After arriving at the Badica's, Rose and Dimitri discover all of the royal family and their guardians dead, bodies scattered everywhere. They also find a haunting message written in blood, promising to kill more royal families but starting with the smaller ones first. Realizing who that means will be at the top of the strigoi's pecking order, Rose and Dimitri run to the secret safe house Lissa and Christian have been staying at since the Victor incident. Will they make it in time? And who will Rose find has been keeping her friend from her all this time?