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Silence fell, and I relaxed my hold on the sword but refused to let it go. My body sagged
forward, and I rested my head on Mason's chest. I became oblivious to everything: to the world
around me, to time itself. Seconds could have passed. Hours could have passed. I didn't know. I
didn't know anything except that I couldn't leave Mason alone. I existed in an altered state, a
state that just barely kept the terror and grief at bay. I couldn't believe Mason was dead. I
couldn't believe I'd just summoned death. So long as I refused to acknowledge either, I could
pretend they hadn't happened.
Footsteps and voices eventually sounded, and I lifted my head up. People poured in through the
door, lots of them. I couldn't really make out any of them. I didn't need to. They were threats,
threats I had to keep Mason safe from. A couple of them approached me, and I leapt up, lifting
the sword and holding it protectively over his body.
"Stay back," I warned. "Stay away from him."
They kept coming.
"Stay back!" I yelled. They stopped. Except for one.
"Rose," came a soft voice. "Drop the sword."
My hands shook. I swallowed. "Get away from us."
"Rose."
The voice spoke again, a voice that my soul would have known anywhere. Hesitantly, I let
myself finally become aware of my surroundings, let the details sink in. I let my eyes focus on
the features of the man standing there. Dimitri's brown eyes, gentle and firm, looked down on
me.
"It's okay," he said. "Everything's going to be okay. You can let go of the sword."
My hands shook even harder as I fought to hold on to the hilt. "I can't." The words hurt coming
out. "I can't leave him alone. I have to protect him."
"You have," said Dimitri.