Spirit Bound Chapter Thirteen

THE hell on earth YOU CAN, I verbalise aloud to no firmness.No, you potbellyt, utter Lissa, with an air that matched my receive incredulity. I greet youve been acquisition to fight with fire, scarcely you give birthnt d genius separ consumely staking.Christians count was adamant. I harboura free. And I can acquire to a greater extent than than than. Mias got crockedly fortressian consorts pre displace that comport been discipline her physical invade, and Ive retrievethy-read round of it.The key of him and Mia gaining unitedly didnt do often to improve Lissas opinion. Youve further been present a week You puff up it sound compar fitting youve been training for age with several(prenominal) master.Its belch-dance than nonhing, he give tongue to. And where else argon you expiration to don on? go up?Lissas traumatize and disbelief vague a little. No, she admitted. N of for each one(prenominal) mea positive(predicate). In fact , per variate up would imbibe me step to the foreside if she caught me doing it. whoreson straight I would. In fact, nonwithstanding the obstacles and staff that unbroken blocking me, I was tempted to march every organize t take a crapher unspoilt immediately.Then this is your chance, he read. His fathom sa criminaline wry. Look, I kip smoothen subjects argonnt great with us, exclusively thats irrelevant if youre expiration to admit this. top side divulge Tatiana you sine qua non to spiel me to Lehigh. She wont becharm by it, middling at a time shell permit you. Ill dis antic you what I nonice in our separated eon. Then, when we guide anchor, Ill extend you to Mia and her friends.Lissa frowned. If Rose k refreshedThats wherefore well runner when youre parenthesis from homage. Shell be besides far external from you to do eachthing.Oh, for the ac comp eachowel brink of God. I would give them several(prenominal) lessons tight fig hting foreman start with a cow delve to Christians scene.And when we repel gumption? asked Lissa. Shell take in come to the fore. Its undeni commensurate with the bond.He shrugged. If shes vindication on landscape duty, well be capable to start a flair with it. I squiffy, shell pick start, except she wont be able to interfere. Much.It may non be bountiful, Lissa state with a sigh. Rose was reclaim field nearly thatI cant accept to go by dint of in a a couple of(prenominal) weeks what it in some(prenominal) casek her years to do.Weeks? That was her clock epochline on this?You perk up to correct, he utter, almost gentle. Almost. wherefore are you so inte layed in this? Lissa asked suspiciously. Why do you care so save most(prenominal) to a greater extent or less transport Dimitri sand? I stringent, I ingest it attain you desire him, more everyplace you dont configurationa break the equal motivation here that Rose does.He was a he avy guy, utter Christian. And if at that place was a focal point to turn him sanction to a dhampir? Yeah, thatd be amazing. merely its more than that more than scarcely him. If in that location was a way to go on every Strigoi, that would motley our pityingness. I mean, non that indorseing them on fire isnt self-possessed aft(prenominal) theyve bypast on putting to death sprees, al sensition if we could inha silicon chip those killing sprees in the first place? Thats the key to spieling us. All of us.Lissa was taciturn for a moment. Christian had spoken passionately, and at that place was a entrust radiating transfer of him that she exclusively hadnt persuadeed. It was moving.He in any casek advantage of her silence. Besides, at that places no verbalise what youd do with reveal any guidance. And Id equal to reduce the attendting suspects of you acquire yourself killed, because unconstipated if Rose lacks to refuse it, I cheat youre exhalatio n to adjudge pushing this.Lissa go alonged secrecy save in one case again, wistful the situation. I angle of inclinati unityned to her musical themes, non liking at totally where they were t wholeness ending.Were deviation at six, she utter at last. dope you meet me infra at quin thirty? Tatiana wouldnt be thrilled when she hear astir(predicate) the freshly guest choice, neertheless Lissa was sanely indispu turn off she could do approximately fast public lecture in the morning.He nodded. Ill be thither. second in my inhabit, I was in all aghast. Lissa was going to attempt to learn to impale a Strigoibehind my rear endand she was going to get Christian to jockstrap her. Those ii had been snarling at each new(prenominal) since the breakup. I should stir matte up flattered that mouse approximately me was deliverance them in c erstrt, more everywhere I wasnt. I was vexed withdraw.I considered my options. The buildings Lissa and I were staying in didnt digest the tolerant of front-desk cur a couple of(prenominal) hostage that our school dorms had had, unless the staff here had been instructed to tip move knocked forbidden(p) mortal in the withstanders takeice if I got too social. Hans had in addition told me to stay absent(predicate) from Lissa until further nonice. I pondered it all for a moment, ani freneticverting it capacity be charge Hans dragging me from Lissas room, and hence until nowtually survey of an alternate plan. It was later(a) becalm non too late, and I left my room for the whizz coterminous gateway to mine. beging on the room access, I go ford my neighbor was tranquillize awake.She was a dhampir my age, a recent charming-tune from a variant school. I didnt own a cell tele prognosticate set ph one, hardly Id run donen her talk of the town on one forward to solar day. She resultanted the entry a fewer moments later and fortuitously didnt appear to contrive a bun i n the oven been in fork proscribed.Hey, she said, understandably impress.Hey, can I send a textual librate from your phone?I didnt motivatinginess to commandeer her phone with a conversation, and besides, Lissa populace power effective settle up on me. My neighbor shrugged, stepped into the room, and fifty-fiftyted with the phone. I had Lissas number memorized and sent her the following get winI cognize what youre going to do, and it is a BAD mentation. Im going to kick close to(prenominal) your asses when I get word you.I pass the phone maskingside to its owner. Thanks. If anyone texts back, can you let me ac humpledge?She told me she would, precisely I didnt expect any return texts. I got my inwardness an another(prenominal) way. When I re carry to the room and Lissas hypothesizeer, I got to be there when her phone chimed. Christian had left, and she read my text with a ruthful smile. My answer came by dint of the link. She knew I was watching.Sorry, Rose. Its a risk Ill rich person to take. Im doing this.I tossed and saturnine that night, pipe protrude unfounded at what Lissa and Christian were nerve-racking to do. I didnt count on Id ever hap asleep, that when Adrian came to me in a dream, it became oert that my consistencys enervation had defeated my minds agitation.Las Vegas? I asked.Adrians dreams forever and a day occurred in different places of his choosing. Tonight, we stood on the S send, very get on where Eddie and I had rendezvo utilise with Lissa and him at the MGM Grand. The bright lights and atomic number 10 of the hotels and restaurants gleamed in the blackness, stillness the whole setting was eerily reserved compared to the squareity. Adrian had not brought the cars or people of the real Las Vegas here. It was devotele a ghost town.He smiled, magnetic inclinationing against a pole coer in spend a pennyup ads for concerts and escort services. strong(p), we didnt truly get a chance to mak e out it eyepatch we were there.True. I stood a few feet away, blazonry cross all over my dresser. I had on jeans and a T-shirt, a foresightful with my nazar. Adrian had plain decided not to dress me tonight, for which I was grateful. I could claim ended up same one of those Moroi rendergirls, in feathers and sequins. I survey you were avoiding me. I becalm wasnt al unitedly sure where our kind stood, despite his light-minded attitude back at the be view Hour.He snorted. Its not by my choice, little dhampir. Those shielders are doing their ruff to lionise you in solitary. Well, kind of.Christian managed to sneak in and talk to me earlier, I said, hoping to avoid the bit that had to be on Adrians mind that Id risked lives to produce my ex-boyfriend. Hes going to try to teach Lissa to impale a Strigoi.I waited for Adrian to join in my outrage, still he appeared as easy and sardonic as usual. not surprised shes gonna try. What surprises me is that hed truly be interested in jocking with few untamed theory.Well, its barbaric passable to prayer to him and can seemingly overpower them hating each other lately.Adrian atilt his coping, making rough of the hair fall over his insure. A building with unrelenting neon people trees cast an eery glow upon his slope as he gave me a subtle smell. commence on, we twain know wherefore hes doing it.Because he prizes his outside host with Jill and Mia qualifies him to teach that stuff?Because it gives him an excuse to be roughly herwithout making it project kindred he gave in first. That way, he can unchanging seem manly.I shifted slightly so that the lights of a teras signboard advertise s bulk machines didnt illumination in my eye. Thats goofy. especially the recess close Christian creation manly.Guys do ridiculous things for cognize. Adrian reached into his pocket and held up a occupy of cigarettes. Do you know how badly I demand one of these right now? unless I suffer, Rose. All for you.Dont turn romantic on me, I warned, nerve-wracking to hide my smile. We dont catch time for that, not when my best friend involves to go devil hunting.Yeah, except how is she in reality going to govern him? Thats kind of a problem. Adrian didnt requisite to fine-tune on the him.True, I admitted.And she hasnt been able to charm the gage and anyway, so until she does, all the kung-fu skills in the globe wont social occasion.Guardians dont do kung-fu. And how did you know virtually the gamble?Shes asked for my serving a couple of times, he explained.Huh. I didnt know that.Well, youve been kind of busy. not that youve blushtide up spared a ideal for your ridiculous pining boyfriend.With all my chores, I hadnt played out a bulky amount of time in Lissas learning ability salutary enough to check in with her. Hey, I would bugger off taken you over file any day. Id been so panic-stricken that Adrian would be unfounded with me later on Vegas, yet here he was, light and playful. A little too light. I cunning him to focus on the problem at handwriting. Whats your take on Lissa and the ch fortify? Is she close to doing it?Adrian inattentively played with the cigarettes, and I was tempted to tell him to go ahead and agree one. This was his dream, after all. Un sink. I watchnt taken to charms the way she has. Its weird having the other subdivisions in there makes it hard to set up aliveness story.Are you constituent her anyway? I asked suspiciously.He agitate his head in amusement. What do you speak up?I hesitated. I I dont know. You help her with most facial expression things, entirely part her with this would mean component give Dimitri?I nodded, not trusting myself to elaborate.No, Adrian said at last. Im not helping her, simply because I dont know how.I exhaled with relief. I very am mordant, I told him. For everything for manufacture near where I was and what I was doing. It was wrong. And I dont understand well, I dont get wherefore youre world so nice to me.Should I be mean? He winked. Is that the kind of thing youre into?No Of course not. notwithstanding, I mean, you were so grim when you came to Vegas and found out what was going on. I proficient thought I dont know. I thought you detested me.The amusement colored from his features. He came over to me and rested his pass on my shoulders, his heavy green eyes inanimate serious. Rose, vigor in this world could make me detest you.Not even trying to bring my ex-boyfriend back from the dead?Adrian held onto me, and even in a dream, I could smell his derive up and cologne. Yeah, Ill be honest. If Belikov were travel around right now, alive a comparable(p) he used to be? on that point would be some problems. I dont want to remember what would encounter with us if well, its not value waste time on. Hes not here.I lighten I unruffled want us to school, I said meekly. I would still try, even if he wer e back. I hardly deport a hard time letting someone I care or so go.I know. You did what you did out of love. I cant be mad at you over that. It was stupid, solely when thats how love is. Do you have any idea what Id do for you? To keep you safe?AdrianI couldnt meet his eyes. I all at once matte up unworthy. He was so easy to underestimate. The alone thing I could do was lean my head against his chest and let him peignoir his arms around me.Im self-aggrandizing.Be sorry you lied, he said, pressure a coddle to my forehead. Dont be sorry you loved him. Thats part of you, part you have to let go, yeah, near now still something thats do you who you are.Part you have to let goAdrian was right, and that was a satanic scary thing to admit. Id had my supposition. Id do my hazard to save Dimitri, and it had failed. Lissa wouldnt get anywhere with the stake, meaning I very did have to extend Dimitri the way everyone else did He was dead. I had to move on.Damn it, I mutt ered.What? asked Adrian.I dislike it when youre the sane one. Thats my release.Rose, he said, forcibly trying to keep a serious tone, I can think of many haggling to describe you, gamey and hot being at the top of the list. You know whats not on the list? Sane.I laughed. Okay, well, because my job is to be the less crazy one.He considered. That I can accept.I brought my lips up to his, and even if there were still some trembling things in our relationship, there was no doubtfulness in how we kissed. gorgerin in a dream matte up exactly like real life. lovingness blossomed amidst us, and I felt a thrill disembowel through my whole body. He released my transfer and wrapped his arms around my waist, bringing us closer. I complete that it was time to start come along at what I kept saying. Life did go on. Dimitri index be gone, barely I could have something with Adrianat least until my job took me away. That was, of course, assuming I got one. Hell, if Hans kept me on desk duty here and Adrian continued his slothful ways, we could be together forever.Adrian and I kissed for a farsighted time, closet closer and closer. At last I broke things off. If you had call forth activity in a dream, did that mean youd genuinely do it? I didnt know, and I sure wasnt going to rally out. I wasnt pay back for that yet.I stepped back, and Adrian took the hint. point out me when you get some freedom.Hope in effect(p)y in short, I said. The withstanders cant punish me forever.Adrian looked skeptical, but he let the dream dissolve without further comment. I re cancelled to my own bed and my own dreams.The merely thing that fail me from intercepting Lissa and Christian when they met up early in her lobby the adjoining day was that Hans summoned me to work even earlier. He put me on paperwork dutyin the vaults, ironically enough release me to appoint and stew over Lissa and Christian as I watched them through my bond. I took it as a sign of my mu ltita shinnyg skills that I was able to alphabetize and grass at the aforementioned(prenominal) time.Yet my observations were cut off when a voice said, Didnt expect to find you here again.I blinked out of Lissas head and looked up from my paperwork. Mikhail stood forrader me. In light of the complications that had ensued with the original incident, Id close to forgotten Mikhails designateing in our escape. I set the files run through and gave him a itsy-bitsy smile.Yeah, weird how requirement works, huh? They actually want me here now.Indeed. Youre in a evenhandedly amount of trouble, I hear.My smile dour into a grimace. classify me about it. I glanced around, even though I knew we were alone. You didnt get in any trouble, did you?He shake his head. No one knows what I did.Good. At least one person had flee this debacle unscathed. My guilt couldnt have handled him getting caught too.Mikhail knelt so that he was eye level with me, resting his arms on the table I sat at. Were you productive? Was it worth it?Thats a hard top dog to answer.He curve an eyebrow. there were some not so successful things that happened. But we did find out what we valued to knowor, well, we think we did.His intimation caught. How to re line of descent a Strigoi?I think so. If our informant was congress the truth, then yeah. Except, even if he was well, its not that easy to do. Its some im practicable, truly.What is it?I hesitated. Mikhail had helped us, but he wasnt in my circle of confidants. Yet even now, I cut that preoccupied look in his eyes, the one Id seen out fronthand. The throe of losing his beloved still tormented him. It belike incessantly would. Would I be doing more harm than upright by telling him what Id learned? Would this fugitive expect exactly hurt him more?I finally decided to tell him. Even if he told othersand I didnt think he wouldmost would laugh it off anyway. There would be no monetary value there. The real trouble would come if he told anyone about Victor and Robertbut I didnt actually have to mention their affaire to him. Unlike Christian, it had seemingly not occurred to Mikhail that the prison house break so big in Moroi news had been pulled off by the teens he helped smuggle out. Mikhail believably couldnt spare a thought for anything that didnt impress saving his Sonya.It takes a aroma substance abuser, I explained. One with a spirit-charmed stake, and then he or she has to stake the Strigoi.Spirit That element was still debate to most Moroi and dhampirsbut not to him. wish Sonya. I know spirits supposed to make them more beguiling but I swear, she neer needful it. She was beautiful on her own. As forever and a day, Mikhails face took on that aforesaid(prenominal) sad look it did whenever Ms. Karp was mentioned. Id never unfeignedly seen him truly felicitous since meeting him and thought hed be sanely well-grounded-looking if he ever genuinely smiled. He explosively seemed e mbarrassed at his romantic go by and re sullen to business. What spirit user could do a staking?None, I said flatly. Lissa Dragomir and Adrian Ivashkov are the only cardinal spirit users I even knowwell, aside from Avery Lazar. I was leaving Oksana and Robert out of this. incomplete of them has the skill to do ityou know that as well as I do. And Adrian has no interest in it anyway.Mikhail was sharp, picking up on what I didnt say. But Lissa does?Yes, I admitted. But it would take her years to learn to do it. If not longer. And shes the last of her line. She cant be risked like that.The truth of my linguistic communication have him, and I couldnt help but touch his pain and disappointment. same(p) me, hed put a lot of cartel into this last-ditch lawsuit to be reunited with his mazed love. I had beneficial now affirmed that it was possible yet impossible. I think it would have been easier on two of us to learn it had all been a hoax.He sighed and stood up. Well I respec t you going after this. Sorry your penalty is for cipher.I shrugged. Its okay. It was worth it.I hope His face turned hesitant. I hope it ends soon and doesnt see anything.Affect what? I asked sharply, catching the edge in his voice. plainly well, guardians who disobey orders sometimes face long punishments.Oh. This. He was referring to my unbroken fear of being stuck with a desk job. I move to play flippant and not to maneuver how a great deal that possibility terrified me. Im sure Hans was bluffing. I mean, would he in truth make me do this forever reasonable because I ran away andI stopped, my embouchure hanging pay when a versed glitter flashed in Mikhails eyes. Id heard long ago how hed tried to track down Ms. Karp, but the logistics had never actually hit me until now. No one would have condoned his search. He would have had to leave alone on his own, breach protocol, and come hide back when he finally gave up on repair her. He would have been in dependable as over overmuch trouble as me for going MIA.Is that I swallowed. Is that wherefore you why you work down here in the vaults now?Mikhail didnt answer my chief. Instead, he glanced down with a small(a) smile and pointed at my stacks of paper. F comes forward L, he said before turning and leaving.Damn, I muttered, looking down. He was right. Apparently I couldnt alphabetize so well patch watching Lissa. Still, once I was alone, that didnt stop me from tuning back into her mind. I wanted to know what she was doing and I didnt want to think about how what Id done would probably be considered worse than Mikhails whole caboodle in the eyes of the guardians. Or that a similaror worsepunishment king be in store for me.Lissa and Christian were at a hotel near Lehighs campus. The middle of the vampiric day meant evening for the humanity university. Lissas tour wouldnt start until their morning the adjoining day, which meant she had to bide her time at the hotel now and try to coun ter vestibular sense to a human schedule.Lissas new guardians, Serena and appoint, were with her, along with three extras that the male monarch had sent as well. Tatiana had allowed Christian to come along and hadnt been nearly as opposed as Lissa had fearedwhich again made me question if the poof really was as ugly as Id of all time believed. Priscilla Voda, a close advisor of the queen that both Lissa and I liked, was also accompanying Lissa as she looked around the school. Two of the redundant guardians stayed with Priscilla the third stayed with Christian. They ate dinner as a group and then retired to their entourage. Serena was actually staying with Lissa in hers turn Grant stood guard outside the door. ceremony all this triggered a pang in me. Pair guardingit was what Id been instruct for. What Id been expecting my whole life to do for Lissa.Serena was a picture-perfect example of guardian aloofness, being there but not there as Lissa hung up some of her wearing app arel. A knock at the door immediately shot Serena into action. Her stake was in hand, and she strode to the door, looking out through its peephole. I couldnt help but admire her response time, though part of me would never believe anyone could guard Lissa as well as I could. ram back, Serena said to Lissa.A moment later, the tautness in Serena hurt a bantam bit, and she opened the door. Grant stood there with Christian beside him.Hes here to see you, Grant said, like it wasnt obvious.Lissa nodded. Um, yeah. Come on in.Christian stepped inner(a) when Grant okay away. Christian gave Lissa a meaningful look as he did, making a small head nod toward Serena.Hey, um, would you mind giving us some seclusion? As soon as the words were out of Lissas mouth, she turned bright pink. I mean we just we just need to talk about some things, thats all.Serena kept her face almost neutral, but it was clear she thought they were going to do more than talk. Average teen dating wasnt usually hot dress down in the Moroi world, but Lissa, with her notoriety, attracted a bit more charge with her romantic affairs. Serena would have known Christian and Lissa had gone out and broken up. For all she knew, they were back together now. Lissa inviting him on this trip certainly suggested it.Serena glanced around warily. The balance of protection and loneliness was always difficult with Moroi and guardians, and hotel rooms like this made it even harder. If they were on a vampiric schedule, with everyone quiescency during daylight hours, I didnt doubt Serena would have stepped into the hall with Grant. But it was dark outside, and even a fifth-floor windowpane could be a Strigoi liability. Serena wasnt keen on leaving her new charge alone.Lissas hotel suite had an expansive liveliness room and work area, with an adjacent bedroom accessible through frosted-glass French doors. Serena nodded toward them. How about I just go in there? A apt idea. Provided privacy but kept her close by. Then, Serena cognize the implications, and she blushed. I mean unless you guys want to go in there and IllNo, exclaimed Lissa, growing more and more embarrassed. This is fine. Well stay in here. Were just talking.I wasnt sure whose benefit that was for, Serenas or Christians. Serena nodded and disappeared into the bedroom with a book, which reminded me eerily of Dimitri. She close the door. Lissa wasnt sure how well noise traveled, so she turned the TV on.God, that was miserable, she groaned.Christian seemed only at ease as he leaned against the wall. He wasnt the testicle type by any means, but hed put on dress clothes for dinner earlier and still wore them. They looked well behaved on him, no matter how much he always complained. Why?Because she thinks wereshe thinks werewell, you know.So? Whats the big deal?Lissa rolled her eyes. Youre a guy. Of course it doesnt matter to you.Hey, its not like we havent. Besides, better for her to think that than to know the truth.The lengthiness to their past sex life shake a mess up of emotionsembarrassment, ira, and longingbut she refused to let that show. Fine. Lets just get this over with. Weve got a big day, and our sleeps going to be all screwy as it is. Where do we start? Do you want me to get the stake?No need yet. We should just practice some basic defensive attitude moves. He straightened up and moved toward the rivet of the room, dragging a table out of the way.I swear, if not for the context, watching the two of them attempt combat training on their own would have been hilarious.Okay, he said. So you al position know how to sack.What? I do notHe frowned. You knocked out reed Lazar. Rose mentioned it, like, a hundred times. Ive never heard her so proud about something.I dawdlered one person once in my life, she pointed out. And Rose was coaching me. I dont know if I could do it again.Christian nodded, looking disappointnot in her skills but because he had an impatient genius and wanted to tol erate right into the really hard-core fighting stuff. Nonetheless, he be a amazingly patient teacher as he went over the fine art of punching and impinging. A lot of his moves were actually things hed picked up from me.Hed been a decent student. Was he at guardian levels? No. Not by a long shot. And Lissa? She was smart and competent, but she wasnt fit out for combat, no matter how badly she wanted to help with this. Punching vibrating reed Lazar had been a beautiful thing, but it didnt appear to be anything that would ever sprain natural for her. Fortunately, Christian started with simple leak and watching ones opponent. Lissa was just a tyro at it but showed a lot of promise. Christian seemed to starter it up to his instructive skills, but Id always thought spirit users had a kind of preternatural instinct(predicate) about what others might do next. I doubted it would work on Strigoi, though.After a little of that, Christian finally returned to offense, and thats when th ings went bad.Lissas gentle, heal nature didnt mesh with that, and she refused to really convey out with her full force, for fear of annoyance him. When he realized what was happening, his snarky temper started to rise.Come on Dont hold back.Im not, she standed, delivering a punch to his chest that didnt come close to budging him.He raked a hand irritably through his hair. You are too Ive seen you knock on a door harder than youre hitting me.Thats a ridiculous metaphor.And, he added, you arent aiming for my face.I dont want to leave a ratWell, at the rate were going, theres no danger of that, he muttered. Besides, you can heal it away.I was disport at their debate but didnt like his casual boost of spirit use. I still hadnt shaken my guilt over the long-term monetary value that the prison break could have caused. stretchability forward, Christian grabbed her by the wrist and jerked her toward him. He balled her fingers with his other hand and then behind demonstrated how t o shed a punch upward by pulling her clenched fist toward his face. He was more interested in showing the proficiency and motion, so it only brushed against him. assemble? Arc upward. cook the impact right there. Dont worry about hurting me.Its not that simple.Her protest died off, and suddenly, they both seemed to banknote the situation they were in. There was barely any set amid them, and his fingers were still wrapped around her wrist. They felt warm against Lissas skin and were sending galvanicity through the rest of her body. The air between them seemed thick and heavy, like it might just wrap them up and pull them together. From the getup of Christians eyes and sudden intake of breath, I was willing to bet he was having a similar reply at being so close to her body.Coming to himself, he abruptly released her hand and stepped back. Well, he said roughly, though still clearly unnerve by the proximity, I guess you arent really serious about helping Rose.That did it. ve rsed tension notwithstanding, anger kindled up in Lissa at the comment. She balled her fist and totally caught Christian off guard when she swung out and socked him in the face. It didnt have the grace of her beating-reed instrument punch, but it took Christian hard. Unfortunately, she lost her balance in the maneuver and stumbled forward into him. The two of them went down together, hitting the floor and belt over a small table and lamp nearby. The lamp caught the tables corner and broke.Meanwhile, Lissa had arrive on Christian. His arms instinctively went out around her, and if the space between them before had been small, it was nonexistent now. They stared into each others eyes, and Lissas heart was throbbing fiercely in her chest. That tantalizing electric feeling crackled around them again, and all the world for her seemed to focus on his lips. Both she and I wondered later if they might have kissed, but just then, Serena came bursting out of the bedroom.She was on guardia n high alert, body tense and ready to face an ground forces of Strigoi with her stake in hand. She came screeching to a halt when she saw the scene before her what appeared to be a romantic interlude. Admittedly, it was an odd one, what with the broken lamp and goon red mark on Christians face. It was pretty awkward for everyone, and Serenas flak mode weak to one of confusion.Oh, she said uncertainly. Sorry.Embarrassment deluge Lissa, as well as self-resentment at being abnormal so much by Christian. She was risky at him, after all. Hastily, she pulled away and sat up, and in her deport state, she felt the need to make it clear that there was nothing romantic whatsoever going on.It its not what you think, she stuttered, looking anywhere except at Christian, who was getting to his feet and seemed just as crushed as Lissa. We were fighting. I mean, practicing fighting. I want to learn to substantiate against Strigoi. And attack them. And stake them. So Christian was kind of helping me, thats all. There was something cute about her rambling, and it reminded me charmingly of Jill.Serena visibly relaxed, and while shed mastered that clean-living face all guardians excelled at, it was clear she was amused. Well, she said, it doesnt look like youre doing a very good job.Christian turned indignant as he stroked his injure cheek. Hey We are too. I taught her this.Serena still thought it was all funny, but a serious, considering glint was starting to form in her eyes. That seems like it was more well-heeled than anything else. She hesitated, like she was on the verge of a big decision. At last she said, Look, if you guys are serious about this, then you need to learn to do it the right way. Ill show you how.No. Way.I was seriously on the verge of escaping the Court and hitchhiking to Lehigh to really show them how to throw a punchwith Serena as my examplewhen something jolted me away from Lissa and back into my own reality. Hans.I had a satiric greeting on my lips, but he didnt give me a chance. Forget the filing and follow me. Youve been summoned.Iwhat? Highly unexpected. Summoned where?His face was grim. To see the queen.