There was only one real stop between St. Vladimir's and the Voda residence where we were heading. It was a small rest stop at the mountain crossroads intersecting the scenic byway that we were driving and the heavier traffic of the interstate. There wasn't much more than a gas station, a chain sandwich shop, and what looked to be some sort of rest area for truckers who drove through on a regular basis. From the looks of it, the place wasn't very busy at the moment, only a few 18-wheelers were parked in the back lot, but that might be for the best.

Rose had another nightmare last night. The night guard patrolling her dorm sent me a text after his shift had ended. Apparently he had heard screams from her room. I wish he would have told me as soon as it had happened, I would have gone to her again. It wouldn't have been the first time. The first time Alberta called me about Rose waking in the middle of the night had been about a week after Mason's funeral and she couldn't get Rose to stop shaking. It took hours to get her back to sleep, and when she finally did, I ended up staying with her the rest of the night. She had fallen asleep in my arms and I didn't want to break what might have been the first half-decent sleep she had gotten since the lodge.

Last night must have been one of her worst nightmares, because she wouldn't even talk to me. She always refuses to tell me about the nightmares, but I could always tell when memories of her capture and Mason's death haunted her dreams. She was quiet, reserved, and rather un-Rose-like. But she would typically still open up to me about other things. Today, she had hardly spoken three sentences to me on our drive thus far. She might have said more to the person making her sandwich than she had to me all day, and that was only because she insisted that she wanted more pickles than what they had originally offered.

We didn't have too long to pause at the rest stop, so I told Rose that we'd eat in the car as we finished the drive up. However, when I finished filling up the gas tank, she was nowhere to be found. I waited a few minutes by the car, hoping that she had just gone inside again to use the restroom, but it quickly became clear that something else was going on. I parked the car away from the gas pump and checked the small convenience store, the fast food dining area, and I even checked the restrooms. My mind was starting to conjure all sorts of horror stories of her being taken while my back was turned, reliving my own worst nightmare, and I had to remind myself over and over again that she was fully capable of defending herself against any mortal threat.

Finally, as I rounded the corner behind the building, I saw her. She was staring out over the expanse of trees and mountains, wilderness that looked completely untouched by the world around us. As suddenly as I found her, she fell, twisting so that she landed back-first in the pristine snow.

I ran out of instinct, closing the distance between us within seconds and hastily looking for whatever made her drop. Any thoughts of a potential threat were dispelled by her laughter. I hadn't heard her laugh in so long that it surprised me and made me stop short of where she lay.

Eyes closed and a smile on her lips, Rose moved her arms back and forth to create a distinct shape in the show. My sisters and I used to make snow angels in the back yard after the first snowfall of the winter season, but we had abandoned that tradition over a decade ago. To see Rose doing so now, well it was like taking a look at the childhood that she had missed out on by growing up in the Academy. Finally, she stilled and just looked up at the sky as if she had nothing better to do than watch the clouds go by.

I finally worked up the nerve to break her peaceful moment. "What are you doing? Aside from getting your sandwich cold." I took a few steps closer, my shadow crossing over her form, and she looked up at me.

"Making a snow angel." She replied as if it was the most normal thing in the world, but then her eyes got that little spark in them that only appeared when she fell into one of her playful moods. "Do you know what that is?"

"Yes, I know," I played back. "But why? You must be freezing."

She was dressed for the weather but I still didn't want her to suffer any more discomfort than was absolutely necessary in this life. She shrugged my concern off.

"Not so much, actually. My face is a little, I guess."

"You'll be cold when you're in the car and all that snow starts melting."

Her eyes narrowed at me. "I think you're more worried about the car than about me."

I laughed, knowing that there was nothing further from the truth. It was her. It would always be her. Whether the threat was undead monsters or frostbitten fingers, I would always be concerned with her well-being before anything else. "I'm more worried about you getting hypothermia."

"In this? This is nothing." She gestured to a patch of smooth snow next to her. "Come on. You make one too, and then we can go."

"So I can freeze too?" Damn this beautiful girl. She had to know that she had me wrapped around her finger and I was helpless to her whims, no matter how reckless and juvenile. Still, that didn't mean I wouldn't put up a little resistance first.

"So you can have fun!" She insisted. "So you can leave your mark on Idaho. Besides, is shouldn't bother you at all, right? Don't you have some sort of super cold resistance from Siberia?"

This solidified it; one day, I would take Roza back home so I could show her myself just how beautiful Russia truly was, especially where I grew up. I knew she would love it if she saw it for herself and I'd be happy to show her everything my homeland had to offer.

"There you go again," I sighed, smiling the whole time, "convinced Siberia is like Antarctica. I'm from the Southern part. The weather's almost the same as here." It was better, to be perfectly honest.

"You're making excuses. Unless you want to drag me back to the car, you're going to have to make an angel too."

It was tempting to throw her over my shoulder and drag her back to the car, but it was equally as tempting to find some other way to warm her up. It was with great reluctance that I silently admitted that neither of those options would work in our favor in the long run. So, without any other reason not to, I flopped ungracefully into the snow beside her. I probably could use a cool off before we started the next leg of our road trip anyways.

I must have stayed still a little too long, 'cause Rose's taunting voice called over to me. "Okay, now you have to move your arms and legs."

I looked over at her. "I know how to make a snow angel," mock annoyance clear in my voice.

"Then do it! Otherwise you're more like a chalk outline at a police crime scene."

I couldn't help it, I broke out in that sort of laughter that can practically take your breath away. Only Rose could make me feel like this: free and almost childlike. Before I could regain my sense of responsibility, I mimicked her earlier action and created a second, much larger snow angel next to her. I knew we were falling behind schedule and I'd have to make up time on the road by driving faster than necessary, but it was worth it to savor this moment with my Roza.

"Pretty, huh?" She asked out of nowhere. "I guess in some ways, it's not that different from the ski resort's view, but I don't know. I feel different about it all today."

"Life's like that," I replied, understanding her completely even though it didn't seem like it should make sense. "As we grow and change, sometimes the things we've experienced before take on a new meaning. It'll happen for the rest of your life."

I saw her roll her eyes at my impromptu 'zen-lesson' as she called them, and I expected some sort of sarcastic comment, but she stayed silent. A few moments later, she pointed off into a distant hill that seemed to have nothing but snow covered pines for miles surrounding it.

"You think it'd be nice to have a cabin up there? Out in the woods where no one could find you?"

I thought about it for a moment. I could imagine the solitude of a cabin in the woods where I was free to spend my days reading in front of a fire and enjoying the simple luxury of living my own life. It wouldn't be complete though, not without one thing. Well, one person.

"I think it would be nice. I think you'd be bored."

I could hear a small hum as she considered what I'd said. "It wouldn't be so bad if we had cable. And internet."

"Oh, Rose." I tried to keep the emotion from my voice, but I have no idea how successful I was. We, I thought to myself, She said 'we'. The idea of her even entertaining a possible future with me was enough to make my heart soar. But I knew it was impossible. She'd never be content with a quiet future with me. Rose couldn't be caged. Not when she had so much to offer the world. Not when she deserved the best the life could give her. And especially not when she felt the need to stand by Lissa as her friend and protector. "I don't think you'd ever be happy someplace quiet. You always need something to do."

She reached over and smacked my hand, just a few inches from her own. "Are you saying I have a short attention span?"

I glanced over towards her. "Not at all. I'm saying there's a fire in you that drives everything you do, that makes you need to better the world and those you love. To stand up for those who can't. It's one of the wonderful things about you."

I watched the smile spread across her rosy tinged cheeks as she listened to just one of the reasons I loved her so completely. Finally, she looked at me too. "Only one, huh?"

"One of many." I sat up suddenly, changing the topic before I did something stupid. "So, no peaceful cabin for you. Not until you're an old, old woman."

"What, like forty?" She smiled back cheekily.

In playful exasperation, I shook my head before sanding up from my snowy silhouette and reaching towards her. "Time to go."

She reached back towards me and even through our covered hands, I could feel that spark that always accompanied her touch. I pulled her up quickly, steadying her as she stepped out of her own angelic form an letting my hand linger on her shoulder a little longer than necessary. Finally, we surveyed our work.

Curiously, Rose quickly hopped into outlines once more and used her hand to cut a horizontal line above both our heads before standing up again beside me and brushing the excess snow from her covered gloves.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Halos," she said, grinning up at me. "For heavenly creatures like us."

I raised an eyebrow back at her. "That might be a stretch." Neither of us could really be considered heavenly. Perhaps it was okay though, maybe our imperfections are what made us perfect for one another. I got caught up in the thought before reality crashed down around me. It wasn't that easy, not for us at least. She and I might have lain together here and dreamt of a future where we were happy and in love with one another, but the reality was that some dreams are just that...dreams. The next snowfall would wash away everything but the memory.

Her fading smile, one that matched my own, seemed to hint that she had come to a similar conclusion. Hoping to keep this moment a happy one that we both could relive again and again as necessary, I touched her arm and led her back to the car.

Even if we couldn't live a life that was dedicated to each other, perhaps we could survive in little moments like these. It wasn't the life she deserved, but I hoped that it would be enough.


I arrived home from our little road trip to find a letter was waiting for me in my mailbox. Typically the only mail I received was from my family, but this one bore an official Court seal. I had an idea of what it might have been about. Alberta had spoken to me about this possibility and had asked me to contact her as soon as I heard from Court. I tore into the envelope, ripping the elaborate seal in two.

Guardian Dimitri A. Belikov,

You have hereby been summoned to appear at the Moroi High Court on February, 27th to bear witness and testimony in the case of Victor S. Dashkov vs The Court. Please report to courtroom B at 9am on the date above.

Failure to appear at the time and place indicated may result in a contempt of court citation or other penalties...

The letter continued to give more information about who to contact about the hearing and things I would need to know for my appearance, but the biggest issue was the date. I would be taking some time off of work to complete my commitment to the Court and I would need to have someone fill in for my patrol shifts and the student trials for the senior class. I had already called off Rose's individual training for the six weeks student trials, so that was one less worry, but hopefully the hearing would be over quickly. Not only for my sake, but for Rose's as well. I was hoping that it wouldn't take Rose, Vasilisa, and Christian away from school too long.

I immediately went to Alberta's office with the letter so that accommodations could be made. Her door was open when I arrived.

"Guardian Petrov..."

"Ah, Dimitri. I'm assuming your subpoena to appear in the Dashkov trial arrived today?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'm to appear at Court on the 27th of next month. It falls on a Friday so hopefully arrangements won't be too difficult."

"No, it should be just fine. Me and the other guardians needed are called for the same date so we should be able figure something out without issue."

"How about the students? Will they be going with us or will they be going at another time?"

"Excuse me?"

"The students. Princess Vasilisa, Novice Hathaway, and Lord Ozera. When will they be testifying? Have you heard?"

"I'm sorry, Dimitri. There must have been a misunderstanding. None of the students involved will be serving as a witness."

I stared in shock. Surely she couldn't be serious. Lissa and Rose were at the center of the issue, especially Lissa. Those girls had more to offer the Court then any of us Guardians combined, and even Christian had quite a bit to offer in the way of testimony against Victor's personal guardians.

"But they should be key witnesses," I argued. "How could they not be a part of the trial?"

Alberta held her hands up in surrender. "I know, and I agree with you. However, the decision is out of my hands. The Queen herself has asked that the witness list be limited to avoid too much publicity around the trial."

I shrunk a little, knowing that if the Queen had ordered it, there was nothing any of us could do.

"My apologies, Alberta. I didn't mean to question you."

Her smile was sympathetic. "Don't worry, I understand. I had a very similar reaction when I found out. I wish I could change things, but perhaps it's for the best. Those students have been through enough, Rose especially, and maybe it is nice to save them from this experience. We should have more than enough evidence between the guardians involved to ensure Dashkov's incarceration."

I hoped that she was right. If Dashkov somehow went free, it would be horrific for Vasilisa, and in turn, Roza. "Perhaps we shouldn't mention the trial to the students, at least until a verdict is released. It would just cause worry where they have no power."

"I think you're right, Belikov. I'll let the others know. There's no reason to notify the students until there is something to notify them about."

I nodded but she surprised me and continued, "I also wanted to speak to you about the upcoming field experience. I know that we had discussed Rose's mock charge, but I wanted to double check with you. Are you absolutely sure that you believe Rose should not be paired with Vasilisa? It is almost certain that she will be your partner in guarding the Princess after graduation."

"I'm sure." I knew Rose would hate the decision. She had been looking forward to field experience for months now, and it was one of the few things that I knew got her excited since the New Year. She was hoping to spend six weeks with her best friend almost all day, every day. I hated to be the one to take that from her. It wasn't that she wasn't taking the training exercise seriously – I had caught her reading and re-reading the trial handbook, which might be the first time I've ever seen her willing read something – but I felt it was important to test Rose to the fullest capacity. I knew that she was more than capable of guarding Vasilisa. She had proven that to me time and time again. However, she relied heavily on her relationship and bond with Lissa to guide her instincts. She needed to trust her training. Having her guard someone else for the field experience would be the best way to push her to truly test her abilities. I had a few ideas on how to make sure that happened.


Author's Note


You guys! You guys are AMAZING! Seriously. Over 50 reviews on the VERY FIRST CHAPTER! Thank you so much for all the love and support. I feel so blessed to have so many loyal readers who are so excited for this story. For many of you, this is your favorite book in the series and I hope that I can do it justice. Please continue to share your thoughts with me because I have met so many wonderful people through fanfiction and I would LOVE to get to know you all.

There were so many "Favorite Scenes" in this book. I think there was at least 15 different ones mentioned! It was a wonderful reminder of just how great this particular book is.

This week's Question of the Week is: Do you think you would be a Moroi or a Dhampir?

Personally, I think I'd be a dhampir. Most of you don't know this, but I great up training in martial arts. I never set out to be a protector for anyone, but I sympathize with Dimitri and Rose. I remember many weekends icing down bruises or pushing past the pain to complete my set. Granted, there's many ways I feel like I could be Moroi too, but overall, I feel like I'd fit in as a dhampir better.

Thank you again for reading. I hope you enjoyed the snow angel scene from Dimitri's point of view, and if you did, I would love if you could review, favorite, and follow. You guys are fantastic, and I'll see you all next week!