POV: Dimitri
"Now that was one hell of a story", Adrian was the first to speak once Emilia was done as he absentmindedly took out a cigarette lighting it up, "Questions are literally exploding in my mind."
I turned around to look at Lissa, waiting for her to react to Adrian's smoking, but it was as if she didn't notice. She was nervously tapping her fingers on the armrest of her chair, clearly straining her brain with something.
"So ask them", Eka answered giving him a tight-lipped smile.
But before Adrian could even managed to open his mouth, before anyone could, Lissa shook out of whatever trance she was in and leaned forward, her face serious and worried, she asked: "Avery is your cousin?"
"The surname wasn't a giveaway?", Eka chuckled raising her eyebrow.
"Well sort of, I mean there are a lot of Lazar's out there, I didn't know you were that close", Lissa blurted out nervously, frowning as she did.
Eka's eyes suddenly lit up in realization, her face spreading into an honest smile as she exclaimed in excitement: "Wait, do you know her?"
Every single person in the room shifted uncomfortably. I didn't have the pleasure of meet Avery again, not since the night they got attacked by Strigoi. I didn't even meet her properly then, she left soon after and Emilia rarely spoke of her afterwards. But I've heard about the experience the rest of the people sitting around me had with her and I knew how her story ended. When nobody answered Eka prompted again in slight confusion: "Does she live here?"
"Actually she lives in a far less exclusive place", Christian answered his voice dripping in sarcasm.
Lissa and Adrian exchanged looks, while Rose almost choked on the glass of water she attempt to drink. Christian was as straightforward as always, but frankly I didn't really see any other nicer way to deliver the news they had. Lissa however attempted to ease into it, her voice light and her words carefully picked as she desperately tried not to upset Eka: "She, um, she is in a hospital."
It was no use. Eka was on her feet the moment Lissa's last word was out of her mouth like the whole place just caught on fire. Panic obviously took a hold of her as she looked from face to face for a clue while blurting out: "Why is she in a hospital, what's wrong with her?"
"She went nuts", Christian said earning an angry look from Lissa before shrugging, "What? She did."
"She overused Spirit and burned herself out. She needed to be hospitalized afterwards", Adrian patiently explained blowing out a puff of smoke.
"Oh", Eka whispered sitting back down unsteadily.
Her mind must be racing by now. She didn't even know that Avery was a Spirit user. She thought she might be, I remember she told me about a strange conversation they had the last time they saw each other, about the questions Avery asked, about how nervous she became when Emilia tried to make her fess up. She hasn't seen Avery in five years and this was what she came back to, her cousin going mad and ending up in the hospital, the remains of her closest family falling apart. It must be more than difficult for her to let it all sink in. I pondered on whether I should say or do something, attempt to help her, but as I looked at her something else dragged my attention. Adrian focusing on Eka while squinting his eyes slightly, made me realize he was studying her aura. I've learned to recognize the look and I didn't need to be a Spirit User to know that whatever he saw wasn't good. But before I could even begin to think of something to say Roza spoke up. It surprised me that she has managed to stay quiet for this long to be honest and it surprised me even more that I didn't predict the question she asked earlier. I should have.
"So you dated for four years and you just what, decided to give up?"
The question was aimed directly at me and as I met her gaze, I realized that in the midst of all of this chaos, I somehow allowed myself to completely forget to think about what this must feel like for Rose. I was in trouble, big time. I could see an angry glint in her eyes and I knew it was taking her every last bit of self-control not to start screaming at me right now. She was beyond pissed and I didn't blame her. Keeping all of this from her seemed like a good idea at a time, why burden her with ugly things from my past when the person they were connected to was gone. I guess I was wrong to think something like this could ever happen.
"I didn't give up", I admitted knowing there was no backing out of this anymore.
"But you never showed", Roza argued like she was the one left standing alone on a train platform, "She waited for you and you just-."
"I was going to meet her", I cut in glancing at Emilia as a strange, gloomy expression crossed her face, "I was on my way, but I-."
"Got held up", Eka finished my sentence taking me entirely by surprise.
I looked at her again questioningly, waiting for her to continue. She let out a sigh before she almost whispered: "I know now you were on you way. I found out soon after I turned. Alexei told me. He was the one that made sure you wouldn't reach me in time."
"Alexei? The Strigoi that attacked you?", Adrian asked trying to catch up to the conversation that was developing fast.
"The one and only", Eka smirked fixing her eyes on the floor, "He promised we would meet again for a reason. He liked me, thought I'd make a good companion. He wanted to take me, he was just waiting for a good opportunity. He was watching me, studying me sort of, for days after the attack. He learned everything about me and when I set out to go to the train station he sent some low-ranking Strigoi from his nest to kill you or at least distract you for long enough. He came to my house, planning to snatch me and turn me himself, but I guess I did that for him already."
"The Strigoi that attacked me, I killed him. He talked though, before I managed to stake him, he talked a lot. He said you were as good as dead once he was done with me. When the fighting was over I hurled to the station, I was terrified I won't reach you in time to save you. When I realized you weren't there, I went to your house, but-", I let my voice trail off.
We all knew now what I found when I reached Eka's house. We all knew I was terrified for a good reason. I didn't reach her in time to save her. Not from another Strigoi though as I thought, but from herself.
"Did you know, straight away what happened?", Lissa asked me.
"No. I thought somebody took her, killed her father in the process. I looked for her, for so long-."
"But again Alexei made sure you wouldn't even get close to finding me. He wanted to kill you, but I convinced him not to. Instead I sent another minion, ordering him not to harm you, but to make sure you thought I was dead."
"He didn't really follow those orders."
"Obviously. Strigoi are like that", she bitterly chuckled.
"So if you gave out orders, you were like, what, the boss?", Adrian asked while leaning in to put his cigarette out in the ashtray on the coffee table in front of him.
"Not exactly, but I had enough influence."
"So you were with him the entire time?", I asked feeling uncomfortable at the thought.
"Pretty much", Eka confirmed blushing a little, "I mean I bounced around a bit. Alexei travelled a lot, usually for business, so I would sometimes stick around with another nest until he wrapped things up."
"What kind of business?, Christian asked curiously.
"Thrust me, you don't want to know", Eka answered a look of disgust crossing her face.
"Did you stay with some nests in Russia?", Roza questioned her tensing up.
I knew where she was heading with that, but before I could stop her she added: "Like the one Galina was running? You mentioned her, surely you knew she was a Strigoi as well?"
"Yes I stayed with Galina a couple of times. Galina was actually working for Alexei, since she was, um, turned. Why do you ask?", Eka said clearly uncomfortable, but still not realizing what Rose was doing.
I gave her a sharp look hoping I'd stop her, but she was still so angry and this was her retaliation. She had this look in her eyes, the look she always got when she was up to no good as she delivered the final blow casually saying: "Well you could have run into Dimitri then. He was working for Galina, you know while he was a Strigoi."
What followed was one of those movie moments the only thing missing in it a dramatic tune playing in the background. Emilia went from uncomfortable and confused to shocked, scared, terrified and then finally denial struck as she almost knocked over the coffee table jerking towards me, her eyes pleading, asking me to tell her what she just heard wasn't the truth, wasn't real, praying that Rose was wrong as she gasped one single word: "No."
"Emilia, I-", I started to say straining my mind to come up with anything that will stop her from falling apart like I knew she would.
"No, no, no", she repeated getting up as Adrian grabbed the table to keep it in place since her movements were rather uncoordinated.
"Oh so I guess I wasn't the only one he was keeping secrets from", Rose spat out crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes as a frown formed on her forehead, "At least when it comes to you he can pretend he didn't tell you, because he didn't get a chance."
"Rose", Lissa warned her watching Eka who barely stood on her feet as she stared at me still trying to grasp what she was just told.
"What? Don't you think that after everything she's been through, she at least deserves to know that?", Roza persisted oblivious to the pain she was causing.
"Roza, enough, please", I voiced getting to my feet in order to approach Eka.
I knew Rose, she would never intentionally hurt someone and she most definitely wasn't aiming to hurt Eka who's done nothing bad to her whatsoever. She was blinded by her anger at me, a well-deserved anger, enough not to notice the commotion she was starting. Also, she had no idea, none, that Emilia carved into her memory the words I ones told her, that I'd rather die a thousand times than became an evil, soulless thing, that my worst nightmare, next to losing her, was being a Strigoi. She was already living with the fact that she was partially responsible for one of those two nightmares coming to life, she allowed it to happen the moment she gave into the anger and desperation, seeking a way out by turning it all off.
Rose's eyes finally traveled back to Emilia and I saw the anger dissolve getting replace by guilt. She didn't respond, backing down as she clearly feeling a pang of conscience upon realizing what she's done.
"But, he promised, he said he wouldn't. No, it's my fault", Eka mumbled as she moved away turning around the room like she was trying to find a way to escape.
Before I could reach her Adrian moved in an admirable speed stepping next to Eka, taking her hands gently and pulling her into a hug as he whispered: "Emma calm down. Hey, it's okay."
By the look Lissa gave him and Emilia's sudden calmness, I knew he pulled Spirit to keep her in check. He lifted his gaze to Christian before signalizing with his eyes towards their jackets while saying: "You know what it's been a rather long morning for the two of us, so we should get going. Emma is going to be around, so we'll all have plenty of chances talk about this stuff."
Roza got up, approached Eka and despite Adrian's cold look, touched her arm making Eka turn around.
"It wasn't your fault. I promise you that. Dimitri's, um, situation had nothing to do with you. I'm sorry I upset you."
Eka just gave her a small smile nodding. Adrian held her jacket and then gently nudged her towards the door. I stayed right where I was completely numb as Eka turned around one more time giving me the saddest look I've ever seen on her before Adrian led her out.
POV: Rose
"So were you ever going to tell me or were you just going to pretend like it never happened? You loved her and lost her, surely that defined the rest of your life. That's why you moved here wasn't it? To get as far away from the memories you had of her as possible? Was I your rebound then? Was that it?", I yelled at Dimitri as I frantically moved our things around trying to tide up a nonexistent mess in out apartment.
"Roza-."
"Don't you Roza me", I fumed giving him the angriest look I could pull off, "I could seriously punch you in the face right now."
"So punch me, if that's going to make you feel better, but Rose I didn't tell you because it never came up and like I already mentioned it was a painful subject, the one I saw no reason to burden you with."
I opened my mouth to start screaming again, but before I could he continued: "I moved because I had no reason to stay in Russia anymore and I needed a fresh start after Ivan's and Emilia's death. You were not a rebound and you pretending that you believe that is below you."
"You still should have told me", I barked at him.
"Well I know that now and I'm sorry."
"Sorry you didn't tell me or sorry you got caught in a lie?"
"Roza, I wasn't lying, I just didn't want to talk about it. If I knew this would affect you in any way I would have told you."
"Well it does and like I said you should have", I mumbled trying to fold one of my T-shirts that's been lying around as my hands shook, "Dimitri she was your first love, in what universe would that not matter?"
"In the one where you are my true love", he answered the look in his eyes almost melting me away. Almost.
"Am, I? Are you sure?", I asked pushing him even more.
"Don't be ridiculous. You know damn well that you are."
I turned away from him exhaling in frustration before throwing my shirt on the ground and giving up on trying to put it into any reasonable shape. I heard Dimitri move behind me and seconds later his hands circled me. I wiggled around thinking he would let me go, but he just tightened his hold on me and looked into my eyes his own filled with love. And like always his warmth and devotion disabled me, I couldn't fight him anymore.
"Fine, I'm still mad though", I muttered as he leaned his forehead against mine.
"I wouldn't have it any other way", he answered smiling.
"And no more thinking that I shouldn't know something, tell me everything, even if it seems unimportant and petty, even if you think it will burden me. Okay?"
"Okay Roza, I will", he nodded.
"And if anything changes in your feelings about me now that Emilia is back-."
"Nothing will change Roza, I can assure you of that", he cut in with a fierce and determined voice.
"Just saying, if it happens just tell me."
"It won't happen, but alright."
He was sincere, I knew he was. Yet somehow I couldn't shake this feeling, like karma decided to be a bitch and get back at me for my wrongs. A glimpse of a similar situation ran through my head, where Adrian was the one telling me the same thing about Dimitri and me reassuring him I wouldn't change my mind about being with him. What if it was my turn to see how it feels? But, I decided to shake the feeling off as I looked into the most beautiful eyes of the man I knew loved me more than anything.
POV: Lissa
"Your Majesty, I'm very sorry to disturb you, but there is a woman waiting for you in the lobby. She doesn't have an appointment, but she was rather persistent about seeing you. Should I pencil her in or would you like to see her now? Her name is Emilia Lazar."
"Send her in", I said closing the last file I had. It was still early in the day, so I was expecting much more. I knew becoming a Queen meant some paperwork, but I never expected to be buried in them every day.
"Yes your Majesty, right away."
"Hannah, I already told you that you can call me Lissa. You've been working for me since they placed that crown on my head and I spend more time with you than I do with my boyfriend."
She smiled and nodded, quietly exiting the room. Moments later the door opened and Emilia uncertainly walked in. Since last night I've been wondering about how she was doing. She was so upset, her aura all over the place, frankly it was a bit scary to see it. But as she stepped into my office any trace of the turmoil within her from last night was gone. Her expression, her aura it all screamed determination at me, like she was one a mission.
"I hope I'm not interrupting you", she said looking at the everlasting stack of papers on my desk.
"Not at all, please, sit", I answered gesturing towards the chair opposite of mine, "What can I do for you?"
"Well, you told me that when I feel like I should take charge of my life again I'll get to decide what's next for me. I believe that time has come."
"Certainly, so what is next for you?", I asked leaning my arms on the table and tangling my fingers.
"I would like to move into my old house and it felt like I should ask for permission or something", she mumbled out looking more uncomfortable by the second, but still firmly sticking to whatever plan she had in her head.
Despite my best efforts not to do it, I burst into laughter.
"I'm sorry", I exclaimed trying to calm down, "I'm not laughing at you in a mocking way, I just think its sweet of you to ask for permission. There is really no need for that, it's your house, and you can do with it as you please."
My laughter pushed her to smile as well as she said: "Well that's settled then."
"Was that all?"
"Not quite", she answered losing the smile as fast as it appeared, "I was wondering if you could tell me where Avery is. I would like to visit her."
"I honestly wouldn't know. Her father, your uncle, was the one that took care of getting her and her brother the help they needed. It was pretty hush hush. But I could ask around if it's important to you."
"I would be very grateful if you'd do that."
"Then I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you", she said getting up, "I should let you get back to your work."
"Emilia", I called after her once she was already at the door, "There will be an event next Saturday here at Court. Perhaps you'd like to come. There will be many members of Royal families there, so it might be a good opportunity for you to be reintroduced to the society. And it might be fun."
"I'll consider it", she answered her cheeks turning red instantly, "Thank you for the invitation."
"You're welcome", I said giving her one last smile before the door shut behind her.
Chapter song: I need to know - Kris Allen
