"Rose?" called a voice from outside the bedroom in my new suite. Yes, suite. I had my own freaking suite in the Moroi Royal Court. Not what I wanted.

"Go away!" I shouted angrily.

The door opened slowly. "It's just me," said Lissa softly, poking her head inside.

"Great. Come to doll me up for the stupid gala?" I asked bitterly.

"Oh, Rose," she murmured sympathetically, closing the door behind herself. "I know you didn't want this."

"Of course not! I wanted to be your guardian! I've trained for it my entire life! I spent the past eighteen years dedicated to protecting you! But nooooo, I'm a fucking royal, and I have to sit back and let people wait on me hand and foot, and let other people jump in front of me to take a bullet or take on a Strigoi, and I have to be calm and level-headed and just… I have to be not me! And I hate it!" I wailed. "I don't want to be a stupid princess! I want to be a guardian! Your guardian! And I can't!"

She sat down next to me on the bed and took my hand. "It won't be as bad as all that," she said. "Think of it this way. We can hang out and go shopping without you having to be constantly aware of your surroundings. You can just relax and enjoy life! We can go to college together, and then do whatever we want!"

I let out a bitter chuckle. "I never wanted to go to college, Liss. I don't want to relax and enjoy life. I've fought Strigoi before, and the feeling in knowing that I've rid the world of one more evil being… I don't want to sit back knowing that I'm able to help and let others do it for me! I can't live that kind of life!"

She bit her lip, looking troubled. And now, since the shooting had removed our bond, I had no way to tell what was running through her mind.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing's wrong, it's just… I know how awful this must be for you, but it's really not that bad of a life. You'll get used to it. And I'm sure that you can talk Mason or Eddie into sparring with you in the gym."

"Lissa!" I shouted. "I don't want to spar for fun in the gym! I want to help protect Moroi! And playing with Eddie or Mason won't let me do that!"

"I know that, Rose! I'm just trying to cheer you up!" she shouted back, surprising me. Lissa never shouted. "I know this isn't what you wanted! I know you spent your life studying and trying to be a top-notch guardian! But that's gone, and I'm trying to help make the best out of what you have!"

Her jade-green eyes had tears in them, and I instantly felt bad for shouting at her. This wasn't her fault. I closed my eyes and put my head in my hands, trying to calm down before I said or did something I'd regret. "I'm sorry," I muttered. "I'm just mad."

"I think I know something that'll help," she said quietly.

"What's that?" I asked, privately thinking that nothing would help but going and beating up the realm of the undead.

"You want to meet your guardians?" she asked. "There's three of them."

Not really. "Sure."

"They waited outside just in case you agreed to meeting them. I'll get them."

She hurried back out into the corridor, and I rolled over, facing my wall.

I heard a few sets of footsteps. I refused to move, hoping they'd get the message that I was not cool with this.

"Rose, turn around," Lissa said in a gentle tone, and I decided to humor her.

My jaw dropped as I took in the two men standing beside Lissa. "Mason! Eddie!" I gasped.

They both grinned. "You know, Hathaway, you'll catch flies if you let your mouth hang open like that," teased Mason.

I laughed. "You know, Ashford, that's not really my name."

He laughed. "Rose Szelsky. Doesn't quite pack the punch of Rose Hathaway, but at least it's better than Rose Tarus."

"So, Rose, decided to retire from the life of kicking Strigoi ass?" Eddie joked. He knew perfectly well that wasn't the case, simply trying to cheer me up.

"Ha ha." I turned to Lissa. "Didn't you say there were three?" I asked.

"Yeah, he's on his way," she said. "He had to go handle something. He'll be right back."

I nodded. "So which of you ladies is going to be willing to be my practice dummy for my days of kickass since I can't go play in the real world?"

They looked at each other, neither one stepping up to the plate.

I laughed again. "I'm just kidding," I assured them, and they visibly relaxed.

"We had to fight big for this spot. Lissa used some of her influence," Eddie said. She flushed a bit, looking a little guilty. Her and her damn compulsion, I thought as another knock at the door reached my ears. Must be my other guardian

"I thought it would be easier if you had some familiar faces around you," she explained as Mason went to get the door.

I went to hug her as the third guardian was granted entrance. I opened my mouth to thank Lissa for her help, but another voice cut me off.

"Roza."