10. Brave

(Mikhail POV)

'Miss Karp. I'm sorry to bother you after hours but there's something I'd like to discuss. May I come in?' I asked, trying to sound as non-threatening as possible. I realised it was a little unconventional turning up at a woman's door at sunrise, but I'd been thinking about Sonya all night and I wanted to make sure she was alright.

She opened her mouth hesitantly, and I was certain she was going to refuse but when her eyes met mine something seemed to change her mind.

'Just give me a moment,' she said, closing the door and leaving me standing awkwardly in the hallway. There were a few clinking sounds, like she was clearing away her dinner plates, and then a minute or two later she re-appeared at the door, inviting me to follow her inside.

It was strange seeing Sonya in her own environment. Her formal teaching clothes had been swapped for casual pants and a singlet-top, and the simple scarf she had draped around her shoulders highlighted the warm tones in her hair. She looked comfortable here, and I got the impression that I was seeing the real Sonya for the first time; like the woman I'd come to know was just a stiff copy of the real person that lived and breathed and dreamed within these four walls she called home.

And what a home she'd made it. I let out a low whistle as I took in the large open-plan apartment. My eyes roamed from the kitchenette by the door where the marble bench-top gleamed under a pair of down-lights, to the tall breakfast-table pushed up against the wall with a set of wooden stools tucked underneath. Beyond that, the room was divided by a huge bookcase filled with tomes on gardening, art and history and a fair selection of paperback novels as well. At the far end of the room was a living area lit by several decorative lamps that gave the space a warm, cosy feel. A soft rug covered the centre of the floor, while one whole wall was taken up by a modular couch made up of two single seats and a double-bed covered with cushions and a few throw rugs. A plasma TV hung on the opposite wall, and in the back corner sat a plush armchair near a closed door leading to the private en-suite bathroom.

'Nice place,' I remarked in admiration. 'Guardian quarters are somewhat… Spartan by comparison.' I trailed off as my eyes fell on the uneaten snack on the small coffee table beside Sonya's armchair. 'I've interrupted your supper,' I apologised. 'Is it better if I come back later Miss Karp?'

'You're welcome to stay, so long as you stop calling me Miss Karp,' she said over her shoulder as she bent down to collect her coffee mug. 'That name just makes me think of classwork and frankly I've had enough of that for one night. Please, just call me Sonya,' she told me firmly. 'Would you like a coffee?' She held up her own mug in invitation.

'I guess it's been a long night for me too – that'd be great, thanks, Sonya,' I accepted with a weary smile, quietly enjoying the sound of her name on my tongue. 'But only if you call me Mikhail. It's nice to leave Guardian Tanner behind every once in a while too.'

'It's a deal,' she agreed, the corners of her mouth twitching up into a smile. 'Now have a seat and I'll be with you in a minute,' she gestured towards the table in the kitchen before turning on some music and setting up an old-fashioned percolator on the stovetop.

I sat down on the stool closest to the bookshelf and selected something at random, leafing mindlessly through the pages while secretly stealing glances at Sonya as she worked. She moved in a more relaxed manner when she thought she was unobserved, almost swaying to the easy jazz standards that sung out softly from the stereo speakers above the kitchen bench. I imagined putting my book down on the table and getting up to stand behind her, slipping my hands around her waist to dance along to the music – maybe tucking my chin into her hair or spinning her around so that her head rested on my chest as we moved in time to together. It was only a pleasant daydream but it made my heart ache with the desire to be closer to her.

'How do you like it?' she asked, holding up a jar marked 'sugar'.

'Black and three please,' I replied gratefully, looking up from the book I was pretending to read, and a minute later she joined me, moving a potted orchid aside to make room for a plate of cookies in the middle of the table before placing our steaming coffee mugs on a pair of coasters.

'So, how can I help you?' she asked once she'd sat down opposite me, her voice more formal than before.

'Well, there are two things actually,' I began, bringing the coffee mug to my lips. 'The first is regarding Rosemarie Hathaway – you've taught her before haven't you?'

My question seemed to surprise her.

'Yes, but she isn't in any of my classes this semester,' Sonya replied sceptically. 'What do you need to know?'

'I don't want to chew up your time-off talking about work but my novice rankings are due tomorrow and honestly, I'm stuck. At this stage it's pretty obvious which students will be capable of a royal assignment when they graduate, but I just don't know if Rosemarie is up to it.'

I took another sip of my coffee and sat back with a sigh. 'Alberta is barracking for her as a potential candidate to guard Vasilisa Dragomir, but if I had to describe Novice Hathaway's progress in guardian classes lately it would be… inconsistent,' I explained. 'She has a natural aptitude for many of the physical aspects of being a guardian, but she is also outspoken and disorganised. Frankly, she spends too much time distracting the boys and not enough time focusing on conditioning and technique. I know she's only fifteen and teenagers will be teenagers, but graduation is only a few years off and I want to make sure that only the best get through.'

I looked up at Sonya and she nodded in understanding, sliding the plate of cookies closer to me as she considered her response.

'Well, she always achieved good grades in my classes, though she did turn in her assignments late on more than a few occasions,' my colleague sipped at her drink thoughtfully before continuing. 'When I think of Rose the main thing that comes to mind is her bravery. Yes, I've seen her suffer serious injuries without complaint and she's not the type to run away from a fight, but it's more than just physical courage. Some teachers here would call Rosemarie rude and argumentative, but I've found that she normally acts out of a desire to stand up for her principles or take the side of somebody weaker than herself.'

A frown flickered across Sonya's face as a distasteful memory came to mind.

'And she knows when to draw the line – last year some boys thought it would be funny to pull a prank in my class involving a hamster and some hermit-crabs. When things got out of control I didn't know what to do and Rose was actually the one who broke it up, so I know she's not afraid to speak out against her peers.'

A flash of anger spiked through me. If any of Miss Karp's students dared to attempt something so stupid while I was on duty they would find themselves dealing with me.

'And the reports I've heard about her wild behaviour?' I asked, distracting myself from the irrational urge to beat up some teenagers I didn't even know in order to protect the gentle woman in front of me.

'She might be a bit of a rebel on her own time but there's something you need to understand about Rose; ever since she joined The Academy she has been constantly put under pressure to follow in the footsteps of her mother, Janine Hathaway.'

'Aha,' I nodded slowly. 'I thought there was a family connection but nobody informed me explicitly.' It made sense – having a famous guardian for a mother would certainly put the girl under extra scrutiny from her teachers and her peers.

'And being best friends with a royal heir hasn't made things any easier on her,' Sonya continued. 'I'm not saying I always agree with Rose's choices but I understand why she needs to let loose every once in a while – we can't all fit the mould one-hundred percent of the time.'

I wasn't sure if Sonya was still talking about Rose or really thinking about herself with that last comment.

'If it came down to it,' she concluded, 'I know her loyalty to Vasilisa is unshakeable and she would have no hesitation in protecting the princess, whether it was from malicious schoolgirl gossip or a strigoi attack… If she was guarding me I think I'd feel safe.'

'Well, that's certainly given me food for thought,' I smiled at her assessment. I knew Sonya could be passionate about topics that interested her, but I never dreamed Rosemarie Hathaway would be one of them.

'So what was the other thing you wanted to talk about?' she asked shyly, encouraged by my interest in her opinions.

I suddenly felt nervous and a slight tic pulsed under my left eye. I moved my chair back an inch and wrapped both of my hands around the coffee mug, frowning into its depths before looking up at the gentle woman across from me with an expression of quiet concern.

'I don't mean to pry, but when I was with you before class tonight, some of the things you said gave me the impression you don't feel safe here. You said you were being watched. That somebody wouldn't leave you alone.'

The mood changed immediately and she shifted uncomfortably under my gaze but didn't attempt to deny anything.

'I wish you'd come to me earlier, Sonya,' I chided softly. 'You know you can tell me anything. As a guardian it's my job to make sure that you are safe – if somebody is bothering you I have the power to apprehend them. You don't have to go through this alone.'

She looked up at me and shook her head as she struggled to form a response. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet and forced. 'I don't know who is following me or what they want, so how can you possibly stop them? All I know is, I'm not safe and that is never going to change.' Her jaw tensed with anxiety and she reached across the table to grip my sleeve. 'You can't tell anybody – please, Mikhail. I've got no proof - nobody would believe me. They'd just send me to the medical clinic for counselling and I can't stand that place.'

At last. She was confiding in me and I wasn't going to let her down. I placed my free hand over hers and looked reassuringly into her frightened eyes.

'I'm not going to tell anybody, Sonya. I would never betray your trust.' I squeezed her hand gently. 'If I had the time I'd gladly offer myself as a personal guard to watch over you, but unfortunately my other duties wouldn't allow it.'

Her expression was difficult to read but she didn't recoil her hand so I kept my fingers over hers, enjoying the soft warmth of her skin and the new closeness that was developing between us.

'But I did think of one thing that might help,' I pressed on. 'It's a bit unconventional, but if you agree, I will find a way to make it happen.'

'What is it,' she whispered, holding my gaze despite her obvious anxiety.

'Once a month, Alberta organises a masterclass that is open to any guardian or novice on campus. It's normally a sort of 'refresher' course on different skills we use to protect our moroi charges and ourselves,' I explained quickly. 'I've been asked to lead the next class, and I thought maybe you'd like to come along?'

She pulled back from me, raising her hands in refusal, but I carried on.

'You wouldn't have to be in the hall with the dhampirs,' I assured her. 'I could arrange for you to view the class from the upper balcony. Nobody would even know you're there and you can leave any time if you feel uncomfortable. I just thought it might be a good chance for you to pick up a few tips on how to protect yourself, so you can feel more confident walking around campus when there aren't guardians right there to protect you.'

There was a long silence as she stared down at her empty coffee mug, her hands gripping tensely at the edge of the table-top .

'You don't have to answer now,' I added gently as I waited for her to respond, reaching out to brush my fingers across the back of her hand. 'Just promise me you'll think about it.'

Finally she looked up at me. 'Alright,' she conceded, and in that one, simple word Sonya Karp proved that she was as brave as Rosemarie Hathaway.

Author's Note:

Hooray – Sonya is beginning to open up to Mikhail! Now their relationship can finally move forward :-)

The hamster/hermit crab prank was ripped from a flashback in Book 1, but I added the part about Rose breaking it up when things got out of hand – while technically, Rose started it, I think she'd have the balls to stand up to the boys in her class if they went too far.