Last Sacrifice Chapter Three

WELL, NOT GONE EXACTLY.Muted. Kind of homogeneous how it had matt-up immediately afterwards shed quietusored Dimitri rearwards to a dhampir. The deceit had been so strong then that it had burned turn up our middleman. There was no blast of dissembling straightway. It was almost as though the asinineness was intentional on her part. Like always, I even-tempered had a common sense of Lissa she was alive she was well. So what was stay freshing me from tactual sensation more(prenominal) of her? She wasnt asleep, because I could feel a sense of alert sentience on the different location of this w whole. Spirit was thither, hiding her from me and she was making it happen.What the cuckoos nest? It was an accepted fact that our bond paper worked alone one way. I could sense her she couldnt sense me. Likewise, I could control when I went into her mind. Often, I tried to keep myself prohibited (jail captivity time excluded), in an attempt to protect her privacy. Lissa had no such control, and her vulnerability infuriated her sometimes. Every once in a while, she could use her power to shield herself from me, only when it was rare, difficult, and required considerable lather on her part. Today, she was pulling it off, and as the condition persisted, I could feel her strain. safekeeping me out wasnt easy, nevertheless(prenominal) she was managing it. Of course, I didnt care about the how of it. I precious to fill in the why.It was probably my worst day of imprisonment. Fear for myself was one thing. scarcely for her? That was agonizing. If it was my behavior or hers, I would dumbfound walked into exe pull downwardsion without hesitation. I had to know what was going on. Had she learned something? Had the Council decided to skip right over a attempt and execute me? Was Lissa trying to protect me from that news? The more kernel she wielded, the more she endangered her life. This mental wall required a hoi polloi of magic. But why? Why was s he taking this risk?It was astonishing in that moment to realize just how much I relied on the bond to keep track of her. True I didnt always wel part hold someone elses thoughts in my soul. Despite the control Id learned, her mind still sometimes poured into tap in moments Id rather not experience. None of that was a concern nowonly her safety was. Being gag uprightnessed off was like having a limb re locomote.All day I tried to pop off indoors her head. Every time, I was unploughed out. It was maddening. No visitors came to me either, and the book and magazines had grand since baffled their appeal. The caged animal feeling was getting to me again, and I spent a bewitching amount of time yelling at my guardswith no results. Tatianas funeral was tomorrow, and the clock to my trial was ticking loudly.Bedtime came, and the wall in the bond dropped at lastbecause Lissa went to sleep. The link between us was firm, that her mind was closed off in unconsciousness. Id find no answers there. Left with zero point else, I went to bed as well, wondering if Id be cut off again in the morning.I wasnt. She and I were linked again, and I was able to see the world by her eyes once more. Lissa was up and around early, preparing for the funeral. I neither proverb nor felt any sign of why Id been blocked the day in advance. She was allow me back into her mind, just like normal. I almost wondered if Id imagined being cut off from her.No there it was. Barely. Within her mind, I sensed thoughts she was still hiding from me. They were slippery. Each time I tried to grasp them, they beastly out of my hands. I was amazed she could still use enough magic to pull it off, and it was in any case a clear indication that shed blocked me out intentionally yesterday. What was going on? Why on earth would she posit to hide something from me? What could I do about anything, locked in this hellhole? Again, my edginess grew. What awful thing didnt I know about?I watched Lis sa get ready, seeing no ostensible sign of anything unusual. The dress shed ended up selecting had cap sleeves and went to the knee. Black, of course. It was hardly a clubbing dress, but she knew it would raise some eyebrows. Under different circumstances, this would have delighted me. She chose to wear her hair down and unbound, its pale blond color showing brightly against the dresss black when she surveyed herself in a mirror. Christian met Lissa outside. He cleaned up well, I had to admit, uncharacteristically wearing away a dress shirt and tie. Hed drawn the line at a jacket, and his expression was an odd mix of nervousness, secrecy, and typical snark. When he truism Lissa, though, his flavor momentarily transformed, turning radiant and awestruck as he gazed at her. He gave her a dinky smile and besidesk her into his weapons for a brief embrace. His touch brought her contentment and comfort, easing her anxiety. Theyd gotten back together recently after a breakup, and tha t time apart had been agonizing for both of them.Its going to be okay, he murmured, his look of worry returning. Thisll work. We can do this.She said nothing but tightened her hold on him before stepping back. Neither of them spoke as they walked to the beginning of the funeral procession. I decided this was suspicious. She caught hold of his hand and felt fortify by it.The funeral procedures for Moroi monarchs had been the same for centuries, no matter if the Court was in Romania or its new home in Pennsylvania. That was the Moroi way. They mixed the traditional with the modern, magic with technology.The queens slope would be carried by pallbearers out of the palace and taken with great ceremony all with the Courts grounds, until it reached the Courts imposing cathedral. There, a select group would encipher for mass. After the service, Tatiana would be buried in the churchs graveyard, taking her place beside other monarchs and important over-embellisheds.The coffins route w as easy to spot. Poles strung with red and black silk banners tag each side. Rose petals had been strewn on the ground the coffin would pass over. on the sides, people crammed together, hoping to catch a glimpse of their former queen. Many Moroi had come from far off places, some to see the funeral and some to see the monarch elections that would before long follow over the next couple of weeks.The royal family visualizemost of whom wore saleswoman-approved black velvet were already heading into the palace building. Lissa stop outside to part ways with Christian since he certainly had never been in the running to represent his family for such an honored event. She gave him another raspy hug and a light kiss. As they stepped away, there was a crafty glint in his blue eyesthat secret that was hidden from me.Lissa pushed through the gathering crowds, trying to get to the entrance and find the processions starting point. The building didnt look like the palaces or castles of old -fashioned Europe. Its grand stone farade and tall-stalked windows matched the Courts other structures, but a few featuresits height, wide marble stepsubtly distinguished it from other buildings. A tug at Lissas arm stopped her progress, nearly causing her to run into an ancient Moroi man.Vasilisa? It was Daniella Ivashkov, Adrians mother. Daniella wasnt so unsound as royals went, and she was actually okay with Adrian and me datingor at least, she had been before I became an accused murderer. Most of Daniellas acceptance had come from the fact that she believed Adrian and I would split up anyways once I received my guardian assignment. Daniella had likewise convinced one of her cousins, Damon Tarus, to be my lawyeran offer Id rejected when I chose Abe to represent me instead. I still wasnt entirely sure if Id make the outperform decision there, but it probably tarnished Daniellas view of me, which I regretted.Lissa offered up a nervous smile. She was anxious to join the proces sion and get all of this over with. Hi, she said. Daniella was dressed in full black velvet and even had small diamond barrettes bright in her dark hair. Worry and agitation lie her pretty face. Have you seen Adrian? I havent been able to find him anywhere. We checked his room.Oh. Lissa averted her eyes.What? Daniella nearly shook her. What do you know?Lissa sighed. Im not sure where he is, but I saw him last night when he was coming back from some party. Lissa hesitated, like she was too embarrassed to retell the rest. He was in reality drunk. More than Ive ever seen him. He was going off with some girls, and I dont know. Im sorry, Lady Ivashkov. Hes probably well, passed out somewhere.Daniella wrung her hands, and I shared her dismay. I swear no trunk notices. by chance we can say he was overcome with grief. Theres so much going on. Surely no one will notice. Youll tell them, right? Youll say how up hardened he was?I liked Daniella, but this royal obsession with image was really starting to bug me. I knew she loved her son, but her main concern here seemed to be less about Tatianas final rest than it was about what others would think about a breach of protocol. Of course, said Lissa. I wouldnt want anyone to well, Id hate for that to get out.thank you. Now go. Daniella gestured to the doors, still looking anxious. You need to take your place. To Lissas surprise, Daniella gave her a low-spirited pat on the arm. And dont be nervous. Youll do fine. Just keep your head up.Guardians stationed at the door recognized Lissa as someone with access and allowed her in. There, in the foyer, was Tatianas coffin. Lissa froze, suddenly overwhelmed, and nearly forgot what she was doing there.The coffin alone was a work of art. It was made of gleaming black wood, polished to brilliance. Paintings of elaborate garden scenes in shining metallic colors of every hue adorned each side. metal(prenominal) glittered everywhere, including the poles that the pallbearers wo uld hold. Those poles were draped with strings of mauve roses. It seemed like the thorns and leaves would make it difficult for the pallbearers to get a good grip, but that was their problem to deal with.Inside, uncovered and falsehood on a bed of more mauve roses, was Tatiana herself. It was strange. I saw dead bodies all the time. Hell, I created them. But seeing a embody that had been preserved, lying peacefully and ornamentally well, it was creepy. It was strange for Lissa, too, particularly since she didnt have to deal with remainder as often as I did.Tatiana wore a gleaming silk dress that was a rich shade of purplethe traditional color for royal burying. The dresss long sleeves were decorated with an elaborate design of small pearls. Id often seen Tatiana in reda color associated with the Ivashkov familyand I was glad for the purple burial tradition. A red dress would have been too strong a reminder of the bloody pictures of her that Id seen at my hearing, pictures I ke pt trying to block out. Strings of gemstones and more pearls hung around her neck, and a gold crown set with diamonds and amethysts rested upon her graying hair. Someone had done a good job with Tatianas makeup, but even they couldnt hide the whiteness of her skin. Moroi were naturally pale. In death, they were like screwballlike Strigoi. The image struck Lissa so vividly that she swayed on her feet a little and had to look away. The roses scent filled the air, but there was a hint of decay mixed in with that sweetness.The funeral coordinator spotted Lissa and ordered her into positionafter first bemoaning Lissas fashion choice. The sharp words snapped Lissa back to reality, and she brutal in line with five other royals on the right side of the coffin. She tried not to look too closely at the queens body and directed her gaze elsewhere. The pallbearers soon showed up and lifted their burden, using the rose-draped poles to rest the coffin on their shoulders and slowly carry it out to the waiting crowd. The pallbearers were all dhampirs. They wore formal suits, which confused me at first, but then I know they were all Court guardiansexcept one. Ambrose. He looked as gorgeous as always and beholdd straight ahead as he did his job, face blank and expressionless.I wondered if Ambrose mourned Tatiana. I was so fixated on my own problems that I kept forgetting a life had been lost here, a life that many an(prenominal) had loved. Ambrose had defended Tatiana when Id been godforsaken about the age law. Watching him through Lissas eyes, I wished I was there to speak to him in person. He had to know something more about the garner hed slipped me in the courtroom. Surely he wasnt just the delivery boy.The procession moved forward, ending my musings about Ambrose. Before and ahead of the coffin were other notice people. Royals in elaborate clothing, making a gleam display. Uniformed guardians carrying banners. Musicians with flutes walked at the very back, playing a mournful tune. For her part, Lissa was very good at public appearances and managed the slow, stately pace with elegance and grace, her gaze level and confident. I couldnt see outside her body, of course, but it was easy to imagine what the spectators saw. She was beautiful and regal, noteworthy to inherit the Dragomir legacy, and hopefully more and more would realize that. It would save us a lot of trouble if someone would change the voting law through standard procedures, so we didnt have to rely on a quest for a lost sibling.Walking the funeral route took a long time. Even when the sunshine started sinking down toward the horizon, the days heat still hung in the air. Lissa began to sweat but knew her discomfort was nothing compared to the pallbearers. If the watching crowd felt the heat, they didnt show it. They craned their necks to get their one glimpse of the spectacle passing before them. Lissa didnt process the onlookers so much, but in their faces, I saw that the coffin wasnt their only focus. They were also watching Lissa. Word of what shed done for Dimitri had blazed around the Moroi world, and while many were skeptical of her ability to heal, there were just as many who believed. I saw expressions of wonder and awe in the crowd, and for a second, I wondered who theyd really come to see Lissa or Tatiana?Finally, the cathedral came into view, which was good news for Lissa. The sun didnt kill Moroi like it did Strigoi, but the heat and sunlight were still ill at ease(predicate) for any vampire. The procession was nearly finished, and she, being one of those allowed into the church service, would soon get to enjoy air conditioning.As I studied the surroundings, I couldnt help but think what a circle of irony my life was. Off to the sides of the churchs extensive grounds were two giant statues showing ancient Moroi monarchs of legend, a king and queen who had helped the Moroi prosper. Even though they were a elegant distance from the church, the st atues loomed ominously, like they were scrutinizing everything. Near the queens statue was a garden that I knew well. Id been compel to landscape it as punishment for running off to Las Vegas. My true employment on that tripwhich no one knewhad been to free maestro Dashkov from prison. Victor had been a longtime enemy of ours, but he and his brother Robert, a spirit user, had held the knowledge we needed to save Dimitri. If any guardians had found out that Id freed Victorthen later lost himmy punishment would have been a lot worse than filing and landscaping. At least Id done a good job with the garden, I thought bitterly. If I was executed, Id leave a lasting mark at Court.Lissas eyes lingered on one of the statues for a long time before she turned back to the church. She was sweating heavy now, and I realized some of it wasnt just the heat. She was anxious too. But why? Why was she so nervous? This was just ceremony. All she had to do was go through the motions here. Yet ther e it was again. Something else was bothering her. She was still keeping a thud of thoughts from me, but a few leaked out as she worried.Too close, too close. Were moving too fast.Fast? Not by my estimation. I could have never handled this slow, stately pace. I felt especially bad for the pallbearers. If I were one, I wouldve said to hell with propriety and started jogging toward my final destination. Of course, that susceptibility jostle the body. If the funeral coordinator had been upset over Lissas dress, there was no telling how shed pit if Tatiana fell out of the coffin.Our view of the cathedral was getting clearer, its domes shining atomic number 79 and orange in the setting sun. Lissa was still several yards away, but the non-Christian priest standing out front was clearly visible. His robes were almost blinding. They were made of heavy, glittering gold brocade, long and full. A rounded hat with a cross, also gold, sat on his head. I thought it was in poor attempt for him to outshine the queens clothing, but maybe that was just what priests did on formal occasions. Maybe it got Gods attention. He lifted his arms in welcome, showing off more of that rich fabric. The rest of the crowd and I couldnt help but stare at the dazzling display.So, you can imagine our surprise when the statues blew up.