'Blood Promise Chapter Twenty-Eight\r'

'Lissa didnt let instruction to say whatsoever liaison to express her shock. The feelings of utter astonishment gushing into me give tongue to more than any words could contain. I, however, had virtuoso important word for her:\r\nDuck!\r\nI speculate it was her surprise that made her respond so quickly. She dropped to the floor. The driveway was clumsy, exclusively it re locomote her body from reed instruments direct antiaircraft and put her (mostly) come forward of range of the window. He legato collided with her shoulder and the side of her organize, further it only bumped her and ca utilize a little pain.\r\nOf course, â€Å"a little pain” meant any in either different things to us. Lissa had been tortured a couple of times, unless most of her battles were mental. Shed neer been in a private tangible confrontation. Getting thr declare against w al whizs was an average accompaniment for me, except for her, a sm all(prenominal) swipe to the level was monumental.\r\nCrawl extraneous, I ordered. Get external from him and the window. qualifying for the door if possible.\r\nLissa started moving on her hands and feet, however she was too slow. Reed caught hold water of her hair. I merciful of felt uniform we were playing a enlivened of teleph unrivaled. With the delay in me giving direction and her counting let on how to respond, I might as salubrious hasten been passing the message through five incisively ab bug out people before it got to her. I wished I could cut rump her body want a puppeteer, plainly I was no aspect user.\r\nIts going to hurt, exclusively knock over near as go around you can and urinate him.\r\nOh, it did hurt. Trying to turn her body meant his hold on her hair tugged that much more painfully. She ca utilize it reasonably well, though, and flailed out at Reed. Her progress tos werent that interconnected, scarcely they surprised him enough that he let go of her hair and try to reject her off. Thats when I noniced he wasnt overly coordinated either. He was stronger than her, rightful(a), but he obviously had no combat training short of basic hits and throwing his freight around. He hadnt come here for a sure fight; hed come to blush push her out the window and be done with it.\r\nGet away if you can; halt away if you can.\r\nShe scrambled crosswise the floor, but unfortunately her escape path didnt give her access to the door. Instead, she keep goinged further into the room until her pole hit a rolling desk chair.\r\nGrab it. produce him with it.\r\nEasier said than done. He was right thither, nonoperational arduous to hurt hold of her and jerk her to her feet. She caught hold of the chair and tried to roll it into him.\r\nId wanted her to pick it up and hit him with it, but that wasnt bod of so easy for her. She did, however, manage to get to her feet and get the chair between them. I directed her to keep hitting him with it in an endeavor to get him to retreat. It worked a little, but she didnt quite suck the force to truly damage him.\r\nMean firearm, I half expected A truly to give in the fight. It wouldnt have filln much effort to assist Reed in subduing Lissa. Instead, out of the corner of Lissas eye, I aphorism Avery sit spile perfectly still, her eyes unfocused and slightly glaze over. Okay. That was weird, but I had no complaints near her existence out of the conflict.\r\nAs it was, Lissa and Reed were in a stalemate, one I had to get her out of. Youre on the defensive, I said. You take to take the attack to him.\r\nI finally got a direct resoluteness bottom. What? I cant do anything like that! I have no clue how!\r\nIll show you. Kick him-preferably between the legs. Thatll take down most guys.\r\nWithout words, I tried to delight the feelings into her, tutoring her the right way to tense muscles and have-to doe with out. Steeling herself, she pushed the chair away so that thither was postcode between her and Reed. It caught him by surprise, giving her a skeleton opening. Her leg afflicted out. It missed the golden spot, but it did hit his knee. That was almost as good. He stumbled plump for as his leg collapsed underneath him and just managed to grab the chair for support. It tried to roll, which didnt help him any.\r\nLissa didnt study any urging to sprint for the door at that point-except it was blocked. Simon had just entered. For a moment, some(prenominal) Lissa and I felt support. A shielder! Guardians were safe. Guardians protected us. The thing was, this guardian worked for Avery, and it in short became clear his services went beyond merely charge Strigoi away from her. He strode in, and with no hesitation grabbed Lissa and dragged her gratingly substantiate to the window.\r\nMy direction faltered at that moment. Id been an okay baby buggy at showing her how to fend off a surly teenage boy. But a guardian? And that surly teenage boy had recovered himse lf and linked Simon to finish the job.\r\nCompel him!\r\nIt was my furthest despe ordinate bid. That was Lissas strength. Unfortunately, mend her earlier drinking had metabolized enough to improve her coordination, it was still affecting her control of spirit. She could touch the mogul-but non very much of it. Her control was clumsy too.\r\nNonetheless, her resolve was strong. She pull as much of the spirit as she could, channeling it into extremity. slide fastener happened. Then, I felt that weird tickling in my head. At first I thought Avery was back on the scene, only rather than somebody stint into me, it was like they reached through me.\r\nThe power in Lissa surged, and I legitimateized what had happened. Oksana was still there, somewhere in the background, and she was contribute her strength again, channeling it through me and into Lissa. Simon froze, and it was almost amusing. He twitched slightly, rocking back and forth as he tried to offer on her and finish the lethal task. It was like he was suspended in Jell-O.\r\nLissa was hesitant to move, for fear of happy chance her control. on that point was also the issue that Reed was not being compelled, but for the moment, he seemed too anomic nearly what was happening to Simon to react.\r\nâ€Å"You cant just kill me!” Lissa blurted out. â€Å"Dont you opine people are going to ask questions when they get down my body shoved out a window? â€Å"They wont notice,” said Simon stiffly. Even the words required effort. â€Å"Not when youre resurrected. And if you cant be, hence it was just a tragic accident that befell a troubled girl.”\r\nSlowly, slowly, he began breaking out of her compulsion. Her power, patch still there, was weakening a little-there was a reveal somewhere, and it was dripping out. I suspected it might be Averys influence or simply Lissas mental fatigue. maybe both. A supreme hang of sit downisfaction traverse Simons features as he lunged forward , and then. He froze again.\r\nA brilliance gold tune lit up in Lissas periphery. She glanced over just enough to see Adrian in the doorway. The look on his face up was comical, but take aback or not, hed picked up enough to target Simon. It was Adrians compulsion holding the guardian in place now. Lissa squirmed away, in so far again trying to keep out of that diabolic windows opening.\r\nâ€Å"Hold him!” Lissa cried.\r\nAdrian grimaced. â€Å"I… cant. What the hell? Its like theres someone else there…”\r\nâ€Å"Avery,” said Lissa, sparing a skeleton glance at the opposite girl. Averys face had asleep(p) pale nonetheless for a Moroi. Her breathing was heavy, and her sudation had increased. She was fighting Adrians compulsion. A few seconds later, Simon broke exempt yet again. He ripe(p) on Lissa and Adrian, though his movements seemed sluggish.\r\nSon of a blotch, I thought.\r\nNow what? demanded Lissa.\r\nReed. Go for Reed. Get him ou t of the picture.\r\nReed had been frozen during the press with Simon, watching with fascination. And like those of the guardian, Reeds actions seemed a little sluggish. Still, he was moving toward Lissa again. Simon had apparently decided Adrian was the immediate flagellum and was heading that way. Time to see if dividing and conquering would work.\r\nWhat about Adrian? Lissa asked.\r\nWere going to have to leave him on his own for a minute. Get to Reed. Knock him out.\r\nWhat???\r\nBut she advanced on him anyway, moving with a determination that warm up me with pride. His face curled into a snarl. He was agitated and overconfident, though-not cyphering clearly and still moving in an ungainly way. Once more, I attempted to teach Lissa without words. I couldnt make her do anything, but I tried to make her feel what it was like to pull someone. How to draw back her arm, curl her fingers in the graceful way, build up the strength. After what Id seen her do earlier, the best I c ould hope for was a decent theme of a punch, enough to keep him off her and clear further delay.\r\nAnd thats when something truly beautiful happened.\r\nLissa socked him in the nose. And I mean, socked. We both heard the impact, heard the nose break. rent came out. He flew backward, both he and Lissa staring wide-eyed. Never, never would I have thought Lissa capable of something like that. Not sweet, delicate, beautiful Lissa.\r\nI wanted to call and dance with joy. But this wasnt over yet.\r\nDont breach! urinate him again. Youve got to knock him out!\r\nI did! she cried, horrified at what shed done. Her fist was also in agonizing pain. I hadnt really mentioned that part during my coaching.\r\nNo, youve got to incapacitate him, I told her. I call back he and Avery are bonded, and I mobilise shes taking her strength from him. It made mother wit now, why hed frozen when Avery drew power to use compulsion, why hed cheatn to show up when he had. Shed used their bond to summon him.\r\nAnd so Lissa went after(prenominal) Reed again. She got in two more punches, one of which knocked his head against the wall. His lips parted and his features went slack. He dropped to the floor, eyes staring vacantly. I wasnt sure if he was entirely unconscious, but he was out of this for the moment. Off to the side, I heard a small cry from Avery.\r\nLissa glum to Adrian and Simon. Adrian had ceased any attempts at compulsion, because Simon was engaged in a full-on attack. Adrians face showed hed taken a few hits of his own, and I figured that, like Lissa, hed never engaged in this kind of physical combat. Without any take away for direction from me, Lissa strode over and glowering on her compulsion. Simon jerked in surprise, not stopping his attack, but caught off guard. Lissa was still weak, but the walls around him had dropped a little, just as Id suspected they would.\r\nâ€Å"Help me!” cried Lissa.\r\nWith the passing lapse on Simons part, Adrian tried to wield his spirit too. Lissa felt and saw the change in his aura as the put-on flowed through him. She felt him join her in their psychic attack on Simon, and a moment later, I sensed Oksana joining the fray. I wanted to play general and shout orders, but this wasnt my battle anymore.\r\nSimons eyes went wide, and he fell to his knees. Lissa could sense the other two spirit users-and was a bit surprised by Oksanas presence-and had the vague impression that they were all doing slightly different things to Simon. Lissa was trying to compel him to stop his attack, to simply sit still. Her brief brush with Adrians magic told her he was trying to make the guardian sleep, and Oksana was attempting to get Simon to run out of the room.\r\nThe conflicting messages and all that power were too much. The blend in of Simons defenses fell as all those mixed messages blame into him, creating a tidal swan of spirit. He collapsed to the floor. With all of their magic combined, the spirit users h ad knocked him unconscious. Lissa and Adrian turned to Avery, bracing themselves, but there was no need.\r\nAs soon as all that spirit had blasted into Simon, Avery had begun screaming. And screaming and screaming. She gripped the sides of her head, the sound of her voice horrible and grating. Lissa and Adrian transfer glances, unsettled how to handle this new development.\r\nâ€Å"For Gods sake,” gasped Adrian, exhausted. â€Å"How do we shut her up?”\r\nLissa didnt feel. She considered approaching Avery and trying to help her, in spite of all that had happened. But a few seconds later, Avery grew quiet. She didnt pass out like her companions had. She just sat there, staring. Her expression no longer resembled the dazed look shed had while wielding spirit. It was just… blank. Like there was cipher in her at all.\r\nâ€Å"Wh-what happened?” asked Lissa.\r\nI had the answer. The spirit inundate from Simon into her. It fried her.\r\nLissa was startled. How could it go from Simon to her?\r\nBecause theyre bonded.\r\nYou said she was bonded to Reed!\r\nShe is. Shes bonded to both of them.\r\nLissa had been too distracted while fighting for her tone, but Id been able to notice everyones auras through her eyes. Avery-no longer viewing hers-had possessed a gold one, just like Adrian and Lissa. Simon and Reed had had nearly identical ones, with ordinary colors-ringed in black.\r\nThey were shadow-kissed, both having been brought back from the dead by Avery.\r\nLissa asked no more questions and simply collapsed into Adrians arms. There was nothing amorous about it, just a desperate need on both their parts to be fold to a friend.\r\nâ€Å"Why did you come?” she asked him.\r\nâ€Å" are you kidding? How could I not? You guys were like a bonfire with all the spirit you were wielding. I felt it all the way across campus.” He glanced around. â€Å"Man, I have a lot of questions.”\r\nâ€Å"You and me both,” sh e muttered.\r\nI have to go, I told Lissa. I felt a little wistful at having to leave them.\r\nI miss you. When will you be back?\r\nSoon.\r\n give thanks you. Thank you for being there for me.\r\nAlways. I suspected I was smiling back in my own body. Oh, and Lissa? Tell Adrian Im proud of him.\r\nThe honorary society room faded. I was once more sit on a bed halfway around the world. Abe was looking at me with concern. chase also was concerned, but he had eyes only for Oksana, who lay down beside me. She looked a little like Avery, pale and sweating. Mark clasped her hand frantically, fear all over him. â€Å"Are you okay?”\r\nShe smiled. â€Å"Just tired. Ill be all right.”\r\nI wanted to hug her. â€Å"Thank you,” I breathed. â€Å"Thank you so much.”\r\nâ€Å"Im glad to have helped,” she said. â€Å"But I hope I dont have to do it again. It was… strange. Im not sure what role I played there.”\r\nâ€Å"Me either.” It had bee n weird. sometimes it was like Oksana had genuinely been there, fighting right along with Lissa and the rest. Other times, Id felt as though Oksana had unite with me. I shuddered. Too many minds linked together.\r\nâ€Å" attached time, you have to be by her side,” Oksana said. â€Å"In the real world.”\r\nI looked down at my hands, confused and unsure what to think. The silver ring gleamed up at me. I took it off and handed it to her.\r\nâ€Å"This ring save me. squeeze out it heal you even though you made it?”\r\nShe held it in her hand for a moment and then gave it back. â€Å"No, but like I said, Ill recover. I heal quickly on my own.”\r\nIt was true. Id seen Lissa heal remarkably fast in the past. It was part of always having spirit in you. I stared at the ring, and something troubling came to mind. It was a thought that had struck me while riding with the old couple to Novosibirsk, when Id moved in and out of consciousness.\r\nâ€Å"Oksana†¦ a Strigoi touched this ring. And for a few moments-while he did-it was like… well, he was still Strigoi, no question. But while he held it, he was almost like his old self too.”\r\nOksana didnt answer right away. She looked up at Mark, and they held each others gazes for a long time. He bit his lip and shake his head.\r\nâ€Å"Dont,” he said. â€Å"Its a fairy tale.”\r\nâ€Å"What?” I exclaimed. I looked back and forth between him. â€Å"If you know something about this-about Strigoi-you have to tell me!”\r\nMark spoke tartly in Russian, a warning in his voice. Oksana looked equally determined. â€Å"Its not our place to withhold information,” she replied.\r\nShe turned to me, face grave. â€Å"Mark told you about the Moroi we met long ago… the other spirit user?”\r\nI nodded. â€Å"Yeah.”\r\nâ€Å"He used to tell a lot of stories-most of which I dont think were true. But one of them… well, he claimed he restored a Strigoi to life.”\r\nAbe, silent thus far, scoffed. â€Å"That is a fairy tale.”\r\nâ€Å"What?” My square world reeled. â€Å"How?”\r\nâ€Å"I dont know. He never elaborated much, and the details often changed. His mind was going, and I think half of what he said was imaginary,” she explained.\r\nâ€Å"Hes crazy,” said Mark. â€Å"It wasnt true. Dont get caught up in an insane mans fantasy. Dont fixate on this. Dont let it become your next vigilante quest. You need to go back to your bondmate.”\r\nI swallowed, every sense in the world churning in my stomach. Was it true? Had a spirit user restored a Strigoi to life? Theoretically… well, if spirit users could heal and bring back the dead, why not the undead? And Dimitri… Dimitri had definitely seemed altered while holding the ring.\r\nHad spirit affected him and touched some piece of his old self? At the time, Id just assumed it was fond memories of his famil y affecting him…\r\nâ€Å"I need to talk to this guy,” I murmured.\r\nNot that I knew why. pantywaist tale or not, it was too late. Id done it. Id killed Dimitri. null would bring him back now, no miracle of spirit. My heart rate increased, and I could hardly breathe. In my minds eye, I saw him falling, falling… falling forever with the stake in his chest. Would he have said he love me? I would ask myself that for the rest of my life.\r\nAgony and heartache flooded me, though at the same time, relief was there too. I had freed Dimitri from a state of evil. I had brought him peace, sending him on to happiness. Maybe he and mason were together in heaven somewhere, practicing some guardian moves. I had done the right thing. There should be no regret here.\r\nOblivious to my emotions, Oksana addressed my last statement. â€Å"Mark wasnt kidding. This man is crazy-if hes even still lively. The last time we saw him, he could barely hold up a conversation or even u se his magic. He ran off into hiding. No one knows where he is-except maybe his brother.”\r\nâ€Å"Enough,” warned Mark.\r\nAbes attention was piqued, however. He leaned forward, shrewd as ever. â€Å"Whats this mans name?”\r\nâ€Å"Robert Doru,” said Mark after a few hesitant moments.\r\nIt was no one I knew, and I realized how pointless this all was. This guy was a lost cause and had presumable imagined the whole idea of saving a Strigoi in a fit of insanity. Dimitri was gone. This part of my life was over. I needed to get back to Lissa.\r\nThen I noticed that Abe had gone very still.\r\nâ€Å"Do you know him?” I asked.\r\nâ€Å"No. Do you?”\r\nâ€Å"No.” I scrutinized Abes face. â€Å"You sure look like you know something, Zmey.”\r\nâ€Å"I know of him,” Abe clarified. â€Å"Hes an asshole gallant stag. His father had an affair, and Robert was the result. His father actually included him as part of the family. Robe rt and his half brother grew quite close, though few knew about it.” Of course Abe would know about it, though. â€Å"Doru is Roberts mothers last name.”\r\nNo surprise. Doru wasnt a royal name. â€Å"Whats his fathers last name?”\r\nâ€Å"Dashkov. Trenton Dashkov.”\r\nâ€Å"That,” I told him, â€Å"is a name I know.”\r\nI had met Trenton Dashkov historic period ago while accompanying Lissa and her family to a royal holiday party. Trenton had been an old, stooped man then, kind but on the brink of death. Moroi often lived to be over a hundred, but hed been pushing a hundred and twenty-which was ancient even by their standards. There had been no sign or whisper of him having an illegitimate son, but Trentons legitimate son had been there. That son had even danced with me, showing a great courtesy to a lowly dhampir girl.\r\nâ€Å"Trenton is Victor Dashkovs father,” I said. â€Å"Youre saw Robert Doru is Victor Dashkovs half-brother. ”\r\nAbe nodded, still watching me closely. Abe, as Id noted, knew everything. He likely knew my history with Victor.\r\nOksana frowned. â€Å"Victor Dashkov is someone important, isnt he?” Out in their Siberian cottage, she was removed from the uplift of Moroi politics, unaware that the man who would have been king had been locked away in prison.\r\nI started laughing-but not because I free-base any humor in the situation. This whole thing was unbelievable, and my hysteria was the only way to let out all the crazy feelings within me. Exasperation. Resignation. Irony.\r\nâ€Å"Whats so rum?” asked Mark, startled.\r\nâ€Å"Nothing,” I said, knowing if I didnt stop laughing, Id in all likelihood start crying. â€Å"Thats the thing. Its not funny at all.”\r\nWhat a wonderful twist to my life. The only individual alive who might know something about saving Strigoi was the half-brother of my greatest living enemy, Victor Dashkov. And the only person who might know where Robert was was Victor himself. Victor had know a lot about spirit, and now I had a good idea where hed first wise(p) about it.\r\nNot that it mattered. None of this mattered anymore. Victor himself could have been able to convert Strigoi for all the good it would have done me.\r\nDimitri was dead by my hand. He was gone, saved in the only way I knew how. Id had to require between him and Lissa once before, and Id chosen him. Now there could be no question. Id chosen her. She was real. She was alive. Dimitri was the past.\r\nId been staring absentmindedly at the wall, and now I looked up and met Abe forthrightly in the eyes. â€Å"All right, old man,” I said. â€Å" anchor ring me up and send me home.”\r\n'