You're Beautiful, Roza. So Beautiful It Hurts

Then, As One Hand Tightened On Me And His Other Ran Gently Over My Hair, I Noticed Something. He Didn't Smell Right.

I Secretly Wondered If Dimitri's Problem Might Be That He Was Jealous. He Hadn't Pulled Lissa Aside To Yell At Her. The Thought Made Me Slightly Happy, But Then I Remembered My Earlier Curiosity About Why Dimitri Had Even Wandered By.

Hey Sydney," She Said, Giving Me A Small, Crooked Smile As She Entered The Room. Her Flashing, Dark Eyes Were Friendly, But They Were Also Assessing Everything In The Room, Much As Eddie's Gaze Was. It Was A Guardian Thing. Rose Was About My Height And Dressed Very Casually In Jeans And A Red Tank Top. But, As Always, There Was Something As Exotic And Dangerous About Her Beauty That Made Her Stand Out From Everyone Else. She Was Like A Tropical Flower In This Dark, Stuffy Room. One That Could Kill You.

When You Say ‘old Friend,’ Are We Talking, Like...since The Ice Age?” “no. Of Course Not.” “oh.” “it’s Only Been About Four Hundred Years.” “ah. Yes. Only Four Hundred.” A Wry Expression Spread Over His Face. “being With You Is A Continual Experiment In Perspective. Among Other Things.

Feel Guilty. Mourn This. But Move On. Don't Let It Destroy You. Forgive Yourself.