Chapter Sixteen Summary

Using over forty Court Guardians in stealth mode, Rose leads the charge to rescue Lissa and Christian from Dimitri's trap. They find three levels of Strigoi staged for the Guardians' assault in defensive anticipation. Using their superior Guardian training and with the element of surprise on to their advantage, Rose and the Guardians defeat many Strigoi in close quarters, stake-to-heart combat. Finally, Rose finds herself face-to-face with Dimitri. A death match ensues between the two as they battle to see who will live, Lissa or Dimitri. Christian uses his spirit power to ignite fires and singes the ropes from his and Lissa's rope-bound wrists, freeing them to join the melee.

During the battle, Lissa taps into hidden powers she never realized she possessed. Using her angelic ability to suddenly flood a room with light so brilliant no one can stand looking...