Ichor : Blood & Secrets

Chapter 63

“Nothing to be done now,” I sighed. “Rose—” “Forget it, Liss. It’s done, okay?” She studied me quietly for a few seconds. “I haven’t seen you cry in a long time.”

“I wasn’t crying.” A feeling of heartache and sympathy beat through to me from the bond. “She can’t do this to you,” she argued. I laughed bitterly, half surprised at my own hopeless-ness. “She already did. She said she’d get back at me, that I wouldn’t be able to protect you. She did it.

When I go back to classes . . .” A sickening feeling settled in my stomach. I thought about the friends and respect I’d managed to eke out, despite our low profile. That would be gone. You couldn’t come back from something like this. Not among the Moroi. Once a blood w***e, always a blood w***e. What made it worse was that some dark, secret part of me did like being bitten. “You shouldn’t have to keep protecting me,” she said. I laughed.

“That’s my job. I’m going to be your guardian.” “I know, but I meant like this. You shouldn’t suffer because of me. You shouldn’t always have to look after me. And yet you always do. You got me out of here. You took care of everything when we were on our own. Even since coming back . . . you’ve always been the one who does all the work. Every time I break down—like last night—you’re always there.

Me, I’m weak. I’m not like you.” I shook my head. “That doesn’t matter. It’s what I do. I don’t mind.” “Yeah, but look what happened. I’m the one she really has a grudge against— even though I still don’t know why. Whatever. It’s going to stop. I’m going to protect you from now on.” There was a determination in her expression, a wonderful confidence radiating off of her that reminded me of the Lissa I’d known before the accident.

At the same time, I could feel something else in her—something darker, a sense of deeply buried anger. I’d seen this side of her before too, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t want her tapping into it. I just wanted her to be safe. “Lissa, you can’t protect me.” “I can,” she said fiercely. “There’s one thing Mia wants more than to destroy you and me.

She wants to be accepted. She wants to hang out with the royals and feel like she’s one of them. I can take that away from her.” She smiled. “I can turn them against her.” “How?” “By telling them.” Her eyes flashed.