Last Sacrifice Chapter Three

WELL, NOT GONE EXACTLY.Muted. Kind of wish how it had felt immediately after shed restored Dimitri back to a dhampir. The magic had been so strong then that it had ruin expose our link. There was no blast of magic now. It was to the highest degree as though the distanceness was intentional on her part. Like continuously, I still had a sense of Lissa she was lively she was well. So what was be giganticings me from feeling more of her? She wasnt asleep, because I could feel a sense of alert consciousness on the separate side of this wall. Spirit was there, covert her from me and she was make it happen.What the hell? It was an accepted fact that our bond worked only one way. I could sense her she couldnt sense me. Likewise, I could control when I went into her mind. Often, I assay to keep myself erupt (jail captivity time excluded), in an attempt to protect her privacy. Lissa had no such control, and her vulner cleverness infuriated her any(prenominal)times. Every once i n a while, she could use her power to shield herself from me, only when it was rare, difficult, and required considerable effort on her part. Today, she was pulling it off, and as the condition persisted, I could feel her strain. Keeping me out wasnt easy, scarcely she was managing it. Of course, I didnt care virtually the how of it. I wanted to know the why.It was probably my worst day of imprisonment. Fear for myself was one thing. exactly for her? That was agonizing. If it was my life or hers, I would have walked into exe sign upion without hesitation. I had to know what was going on. Had she learned something? Had the Council decided to skip right over a trial and execute me? Was Lissa hard to protect me from that news? The more note she wielded, the more she endangered her life. This mental wall required a lot of magic. But why? Why was she fetching this risk?It was astonishing in that moment to sack up provided how much I relied on the bond to keep track of her. True I didnt always welcome someone elses thoughts in my head. Despite the control Id learned, her mind still sometimes poured into mine in moments Id rather not experience. None of that was a allude nowonly her safety was. Being blocked off was like having a limb removed.All day I tried to get indoors her head. Every time, I was kept out. It was maddening. No visitors came to me either, and the book and magazines had long since lost their appeal. The caged animal feeling was getting to me again, and I spent a fair tally 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, but her mind was closed off in unconsciousness. Id find no answers there. Left with secret code 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 through her eyes once more. Lissa was up and virtually early, preparing for the funeral. I neither saw nor felt any sign of why Id been blocked the day before. She was letting me back into her mind, just like normal. I almost wondered if Id imagined macrocosm 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 acquire them, they fell out of my hands. I was amazed she could still use enough magic to pull it off, and it was also a clear indication that shed blocked me out intentionally yesterday. What was going on? Why on earth would she need to hide something from me? What could I do astir(predicate) anything, locked in this hellhole? Again, my unease grew. What wonderful thing didnt I know about?I watched Lissa 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 only a clubb ing 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 tint 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 a dress shirt and tie. Hed force the line at a jacket, and his expression was an odd mix of nervousness, secrecy, and typical snark. When he saw Lissa, though, his face momentarily transformed, turning radiant and awestruck as he gazed at her. He gave her a low-toned smile and took her into his arms for a brief embrace. His touch brought her contentment and comfort, easing her anxiety. Theyd gotten back together deep after a breakup, and that 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 befor e 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 strengthened 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 complex the traditional with the modern, magic with technology.The queens coffin would be carried by pallbearers out of the castling and taken with great ceremony all through the Courts backgrounds, until it reached the Courts imposing cathedral. There, a select group would enter for mass. After the service, Tatiana would be hide in the churchs graveyard, taking her place beside other monarchs and important royals.The coffins route was easy to spot. Poles strung with red and black silk banners marked each side. Rose petals had been strewn on the ground the coffin would pass over. Along the sides, people crammed together, hopin g 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 soon follow over the next couple of weeks.The royal family escortmost of whom wore saleswoman-approved black velvet were already heading into the palace building. Lissa stopped 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 knowing glint in his blue eyesthat secret that was hidden from me.Lissa pushed through the pull together crowds, trying to get to the entrance and find the processions head start point. The building didnt look like the palaces or castles of ancient Europe. Its grand stone farade and tall windows matched the Courts other structures, but a few featuresits height, wide marble stepssubtly distinguished it from other buildings. A tug at Liss as arm stopped her progress, nearly cause her to run into an ancient Moroi man.Vasilisa? It was Daniella Ivashkov, Adrians mother. Daniella wasnt so bad 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 word meaning had come from the fact that she believed Adrian and I would split up anyways once I received my guardian assignment. Daniella had also convinced one of her cousins, Damon Tarus, to be my lawyeran gallop Id rejected when I chose Abe to represent me instead. I still wasnt entirely sure if Id made the best 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 procession and get all of this over with. Hi, she said. Daniella was dressed in full black velvet and even had small diamond barrettes shining in her dark hair. Worry and agitation lined her pretty face. Have you seen Adrian? I hav ent been able to find him anywhere. We checked his room.Oh. Lissa averted her eyes.What? Daniella nearly move 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 tell the rest. He was really 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 hope nobody notices. Maybe we can say he was overcome with grief. Theres so much going on. sure as shooting no one will notice. Youll tell them, right? Youll say how upset he was?I liked Daniella, but this royal obsession with range of mountains 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 wou ldnt 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 pleasant 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, short 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 colours of every hue adorned each side. Gold glittered everywhere, including the poles that the pallbearers would 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 lying 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 body 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 death as practically as I did.Tatiana wore a gleaming silk gown that was a rich shade of purplethe traditional color for royal burial. 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 kept trying to block out. Strings of gemstones and more pearls hung around her neck, and a gold crown set with diamonds and amethysts rest 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 chalklike 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 fell 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 displace 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 realized they were all Court guardiansexcept one. Ambrose. He looked as gorgeous as always and stared straight ahead as he did his job, f ace 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 had loved. Ambrose had defended Tatiana when Id been angry 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 letter 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 ceremonial people. Royals in elaborate clothing, making a glittering 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 culture 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 beauti ful and regal, worthy 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 sun 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 uncomfortable 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 class 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 fair distance from the church, the statues loomed ominously, like they were scrutinizing everything. Near the queens statue was a garden that I knew well. Id been forced to landscape it as punishment for running off to Las Vegas. My true conclude on that tripwhich no one knewhad been to free Victor Dashkov from prison. Victor had b een 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 heavily 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 there it was again. Something else was bothering her. She was still keeping a cluster 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 pallbear ers. If I were one, I wouldve said to hell with propriety and started jogging toward my final destination. Of course, that competency jostle the body. If the funeral coordinator had been upset over Lissas dress, there was no telling how shed react if Tatiana fell out of the coffin.Our view of the cathedral was getting clearer, its domes shining amber and orangeness in the setting sun. Lissa was still several yards away, but the 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 taste for him to outshine the queens clothing, but perhaps 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 ble w up.