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It took Lissa a et used to her s We’re still figuring it out"

Adrian was er than she was to discuss it-probably in the hopes of i Avery-and provided a quick rundown of some of spirit’s abilities, like auras and compulsion "And," he added, "I can visit people in their dreams"

Christian held up a hand "Stop I can feel there’s a co on about hoomen already dream about you I just ate, you know"

"I wasn’t going to go there," said Adrian But he kind of looked like he wished he’d thought of the joke first I couldn’t help being a little amused

Adrian was so brash and flippant in public and then, in my dreams, he’d show that serious and concerned side He was ave him credit for

Avery looked floored "Man I used to think using air was cool I guess not" A s her look as though she were posing for a swi srapher

The sound of the bell made them all stand up Christian realized he’d left hoet it-after kissing Lissa goodbye, of course

Adrian departed equally as fast "The teachers start giving ave Lissa and Avery a small half bow "Until next time, ladies"

Avery, who couldn’t care less about what teachers thought, walked with Lissa to her next class The older girl’s face was thoughtful "So you really are with Christian, right?" Was she ever If Avery’d seen half the things I’d seen Christian and Lissa do through the bond, there’d be no question

Lissa laughed "Yes, why?"

Avery hesitated, piquing Lissa’s curiosity "Well I heard that you were involved with Adrian"

Lissa nearly stopped walking "Where did you hear that?"

"

At Court

The queen was saying how happy she is about you guys being a couple and how you’re always together"

Lissa groaned "That’s because whenever I go to Court, she invites his for her It’s not by choice well, Itiether there is because Tatiana h She talks about you all the time, about how much potential you have and how proud she is of you"

"I think she’s proud tothere is such a pain She either co Christian or takes whatever chance she can get to slip in insults about hiive Christian’s parents for willingly turning Strigoi

"Sorry," said Avery, looking like she felt really bad "I didn’tup a bad subject I just kind of wanted to know if Adrian was available, that’s all"

Lissa wasn’t mad at Avery Her fury was turned toward the queen, at how she assumed everyone would behave the way she wanted and dance when she co or a queen since the beginning of tie They needed a system where everyone had an equal say-royal and non-royal alike Even the dhaht about it, theup in a way more common to ht up to Tatiana and tell her their deal was off No college orth this Maybe she’d even tell Tatiana that it was time for a revolution, time to overturn the Moroi’s backward Lissa blinked, astonished to find she was shaking Where had that e to be upset with Tatiana, but this?

She hadn’t had such out-of-control rages since she first began using spirit With a deep breath, she tried to use so techniques she’d acquired so that Avery wouldn’t knohat a nutcase she’d nearly turned into

"I just hate people talking about me, that’s all," Lissa said at last

Avery hadn’t seeer "Well, if it makes you feel better, not everyone thinks that about you I irl Mia?

Yeah, that was her naested she held the view a lot of royals had toward "coether Said it was ridiculous"

Lissa almost smiled at that Mia had once been Lissa’s rival and a self-centered brat But after Strigoi killed her mother, Mia had taken on a fierce, determined attitude, one both Lissa and I liked im to fight so that she would be able to battle Strigoi someday

"Oh," said Avery suddenly "There’s Sio"

Lissa looked across the hall and saw Avery’s stern guardian Sirim as Avery’s brother Reed, but he still had that same stiff and dour look he’d had when Lissa first h

"Okay," said Lissa "I’ll see you later"

"You bet," said Avery, starting to turn

"Oh, and Avery?"

Avery glanced at Lissa "Yeah?"

"Adrian is available"

Avery’s only ansas a quick grin before she headed off to join Simon

Back with the Belikovs in Baia, the hbors and friends, all dhalih it still didn’t seem as mysterious as Sydney had implied The kitchen turned into a banquet hall, with every counter and table surface covered in dishes Some were foods I knew, and there were lots of desserts-cookies and pastries covered in nuts and icing that smelled freshly baked Some of the dishes I’d never seen before and wasn’t sure I wanted to ever again There was a slie in particular that I went out of my way to avoid

But before we ate, everyone went outside and gathered in a semicircle in the backyard It was the only place that could accommodate so many people A priest appeared just then, a human one That surprisedin a human town, dhampirs would attend a human church And to most humans, dhaht he wasan ordinary house call A handful of Moroi who had been in toere also present, but they, too, could more or less pass for hus Humans didn’t expect to see the supernatural, so their ht in front of therew silent It was sunset noith orange fire burning in the western sky, and shadows falling across all of us The priest perfor in a voice that sounded unearthly in the darkening yard

All the church services I’d ever attended were in English, but I could see how this had the saathered would cross themselves I didn’t know the cues, so I si the priest’s s for Di storm, and I worked to keep them in, locked up in my heart When the service finally finished, the eerie tension that had engulfed the group dispersed Peoplehands with the priest He left shortly thereafter

Food followed Plates were loaded up, and everyone sat wherever they could find space, be it inside the house or in the backyard None of the guests really knew me, and Dimitri’s family was far too busy to pay much attention to me as they ran around and tried to make everyone feel welcome Sydney stayed with ht between us, I took co rooainst the wall near the bookcase She picked over her food, like always, whichabout that familiar habit

When dinner was over, people continued chatting in sroups I couldn’t understand any of it, but I kept hearing his name mentioned: Di that the ghosts , the force of his narew to be too much Sydney had stepped away for a bit, so I went outside to get some air So around it, still talking about Dimitri, so I headed off toward the front yard

I walked down the street, not intending to go far The night arhtly in the blackness above led up, and now that I ay from the others, I allowed a bit of that pent-up e out as silent tears on my cheeks When I was a couple of houses away, I sat down on the curb, resting and enjoying the stillness around me My peace was short-lived, however- froures appeared One, tall and slim, was Moroi, and the others were dhampirs I stared as they ca with for up into the Moroi’s dark eyes I didn’t recognize this group fronize the Moroi froave him a wry half-smile

"Abe Mazur, I presume"