Shadow Promised (ON HOLD)

Chapter 7: Fast Lane

Chapter Seven

As I slowly walked back to my room, a million thoughts plagued me. First, I had just kissed Adrian, something I was sure was going to haunt me for days let alone lead to a lot of issues in my personal life, Let alone Dimitri. I had told myself I would keep the little encounter private. I couldn't deal with my betrayal to him just now. Especially since the Court was in chaos.

People bustled around and whispers were everywhere. I looked for a familiar face in the crowd and was somewhat relieved when my mothers arms grasped mine. Except she looked down on me like she was furious and her hand was tightly wound around my upper arm. Her eyes were wide and her face wore signs of worry, betrayal and distraught.

"Tel me you had nothing to do with this." She demanded pulling me towards her roughly. Being the person I am, my guardian instincts kicked in as I yanked my arm out of her grasp and wound around pinning her to the cobble wall behind her. Or at least that was my intention before she was on top of me pinning me down onto the cold cement ground. Passersby stared but the bustle kept an even flow and didn't break course as people dodged the little scene my mother and I were engaged in.

"Tell me you had nothing to do with this Rose!" She demanded pushing her whole weight against my torso, keeping my steadily on the ground. She wasn't as powerful as a strigoi but she was my mother and I was searching for an escape route that wouldn't lead to severe physical damage.

I stared up at her wide eyes and red face as I struggled against my own mother. We were both so much alike, even in our combat techniques, "I have nothing to do with it. Now could you get the fuck off of me and explain what's going on?"

I'm not one to cuss too often so my words had my mom blinking her eyes down at me in shock and surprise. My bitter words had surprised her enough that her weight had shifted and I sat up watching Moroi rush about us in a hurry. My mother still had her hands on my upper arms and she seemed to be contemplating whether to set me free or skin me alive. She chose the latter, finally releasing my arms and allowing me to scoot several inches away from her murderous expression.

"What's going on?" I asked once more. I was very shaky since I was stiff with my bullet wounds, but I kept my voice even and calm. My mother still sat there on her knees braced for a fight that I wanted to avoid by any means possible. I had a horrible reputation as is and with the news of my relationship around Court spreading, I didn't need any more bad gossip spreading about the Queen's official guardian. My reputation now reflected on Lissa as a political leader and letting her pay for my actions was not very honorable on my part. My mother seemed to straighten up and relax her stance to a point but I could still see the wary look to posture, like she was the predator and I was the prey. When she finally spoke, her words were quick and to the point, "Tasha Ozera tried to escape. She got half way past the guardians on duty before they seized her but it got around Court fast and now people are worried that we have a traitor amongst us." She said evenly and fast as her eyes darted across the crowd.

"Why would they think that?" I asked. Although I was positive I already knew the answer. A Moroi, even a skilled Moroi like Tasha Ozera was crazy to believe that she could get past a large group of highly trained professionals.

"It's impossible for one weak Moroi to be able to get through four guardians. Although the guardian's swear up and down that they opened the doors to allow her to walk about the hallway of the cells guarded and she turned on them. I was hoping you and your little friends weren't part of anything as stupid as this. Lissa's queen now and childish behavior is a risk to her position. I know you feel perfectly content to waste away your potential but Lissa is not like you, Rose. She can't afford one blunder that will tarnish her future."