Blood Promise Chapter Twenty-Eight

Lissa didnt form to say every topic to express her shock. The feelings of utter surprise pou ph unmatchable into me give tongue to much than any words could flip. I, however, had single master(prenominal) word for herDuckI withdraw it was her surprise that made her behave so quickly. She dropped to the floor. The movement was clumsy, precisely it removed her body from Reeds direct endeavour and put her ( nearly) verboten of range of the window. He sleek over collided with her shoulder and the expression of her psyche, unless it only bumped her and ca hired a little agony.Of course, a little pain meant totally different things to us. Lissa had been tortured a fit of clocks, but most of her battles were mental. Shed never been in a one-on-one physical confrontation. maketing thrown and breaking winded against walls was an average occurrence for me, but for her, a small swipe to the head was monumental.Crawl away, I ordered. Get away from him and the window. Head for the door if possible.Lissa started mournful on her makes and feet, but she was alike slow. Reed caught exert of her hair. I kind of mat homogeneous we were contributeing a game of telephone. With the live in me tolerant focalization and her figuring show up how to respond, I business leader as well have been perishing the message finished cinque people before it got to her. I wished I could chasten her body like a puppeteer, but I was no pure tone exploiter.Its going to hurt, but turn around as best you can and trip him.Oh, it did hurt. essay to turn her body meant his hold on her hair tugged that much more(prenominal) painfully. She globeaged it rea discussionably well, though, and flailed out at Reed. Her hits werent that coordinated, but they strike him plenty that he let go of her hair and tested to fend her finish off. Thats when I notice he wasnt overly coordinated either. He was stronger than her, true, but he manifestly had no combat training short of basic hits and throwing his weight around. He hadnt come here for a true fight hed come to only push her out the window and be do with it.Get away if you can stupefy away if you can.She scrambled across the floor, but regrettably her escape path didnt give her access to the door. Instead, she prickleed further into the way of life until her covering hit a rolling desk hold in.Grab it. Hit him with it.Easier said than done. He was right in that location, calm down difficult to grab her and jerk her to her feet. She caught hold of the chair and try to roll it into him.Id cherished her to pick it up and hit him with it, but that wasnt quite so easy for her. She did, however, manage to get to her feet and get the chair amid them. I directed her to keep hitting him with it in an effort to get him to retreat. It worked a little, but she didnt quite have the run to truly damage him.Mean epoch, I half expected Avery to join in the fight. It wouldnt have run throughn much effort to assist Reed in subduing Lissa. Instead, out of the corner of Lissas eye, I saw Avery sit perfectly still, her look unfocused and slightly glazed over. Okay. That was weird, but I had no complaints nigh her being out of the conflict.As it was, Lissa and Reed were in a stalemate, one I had to get her out of. Youre on the defensive, I said. You fate to take the attack to him.I finally got a direct answer back. What? I cant do anything like that I have no clue howIll describe you. Kick him-preferably between the pegs. Thatll take down most gooses.Without words, I tried to lance the feelings into her, teaching her the right way to tense muscles and strike out. Steeling herself, she pushed the chair away so that there was naught between her and Reed. It caught him by surprise, giving her a brief opening. Her leg struck out. It missed the coinen spot, but it did hit his knee. That was almost as good. He stumbled back as his leg collapsed underneath him and exclus ively managed to grab the chair for support. It tried to roll, which didnt military service him any.Lissa didnt need any urging to sprint for the door at that point-except it was blocked. Simon had still entered. For a moment, both Lissa and I mat relief. A guardian Guardians were safe. Guardians protected us. The thing was, this guardian worked for Avery, and it soon became clear his services went beyond merely keeping Strigoi away from her. He strode in, and with no hesitation grabbed Lissa and dragged her harshly back to the window.My direction faltered at that moment. Id been an okay coach at showing her how to fend off a crabbed teenage boy. But a guardian? And that surly teenage boy had recovered himself and joined Simon to finish the job.Compel himIt was my drop dead despe range bid. That was Lissas volume. Unfortunately, while her earlier drinking had metabolized enough to improve her coordination, it was still affecting her control of spirit. She could touch the powe r-but not very much of it. Her control was clumsy too. noetheless, her resolve was strong. She drew as much of the spirit as she could, channeling it into compulsion. Nothing happened. Then, I felt that weird tickling in my head. At first I thought Avery was back on the scene, only sooner than someone reaching into me, it was like they reached through me.The power in Lissa surged, and I historicalized what had happened. Oksana was still there, somewhere in the background, and she was lending 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 advance on her and finish the lethal task. It was like he was hang in Jell-O.Lissa was hesitant to move, for fear of break her control. There was also the unloosen that Reed was not being compelled, but for the moment, he seemed too confound approximately what was happening to Simon to react.You cant just kill me Lissa blurted out. Dont you think people atomic number 18 going to ask questions when they find my body shoved out a window? They wont notice, said Simon stiffly. Even the words required effort. Not when youre resurrected. And if you cant be, then it was just a tragic accident that be dismiss a troubled girl.S downcast, slowly, he began breaking out of her compulsion. Her power, while still there, was weakening a little-there was a expose somewhere, and it was dripping out. I suspected it baron be Averys influence or simply Lissas mental fatigue. Maybe both. A supreme look of delight crossed Simons features as he lunged forward, and then. He froze again.A blazing gold aura lit up in Lissas periphery. She glanced over just enough to see Adrian in the doorway. The look on his expression was comical, but shock or not, hed picked up enough to target Simon. It was Adrians compulsion holding the guardian in place now. Lissa squirmed away, yet again trying to keep out of that damned windows opening.Hol d him Lissa cried.Adrian grimaced. I cant. What the hell? Its like theres someone else thereAvery, said Lissa, sparing a brief glance at the opposite girl. Averys face had deceased pale even for a Moroi. Her breathing was heavy, and her eliminate had increased. She was scrap Adrians compulsion. A few seconds later, Simon broke free yet again. He advanced on Lissa and Adrian, though his movements seemed sluggish.Son of a bitch, I thought. direct what? demanded Lissa.Reed. Go for Reed. Get him out of the picture.Reed had been frozen during the struggle with Simon, reflexion with fascination. And like those of the guardian, Reeds actions seemed a little sluggish. Still, he was moving toward Lissa again. Simon had apparently obstinate Adrian was the immediate threat and was heading that way. Time to see if dividing and conquering would work.What roughly Adrian? Lissa asked.Were going to have to leave him on his own for a minute. Get to Reed. Knock him out.WhatBut she advanced on him anyway, moving with a ratiocination that warmed me with pride. His face curled into a snarl. He was frantic and overconfident, though-not mentation 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 punch someone. How to draw back her arm, curl her fingers in the proper way, build up the strength. After what Id seen her do earlier, the best I could hope for was a decent approximation of a punch, enough to keep him off her and create further de post.And thats when something truly elegant happened.Lissa socked him in the nose. And I mean, socked. We both heard the impact, heard the nose break. declination 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.I wanted to whoop and dance with joy. But this wasnt over yet.Dont stop Hit him again. Youve got to intercept him outI did she cried, horrified at what shed done. Her fist was also in agonizing pain. I hadnt really mentioned that donation during my coaching.No, youve got to incapacitate him, I told her. I think he and Avery are adhesivenessed, and I think shes taking her strength from him. It made sense now, why hed frozen when Avery drew power to use compulsion, why hed tell apartn to show up when he had. Shed used their bond to summon him.And so Lissa went after 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. rancid to the side, I heard a small cry from Avery.Lissa false 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 need for direction from me, Lissa strode over and turned 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. help oneself me cried Lissa.With the momentary lapse on Simons part, Adrian tried to wield his spirit too. Lissa felt and saw the change in his aura as the dissembling 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.Simons eyes went wide, and he fell to his knees. Lissa could sense the other two spirit drug 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.The conflicting messages and all that power were too much. The last of Simons defenses fell as all those mixed messages goddam into him, creating a tidal wave of spirit. He collapsed to the floor. With all of their magic combined, the spirit users had knocked him unconscious. Lissa and Adrian turned to Avery, bracing themselves, but there was no need.As 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 exchanged glances, unsure how to clench this new development.For Gods sake, gasped Adrian, exhausted. How do we shut her up?Lissa didnt cut. She considered approaching Avery and trying to help her, in spite of all that had happened. But a few seconds later, A very grew quiet. She didnt pass out like her companions had. She just sat there, staring. Her expression no interminable resembled the dazed look shed had while wielding spirit. It was just blank. Like there was nothing in her at all.Wh-what happened? asked Lissa.I had the answer. The spirit deluge from Simon into her. It fried her.Lissa was startled. How could it go from Simon to her?Because theyre bonded.You said she was bonded to ReedShe is. Shes bonded to both of them.Lissa had been too distracted while fighting for her life, but Id been able to notice everyones auras through her eyes. Avery-no longer masking hers-had feature a gold one, just like Adrian and Lissa. Simon and Reed had had nearly resembling ones, with ordinary colors-ringed in black.They were shadow-kissed, both having been brought back from the dead by Avery.Lissa asked no more questions and simply collapsed into Adrians arms. There was nothing romantic about it, just a desperate need on both their parts to be close to a friend.Why did you come? she asked him.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. Man, I have a lot of questions.You and me both, she muttered.I have to go, I told Lissa. I felt a little wistful at having to leave them.I miss you. When exit you be back?Soon.thank you. Thank you for being there for me.Always. I suspected I was smiling back in my own body. Oh, and Lissa? secure Adrian Im proud of him.The Academy room faded. I was once more sitting on a bed halfway around the world. Abe was looking at me with concern. Mark 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 exceed frantically, fear all over him. Are you okay?She smiled. Just tired. Ill be all right.I wanted to hug her. Thank you, I breathed. Thank you so much.Im glad to have helped, she said. But I h ope I dont have to do it again. It was strange. Im not sure what role I contend there.Me either. It had been weird. Sometimes it was like Oksana had actually been there, fighting right along with Lissa and the rest. opposite times, Id felt as though Oksana had merged with me. I shuddered. Too many a(prenominal) minds linked together.Next time, you have to be by her side, Oksana said. In the real world.I 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.This ring salvage me. Can it heal you even though you made it?She held it in her hand for a moment and then gave it back. No, but like I said, Ill recover. I heal quickly on my own.It 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 sorry 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 c onsciousness.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.Oksana didnt answer right away. She looked up at Mark, and they held each others gazes for a long time. He bit his lip and shook his head.Dont, he said. Its a fairy tale.What? I exclaimed. I looked back and forth between him. If you know something about this-about Strigoi-you have to tell meMark spoke sharply in Russian, a sample in his voice. Oksana looked equally determined. Its not our place to withhold information, she replied.She turned to me, face grave. Mark told you about the Moroi we met long ago the other spirit user?I nodded. Yeah.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.Abe, tacit thus far, scoffed. That is a fairy tale.What? My whole world reeled. How?I dont know. He never elaborated m uch, and the details often changed. His mind was going, and I think half of what he said was imaginary, she explained.Hes crazy, said Mark. It wasnt true. Dont get caught up in an insane mans fantasy. Dont fixate on this. Dont let it become your next vigilance man quest. You need to go back to your bondmate.I swallowed, every emotion 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.Had spirit affected him and touched some piece of his old self? At the time, Id just assumed it was fond memories of his family affecting himI need to chew up to this guy, I murmured.Not that I knew why. Fairy tale or not, it was too late. Id done it. Id killed Dimitri. Nothing 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 travel, falling falling forever with the stake in his chest. Would he have said he loved me? I would ask myself that for the rest of my life.Agony and grief 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 stonemason were together in heaven somewhere, practicing some guardian moves. I had done the right thing. There should be no regret here.Oblivious to my emotions, Oksana turn to my last statement. Mark wasnt kidding. This man is crazy-if hes even still alive. The last time we saw him, he could barely hold up a parley or even use his magic. He ran off into hiding. No one knows where he is-except maybe his brother.Enough, warned Mark.Abes attention was piqued, however. He leaned forward, shrewd as ever. Whats this mans de foretoken?Robert Doru, said Mark after a few hesitant moments.It was no one I knew, and I realized how pointless this all was. This gu y was a lost cause and had likely imagined the whole idea of providence a Strigoi in a fit of insanity. Dimitri was gone. This part of my life was over. I needed to get back to Lissa.Then I noticed that Abe had gone very still.Do you know him? I asked.No. Do you?No. I scrutinized Abes face. You sure look like you know something, Zmey.I know of him, Abe clarified. Hes an illegitimate royal. His father had an affair, and Robert was the result. His father actually included him as part of the family. Robert and his half-brother grew quite close, though few knew about it. Of course Abe would know about it, though. Doru is Roberts mothers last come upon.No surprise. Doru wasnt a royal name. Whats his fathers last name?Dashkov. capital of New Jersey Dashkov.That, I told him, is a name I know.I had met Trenton Dashkov years ago while accompanying Lissa and her family to a royal spend party. Trenton had been an old, stooped man then, kind but on the rim 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.Trenton is Victor Dashkovs father, I said. Youre saying Robert Doru is Victor Dashkovs half-brother.Abe nodded, still reflexion me closely. Abe, as Id noted, knew everything. He likely knew my history with Victor.Oksana frowned. Victor Dashkov is someone important, isnt he? Out in their Siberian cottage, she was removed from the turmoil of Moroi politics, unaware that the man who would have been king had been locked away in prison.I started laughing-but not because I found any humor in the situation. This whole thing was unbelievable, and my furiousness was the only way to let out all the crazy feelings at heart me. Exasperation. Resignation. Irony.Whats so funny? asked Mark, startled.Not hing, I said, knowing if I didnt stop laughing, Id believably start crying. Thats the thing. Its not funny at all.What a wonderful twist to my life. The only person alive who might know something about deliver 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 known a lot about spirit, and now I had a good idea where hed first knowledgeable about it.Not that it mattered. None of this mattered anymore. Victor himself could have been able to change over Strigoi for all the good it would have done me.Dimitri was dead by my hand. He was gone, saved in the only way I knew how. Id had to choose 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.Id been staring absentmindedly at the wall, and now I looked up and met Abe forthrightly in the eyes. All right, old man, I said. Pack me up and send me home.