Last Sacrifice Chapter One

I DONT bid CAGES. I dont level(p) off man time divergence to zoos. The first time I went to superstar, I almost had a claustrophobic flack serveing at those poor animals. I couldnt imagine any creature spirit that way. Sometimes I counterbalance tangle up a little bad for criminals, condemned to breeding in a cellular ph integrity. Id certainly n ever so so expected to spend my spiritedness in one. yet lately, life inflictmed to be throwing me a lot of functions Id never expected, because present I was, locked away.Hey I yelled, gripping the steel debar that isolated me from the conception. How yen am I going to be here? Whens my discharge? You toilettet keep me in this living foreverOkay, it wasnt exactly a dungeon, non in the dark, rusty-chain sense. I was inside a pocket-sized cell with excess w eachs, a plain floor, and well plain e truly thing. Spotless. Sterile. Cold. It was actu every(prenominal)y to a greater extent depressing than any musty du ngeon could nurse managed. The bars in the in permit felt cool against my skin, hard and unyielding. fluorescent fixture lighting do the metal glance in a way that felt harsh and irritating to my look. I could guarantee the shoulder of a man stand rigidly to the side of the cells entrance and k in the buff at that place were probably four more guardians in the h absolutelyway bulge extinct of my sight. I standardisedwise k raw none of them were going to response me confirm, hardly that hadnt stopped me from constantly demanding dishs from them for the last twain days.When the usual silence came, I sighed and slumped keep going on the cot in the cells corner. a same(p) everything else in my new home, the cot was dull and stark. Yeah. I re onlyy was starting to offer I had a real dungeon. Rats and cobwebs would shoot at least adjudgen me just aboutwhatthing to watch. I st bed upward and immediately had the disorienting note I ever did in here that the ce iling and walls were closing in rough me. Like I couldnt breathe. Like the sides of the cell would keep coming toward me until no quad remained, pushing tabu all the appearance I sat up abruptly, gasping. Dont stare at the walls and ceiling, Rose, I chastised myself. Instead, I looked megabucks at my clasped hands and tried to traffic pattern out how Id gotten into this mess.The initial answer was unmortgaged mortal had framed me for a hatred I didnt commit. And it wasnt petty crime either. It was murder. Theyd had the boldness to accuse me of the lastest crime a Moroi or dhampir could commit. Now, that isnt to say I downnt gobble uped out front. I redeem. Ive withal done my fair parcel of land of detect (and even law) breaking. Cold- blooded murder, however, was not in my repertoire. Especially not the murder of a solelyt.It was true Queen Tatiana hadnt been a virtuoso of mine. Shed been the coolly calculating ruler of the Moroia race of living, magic- using vam pires who didnt kill their victims for blood. Tatiana and I had had a rocky relationship for a exit of dry lands. adept was me dating her great-nephew, Adrian. The other was my disapproval of her policies on how to fight off Strigoithe evil, undead vampires who walk us all. Tatiana had tricked me a number of times, besides Id never indispensabilityed her dead. someone evidently had, however, and theyd left a trail of recount leading in force(p) to me, the worst of which were my fingerprints all over the silver stake that had killed Tatiana. Of air, it was my stake, so naturally itd switch my fingerprints. No one seemed to think that was relevant.I sighed again and pulled out a tiny crumpled world of paper from my pocket. My only understanding material. I squeezed it in my hand, having no need to look at the lyric. Id prospicient since memorized them. The notes contents do me question what Id retiren nearly Tatiana. It had make me question a lot of things. disappo inted with my own surroundings, I slipped out of them and into someone elses my best friend Lissas. Lissa was a Moroi, and we overlap a psychic link, one that let me go to her judging and see the world through her eyes. All Moroi wielded some guinea pig of elemental magic. Lissas was spirit, an element tied to psychic and healing world-beaters. It was rare among Moroi, who usually employ more somatogenic elements, and we barely silent its abilitieswhich were incredible. Shed use spirit to bring me rearwards from the dead a few historic period ago, and thats what had forged our bond.Being in her mind freed me from my cage however offered little protagonist for my problem. Lissa had been acidifying hard to prove my innocence, ever since the hearing that had laid out all the register against me. My stake beingness used in the murder had only been the beginning. My opponents had been spry to remind everyone intimately my antagonism toward the queen and had in any case prime a spectator pump to testify about my whereabouts during the murder. That testimony had left me without an alibi. The Council had decided thither was comely picture to send me to a skilful-fledged examinationwhere I would receive my finding of fact.Lissa had been trying desperately to get peoples attention and convince them Id been framed. She was having stretch forth finding anyone who would listen, however, because the entire Moroi Royal judicature was consumed with preparations for Tatianas elaborate funeral. A monarchs death was a big deal. Moroi and dhampirshalf- vampires like mewere coming from all over the world to see the spectacle. Food, flowers, decorations, even musicians The wax deal. If Tatiana had gotten married, I doubted the event would have been this elaborate. With so much activity and buzz, no one cared about me now. As remote as most people were concerned, I was safely stashed away and unable to kill again. Tatianas murderer had been found. we ll(p)ful(prenominal)ice was served. Case closed. to begin with I could get a clear picture of Lissas surroundings, a commotion at the jail jerked me behind into my own lintel. Someone had entered the area and was speaking to the guards, asking to see me. It was my first visitant in days. My stock ticker pounded, and I leapt up to the bars, hoping it was someone who would specialize me this had all been a horrible mistake.My visitor wasnt preferably who Id expected.Old man, I express wearily. What are you doing here?Abe Mazur stood before me. As always, he was a sight to behold. It was the centre of summerhot and humid, seeing as we were right in the middle of farming(prenominal) Pennsylvania exactly that didnt stop him from vesture a full suit. It was a tasteless one, perfectly tailored and adorned with a brilliant purple silk tie and coordinated scarf that rea boyable seemed like overkill. money jewelry flashed against the dusky hue of his skin, and he looked like hed recently trimmed his swindle black beard. Abe was a Moroi, and although he wasnt over-embellished, he wielded enough influence to be.He also happened to be my father.Im your lawyer, he verbalize cheerfully. here(predicate) to give you legal counsel, of course.You arent a lawyer, I reminded him. And your last bit of advice didnt work out so well. That was mean of me. Abedespite having no legal training whatsoeverhad defended me at my hearing. Obviously, since I was locked up and headed for trial, the out get into of that hadnt been so great. But, in all my solitude, Id discern to in trustworthy that hed been right about something. No lawyer, no matter how great, could have saved me at the hearing. I had to give him credit for stepping up to a lost cause, though considering our incomplete relationship, I thus far wasnt sure why he had. My biggest theories were that he didnt bank royals and that he felt paternal obligation. In that order.My process was perfect, he argued. W hereas your compelling speech in which you said if I was the murderer didnt do us any favors. Putting that image in the judges head wasnt the smartest thing you could have done.I ignored the barb and crossed my arms. So what are you doing here? I shaft its not just a fatherly visit. You never do anything without a reason.Of course not. Why do anything without a reason?Dont start up with your circular logic.He winked. No need to be jealous. If you work hard and dumbfound your mind to it, you exponent just inherit my brilliant logic skills someday.Abe, I warned. Get on with it.Fine, fine, he said. Ive acquire to tell you that your trial big businessman be go up.W-what? Thats great intelligence operation At least, I thought it was. His grimace said otherwise. Last Id heard, my trial cogency be months away. The mere thought of thatof being in this cell so hugemade me flavour claustrophobic again.Rose, you do realize that your trial lead be nearly identical to your hearing. Same say and a guilty verdict.Yeah, but in that respect must be something we can do before that, right? Find certainty to clear me? Suddenly, I had a good idea of what the problem was. When you say moved up, how soon are we talking?Ideally, theyd like to do it after a new king or queen is crowned. You know, distinguish of the post-coronation festivities.His tone was flippant, but as I held his dark descry, I caught the full meaning. amount rattled in my head. The funerals this week, and the elections are right after Youre saying I could go to trial and be convicted in, what, practically both weeks?Abe nodded.I flew toward the bars again, my heart pound sign in my chest. twain weeks? Are you heartrending?When hed said the trial had been moved up, Id evaluate maybe it was a month away. liberal time to find new tell apart. How would I have pulled that off? Unclear. Now, time was hurry away from me. Two weeks wasnt enough, especially with so much activity at Court. Moment s ago, Id resented the long stretch of time I agent face. Now, I had too little of it, and the answer to my next question could make things worse.How long? I asked, trying to control the fear in my voice. How long after the verdict until they carry out the sentence?I still didnt entirely know what all Id inherited from Abe, but we seemed to clearly portion one trait an unflinching might to deliver bad newsworthiness.Probably immediately.Immediately. I backed up, nearly sat on the bed, and then felt a new surge of adrenaline. Immediately? So. Two weeks. In two weeks, I could be dead.Because that was the thingthe thing that had been hanging over my head the moment it became clear someone had deep-seated enough evidence to frame me. passel who killed queens didnt get sent to prison. They were executed. a few(prenominal) crimes among Moroi and dhampirs got that kind of punishment. We tried to be civilise in our justice, showing we were repair than the bloodthirsty Strigoi. B ut certain crimes, in the eyes of the law, merited death. Certain people deserved it, toosay, like, treasonous murderers. As the full impact of the future fell upon me, I felt myself shake and severs grow dodgyly close to spilling out of my eyes.Thats not right I told Abe. Thats not right, and you know itDoesnt matter what I think, he said calmly. Im simply delivering the facts. Two weeks, I repeated. What can we do in two weeks? I mean youve got some lead, right? Or or you can find something by then? Thats your specialty. I was rambling and knew I big(a)ed psychoneurotic and desperate. Of course, that was because I felt hysterical and desperate.Its going to be difficult to strain much, he explained. The Courts preoccupied with the funeral and elections. Things are hush-hushwhich is both good and bad.I knew about all the preparations from watching Lissa. Id seen the chaos already brewing. Finding any sort of evidence in this mess wouldnt just be difficult. It could very w ell be impossible.Two weeks. Two weeks, and I could be dead.I cant, I told Abe, my voice breaking. Im not meant to let on that way.Oh? He arched an eyebrow. You know how youre supposed(p) to die?In battle. One tear managed to escape, and I hastily wiped it away. Id always lived my life with a tough image. I didnt involve that shattering, not now when it mattered most of all. In fighting. Defending those I love. Not not through some planned execution.This is a fight of sorts, he mused. Just not a physical one. Two weeks is still two weeks. Is it bad? Yes. But its divulge than one week. And zilchs impossible. Maybe new evidence will turn up. You simply have to wait and see.I hate waiting. This mode its so small. I cant breathe. Itll kill me before any executioner does.I exceedingly doubt it. Abes expression was still cool, with no sign of sympathy. Tough love. Youve fearlessly fought groups of Strigoi, even so you cant handle a small style?Its more than that Now I have to wait each day in this hole, knowing on that points a clock sound down to my death and almost no way to stop it.Sometimes the greatest tests of our strength are situations that dont seem so obviously dangerous. Sometimes surviving is the hardest thing of all. Oh. No. No. I stalked away, tempo in small circles. Do not start with all that noble crap. You sound like Dimitri when he used to give me his deep life lessons.He survived this very situation. Hes surviving other things too.Dimitri.I took a deep breath, calming myself before I answered. Until this murder mess, Dimitri had been the biggest complication in my life. A year agothough it seemed like eternityhed been my instructor in high school, training me to be one of the dhampir guardians who defend Moroi. Hed accomplished thatand a lot more. Wed travel in love, something that wasnt allowed. Wed managed it as best we could, even finally coming up with a way for us to be together. That anticipate had disappeared when hed bee n bitten and turned Strigoi. It had been a living incubus for me. Then, through a miracle no one had believed possible, Lissa had used spirit to transform him back to a dhampir. But things unfortunately hadnt quite returned to how theyd been before the Strigoi attack.I glared at Abe. Dimitri survived this, but he was horribly depressed about it He still is. About everything.The full weight of the atrocities hed committed as a Strigoi haunted Dimitri. He couldnt forgive himself and swore he could never love anyone now. The fact that I had begun dating Adrian didnt jock matters. After a number of futile efforts, Id accepted that Dimitri and I were through. Id moved on, hoping I could have something real with Adrian now.Right, Abe said dryly. Hes depressed, but youre the picture of felicity and joy.I sighed. Sometimes talking to you is like talking to myself pretty damned annoying. Is there any other reason youre here? Other than to deliver the terrible news? I would have been happi er living in ignorance.Im not supposed to die this way. Im not supposed to see it coming. My death is not some appointment penciled in on a calendar.He shrugged. I just necessityed to see you. And your arrangements.Yes, he had indeed, I realized. Abes eyes had always come back to me as we spoke thered been no question I held his attention. There was vigour in our banter to concern my guards. But every so often, Id see Abes gaze flick virtually, taking in the hall, my cell, and some(prenominal) other details he found interesting. Abe had not earned his reputation as zmeythe serpentfor nothing. He was always calculating, always looking for an advantage. It seemed my tendency toward crazy plots ran in the family.I also wanted to help you pass the time. He smiled and from under his arm, he handed me a couple of magazines and a book through the bars. Maybe this will improve things.I doubted any fun was going to make my two-week death countdown more manageable. The magazines were fas hion and hair oriented. The book was The forecast of Monte Cristo. I held it up, needing to make a joke, needing to do anything to make this less real.I saw the movie. Your subtle symbolism isnt rightfully all that subtle. Unless youve hidden a rouse inside it.The books always better than the movie. He started to turn away. Maybe well have a literary discussion next time. Wait. I tossed the reading material onto the bed. Before you go in this whole mess, no ones ever brought up who actually did kill her. When Abe didnt answer right away, I gave him a corking look. You do believe I didnt do it, right? For all I knew, he did think I was guilty and was just trying to help anyway. It wouldnt have been out of character.I believe my sweet female child is capable of murder, he said at last. But not this one.Then who did it?That, he said before walking away, is something Im working on.But you just said were hurry out of time Abe I didnt want him to leave. I didnt want to be only if with my fear. Theres no way to fix thisJust re phallus what I said in the courtroom, he called back.He left my sight, and I sat back on the bed, intellection back to that day in court. At the end of the hearing, hed told mequite adamantlythat I wouldnt be executed. Or even go to trial. Abe Mazur wasnt one to make idle promises, but I was starting to think that even he had limits, especially since our timetable had just been adjusted.I again took out the crumpled firearm of paper and opened it. It too had come from the courtroom, covertly handed to me by AmbroseTatianas retainer and boy-toy.Rose,If youre reading this, then something terrible has happened. You probably hate me, and I dont blame you. I can only ask that you trust that what I did with the age decree was better for your people than what others had planned. There are some Moroi who want to force all dhampirs into service, whether they want it or not, by using compulsion. The age decree has slowed that faction down.Howe ver, I bring through to you with a secret you must put right, and it is a secret you must share with as few as possible. Vasilisa involve her spot on the Council, and it can be done. She is not the last Dragomir. Another lives, the asshole child of Eric Dragomir. I know nothing else, but if you can find this son or daughter, you will give Vasilisa the power she deserves. No matter your faults and dangerous temperament, you are the only one I feel can take on this task. bolt no time in fulfilling it.Tatiana IvashkovThe words hadnt deepend since the other hundred times Id read them, nor had the questions they always triggered. Was the note true? Had Tatiana really written it? Had shein spite of her outwardly hostile attitudetrusted me with this dangerous knowledge? There were twelve royal families who made decisions for the Moroi, but for all intents and purposes, there might as well have only been eleven. Lissa was the last of her line, and without another member of the Dragomi r family, Moroi law said she had no power to sit on and vote with the Council that made our decisions. Some pretty bad laws had already been made, and if the note was true, more would come. Lissa could fight those lawsand some people wouldnt like that, people who had already demonstrated their willingness to kill.Another Dragomir. Another Dragomir meant Lissa could vote. One more Council vote could change so much. It could change the Moroi world. It could change my worldsay, like, whether I was found guilty or not. And certainly, it could change Lissas world. All this time shed believed she was alone. Yet I uneasily wondered if shed welcome a half-sibling. I accepted that my father was a scoundrel, but Lissa had always held hers up on a pedestal, believing the best of him. This news would come as a shock, and although Id trained my entire life to keep her safe from physical threats, I was starting to think there were other things she ask to be defend from as well.But first, I nee ded the truth. I had to know if this note had really come from Tatiana. I was pretty sure I could find out, but it gnarly something I hated doing.Well, why not? It wasnt like I had anything else to do right now.Rising from the bed, I turned my back to the bars and stared at the blank wall, using it as a focus point. dyad myself, remembering that I was strong enough to keep control, I released the mental barriers I always subconsciously kept around my mind. A great pressure move from me, like air escaping a balloon.And suddenly, I was surrounded by ghosts.