RPOV
"Ms. Hathaway, Princess," Kirova said. "What a pleasure to have you back." I could hear a bit of sarcasm when it came to me, but not to Lissa. Typical. The old hag never liked me, anyway. "Now, Rosemarie, answer this— Why would you take the last Dragomir from the Academy, a place protected from Strigoi? She could have died."
I felt myself fuming. "She's alive, isn't she?" I snarled. "It's not like I wasn't doing my duty. I took care of her when none of you would. You don't know her like I do—you claim to—but you don't."
"Don't be ridiculous, Rosemarie," Kirova scoffed.
"Rose," I corrected.
"Miss Kirova," Dimitri spoke up, making my heart flutter. "If I may, Rose and the Princess have a bond."
Kirova looked at Dimitri with disbelief. "Please, guardian Belikov. Yes, you're a highly respected guardian, but don't go saying things like that. There's no way she"—Kirova waved at me lazily—"could have a bond with the Princess."
I looked back at Dimitri, his eyes flickered to me, then back to Kirova. "It's true," he said. "She's not like other dhampirs. How do you think she was able to protect the Princess for two years? No ordinary dhampir would have been able to do that." He took a small step forward. "Rose is able to feel the Princess's emotions."
My heart did a back-flip. Dimitri was sticking up for me, and he just met me. I had to restrain myself from smiling. I already knew there was something about Dimitri that made me feel all fluttery, but this made me feel special.
Kirova looked at the three of us and sighed. "Fine," she muttered. "But she's two years behind the other novices, how will she catch up?"
"I'll train her," Dimitri said. "Before and after her classes."
Without another word, she waved us out.
A male guardian led Lissa to the Moroi dorms, to her new room. Dimitri led me to the dhampir section, to my new room.
"Thanks," I said uncertainly. "For what you did with Kirova. No one would've done that."
Dimitri looked down at me, smiling. "Anything for you, Roza."