A month later was the Royal Visit on All Hollow's Eve (a.k.a. Halloween). The queen of the Moroi, Tatiana Ivashkov, would be here with a bunch of other royals.
I wore a strapless blood-red, silk, mid-thigh length dress. My hair hung in ringlettes around my heart-shaped face.
Walking to the dining hall, I smelled a spicy smoke. Clove cigarettes.
"Hello." A male voice called from under the light by the door. A young man stood there in a dark grey suit. He was my height, maybe an inch taller, with green eyes and short, artfully-messy, dark-brown hair.
"Yes?" I asked.
"You're Princess Dragomir?" he asked, stepping out from under the light.
"Yes," I stated, "and smoking is prohibited on campus."
"I am above rules. By the way, I'm Adrian Ivashkov." He held out his hand, and I took it hesitantly. He pressed his lips to my fingers.
"My great-aunt is excited of your return, Princess. I can't wait to learn more of you." I sensed a hint of insanity on his words.
"Your great-aunt?"
"Hmm? Oh, the queen." He said studying something around me.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing, a hair of yours is out of place." He reached to fix it.
"Thank you. Excuse me I must head to the dining hall." He nodded as I walked away.
"Goodnight, Princess. I hope to meet with you again." He said. The insanity still in his voice.
"Princess!" I heard Dimitri's voice a few yards back.
"Yes, Guardian Belikov?" I asked
"Come with me. Vasilisa is hurt."
"Where is she?" I fussed.
"In the kitchen." He said, and he led me away.
Lissa was screaming in pain when we reached the kitchen, clutching her foot.
"What happened?" I asked, worried.
"I broke my fucking foot!" She snapped.
I stepped toward her, something seizing me. I held my hand over her foot, and I felt the most joyous feeling ever. I felt all the good things in life run from me into Lissa's wound. She stopped screaming and gasped in relief.
"What happened?" she asked.
"I- I don't know." I felt a blackness crash over me.
"Are you ok?" She asked. I heard her concern.
"I think so." I said. "We should get out there before the banquet starts."
"Ok." She stepped down gingerly. "Cool." She was wearing black slacks and a white blouse with black heeled boots.
"Wear lower boots." I suggested before we walked to our places.
Normally the dining hall looked like any other cafeteria, but tonight, they went all out. The tables ran in two long parallel rows with a large aisle between. They were draped in blood-red silk linens. It was set with crystal and china and real silver flatware. We had assigned seating, which meant me nowhere near Lissa.
I sat down in my spot, and waited for the procession to begin.