to his original state."
"No," Mikhail said swiftly. "That's impossible."
"It might not be. I know someone who did it--who turned a Strigoi back." Okay, that was a small lie. I didn't actually know the person, but I wasn't going to get into the string of knowing-someone-who-knew-someone...
"That's impossible," Mikhail repeated. "Strigoi are dead. Undead. Same difference."
"What if there was a chance?" I said. "What if it could be done? What if Ms. Karp--if Sonya--could become Moroi again? What if you could be together again?" It'd also mean she'd be crazy again, but that was a technicality for later.
It felt like an eternity before he answered, and my anxiety grew. Lissa couldn't compel forever, and I'd told Mia I would be fast. This plan would fall apart if I didn't get out soon. Yet, watching him deliberate, I could see his mask falter. After all this time, he still loved his Sonya.
"If what you're saying is true--and I don't believe it--then I'm coming with you."
Whoa, no. Not in the plan. "You can't," I said swiftly. "I've already got people in place." Another small lie. "Adding more might ruin things. I'm not doing it alone," I said, cutting off what I figured would be his next argument. "If you really want to help me--really want to take a chance on bringing her back--you need to let me go."
"There's no way it can be true," he repeated. But there was doubt in his voice, and I played on it.
"Can you take that chance?"
More silence. I was starting to sweat now. Mikhail closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Then he stepped aside and gestured to the door. "Go."
I nearly sagged in relief and immediately grabbed the door handle. "Thank you. Thank you so much."
"I could get in a lot of trouble for this," he said wearily. "And I still don't believe it's possible."
"But you hope it is." I didn't need a response from him to know I was right. I opened the door, but before going through, I paused and glanced at him. This time, he no longer hid the grief and pain in his face. "If you mean it... if you want to help... there might be a way you can."
Another piece of the puzzle had unraveled itself for me, another way we might pull this off. I explained what I needed from him and was surprised at how quickly he agreed. He really was like me, I realized. We both knew the idea of bringing back Strigoi was impossible... and yet we so, so wanted to believe it could be done
I slipped back upstairs alone after that. Don wasn't at his desk, and I wondered what Mia had done with him. I didn't wait to find out and instead headed outside, off to a small courtyard that we'd established as our rendezvous point. Mia and Lissa were both waiting there, pacing. No longer distracted with anxiety, I opened myself to the bond and felt Lissa's agitation.
"Thank God," she said when she saw me. "We thought you'd been caught."
"Well... it's a long story." One I didn't bother with. "I got what I needed. And... I actually got a whole lot more. I think we can do this."
Mia gave me a look that was both wry and wistful. "I sure do wish I knew what you guys were doing."
I shook my head as the three of us walked away. "No," I replied. "I'm not sure that you do."
Chapter Five
I DECIDED IT'D BE BEST if Lissa and I stayed up late when we returned to her room, poring over the documents. She was a jumble of feelings when I told her about my encounter with Mikhail--which I hadn't mentioned to Mia. Lissa's initial reaction was surprise, but there were other things too. Fear over the trouble I could have gotten into. A bit of warm romanticism over what both Mikhail and I were willing to do for those we loved. Wonder if she would do the same if Christian were in that situation. She decided instantly that she would; her love for him was still that strong. Then she told herself that she actually didn't care about him anymore, which I would have found annoying if I wasn't so distracted.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
I'd sighed aloud in dismay without realizing it while I read her thoughts. Not wanting her to know I'd been perusing her mind, I pointed at the papers spread out on her bed. "Just trying to make sense