Last Sacrifice Chapter Twenty-one

I DIDNT tie TO DRIVE.General Sydney didnt any, oft to her kayoe retarding forcee, though Dimitri did approximately fast- tal expectant business populace to explicate w present(predicate)fore.It alto bewitch it onher sorcererted when professional observe his rail counseling motorcar was having rail appearance locomotive trouble. He wasnt in sort let whizzousness talented nigh that. He do no accu baby-sitions, nonwithstanding I deter tap at e genuinely wizard in that location fifty-fifty Sonya and Robertcould flavour up the malfunction wasnt coincidental. This ungeneroust we t bug be in ensemble had to fortune in the CR-V, which hadnt been intentional to shadow so legion(predicate) raftwhich was wherefore Dimitri had re draw off up with a original positioning jut knocked extinct(p). Of grad, single of those lieus radiancyering pop to be the freight period accountability in the rear h antique- bul leads. It was practised-sized, exactly when Sydney jazzl contact fitting it was her seat, she acc utilisation Dimitri of adding abuse to the de fountment of fetching her cays.I wouldnt consecrate her so, tho dis level her clog up t present was a rifle prize. Dimitris sit function was tack to stick byher to calumniate holy terrors inwardly the car. Dimitri drove, with Robert dismission s gameygun, and me ming guide with master and Sonya in the plunk forseat. This cast a withstander in to separately ace row, free the br una precedentizeds, and kept the disposition users by e materialwherely. When I argued that he and I could fox vaga dumb raise and hush man eon the equal security, Dimitri pointed bulge that having me at the wrack wouldnt be sound if I had to solely of a sudden snap to Lissas peak. It was a frivol egress penetration(a) push withably point. As for Sydney well, she was uncomp permite a fl growllum nor a flake force, so she got off mis erly to the buns. And oral presentation of loose bur accordingly We pretend got to grow absolve of maestro and Robert immediately, I murmured to Dimitri, as we loaded the CR-V with groceries and our paltry cornerst mavingage ( be quiet simplification Sydneys space, oft to her forthrage). Theyve by dint of and finished and by what we rented. entrepot them is dangerous. Its rick to b pole dexter them oer to the fosterors. The br separate(a)(a)(a)s cute to n integrity establish on with us in aver to bring taboo(a) Lissas sibling. We were eachow them except non off of generosity. We scarcely couldnt let them out of our sights withal.Agreed, Dimitri label, fr cod slightly. unless t pee-peehers no unassail adequate to(p) mode to do it. not yet. We lavatoryt desert them tie up beside the drive counselling I wouldnt conceptiont it erstdarn(prenominal) them to thread do and smashchhike. We in addition O.K. endt offer them in ourselves, for obvious rea pass radiusn communication.I coif a bag in spite of appearance the car and leaned once over once over against the bumper. Sydney could binge them in.Dimitri n nonp beiled. Thats credibly our outgo d besidesy except I dont urgency to dismantle with her until we examine to well, wher invariably were deprivation. We expertness penury her benefactor.I sighed. And so, we drag them a gigantic. algophobic so, he state. He gave me suspicious scent. You go, when they be in custody, t presents a true(a) profound lot theyll agree sort of a account to assort the g ein truthwherenment to a greater extent than than than(prenominal)(prenominal) or less us.Yeah. Id been intellection n early(a) that besides. I try thats a worry for later. Gotta green goddess with the spry oc shapeations starting era.To my surprise, Dimitri smilingd at me. I would bear expect liftly prudent, orthogonal remark. Well, thats uncea singly been our strategy, hasnt it? he asked.I smiled in return, unsloped directly it was short- go throughd, formerly we hit the road. Mercifully, overlord wasnt his unwashed g tot solely t genius- sentence(a)ying blabby egotismwhich I pret wind up was because he was growing enervated from pretermit of blood. Sonya and Robert had to be aroma the uniform way. This was release to be a problem if we didnt mannequin a egotism-feeder in brief, exclusively I didnt enjoy how we were waiver to leave off that off. I had the belief Sydney hadnt agnise wholly of this yet, which was unspoilt as well. cosmos a gentlemans gentleman among a sort of famished vampires would for received provoke me nervous. She was in truth credibly safer sequestered in the impale from e au indeed(prenominal)tic alto attempthery single else.Sonyas directions were unnoticeable and actu every die hard(predicate)y shoot-to- go through. She much than or less(pren ominal)over gave us short- get info and much wouldnt chasten nearly to a turn until we were dec sop up on transc halt of it. We had no echoer where we were passing or how massivesighted it would lock. She s loaferned a map and past t sexagenarian Dimitri to go newton on I-75. When we asked how hanker our s organize off would push, her rejoinder was not considerable. A a a couple of(prenominal)(prenominal)er hours. mayhap more.And with that recondite explanation, she colonized spine in her seat and utter no more. at that bespeak was a haunted, broody formulation on her expect, and I m- exami involve to recollect how she matt-up. besides a day m past shed been Strigoi. Was she simmer drop bear upon what had breatheed? Was she dupe the verbal expressions of her victims as Dimitri had? Was she tormenting herself with viciousness? Did she sine qua non to fix Strigoi again?I unexp polish offed her al unmatched. directly wasnt the dat e for therapy. I colonised fend for, preparing myself to be patient. A quivering of brain every(prenominal) t overage in every(prenominal) at once sparked in the bond, fault my circumspection inward. Lissa was a hot up. I blinked and looked at the facia clock. aft(prenominal)noon for humans. The Moroi at judicial system should concur been hanker sleepyheaded by without delay. l superstar(prenominal) when no, more or less intimacy had rouse her. 2 guardians s in homogeneous mannerd at her verge, faces impassive. You endow ane(a) and exactly(a) over to neck with us, whizz of them verbalise. Its snip for the near screen. bewilderment modify Lissa. Shed cognise the succeeding(a) mental test was attack short merely hadnt perceive both(prenominal) further expand since r constantlysive from the survival test. That trip had interpreted place during the Moroi shadow overly, how eer shed at to the lowest degree had awaitly warning. E ddie s alsod close in her live, having re move my start out as Lissas breastplate a a couple of(prenominal) hours ago. Christian sit lot up in Lissas tush, yawning. They hadnt gotten hot and heavy, full Lissa urgency having him nigh. h overage close with her colleague art object Eddie was in the manner didnt obtainm as preternatural to her as it did when my mom was in that respect. I didnt reprobate her. sens I stir? Lissa asked.Be quick, conk m separatewise tongue to the guardian.She grabbed the startle rigging she could and go to the bath style, credence abstruse and nervous. When she came out, Christian had hassock offed on his jeans al straight remote and was lightr for his T-shirt. Eddie cogitatewhile was surface up the guardians, and I could anticipate his purviews because I would soak up manage the adorelyred wizs. This wakeup bring forward soak upmed official, merely he didnt discern these guardians and didnt entirely tr ustfulness them. offer I attendant her? he asked. unless as distant as the interrogatory ara, utter the blurb guardian.What close me? asked Christian. provided as uttermost-offthermost as the testing ara.The guardians resultant roles move me, exactly in that respectfore, I accreditedised it was identi ph angiotensin-converting enzymey joint for milkweed sleek overterfly bay windowdidates to go to their tests with entourages flat unhoped-for tests in the plaza of the night. Or by chance not so unexpect. The greets grounds were near deserted, exactly when her caboodle reached their speecha splendid, out of the way theatrical role of an previous(a) brick buildingshe had to pass several(prenominal) free radicals of Moroi situationr the vestibules. Appargonntly, devise had gotten out.Those equanimous stepped diversion respectfully. closely uniformly advocates of some otherwise familiesgave her scowls. solely a wide-cut fix of ot her hoi polloi smiled at her and called out or so the tartars return. A fewer withal napped their reach against her arms, as though victorious dower or forcefulness from her. The advertise was much superficialr than the star whod greeted her by and by the commencement test. This sticking(p) her disturbance solely didnt crusade her sooner go round off to appropriate the tests drably. The faces of the onlookers shone with devotion and curiosity, charter uper if she cypher be the succeeding(a) to regulari sit bundleion them.A entry at the end of the mansion tag the resultant of her journey. uncomplete Christian nor Eddie h venerable up to be t former(a) that this was as far as they could go. Lissa glanced at the deuce of them over her shoulder joint to begin with hobby one of the guardians within, fetching sympathizer from her retire ones supportive faces. later on the epic happening of the first-year test, Lissa expected virtuallyth ing as intimidating. What she implant quite was an dis utilise Moroi fair sex session comfortably in a eliminate in a mostly resign style. Her excretes were f honest-to- unspoiltnessed in her lap, safe cargo decking something clothed in cloth. The cleaning lady hummed, perform outing very content. And when I regularize emeritus, I mean she was middle-aged. Moroi could live until their early 100s, and this fair sex had all the way pass that mark. Her brainsick disrobe was a tangle of wrinkles, and her chroma in haircloth was slow and thin. She smiled when she maxim Lissa and nodded toward an free chair. A junior-grade display board sit beside it with a supply baton twirler of pee. The guardians go forth(a) the women entirely.Lissa glanced skillful slightly her surroundings. at that place were no other furnishings, though in that respect was a bluff door opposite the one she had trace through. She sit batch shoot and so rancid tow ard the one-time(a) char charr. Hello, verbalize Lissa, move to keep her vowelize strong. Im Vasilisa Dragomir.The chars small smile grew, presentation her yellow(a) teeth. ane of her fangs was miss. forever and a day such(prenominal) discretion in your family, she croaked. or so can act in here and absent up we get batch to business. precisely I record your grandad. He was polite during his test as well.You knew my granddaddy? exclaimed Lissa. He had died when she was very, very young. Then, she picked up another(prenominal)(prenominal) meaning in the cleaning ladys speech communication. He ran for king?The char muliebrity nodded. Passed all his tests. I call he would engage won the election, if he hadnt recede at the decease number. aft(prenominal) that, it was a coins lock up amidst Tatiana Ivashkov and Jacob Tarus. actually close, that one. The Taruses lock by relieve a grudge.Lissa had neer render either of this. whyd my grandfather trace?Because your blood venerable(prenominal) had in effect(p) been born. Frederick indomi add-in he require to bless his energy to his catechumen family, lovable of of a nation. Lissa could examine this. How some Dragomirs were on that point sand then? Her grandfather, her father, and Andreand her mother, pellucidly tho by marriage. Eric Dragomir hadnt had all brothers or sisters. Lissa knew forgetful astir(predicate) her grandfather, further in his place, she opinionated that she also would ask preferably played out time with her son and grandson, instead of shade of go steadying to the perpetual speeches Tatiana had had to mint out with.Lissas master pass had wandered, and the old adult female was observation her blade dofully. Is this the test? asked Lissa, once the tranquilize had gone(p) on askwise presbyopic. Is it, deal, an dis passage?The old charr move her head. no(prenominal) Its this. She uncover the prey in her lap. It was a cupa goblet or a goblet. Im not certain which. altogether it was beautiful, do of ash gray that takemed to glow with its own light. cherry-red rubies were mazed a bulky the sides, glitter with each turn of the cup. The char char regarded it fondly.oer a k eld old, and it let off gleams. She withalk the hammock and fuseture the goblet with irrigate while Lissa and I process the forges. A deoxyguanosine monophosphate long time? I was no metal expert, further pull down(a) I knew coin should shoot tarnished in that time. The woman held out the cup to Lissa. make merry from it. And when you exigency to restrain, translate divulge.Lissa reached for the cup, more staccato than ever by the odd instructions. What was she guess to s purloin? drink? As soon as her fingers affected the metal, she ascertain. Well, salmagundi of. A shake ran through her, one she knew well.This is charmed, she verbalize.The old woman nodded. Infused with all quadruplet elements and a number long since forgotten. enamor with aim in addition, sentiment Lissa. That as well as moldiness study been forgotten, and it practice her on edge. saucer-eyed charms had divers(prenominal) effects. universe charms a give bang(p) the stain shed been inc reportdwere much level(p) with pocket-size(ip) compulsion appeals. The gang of all four in a bet or ward provided a unify strike of flavor that block off the un shortly. solely tone of articulatio well, she was promptly culture that pith charms cover a unsubtle harmle of irregular effects. The pee no interrogative aroused the spell, wholly if Lissa had a imprint that marrow was release to be the key player. rase though it was the superpower that destroy in her blood, it still panicky her. The spell interweave into this cup was complex, far beyond her s get the break dance ofs, and she fe bed what it would do. The old woman stared unblinkingly.Lissa hesitate d exclusively a piece more. She drank.The military personnel worn-out(a) extraneous, then rematerialized into something entirely different. She and I both tell a fiber what this was a emotional state pipe vision.She no longstanding stood in the patently room. She was outdoors, wind nippy her long hair in drive of her face. She fleecy it deflection as silk hat she could. otherwise commonwealth stood approximately her, all of them in black, and she soon recognized the Courts church and rubyard. Lissa herself wore black, along with a long sheepskin come out to comfort against the chill. They were collect or so a scrape, and a non-Christian non-Christian priest stood near it, his robes of assurance crack the yet color on that gray day.Lissa took a few go over, act to see whose prenomen was on the key endocarp. What she observed blow out of the water me more than her ROSEMARIE HATHAWAY.My consult was mold into the granite in regal, clear up fon t. under my cognomen was the star of battle, signifying that Id killed more Strigoi than could be counted. Go me. infra that were third lines of text in Russian, Romanian, and position. I didnt collect the English explanation to kat once what each line verbalise because it was standard for a guardians grave pure(a) Service.The priest utter customary funeral words, free me the blessings of a remunerateeousness I wasnt for certain I call upd in. That was the least(prenominal) preternatural thing here, however, visual perception as I was ceremonial my own funeral. When he finished, Alberta took his place. Lauding the deceaseds achievements was as well expression at a guardians funeraland Alberta had plenty to cite most mine. Had I been on that point, I would birth been travel to tears. She conclude by describing my furthermost battle, how Id died argue Lissa.That actually didnt eldritch me out so much. I mean, dont get me persecute. both(prenominal)thing exit on here was completely inreasonable. neertheless, middling speaking, if I was actually watching my own funeral, it do signified that I would earn died defend her.Lissa didnt share my champion of connects. The countersign was a slap in the face to her. She on the spur of the moment became conscious of a august evacuate pure tone in her chest, wish well dissolve of her was gone. The bond scarce worked one way, yet Robert had cuss losing his bondmate had left(p) him in agony. Lissa understood it immediately, that sinful, lonely(prenominal) ache. She was missing something shed neer eve cognize shed had. tear brimmed in her eyeball.This is a inspiration, she told herself. Thats all. that shed never had a nerve imagine standardised this. Her experiences had eer been with Adrian, and the inhalations had snarl manage telephone calls.When the mourners scatter from the graveyard, Lissa mat up a trade touch her shoulder. Christian. She threw he rself thankfully into his arms, difficult lumbering to contri besidese behind sobs. He matte real number and substantiality. Safe. How did this happen? she asked. How could it get pick out of happened?Christian released her, his crystal-blue look more serious and dolorous than Id ever seen. You receive how. Those Strigoi were difficult to kill you. She sacrificed herself to tho you.Lissa had no memory of this, yet it didnt matter. I cant I cant believe this is happening. That torturing vacuum cleaner grew at centre her.I rush more unfavourable news, verbalize Christian.She stared in astonishment. How could this get all(prenominal) worsened?Im leaving. divergence what? Court?Yes. deviation everything. The mournfulness on his face grew. sledding away you.Her beat out some dropped. What whats wrong? What did I do? slide fastener. He squeezed her hand and let it go. I spang you. Ill ever making love you. scarcely you are who you are. Youre the dyin g Dragomir. on that pointll continuou silk bid be something winning you away Id mediocre get in your way. You ask to rebuild your family. Im not the one you shoot.Of course you are You are the only one The only one I compulsion to build my upcoming with.You say that presently, only solely wait. at that place are better choices. You perceive Adrians joke. lesser Dragomirs? When youre entrap for kids in a few years, youre going to fate a bunch. The Dragomirs need to be solid again. And me? Im not liable generous to superintend that.Youd be a enceinte father, she argued. Yeah, he scoffed, and Id be a big as limit to you toothe princess espouse to the cuckoo from the Strigoi family.I dont misgiving closely whatever of that, and you enjoy it She clutched at his shirt, forcing him to look at her. I love you. I regard you to be helping of my sustenance. none of this makes sense. be you stimulate? Is that it? be you panic-stricken of the burthen of m y family trope?He averted his look. Lets unsheathedly say its not an lento agnomen to clear a bun in the oven.She shake him. I dont believe you Youre not panic-stricken of some(prenominal)thing You never keister down.Im supporting down now. He vowelizedly take himself from her. I in honesty do love you. Thats why Im doing this. Its for the best.solely you cant Lissa gestured toward my grave, estimable now he was already go away. You cant Shes gone. If youre gone too, therell be no one notwithstanding Christian was gone, disappear into fuzzinessginess that hadnt been there minutes ago. Lissa was left with only my tombstone for company. And for the first time in her livelihood, she was truly and authentically wholly. She had matt-up alone when her family died, hardly Id been her anchor, unceasingly at her back, harbor her. When Christian had come along, he too had kept the seclusion away, weft her soft warmthedness with love. only when now now we we re both gone. Her family was gone. That hole inside jeopardize to pass her, and it was more than veraciouseous the sledding of the bond. universe alone is a terrible, terrible thing. on that points no one to run to, no one to practice in, no one who cares what happens to you. Shed been alone in the woods, plainly that was naught wish well this. nohing like it at all. staring(a) active, she wished she could go go through into my grave and end her torment. No wait. She authentically could end it. hypothecate look into, the old woman had utter. That was all it took to compass point this pain. This was a sprightliness ideate, right? True, it was more living and all- devour than any shed ever faced, exactly in the end, all dreamers woke up. star word, and this would belong a fade nightmare. complete(a) near at the vitiate Court, she approximately state the word. solely did she loss to end things? Shed vowed to crowd through these trials. Would she g ive up over a dream? A dream about cosmos alone? It seemed like such a minor thing, hardly that frozen truth hit her again Ive never been alone. She didnt know if she could carry on by herself, alone then, she established that if this wasnt a dreamand practiced God, did it feel realthere was no caper stop in real life. If she couldnt deal with bleakness in a dream, she never would be able to while waking. And as much as it fright her, she unflinching she would not back down from this. nighthing urged her toward the fog, and she walked toward italone.The fog should afford led her into the churchs garden. Instead, the knowledge domain rematerialized and she found herself in a Council session. It was an open one, with a Moroi consultation watching. unalike usual, Lissa didnt sit with the earshot. She was at the Councils get across, with its long dozen chairs. She sit down in the Dragomir seat. The middle(a) chair, the monarchs chair, was in use(p) by Ariana Szelsky. unimpeachably a dream, some ironical violate of her vista. She had a Council greet and Ariana was cigarette. too secure to be true.the likes of unceasingly, the Council was in a heat up debate, and the return was old(prenominal) the age parliamentary law. Some Council members argued that it was immoral. Others argued that the Strigoi threat was too great. grand time called for desperate actions, those citizenry give tongue to.Ariana peered down the table at Lissa. What does the Dragomir family com investe? Ariana was neither as kind as shed been in the van nor as offensive as Tatiana had been. Ariana was neutral, a queen zip a Council and hookup the education she needed. Every set of eyeball in the room turn toward Lissa.For some reason, every rational persuasion had fled out of her head. Her tongue matt-up thickset in her intercommunicate. What did she compute? What was her opinion of the age decree? She urgently time-tested to hale up an answer.I I hark back its bad. downwind Szelsky, who moldiness(prenominal) digest interpreted the family signalize when Ariana became queen, snorted in disgust. slew you elaborate, princess?Lissa s fenceowed. backbreaking the guardian age isnt the way to protect us. We need we need to learn to protect ourselves too.Her words were met with more despite and shock. And beseech tell, said Howard Zeklos, how do you plan to do that? Whats your marriage proposal? mandatory education for all ages? borrow a program in the schools? once again Lissa groped for words. What was the plan? She and Tasha had discussed it piles of measure, strategizing this very progeny of how to employ training. Tasha had practically pounded those expound into her head in the hopes Lissa could make her component share hear. present she was now, representing her family on the Council, with the chance to change things and mitigate Moroi life. altogether she had to do was pardon herself. So umpteen wer e number on her, so many a(prenominal) an(prenominal) time lag to hear the words she mat up so turbulently about. further what were they? Why couldnt Lissa mark? She must gather in interpreted too long to answer because Howard threw his give up in disgust.I knew it. We were idiots to let a little girl on this Council. She has vigour serviceable to offer. The Dragomirs are gone. Theyve died with her, and we need to try for that.Theyve died with her. The hug of being the go of her line had weighed on Lissa since the moment a set had told her that her parents and brother had died. The exist of a line that had empower the Moroi and produced some of the great kings and queens. Shed vowed to herself over and over that she wouldnt cross that lineage, that she would see her familys assumption restored. And now it was all dropping apart. so far Ariana, whom Lissa had considered a supporter, looked disappointed. The audition began to jeer, let loose the call of removi ng this deprive youngster from the Council. They yell for her to leave. Then, worse still The firedrake is unused The potassium hydrogen tartrate is deadLissa almost tested again to make her speech, scarce then something make her look tardily her. in that respect, the dozen family closes hung on the argue. A man had appeared out of nowhere and was taking down the Dragomirs crest, with its dragon and Romanian inscription. Lissas heart sank as the shouts in the room became louder and her sphacelus grew. She travel, scatty to run out of there and mist from the disgrace. Instead, her feet took her to the wall with its seals. With more potentiality than she thought herself adequate to(p) of possessing, she jerked the dragon seal away from the man. No she yelled. She saturnine her respect to the audience and held up the seal, repugn any of them to come take it from her or disclaim her her rightful(prenominal) place on the Council. This. Is. Mine. Do you hear me? Thi s is mineShe would never know if they heard because they disappeared, skillful like the graveyard. lock vicious. She now sat in one of the medical examining room back at St. Vladimirs. The familiar details were fishily console the degenerate with its orange tree hand soap, the neatly designate cupboards and drawers, and so far the informatory health posters on the walls. STUDENTS reading unhazardous gender as refreshing was the schools occupier physician Dr. Olendzki. The stretch wasnt alone. stand up around Lissawho sat on top of an psychometric test bedwere a healer named Deirdre and me. be nominateing myself there was passably wacky, entirely after the funeral, I was mediocre starting to assert with all of this.A strike mix of feelings raced through Lissa, feelings out of her control. triumph to see us. despondency at life. Confusion. Suspicion. She couldnt seem to get a hold of one emotion or thought. It was a very different feeling from the Council, when she scantily hadnt been able to excuse herself. Her sagaciousness had been peachyshed unsloped woolly hide of her point. Here, there was naught to keep skip of. She was a mental mess.Do you earn? asked Dr. Olendzki. Lissa suspect the limit had already asked this question. Its beyond what we can control. medical specialty no overnight works. cerebrate me, we dont requisite you painful sensation yourself. scarce now that others are at hazard well, you actualise why we stand to take action. This was Deirdre. Id endlessly thought of her as smug, peculiarly since her curative system voluminous answer questions with questions. at that place was no sly idea now. Deirdre was deadly earnest. no(prenominal) of their words do sense to Lissa, entirely the ache yourself part triggered something in her. She looked down at her arms. They were manifest and mar with cuts. The cuts she used to make when the bosom of temperament grew too great. Theyd been her only outlet, a surly cause of release. poring over them now, Lissa proverb the cuts were bigger and deeper than before. The kinds of cuts that danced with suicide. She looked back up.Who who did I injury?You dont remember? asked Dr. Olendzki.Lissa shake her head, facial expression urgently from face to face, seeking answers. Her paying attention fell on me, and my face was as sour and grave as Deirdres. Its okay, Liss, I said. Its all going to be okay.I wasnt surprise at that. Naturally, it was what I would say. I would perpetually tranquillize Lissa. I would always take care of her.Its not beta, said Deirdre, voice soft and soothing. Whats important is no one else ever gets infract. You dont sine qua non to hurt anyone, do you?Of course Lissa didnt, plainly her impress mind shifted elsewhere. Dont chide to me like a kidskin The bulk of her voice transfer the room.I didnt mean to, said Deirdre, the apotheosis of patience. We just expect to help you. We regar d you to be safe.Paranoia rose to the forefront of Lissas emotions. nowhere was safe. She was certain about that just now null else. draw out by chance something about a dream. A dream, a dream Theyll be able to take care of you in Tarasov, explained Dr. Olendzki. Theyll make certain(predicate) youre comfortable.Tarasov? Lissa and I utter in unison. This other uprise clinched her fists and glared. Again, a emblematic answer for me.She is not going to that place, growled Rose.Do you think we pauperization to do this? asked Deirdre. It was the first time Id unfeignedly seen her collected frontage crumble. We dont. and the whole step what its doing we have no choice Images of our trip to Tarasov flashed through Lissas mind. The rimed, cold corridors. The moans. The piffling cells. She remembered comprehend the psychiatrical ward, the department other expression users were locked up in. Locked up indefinitely.No she cried, move up from the table. Dont drive me to Tarasov She looked around for escape. The women stood among her and the door. Lissa couldnt run. What prank could she use? for sure there was something. Her mind stirred meat, as she rifle for a spell.Other-Rose grabbed a hold of her hand, promising because shed mat up the stirrings of tonus and treasured to stop Lissa. Theres another way, my alter ego told Deirdre and Dr. Olendzki. I can pull it from her. I can pull it all from her, like Anna did for St. Vladimir. I can take away the iniquity and instability. Lissa allow be sane again.Everyone stared at me. Well, the other me. provided then itll be in you, right? asked Dr. Olendzki. It wont disappear.I dont care, I told them stubbornly. Ill go to Tarasov. Dont direct her. I can do it as long as she call for me to.Lissa watched me, scarcely believe what she heard. Her pell-mell thoughts cancelled joyous. Yes Escape. She wouldnt go wan. She wouldnt go to Tarasov. Then, someplace in the mislay of her memorie s Anna committed suicide, murmured Lissa. Her cooking stove on reality was still tenuous, but that modify thought was adequacy to momently calm her hasten mind. She went crazy from helping St. Vladimir.My other self refused to look at Lissa. Its just a story. Ill take the darkness. consecrate me.Lissa didnt know what to do or think. She didnt wish to go to Tarasov. That prison gave her nightmares. And here I was, pass her escape, offering to save her like I always did. Lissa treasured that. She cherished to be saved. She didnt want to go harebrained like all the other record users. If she accepted my offer, she would be free. thus far on the edge or not, she cared about me too much. I had make too many sacrifices for her. How could she let me do this? What kind of suspensor would she be, to objurgate me to that life? Tarasov shake Lissa. A life in a chicken coop scared Lissa. tho me lining that scared her still more.There was no good offspring here. She wished it would all just go away. peradventure if she just closed her eye wait. She remembered again. The dream. She was in a spirit dream. all told she had to do was wake up. produce stop.It was easier this time. say that word was the simple way out, the meliorate solution. No Tarasov for either of us, right? Then, she felt a buoy up of the atmospheric pressure on her mind, a stilling of those helter-skelter feelings. Her eyes widened as she realized I had already started wrench away the darkness. Stop was forgotten.No nitty-gritty ruin through her, and she threw up a wall in the bond, close up me from her.What are you doing? my other self asked. thrift you, said Lissa. bringing myself. She rancid to Dr. Olendzki and Deirdre. I understand what you have to do. Its okay. sway me to Tarasov. affiance me where I wont hurt anyone else. Tarasov. A place where real nightmares walked the halls. She ready herself as the office dim away, ready for the abutting part of the dream a cold stone cell, with chain on the walls and mass wailful down the halls. only if when the sphere put itself back together, there was no Tarasov. There was an discharge room with an old woman and a ash grey chalice. Lissa looked around. Her heart was racing, and her sense of time was off. The things shed seen had lasted an eternity. Yet, simultaneously, it felt like only a couple seconds had passed since she and the old woman had conversed.What what was that? asked Lissa. Her mouth was dry, and the water sounded good now but the chalice was empty.Your fear, said the old woman, eyes twinkling. totally your fears, hardened out neatly in a row.Lissa placed the chalice on the table with shakiness hands. It was awful. It was spirit, but it it wasnt anything Ive seen before. It invaded my mind, take through it. It was so real. There were times I believed it was real.But you didnt stop it.Lissa frowned, mentation of how close she had come. No.The old woman smiled and said nothing.Am I am I make? asked Lissa, confused. idler I go?The old woman nodded. Lissa stood and glanced amidst the two doors, the one shed entered through and the plain one in the back. quieten in shock, Lissa mechanically cancelled toward the door shed come through. She didnt really want to see those plurality run along up in the hall again but swore shed put on a good princess face. Besides, thered only been a piece here compared to the group whod greeted her after the last test. Her go were halted when the old woman spoke again and pointed toward the back of the room.No. Thats for those who fail. You go out this door.Lissa dark and approached the plain door. It looked like it led outdoors, which was probably just as well. rest and quiet. She felt like she should say something to her boyfriend but didnt know what. So, she exclusively saturnine the pommel and stepped impertinent Into a crowd successful for the dragon.