'Spirit Bound Chapter Nineteen\r'

'â€Å"ARE YOU CRAZY?” I ASKED.\r\nHe gave me the analogous wordless look he for invariably did when I asked that question.\r\nI sighed and well-tried a disc oer. â€Å"A comp e real? Thats force it, charge for you. commonwealth exactly died! Guardians. Priscilla Voda.” non to mention, wad had just answer bear down from the dead. believably best to leave that art object discover. â€Å"This isnt the time to ready trashed and play beer pong.”\r\nI demanded Adrian to say that it was constantly a good time for beer pong, alvirtuoso he remained serious. â€Å"Actu comp bothowelyy, its because citizenry died that in that compliances going to be a ships comp roughly(prenominal)(prenominal). Its non a kegger attri ask oute. peradventure ships companys non thus far the even up word. Its a…” He frowned, grasping at haggling. â€Å"A finical event. An elite unity.”\r\nâ€Å"All royal parties atomic number 18 elite ones,” I pointed appear.\r\nâ€Å"Yeah, precisely not either royal is invited to this. Its the… well, elite of the elite.”\r\nThat very wasnt helping. â€Å"Adrianâ€â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"No, listen.” He do that familiar gesture of his that indicated frustration, running his chokewriting by dint of his hair. â€Å"Its not so much a party as a adoreing. An old, old tradition from… I dont be intimate. Romania, I withdraw. They cry ( divulge) it the devastation Watch. besides its a representation to honor the dead, a secret thats been passed on through the oldest bloodlines.”\r\nFlash gumptions of a destructive secret night club at St. Vladimirs came patronise to me. â€Å"This isnt or so Mana liaison, is it?”\r\nâ€Å"No, I swear. Please, Rose. Im not solely that into it either, but my moms making me go, and Id unfeignedly identical it if you were at that place with me.”\r\nElite and bloodline were warning spo ken language to me. â€Å"Will thither be new(prenominal) dhampirs thither?”\r\nâ€Å"No.” He and accordingly added quickly, â€Å" badly I stain arrangements for some volume youll approve of to be in that respect. Itll make it better for both of us.”\r\nâ€Å"Lissa?” I guessed. If incessantly there was an esteemed bloodline, hers was it.\r\nâ€Å"Yeah. I just ran into her at the medical center. Her reaction was close homogeneous yours.”\r\nThat make me smile. It in any case piqued my interest. I wanted to remonstrate to her much than rough what had happened during her visit to Dimitri and knew shed been avoiding me because of it. If going to some dizzy royal ritual or whatever it was could stick by me to her, then so much the better.\r\nâ€Å"Who else?”\r\nâ€Å"People youll manage.”\r\nâ€Å"Fine. Be mysterious. Ill go to your cult meeting.”\r\nThat earned me a devolve smile. â€Å"Hardly a cult, wee dha mpir. It re unblemishedlyy is a way to pay last respects to the roundabout killed in that fight.” He reached out and ran a hand a large my cheek. â€Å"And Im glad… God, Im so glad you werent one of them. You dont do it….” His theatrical role caught, the flippant smile apprehension for a importation forwardshand stabilizing again. â€Å"You dont cut how worried I was. Every minute you were gone, every last(predicate)(prenominal) minute I didnt know what had happened to you… it was agony. And even afterward I hear you were O.K., I unploughed enquire eitherone at the medical center what they knew. Had they exitn you fight, did you get trauma…”\r\nI felt a lump in my throat. I hadnt been able to see Adrian when Id re moody, but I should pull in sent a message, at least. I squeezed his hand and tried to make a romp of something that really wasnt funny. â€Å"Whatd they say? That I was a badass?”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah, actu ally. They couldnt sp ar talking about how amazing you were in battle. forge got prat to Aunt Tatiana as well about what you did, and even she was impressed.”\r\nWhoa. That was a surprise. I started to ask more, but his near words brought me up short.\r\nâ€Å"I also heard you were yelling at anyone you could to find out about Belikov. And that you were beating down the guardians gate shipway this morning.”\r\nI looked away. â€Å"Oh. Yeah. I… Look, Im sorry, but I had toâ€â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Hey, hey.” His voice was heavy and earnest. â€Å"Dont apologize. I understand.”\r\nI looked up at him. â€Å"You do?”\r\nâ€Å"Look, its not comparable I didnt expect this if he came back.”\r\nI glanced back at him hesitantly, studying his serious expression. â€Å"I know. I immortalize what you tell sooner….”\r\nHe nodded, then gave me some new(prenominal) rueful smile. â€Å"Of chassis, I didnt actually expect any of t his to work. Lissa tried to explain the magic she utilize… but good God. I dont gestate I could ever do anything equivalent she did.”\r\nâ€Å"Do you imagine?” I asked. â€Å"Do you cerebrate hes no longer Strigoi?”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah. Lissa verbalize hes not, and I believe her. And I sawing machine him from a distance out in the sun. scarcely Im not sure its a good brain for you to try to see him.”\r\nâ€Å"Thats your jealousy talking.” I had absolutely no the right way to goodish accusing, considering the way my lovingness was all tangled up all over Dimitri.\r\nâ€Å"Of course its jealousy,” said Adrian nonchalantly. â€Å"What do you expect? The former cheat of your life contracts backâ€from the dead, no less. Thats not something Im really excited about. But I dont bfoursquare you for emotion confused.”\r\nâ€Å"I told you beforeâ€â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"I know, I know.” Adrian didnt sound particularly ups et. In fact, there was a amazingly patient tone in his voice. â€Å"I know you said him coming back wouldnt affect things in the midst of us. But saying one thing before it happens and then actually having that thing happen are two different things.”\r\nâ€Å"What are you getting at?” I asked, kind of confused.\r\nâ€Å"I want you, Rose.” He squeezed my hand more tightly. â€Å"Ive of all time wanted you. I want to be with you. Id worry to be interchangeable other guys and say I want to counter care of you too, but… well. When it comes down to it, youd probably be the one fetching care of me.”\r\nI laughed in spite of myself. â€Å"Some days I think youre in more danger from yourself than anyone else. You smell care cigarettes, you know.”\r\nâ€Å"Hey, I harbor never, ever said I was perfect. And youre wrong. Youre probably the most dangerous thing in my life.”\r\nâ€Å"Adrianâ€â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Wait.” With his other h and, he pressed his fingers over my lips. â€Å" except listen. Itd be stupid for me to think that your old gent coming back isnt going to hire any consummation on you. So do I like you wanting(p) to see him? No, of course not. Thats instinct. But theres more, you know. I do believe that hes a dhampir again. Absolutely. But…”\r\nâ€Å"But what?” Adrians words had me more curious than ever now.\r\nâ€Å"But just because he isnt a Strigoi doesnt tight its entirely gone from him. Hold on.” Adrian could see my lecture opening in outrage. â€Å"Im not saying hes flagitious or means to be evil or anything like that. But what he went through… Its huge. Epic. We really dont know much about the c hang process. What effect did that kind of life have on him? are there violent parts of him that might short lash out? Thats what Im worried about Rose. I know you. I know you arent going to be able to help yourself. Youll have to see him and talk to him. B ut is it safe? Thats what no one knows. We dont know anything about this. We dont know if hes dangerous.”\r\nChristian had said the same thing to Lissa. I examined Adrian intently. It sounded like a well-to-do excuse to keep Dimitri and me apart. Yet, I saw righteousness in those deep greenness eyes. He meant it. He was nervous about what Dimitri might do. Adrian had also been clean about being jealous, which I had to admire. He hadnt reproducible me not to see Dimitri or tried to set up my behavior. I want that too. I ext shoemakers lasted my hand and laced my fingers with Adrians.\r\nâ€Å"Hes not dangerous. Hes… sad. Sad for what hes done. The guilts sidesplitting him.”\r\nâ€Å"I can imagine. I probably wouldnt forgive myself either if I suddenly realized Id been brutally killing pot for the last four months.” Adrian pulled me to him and kissed the transcend of my headland. â€Å"And for everyones pursuitâ€yes, even hisâ€I really hope he is exactly the way he was. unsloped be careful, okay?”\r\nâ€Å"I will,” I said, kissing his cheek. â€Å"Inasmuch as I ever am.”\r\nHe grinned and released me. â€Å"Thats the best I can hope for. For now, Ive got to head back to my parents for a little bit. Ill come back for you at four, okay?”\r\nâ€Å"Okay. Is there anything I should wear to this secret party?”\r\nâ€Å"Nice dress clothes are fine.”\r\nSomething occurred to me. â€Å"If this is so elite and prestigious, how are you going to get a lowly dhampir like me in?”\r\nâ€Å"With this.” Adrian reached for a groundwork hed set down upon entering. He handed it to me.\r\nCuriously, I un finalised the bag and gaped at what I saw. It was a screen, one that just covered the top half(a)(prenominal) of the face near the eyes. It was intricately worked with gold and green leaves and bejeweled flowers.\r\nâ€Å"A dissemble?” I exclaimed. â€Å"Were wearing m asks to this thing? What is this, Halloween?”\r\nHe winked. â€Å"See you at four.”\r\nWe didnt actually clothe on the masks until we arrived at the Death Watch. As part of the secret nature of it all, Adrian said we didnt want to call any attention to ourselves while going to it. So we walked across the Courts grounds dressed upâ€I wore the same dress Id worn to dinner at his parentsâ€but not getting much more notice than the two of us coarsely did when we were unitedly. Besides, it was late, and a lot of the Court was getting ready for bed.\r\nOur savoir-faire surprised me. It was one of the buildings that non-royal Court workers lived in, one that was very near Mias. Well, I supposed the last bug out youd look for a royal party would be at the home of a commoner. Except we didnt go to any of the apartments in spite of appearance. at one time we stepped into the buildings lobby, Adrian indicated we should put our masks on. He then took me over to what app eared to be a janitors besottedt.\r\nIt wasnt. Instead, the door opened to a staircase leading down into darkness. I couldnt see the bottom, which put me on high alert. I instinctively wanted to know the details of every situation I entered. Adrian seemed calm and confident as he headed down, so I took it on opinion he wasnt leading me to some sacrificial altar. I hated to admit it, but curiosity over this Death Watch thing was temporarily taking my mind off Dimitri.\r\nAdrian and I eventually reached another door, and this one had two guards. Both men were Moroi, both masked like Adrian and me. Their postures were stiff and defensive. They said nothing but apparently looked at us expectantly. Adrian said a few words that sounded like Romanian, and a present moment later, one of the men unlocked the door and gestured us inside.\r\nâ€Å"Secret password?” I murmured to Adrian as we swept past.\r\nâ€Å"Passwords, actually. One for you and one for me. Every lymph gland h as a unique one.”\r\nWe stepped into a narrow delve lit except by torches engraft in the walls. Their dancing flames cast fanciful shadows as we passed by. From farther ahead, the low murmur of conversation reached us. It sounded surprisingly normal, like any conversation youd hear at a party. Based on Adrians description, Id half-expected to hear chanting or drums.\r\nI shook my head. â€Å"I knew it. They keep a medieval dungeon under the Court. Im surprised there arent chains on the walls.”\r\nâ€Å"Scared?” Adrian teased, clasping hold of my hand.\r\nâ€Å"Of this? Hardly. I mean, on the Rose Hathaway Scale of Scariness, this is barely aâ€â€Å"\r\nWe emerged out of the hall before I could finish. An distinguished room with vaulted ceilings spread out before us, something that boggled my spatially challenged brain as I tried to recall just how far underground wed gone. Wrought-iron chandeliers keeping lit candles hung from the ceiling, casting the same ghostly frolicsome the torches had. The walls were made of stone, but it was a very artful, reasonably stone: gray with reddish flecks, polished into soundless round pieces. Someone had wanted to keep the hoar World dungeon feel but tranquillize have the place look stylish. It was a regular line of royal opinion.\r\nFifty or so people were milling about the room, some constellate in sorts. Like Adrian and me, they wore formal clothing and half masks. All the masks were different. Some had a floral substructure like mine, while others were decorated with animals. Some simply had swirls or geometric designs. Even though the masks only covered half the guests faces, the sketchy lighting went a long way to obscure any other identifying features. I scrutinized them carefully, hoping I might pick out details that would give psyche away.\r\nAdrian led me out of the entryway and over toward a corner. As my muckle of the area expanded, I could see a volumed disregard pit in the middle of the room, embedded in the stone floor. No squirt fire in it, but everyone kept well away. For a moment, I had a disorienting flash of deja vu, thinking back to my time in Siberia. Id been to a type of memorial ceremony there tooâ€though hardly one with masks or passwordsâ€and everyone had sat around a bonfire outdoors. It had been in Dimitris honor, as all those who had loved him sat and told stories about him.\r\nI tried to get a better look at the fire, but Adrian was intent on keeping us understructure the bulk of the crowd. â€Å"Dont bring attention to yourself,” he warned.\r\nâ€Å"I was just flavor.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah, but anyone who looks too close is going to realize youre the shortest person here. Itd be jolly obvious youre a dhampir. This is elite old blood, remember?”\r\n I frowned at him as much as I could through the mask. â€Å"But I thought you said youd made arrangements for me to be here?” I groaned when he didnt answer. â€Å"Does ‘making arrangements mean just creep me in? If so, those guys were kind of crap security.”\r\nAdrian scoffed. â€Å"Hey, we had the right passwords. Thats all it takes. I stoleâ€er, borrowed them off my moms list.”\r\nâ€Å"Your moms one of the people who helped organize this?”\r\nâ€Å"Yup. Her branch of the Tarus familys been deep inside this conclave for centuries. They apparently had a really largish ceremony here after the school ardour.”\r\nI turned all of this over in my mind, trying to decide how I felt. I hated when people were pursue with status and appearances, yet it was hard to fault them wanting to honor those who had been killedâ€particularly when a majority of them had been dhampirs. The Strigoi attack on St. Vladimirs was a memory that would forever haunt me. Before I could ponder much further, a familiar sensation swept me.\r\nâ€Å"Lissas here,” I said, looking around. I could feel her nearby b ut didnt point in time her immediately in the sea of masks and shadows. â€Å"There.”\r\nShe stood apart from some of the others, wearing a rosehued dress and a face cloth and gold mask with swans on it. Through our link, I felt her searching for anyone she knew. I impulsively started to go to her, but Adrian held me back, telling me to wait while he retrieved her.\r\nâ€Å"What is all this?” she asked when she reached me.\r\nâ€Å"I figured youd know,” I told her. â€Å"Its all top secret royal stuff.”\r\nâ€Å"Too top secret for me,” she said. â€Å"I got my invite from the queen. She told me it was part of my inheritance and to keep it to myself, and then Adrian came and said I had to come for your sake.”\r\nâ€Å"Tatiana invited you directly?” I exclaimed. Maybe I shouldnt have been surprised. Lissa would have hardly needed sneaking in like I did. I figured someone would have made sure she got an invitation, but Id assumed it h ad all been Adrians doing. I glanced around uneasily. â€Å"Is Tatiana here?”\r\nâ€Å"Likely,” said Adrian, voice annoyingly casual. As usual, his aunts presence didnt have the same impact on him that it did the rest of us. â€Å"Oh, hey. Theres Christian. With the fire mask.”\r\nI didnt know how Adrian spotted Christian, aside from the not-so-subtle mask metaphor. With his height and dark hair, Christian easily mix in with the other Moroi around him and had even been chatting with a missy standing(a) nearby, which seemed out of character. â€Å"No way did he get a legit invite,” I said. If any Ozeras had been deemed special enough to come to this, Christian wouldnt have been one of them.\r\nâ€Å"He didnt,” agreed Adrian, making a small gesture for Christian to join us. â€Å"I gave him one of the passwords I stole from Mom.”\r\nI gave Adrian a startled look. â€Å"How many did you steal?”\r\nâ€Å"Enough toâ€â€Å"\r\n "let us come to attention.”\r\nA mans booming voice rang out through the room, halting both Adrians words and Christians steps. With a grimace, Christian returned to where hed been standing, cut off from us now on the other side of the room. It looked like I wouldnt have the chance to ask Lissa about Dimitri after all.\r\nWithout any direction, the others in the room began forming a circle around the fire pit. The room wasnt big enough for us to make a single-layered circle, so I was still able to stay behind other Moroi as I watched the spectacle. Lissa stood by me, but her attention was fixated across from us, on Christian. She was disappointed that he hadnt been able to join us.\r\nâ€Å"Tonight we come to honor the spirits of those who died fighting the great evil that has plagued us for so long.” This was the same man who had called us to attention. The shadowy mask he wore glittered with silver swirls. He wasnt anyone special that I recognized. It was probably sa fe to assume that he was someone from an important bloodline who happened to have a good voice for bringing people together. Adrian confirm it.\r\nâ€Å"Thats Anthony Badica. They always recruit him as an emcee.”\r\nAnthony seemed more like a religious leader than an emcee right now, but I didnt want to answer back and attract anyones notice.\r\nâ€Å"Tonight we honor them,” go along Anthony.\r\nI flinched as almost everyone around us repeat those words. Lissa and I exchanged startled looks. Apparently, there was a script we hadnt been told about.\r\nâ€Å"Their lives were taken from us too soon,” continued Anthony.\r\nâ€Å"Tonight we honor them.”\r\nOkay, this script might not be so hard to follow after all. Anthony kept talking about how terrible the tragedy was, and we repeated the same response. The solely idea of this Death Watch still weirded me out, but Lissas sadness permeated the amaze and began to affect me too. Priscilla had always been g ood to herâ€and polite to me. designation might have only been Lissas guardian a short time, but he had protected her and helped her. In fact, if not for Grants work with Lissa, Dimitri might still be a Strigoi. So, slowly, the gravity of it all began to hit me, and even if I thought there were better ways to mourn, I appreciated the acknowledgment the dead were getting.\r\n afterwards a few more refrains, Anthony gestured someone forward. A woman in a glittering emerald mask came forward with a torch. Adrian shifted beside me. â€Å"My darling mother,” he murmured.\r\n trustworthy enough. Now that hed pointed it out, I could clearly make out Daniellas features. She tossed her torch into the fire pit, and it lit up like the Fourth of July. Someone must have doused that woodwind with either gasoline or Russian vodka. Maybe both. No enjoy the other guests had kept their distance. Daniella dissolve into the crowd, and another woman came forward holding a tray with golden goblets. Walking around the circle, she handed a cup to each person. When she ran out, another woman appeared with a tray.\r\nAs the goblets were distributed, Anthony explained, â€Å"Now we will toast and bedevil to the dead, so that their spirits will move on and find love-in-idleness.”\r\nI shifted uncomfortably. People talked about supple spirits and the dead finding peace without really knowing what that meant. Being shadow-kissed came with the ability to see the wide awake dead, and it had taken me a long time to gain control so that I didnt see them. They were always around me; I had to work to keep them obturate out. I wondered what Id see now if I let down my walls. Would the ghosts of those killed the night of Dimitris attack be hovering around us?\r\nAdrian sniffed his cup as soon as he got it and scowled. For a moment, I felt scourge until I sniffed mine too. â€Å"Wine. Thank God,” I verbalise to him. â€Å"From your face, I thought it was blood.â € I recalled how much he hated blood that wasnt straight from the source.\r\nâ€Å"Nah,” he murmured back. â€Å"Just a bad vintage.”\r\nWhen everyone had their drink, Anthony raised his cup over his head with both hands. With the fire behind him, it gave him an almost sinister, otherworldly look. â€Å"We befuddle to Priscilla Voda,” he said.\r\nâ€Å"We drink to Priscilla Voda,” everyone repeated.\r\nHe brought the goblet down and took a sip. So did everyone elseâ€well, except for Adrian. He gulped half his down, bad vintage or not. Anthony raised his cup over his head again.\r\nâ€Å"We drink to James Wilket.”\r\nAs I repeated the words, I realized James Wilket was one of Priscillas guardians. This crazy group of royals really was showing respect to dhampirs. We went through the other guardians one by one, but I kept my sips small, wanting to keep a level head tonight. I was pretty sure that by the end of the name list, Adrian was fakin g his sips because hed run out.\r\nWhen Anthony finished naming all who had died, he held his cup up again and approached the blinding fire, which had begun to make the small room uncomfortably hot. The back of my dress was growing damp with sweat.\r\nâ€Å"To all those deep in thought(p) by the great evil, we honor your spirits and hope they will move on in peace to the next world.” He then dumped the remainder of his wine into the flames.\r\nAll this talk of spirits lingering in the world certainly didnt go along with the usual Christian afterlife beliefs that dominated Moroi religion. It made me wonder just how old this ceremony really was. Once more, I had an urge to drop my barriers and see if any of this had really drawn ghosts to us, but I feared what Id find. Besides, I promptly got distracted when everyone else in the circle began discard their wine into the fire as well. One by one, going clockwise, each person approached. All was unplumbed as this happened, sav e for the crackling in the fire pit and shifting of logs. Everyone watched respectfully.\r\nWhen my turn came, I fought hard not to tremble. I hadnt forgotten that Adrian had sneaked me in here. low-down Moroi werent allowed, let alone dhampirs. What would they do? Declare the billet violated? Mob me? Cast me into the fire?\r\nMy fears prove unfounded. No one said or did anything comical as I poured out my wine, and a moment later, Adrian stepped forward for his turn. I melted back beside Lissa. When the entire circle had gone up, we were led into a moment of shut away for the departed. Having witnessed Lissas kidnapping and subsequent rescue, I had a lot of dead to ponder. No amount of silence would ever do them justice.\r\nAnother unspoken charge seemed to pass through the room. The circle dispersed, and the tension lifted. People again fell into small chatty groups, just like at any other party, though I did see tears on the faces of some.\r\nâ€Å"A lot of people must hav e liked Priscilla,” I observed.\r\nAdrian turned toward a table that had enigmatically been arranged during the ceremony. It sat against the back wall and was modify with fruit, cheese, and more wine. Naturally, he poured a glass.\r\nâ€Å"They arent all instant for her,” he said.\r\nâ€Å"I find it hard to believe theyre crying for the dhampirs,” I pointed out. â€Å"No one here even knew them.”\r\nâ€Å"Not true,” he said.\r\nLissa quickly caught his meaning. â€Å" virtually of the people who went on the rescue would have been guardians appoint to Moroi. They couldnt all be Court guardians.”\r\nShe was right, I realized. Wed had too many people with us at the warehouse. galore(postnominal) of these Moroi had undoubtedly lost guardians that theyd become close to. disrespect the disdain I often had for these types of royals, I knew some had probably formed legitimate friendships with and attachments to their bodyguards.\r\nâ€Å"This is a lame party,” a voice suddenly said. We turned and saw that Christian had finally made his way over to us. â€Å"I couldnt tell if we were supposed to be having a funeral or summoning the devil. It was kind of a half-assed endeavour at both.”\r\nâ€Å"Stop it,” I said, surprising myself. â€Å"Those people died for you last night. Whatever this is, its still out of respect for them.”\r\nChristians face grew sober. â€Å"Youre right.”\r\nBeside me, Id felt Lissa light up inside when she saw him. The horrors of their ordeal had brought them closer together, and I recalled the tenderness theyd shared on the ride back. She offered him a cordially look and got a tentative smile in return. Maybe some good would come of all that had happened. Maybe theyd be able to fix their problems.\r\nOr maybe not.\r\nAdrian broke into a grin. â€Å"Hey. Glad you could make it.”\r\nFor a moment, I thought he was sermon to Christian. Then I looked and saw a girl in a peacock mask had conjugate us. With the mingling people and masks, I hadnt noticed that she was intentionally standing near us. I peered at her, beholding only blue eyes and golden curls before I finally recognized her. Mia.\r\nâ€Å"What are you doing here?” I asked.\r\nShe grinned. â€Å"Adrian got me a password.”\r\nâ€Å"Adrian apparently got passwords for half the party.”\r\nHe seemed very pleased with himself. â€Å"See?” he said, fortunate at me. â€Å"I told you Id make this worth your while. The whole gangs here. Nearly.”\r\nâ€Å"This is one of the weirdest things Ive ever seen,” said Mia, glancing around. â€Å"I dont see why it has to be a secret that the people who got killed were heroes. Why cant they wait for the group funeral?”\r\nAdrian shrugged. â€Å"I told you, this is an ancient ceremony. Its a holdover from the Old Country, and these people think its important. From what I know, it used to be a l ot more elaborate. This is the modernized version.”\r\nIt occurred to me then that Lissa hadnt said a single word since wed noticed Christian had come with Mia. I opened myself to the bond, feeling a engorge of jealousy and resentment. I still maintained Mia was one of the last people Christian would be come to with. (Okay, it was hard for me to imagine him involved with anyone. His getting together with Lissa had been monumental.) Lissa couldnt see that, though. All she saw was him continually hanging out with other girls. As our conversation continued, Lissas post grew frostier, and the friendly looks hed been giving her began to fade.\r\nâ€Å"So is it true?” Mia asked, short to the drama unfolding around her. â€Å"Is Dimitri really… back?”\r\nLissa and I exchanged glances. â€Å"Yes,” I said firmly. â€Å"Hes a dhampir, but no one believes it yet. Because theyre idiots.”\r\nâ€Å"It just happened, little dhampir.” Adrians tone was gentle, though the topic clearly made him uncomfortable too. â€Å"You cant expect everyone to get on age with it right away.”\r\nâ€Å"But they are idiots,” said Lissa fiercely. â€Å"Anyone who dialog to him can tell hes not a Strigoi. Im contending for them to let him out of his cell so that people can actually see for themselves.”\r\nI wished she would push a little harder for me to get to see him, but now wasnt the time to talk about that. Eyeing the room, I wondered if some people would have trouble pass judgment Dimitri because of his role in the deaths of their loved ones. He hadnt been in control of himself, but that wasnt enough to bring back the dead.\r\nStill uncomfortable around Christian, Lissa was growing restless. She also wanted to leave and check on Dimitri. â€Å"How long do we have to stay here? Is there more toâ€â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Who the hell are you?”\r\nOur little bunch together turned as one and found Anthony standing b y us. Considering most of us were here illicitly, he could have been speaking to anyone. But, based on where his survey was fixed, there was no question who he meant.\r\nHe was talking to me.\r\n'