed by the rest of the boys, who stood in a loose semicircle—unusual for a guardian formation.

I noticed Dimitri eyeing Lev with curiosity. When Lev realized it and looked back at him, he froze and instinctively reached for his silver stake. I cut off my explanation to Hans and stepped between them in an instant, shielding Dimitri with my body and extending my hand to stop Lev.

"Lev, stop! It's okay—Dimitri's a dhampir! Not a Strigoi. A dhampir."

The balance of our little standoff shifted. I could feel Dimitri move closer behind me, probably trying to figure out a way to pull me out of danger. At the same time, Hans stepped in nearer, and two of the boys flanked Lev. Everyone could feel the tension and silently took their sides.

Lev stared at Dimitri over my shoulder, analyzing every detail that could distinguish a Strigoi from a dhampir—eye color, skin tone, and the pretty telling fact that Dimitri was standing in sunlight without turning into a pile of ash. I saw his breathing pick up, readying for an attack, but then he looked at me in surprise. That's when I remembered I hadn't told Lev about my happy ending in the heat of everything.

"You were wrong? About him being a Strigoi?" His stance loosened slightly, almost imperceptibly.

I relaxed too, easing out of my defensive position. Dimitri's hands tightened on my shoulders, clearly ready to yank me out of the way if things went south.

"Not exactly… but it's a long story."

Lev still eyed us with suspicion.

"You said he kidnapped you."

This time, I froze, and I felt Dimitri tense up behind me. Hans gave us a sharp look. We had never told our superiors the details of what happened in Russia. Only a handful of people knew the truth. My heart started pounding—partly from embarrassment, partly out of worry about what Dimitri must be feeling now.

"That's over now. I'll explain everything later, but it's okay. I swear."

Lev finally eased up, and I turned my attention back to Hans, who raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Lev's from Dimitri's hometown. In Russia," I said, throwing a glance at Dimitri, who stepped closer but kept his eyes locked on Lev. "Last time we saw each other, Dimitri was still..."

"I see," Hans said quietly, sparing me the pain of explaining my tragic love story to the rest of the team. I finished introducing everyone. Before I could bring up the matter of payment, David beat me to it.

"We're glad we could help. Before we accepted the job, we made a deal with Guardian Hathaway about compensation." He looked at me for confirmation, and I nodded. Again, Hans spoke before I could.

"I know. She told me," he said coolly, then looked at me. I smiled. "She hired you as a guardian acting on behalf of the Court, and of course, you'll be paid for your services. I just need to gather the materials about this operation,n and we'll agree on a fair amount. I'd also like to interview each of you, though I know you're not bound by our system."

"We won't cause trouble," David nodded. "We just don't want to get screwed over."

"You won't," Hans replied. "We don't deny payment for honest work."

Hans extended a hand toward David, who froze for a second, surprised, but shook it. He seemed a bit wary, but he had no real reason to be. Hans had his flaws, sure—but he wasn't a liar, and I could vouch for the fact that he practically worshipped fairness. Especially when it came to punishing me.

The others were led off by the guardians to have their basic information recorded, and I tilted my head toward the estate, signaling to Hans that we should head to the guardians' post. He walked ahead, and I grabbed Dimitri's hand.

"I met Lev in Baia, through Denis. And later with them... I was in Novosibirsk," I said in a low voice, making sure only Dimitri would understand what I meant—and Hans wouldn't.

Dimitri nodded. I could tell he wanted to talk more about it, but not in front of our boss. He settled for squeezing my hand. I noticed Hans listening, and it looked like he nodded slightly to himself. He probably assumed that's how I'd found David's crew. That might actually work in my favor, for now. Until he finds out it was all thanks to a mysterious girl I'd never seen before, and decides to let go, hoping she'd find her way to Lissa on her own.

In the room where we were holding all of our prisoners—everyone except the prince—Reece joined us. He made sure they were all properly restrained and had limited movement, then ordered them to be taken to the temporary holding area. I found out that, along the way, Hans and Reece had rented out an entire motel to house all the guardians and prisoners, at least until tomorrow. They assumed we'd be staying a bit longer. I think they were right.

Once Hans and Reece were sure everything was under control, I leaned against Dimitri and closed my eyes. He wrapped one arm around me and rubbed my shoulders. I felt so exhausted I was sure I'd fall asleep standing up, pressed into him and wrapped in his warmth.

"I just want to go home," I mumbled sleepily, snuggling into him a little deeper. He kissed the top of my head.

"Soon," he promised.

When we saw Hans and Reece walking toward us, we straightened up, but Dimitri didn't move his arm from around me—he kept me close. Reece was typing away on his tablet while Hans looked around the room with a sharp eye.

"Can we go speak to the prince now?" he asked me, wanting to know if I thought there was anything else worth his attention.

"I think so. There's still the prince's daughter, Claudia, but she's unconscious. Hopefully, now we can get something out of him about what's really going on with her."

"Has she been unconscious the whole time? Or is that your doing?"

"As far as I understand, she's been like that for a while. I think that's why the prince was so focused on his research into spirit magic, and why I asked for a spirit user to be sent here," I said, glancing at Dimitri, who nodded.

"Sonya is already on her way," he confirmed.

"Then I suggest we interrogate the prince now, and once Sonya arrives, we can go to Claudia together," I proposed. Hans nodded in agreement.

We went upstairs, and I led them to the room where a few guardians were keeping watch over the prince. Hans, of course, couldn't resist a snide remark upon seeing the man who had cost him time, sleep, and people.

"What an honor to finally meet the Prince," he muttered. "You've been quite the topic in our guardian circles lately."

The Prince didn't seem particularly fazed by the comment. He sighed, as if he'd already resigned himself to being treated this way. Hans sent someone to get the recording equipment, and we moved the Prince to one side of a desk. Hans sat across from him. We wanted to make sure the entire conversation was properly documented.

While we waited, I showed Hans how the camera system worked and pulled up the feed from Claudia's room. He switched to a full view of the estate and spent a few minutes quietly analyzing everything that was happening. Reece settled into the couch where Jill had been sitting earlier, and Dimitri stood near Hans and me, keeping a close eye on the Prince to make sure he didn't make any sudden moves.

Someone brought in the recorder. Hans set it up, and Reece opened his notebook, ready to follow the conversation. Once Reece nodded, Hans gave me a look, silently inviting me to take part in the questioning as well. He didn't particularly like me, but he wasn't stupid—he knew better than to ignore useful intel.

Hans began with the standard guardian procedure, explaining the rules of the interrogation and laying out the charges. The Prince admitted to orchestrating the attack that led to Jill's death, to spying on confidential Court communications through Klara, to kidnapping Jill, to the attack at the Palace, and to sending out the teams of abductors to find her.

"I already told Guardian Hathaway this, but I'm done hiding things. You've gathered more than enough evidence to prove my guilt. All I care about now is that you help my daughter, especially when I can no longer."

Hans glanced at me, but I kept my eyes on the Prince.

"How exactly do you expect us to help Claudia?"

The Prince sighed. For a brief moment, he looked incredibly old, weighed down, and defeated. In that second, I almost pitied him. Almost. Then I remembered what he did to Jill, to our fellow guardians. What he could've done to my Dimitri.

"It's a long story," he said, looking at me, tired.

Hans leaned back in his chair, spreading his arms in a gesture of authority.

"We've got time."

Dimitri and I exchanged a look. His face was set in his usual guardian mask, unreadable as ever, but I knew he felt the same rising tension that I did.

The Prince started at the beginning. He spoke of his two daughters—Lara and Claudia. Lara was his heir, born from his marriage to Lady Drozdov, raised as a royal should be. She didn't have to try—everything came naturally to her. Even as a child, she charmed everyone around her with her beauty, kindness, wisdom, and talent. She learned to read, write, paint, and play piano with astonishing ease. Yet she was never arrogant, always valued humility and kindness. From what he knew, there wasn't a soul in the world who hadn't fallen under her spell.

Things were different when it came to his first daughter, Claudia, conceived before his marriage. After Claudia's mother passed away young, Lady Drozdov agreed to take Claudia in and did her best to treat her as her own. It wasn't easy. It was never clear whether Claudia had always been prone to mental illness or whether losing her mother had triggered it, but soon it became obvious that she needed professional care. Manias, hallucinations, and psychotic episodes became a daily part of life in the Drozdov household. They tried to manage it privately, consulting doctors in secret. The Prince was determined to keep her condition hidden.

He knew that if word got out, it wouldn't just damage Claudia's future—it would destroy his political standing.

Unlike her sister, Claudia never inspired affection in those around her. Rude, aggressive, and unstable, she pushed people away—and they quickly learned to avoid her. Even the Drozdov family's staff tried to keep their interactions with her as brief as possible. They understood it wasn't her fault, that it was her illness, but still, no one felt drawn to Claudia... except Lara.

Sweet little Lara, untouched by prejudice, adored her older sister. And when it came to Lara, Claudia somehow found patience and balance. The two spent their whole childhood together. Claudia loved Lara deeply. She could spend hours playing with her in the grass, or watching her perform little plays for the family, or playing the piano with pure joy.

As they grew up, it became clear that only Lara had the ability to calm Claudia during her worst episodes. That's why Prince Drozdov delayed sending Lara to school. In their early teenage years, once Claudia had gained a bit more control over herself, especially in Lara's presence, Lady Drozdov decided it was time for both girls to attend a Moroi school.

That decision quickly proved disastrous. Lara thrived at school, but Claudia had to be withdrawn almost immediately and placed under private care. The pressure of her peers, academic performance, and being away from home overwhelmed her, and she simply couldn't cope on her own.

The Prince did his best to give her a good life at Court. Claudia had private tutors, all her needs were met in an instant, and she lacked for nothing, except Lara. Her longing for her sister worsened her mental condition and led to the development of severe depression.

Lady Drozdov eventually decided to leave the Court and move to the countryside herself to spend more time with Claudia and keep an eye on her. During that time, Claudia's health improved noticeably—but it didn't last. One winter, while traveling between the Court and Claudia's cottage, Lady Drozdov died in a car accident eerily similar to the one that had killed Lissa's parents.

Just then, Sonya entered the room. Through the slightly open door, I saw Mikhail. I smiled at her, and she shot me a familiar, amused look that said, "What on earth have you gotten yourself into this time?"

Encouraged by us, the Prince resumed his story. He had been devastated by his wife's death and blamed himself for insisting she travel between their two homes. But even his sorrow paled in comparison to what his daughters experienced. He brought Lara home, and the three of them mourned together.

That was when something inside all of them shattered. The Prince's heart was broken. Lara began losing control, lashing out in fits of rage or despair, broken only by moments of eerie calm. Claudia sank into a deep depression, convinced Lady Drozdov's death was her fault.

The Prince admitted that if he had been more aware and attentive, maybe he could've stopped what came next. Claudia's depression spiraled. She began to self-harm, and eventually, she made several suicide attempts. Each time, she was found just in time. But every attempt wore on both the Prince and Lara.

Then came the one time no one found her in time.

During another episode of intense despair, Claudia took her own life successfully. It was Lara who found her, the little sister who loved Claudia with all her heart and couldn't imagine life without her. In a panic, Lara started performing CPR. That's how Prince Drozdov found them: Claudia lifeless, and Lara frantically trying to save her.

He knew Claudia was already gone, and the pain of losing his daughter overwhelmed him. He could do nothing but stand there, watching Lara try to bring her sister back.

Then something happened.

During her desperate, emotion-driven attempt to revive Claudia, the prince saw a flash of light burst from Lara's hands, so bright it temporarily blinded him. When his vision returned, both girls were lying unconscious on the floor. He rushed to them, heart in his throat—only to realize that both were breathing. Slowly and steadily. He checked their pulses. They were both alive.

He had them carried to bed and tried to make sense of what had just happened. The only explanation he could find was that Lara had somehow managed to revive Claudia. He assumed Lara had passed out from the effort, and Claudia had been brought back to life by it. The flash of light, he figured, must've been a trick of stress and trauma.

From that day on, the girls' relationship changed. If they'd been close before, now they were inseparable. Claudia wouldn't leave Lara's side, and Lara didn't want to be apart from Claudia unless absolutely necessary. For a while, both seemed able to regulate their emotions.

For the first time, it was Lara who would lose control—and only Claudia could calm her down. They were bonded now, closer than ever, like shadows following one another.

But as the years went by, their outbursts became more volatile. They still had a calming effect on one another, but their emotions would often spiral before any relief could come. The once gentle and composed Lara once struck Claudia with a candlestick hard enough to knock her out. Claudia, in turn, once threw Lara to the ground in a rage.

The Prince rolled up his sleeves and worked harder than ever to keep his crumbling household from public view.

I exchanged a knowing look with Sonya. She looked right back. We both knew: the girls had to be bound by a spirit bond. The loss of their mother, Claudia's mental illness—it had pushed them to the brink of emotional collapse.

And then came the tragic day.

During one of their frequent fights—nothing unusual in the Prince's home—Claudia shoved Lara. Something they'd both started to do regularly. But this time, Lara stumbled trying to regain her balance and fell over a glass railing. She dropped two stories and broke her neck. She died instantly.

Claudia was shattered by her sister's death. She stopped eating, drinking, and speaking. Nothing interested her except the pain of what she had done. The Prince, mourning his beloved daughter, lost interest in everything else, too.

Devastated, he forbade anyone from speaking about the details of the accident. He could see how much Claudia was suffering. He had no doubt that, left alone, she would try to take her life again—and he couldn't bear the thought of losing another loved one. No one questioned that Lara's death had been accidental. Everyone knew how much she meant to Claudia.

Then, Claudia began to behave strangely. She'd speak in her room, crying as though someone were there. Servants swore it sounded like she was having a conversation. But when they entered the room, no one was there. No phone, either.

When the prince asked her about it, Claudia said she was speaking to Lara. That Lara came to her, and she would fall to her knees, begging for forgiveness. Lara wasn't angry, she said. Just very, very sad.

A chill ran down my spine. All the spirits I'd seen before struck with that same overwhelming sorrow. I saw Dimitri edge closer to me out of the corner of my eye.

The Prince assumed this was another of Claudia's psychotic episodes—but he couldn't bring himself to stop it. He saw how much comfort it gave her. But the conversations between the sisters grew more intense. Claudia seemed to speak to her sister constantly. When she was too exhausted to continue, she'd cry that she couldn't summon her. The Prince thought maybe her mind was starting to heal.

But over time, Claudia began to change. She confessed that other spirits had started to appear—aggressive ones. They hurt her. They tried to drag her into the world of the dead. The Prince pleaded with her to resume her medication. He tried everything to chase the ghosts away. But she refused. She wasn't ready to give up her last link to her sister.

Day by day, she grew weaker. She stopped going outside. Then she stopped walking. Eventually, she couldn't even sit up in bed. None of the doctors knew what was happening to her. She was breathing, her heart was beating—slightly slow, but regular. She was unconscious, and she never woke up again.

Since then, he began an intense search for any answers to what might have happened to his daughter and how he could help her. That's when he came across the power of the spirit and discovered the abilities his daughter had possessed. He made contact with Sara McLean, and together they discussed this mysterious power. Sara couldn't understand what had happened to Claudia either, and they both agreed they needed more data about people called Shadow Kissed.

That's when Lissa and I stepped forward and made our abilities publicly known. For many months, Prince planned to abduct me and conduct his research on me, but he hesitated, knowing my history and abilities. He said so while looking at me with resignation. He considered possibly kidnapping Lissa or Adrian instead, but wasn't sure if they would bring someone back to life on command—especially after Lissa had refused to help Victor Dashkov, even though they had a close emotional bond. But he felt he had to act.

During the attack in August, he hadn't intended to kill anyone. His plan was to capture any of us—me, Lissa, or Adrian—whoever he could get. He chose that moment knowing we'd all be together. Killing Jill during the attack had been an unfortunate accident (one of many in his family, it seemed). But when he watched the events unfold through a surveillance camera, he decided to change his approach. He realized he was losing and chose to let us take Jill to safety, planning to continue controlling her through Klara.

Jill, now one of the Shadow Kissed, was closely observed by Klara, who, together with Hans, arranged her transfer to Palm Springs. They deliberately created loopholes through which the Prince's men could abduct Jill and study the nature of the Shadow Kissed well enough to figure out a way to wake Claudia.

Even though the whole system seemed terrifyingly prone to failure, I was shocked to realize how little it would have taken for the Prince to succeed. The villa where he initially held Jill wasn't registered under his name or connected to him in any way. If Sydney, Adrian, and I had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time, who knows how many months would've passed before we found her.

Hans asked Reece to take the Prince outside for a moment. Drozdov had to support himself on Reece to even stand, his legs so unsteady. I watched him go, unable to stop the wave of sympathy I felt. He just wanted to save his daughter. Of course, he could've done it in a much more reasonable way—like asking Lissa for help, who would never have refused him. But I understood that in his grief and desperation, he had made many irrational mistakes.

"Hathaway, does what he said line up with the information you've gathered?"

I paused, then nodded.

"Yes… Though I still want to know why he didn't ask Lissa for help when she ascended the throne and revealed she had spirit power. Why did he think involving Jill in something so dangerous was necessary? Even after the first attack, he could've given up and come to her with Claudia instead of kidnapping Jill."

"He had to know he'd put the entire royal guard on high alert," Dimitri added.

"I don't think he was thinking rationally," Sonya said calmly. We all looked at her. "His aura is completely frayed—you can see he's being ruled by extreme emotions. I think he believed the plan he made was the best way to ensure Claudia's full recovery."

"And he had more than enough resources to pull off any plan he wanted," I sighed. Hans stared at the computer screen.

"Do you know what's going on with the coma?"

I bit my lip and slowly shook my head.

"Not exactly. I know that because she's Shadow Kissed, she has the ability to see ghosts. That's a fact. And they are dangerous. They're connected to the world of the dead, and they hate us for the fact that we've touched death but still walk among the living."

I felt Dimitri shift uneasily beside me. He hated any reminders that I technically shouldn't be among the living.

"So the spirits drained her energy? Is that it?"

I shrugged. I wasn't sure myself.

"We need to see her. Maybe Sonya will be able to read more in her aura, maybe she can even try to wake her up. Ghosts are dangerous to us, and the Shadow Kissed constantly walk the edge of madness due to the darkness from spirit users. I can hold the ghosts off consciously, but I've blacked out before, trying to fight them off. It's just…"

"Yes?" Hans asked. I swallowed and looked at Dimitri, who was watching me intently. I saw focus and concern in his eyes.

"I think she didn't fight them. I think she was summoning them. And when you summon them… sometimes they're stronger."

"You summoned ghosts too?" he asked with a furrowed brow.

"Yes. But like I said, it's dangerous. I think… I think Claudia crossed a line."

Hans nodded thoughtfully. Sonya frowned, clearly deep in thought as well. I turned to Dimitri, who reached out his hand. I took it and gave it a comforting squeeze, offering him a half-sad smile. It seemed like we both needed a bit of comfort. The worry in his eyes didn't fade.

"I think it's time to see Claudia," I said. Dimitri frowned and squeezed my hand more tightly.

Hans ordered the Prince to be brought back in. He was in better shape now, though I saw him quickly wiping tears from his face as he entered the room.

"I'll give myself up and take responsibility for everything I've done. Just please, help her."

"You're in no position to make demands, Your Highness," Hans growled. The Prince never really risked Claudia's life. He had a chance to succeed and save her on his own, or he could've begged the Court for help, which he almost certainly would've received. Instead, he didn't just risk lives; he sacrificed the guards who stood in his way. And Jill.

I didn't let go of Dimitri's hand as we followed Hans and the Prince into the bedroom. The Prince reached under his shirt and pulled out a golden key hanging from a necklace. He walked over to a hidden door inside the room, and we followed close behind. I squeezed Dimitri's hand tightly, feeling that the end of our mystery was within reach.