I SAID IT BEFORE I SENSED IT. The sound of her name, falling from my mouth; almost subconscious. But after I'd said it, I sensed her undeniable presence. Sweat trickled down my head, as I dragged my body towards her, determined to reach her. Her spirit called upon me, drawing me closer and closer towards her body.

"Rose," I repeated, this time my voice was a mere whisper, barely audible. She was sprawled on the road, her arm limply on her side and her body drenched in fresh blood. "Please, wake up." She was still in there, I could feel it. I could just... My hand stretched forward merely brushing her fingertips and instantly her eyes fluttered open. "Rose!"

"Hey, Liss," she cooed softly. Helpless tears flooded my eyes and poured down my cheeks. "Why are you crying? I'm here, aren't I?"

I almost agreed with her, just as something inside me jolted and the truth filled me. Rose was there... But it was not for long.

"You've been hurt," I murmured, crawling forward to lay beside her. "I need to... Let me heal you, Rose."

"Hurt?" she asked, slight sarcasm in her tone. It was good; that felt almost normal. Sarcastic Rose made me feel as if everything was normal. "Do you remember what I said about that Raven, Lissa? The one back at the academy..."

"You said it was far worse than hurt," I echoed, remembering the incident clearly. "You said it was done."

"I'm like that Raven." For a split-second, we were both silent and the only sound was Rose's shallow breathing.

"Exactly," I replied. "I healed the Raven, Rose. Just like I can heal you."

"At what cost?" she demanded softly. I couldn't reply to that. She was right; in fact, Rose was almost always right.

After healing the Raven the pain was immense, the urge to maim and injure was overpowering. I didn't know if I could survive through that again.

Yet, it was a risk I was willing to take. I would do it my best friend, Rose.

"Take care of yourself, Lissa."

"No, Rose," I said. "Please, let me..."

"Lissa?" she prompted softly.

"Yes?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Always."

"Close your eyes," Rose whispered. Believing her entirely, I closed my eyes lightly, not attempting to prevent the tears from falling. "I love you, Liss," her voice was strangely faint. "I'll always love you the most in this world."

And then, the road became deadly silent.

My eyes snapped open and I stared at her body before me. Her gentle breathing had come to an end and I no longer felt her intact spirit.

Rose had breathed her last.

"ROSE!" I screamed. I hastily calmed myself. It was not too late. I could heal her. I could still heal her. My fingers wrapped around her wrist, gripping it with all I had, sending my spirit into her soul.

But her body remained lifeless.

And that was when realisation hit.

I had tried to bring her back, but I had not tried soon enough. I was too late to save her, my best friend.

She was gone. Gone for good.

I had already lost her.

*

"What is wrong with the girl?" I heard Headmistress Kirova demand. "She hasn't left her room in three days."

"Rose was her best friend," a familiar voice, Alberta, reasoned. It hurt. Hearing her name hurt more than I thought it would. "She was also going to be her guardian. And what's more, Vasilisa watched her die."

"She should get over it. Princess Vasilisa is now the last of the Dragomir line. To be a legitimate representative of a Royal Family, she must be active in the Academy and socialise with others."

"Headmistress, you do realise that Vasilisa can hear us?"

"That is my intention," she responded. "Perhaps if she hears someone say it, she will abide it." Kirova sighed. "Guardian Belikov is prepared, isn't he?"

"Yes, Headmistress, he is. But I believe that Vasilisa is not-"

"We don't know that," I heard her say. "However, there's only one way to find out." Alberta sighed deeply before responding.

"I will talk to her." The door opened shortly afterwards, and I scowled at the blank wall, my back facing her. "Vasilisa?"

I didn't reply. In a way, I couldn't. All I could think of was her.

"Vasilisa, there's someone you have to meet." Alberta told me. I slowly turned to face her, tears running down my face. "Please, Lissa."

"Don't call me that," I snapped, shocked at how hostile I sounded. Once, I would never have even dreamed of being slightly disrespectful. But that was before I lost my Rose. "She calls me that..." Called me that. "She's the only one that can call me that."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm really sorry."

The gentleness of her voice soothed me and my anger disappeared, with only pain remaining in me... If only I could heal my own broken heart.

Sensing my shift of emotions, she continued to talk. "You the last royal in the Dragomir line, Vasilisa and that makes you very vulnerable. You need a guardian and because Rose is-"

"Please, don't say her name," I pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Vasilisa. I wasn't thinking," Alberta answered. "But since she was going to be your guardian and she no longer can be, the Academy hired one for you."

"I don't want to know about whoever this," I stated firmly.

"Please, Vasilisa. Guardian Belikov is unlike what you would think. He is going through a lot, just as you are. His charge, a member of the Zeklos royal family, passed away recently and he was quite attached to him."

That caught my attention. I looked up at Alberta and she smiled, knowingly, almost as if she'd read her my thoughts.

"I'll send him in."

Moments later, a man stepped into the room. He was tall, very tall for a dhampir and built like most guardians. His dark hair fell just above his shoulders and his eyes were of the same shade. Guardian Belikov, as Alberta had called him, looked younger then most guardians but had a severe expression on his face. Overall, he looked like he was Russian, just like most moroi and dhampir.

"You must be Guardian Belikov," I said quietly.

"Dimitri," he murmured, his expression unchanging. "I'm Dimitri."

"I'm Vasilisa."

"I know. I mean, you're the princess." For the first time in days, I feel my lips curve upwards into a smile.

But then it immediately disappeared, as I realised that his comment was something that Rose would say.

"When did it happen?" I asked him. "When did he pass away? You're charge, I mean."

"It's been a few months," he took a deep breath.

"Does it ever go away?" I muttered. "The pain..."

"Not entirely," he responded. "I know everyone says it, but it's true. It does get easier."

"You sound just like her."

"What was she like?"

"She was..." I trailed off. "I don't know how to describe her. She was like a sister, protective of me and also a best friend, someone I could share everything with. Rose was witty, sarcastic, reckless, impulsive and all the instructors always thought she had great potential. But most of all she was one of a kind."

"I think I would have liked her," Dimitri told me. "I could have trained her and we could have both been your guardians..."

"She told me she loved me," I smiled sadly. "But now, she's..."

"She is gone," he stated, staring out the window.

"I've lost her," I whispered. "Lost her to the shadows."

Rose Hathaway was shadow lost.