Chapter 25: Home Again

Lissa's POV

We were on the private jet again and Rose smiled at the sleeping Dimitri next to her. Her parents had been oddly quiet since we'd gotten her back, but they probably weren't sure what to say, especially without risking her happiness. Eddie and Jill were kissing in the seats behind me, wrongly thinking we couldn't see them. Even Christian was asleep.

Rose had also insisted to us and the Keepers that we bring along Angeline, one of the Keepers' daughters. She told them it was because Angeline could be of great help against the Tainted, but we knew there was some other reason. Angeline was staring out one of the windows excitedly. Looking at Rose's smiling face in the early morning sunlight, it made her look like an angel. But she'd called herself a monster.

"Rose?" I tried to get her attention.

She turned to look at me. "What?"

"Why did you call yourself a monster? You said you were a monster even before you were a Strigoi. What does that mean?" I asked.

Rose frowned. "Liss... I hurt people. I've been known for being mean since we were five, I strung Mason along, and I almost killed Jesse and Ralf."

"That doesn't make you a monster. A lot of people are mean as children, you sincerely tried moving on with Mason, and Jesse and Ralf were attacking me—not to mention the fact that my Spirit darkness is what brought you so close to killing them. You're not a monster." I insisted.

"Those things aren't even what scares me the most. What scares me the most is that I actually killed a human... and I don't even feel bad about it. Even if she was a bitch, I should still feel bad. Dimitri feels bad about his kills from when he was a Strigoi, but I don't feel the least bit guilty for killing Inna. I even knew her name, and knowing your victim's name is supposed to make you feel worse." Rose's voice cracked. "If I don't feel bad about killing her, how am I going to feel if I kill anyone else?"

I sighed. "Rose, the fact that you're worried obviously means you feel bad. Besides, you said she was a bitch who tried to kill you, and that it was when you couldn't control yourself. Be glad that you don't feel more guilty, because that means she won't haunt your dreams."

Rose stayed quiet in thought for the rest of the plane ride. Rather than land at Court, we were landing somewhere more familiar.

"The Academy?" Rose looked confused. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. We were only supposed to be on temporary leave from school."

And the person waiting for us on the landing pad was Kirova. As soon as we got off the plane, she looked at Rose. "Miss Hathaway, you're in trouble."

Rose's POV

I was sitting in Kirova's office, being scolded and lectured about my irresponsibility.

"If it wasn't bad enough to get yourself in trouble, you took a fifteen year old girl along on your crazy escapades through Court and wherever else you went. You were also gone for longer than you were supposed to be." Kirova lectured.

"To be fair, I had a reason for bringing Jill, and the Queen was okay with it." I shrugged.

"But the Queen is dead now!" Kirova pointed out.

"Makes that long live the Queen quote a little ironic, eh?" I rolled my eyes. "Right when I was starting to like her too."

Kirova sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why did you bring Jill?"

"Because I like her." I said. "And may I introduce Lady Jillian Mastrano-Dragomir."

"What are you talking about?" Kirova questioned.

"I noticed that some of Jill's features were similar to Lissa's, and she mentioned not knowing her father, so I had her blood tested. She's Lissa's biological half-sister—the position I've always wanted." I said dramatically. "You can even check with the Moroi scientists if you want."

"Lissa?" Kirova knew Lissa would tell her the truth.

"Jill is really my biological half-sister." Lissa shrugged. "It's true."

"You two never have a boring day, do you?" Kirova sighed.

"God, no. Rose is the least boring person I know." Lissa laughed.

"Actually... I've had at least two boring days. It was so nice." I said.

"When?" Lissa scoffed.

"Remember when we were on the run? There was one day when we didn't look over our shoulders or have someone come after us. And there was no emotional turmoil because neither of us were dating. It was great." I sighed.

"Rose, you snuck out of the dorm every night for a month. If you weren't dating, then what the hell were you doing?" Lissa arched an eyebrow.

"That's not the point." I shrugged. "Anyway, there was also one day when my mom wasn't on duty or doing anything else. We sat on the couch for a while before she took me out to a movie. I miss the normal days."

"Just get back to class." Kirova said. "And don't take people without permission again."

"Does that mean I can kidnap Jesse and Ralf and have them killed as long as I ask permission first?" I teased.

Kirova twitched a smirk. "Go to class."

We decided to walk Jill to her class—it gave us an excuse to avoid ours—and make sure she wasn't in trouble with her teacher. When we got there, all the freshman stared at us like we were Gods.

"Please tell me you weren't held back to ninth grade, Miss Hathaway. And that you didn't drag Vasilissa down with you." Jill's teacher sighed.

"Of course not. We're prime examples of seniors." I scoffed. "We just walked Jill to class so we could avoid ours."

"Prime examples that avoid classes, right." Mrs. Callahan rolled her eyes. "Would you also like to ditch your classes and stay here?"

"Can we? I promise we won't disrupt your class. Lissa will hold me to it." I wiggled my eyebrows.

Dimitri sighed. "Roza-"

"Dimitri, take Eddie to class." I said.

"Why can't I stay?" Eddie whined.

"Because I have a feeling you'll be spending time with Jill after school anyway." I smirked. "Besides, having you and Lissa together pretty much guarantees me talking. Take Christian too."

Christian rolled his eyes and pulled Eddie and Dimitri with him out of the room. I looked to Mrs. Callahan for confirmation.

"I can't control whether or not you ditch. Just don't disrupt my class." She sighed.

Lissa and I excitedly sat next to Jill... who apparently sat alone at the back of the class.

"Out of curiosity, where have you been the last few days, Miss Mastrano?" Mrs. Callahan asked.

The whole class turned to look at her.

"With Rose and Lissa, ma'am." Jill said.

"Oh God, they've gotten you to ditch?" Mrs. Callahan sighed.

"No, Rose invited me to go to Court with her. I met the Queen and got to watch a trial." Jill smiled.

The other students laughed at her and Jill frowned.

"What's so funny?" Jill asked.

"You meeting the Queen? Even if she wasn't dead, I don't see that happening." Brett Ozera scoffed.

"Shut up, Ozera." I glared. "And Jill's not lying. I invited her to Court, we rode on the Queen's private jet to get there, the Queen acknowledged Jill's existence—which is more than most of you can say—and she might even have a boyfriend who's a senior. God knows they kissed enough."

Jill blushed a deep red at the part about Eddie.

"Why should we believe you?" Another freshman asked. "You have a reputation for lying."

"Because the trial Jill got to see was one where they accused me of murdering the Queen—which I didn't, by the way. You can even call Court to confirm she was there." I glared at the freshman. "Besides, I also have a reputation for being nice to freshman. Ask Brett."

Brett slumped down in his seat and reluctantly answered. "She is nice to freshman... she saved a few of us from Mani."

"And you know what? Jill doesn't deserve your skepticism. She doesn't deserve your taunting either. She's a royal, and you should all start treating her like one." I said.

"Jill's not royalty. She's just another Moroi." Brett said.

Lissa suddenly stood up. "Jill is royalty. She's my half-sister. Rose brought her to Court to prove it, and she was right. Jill is a Dragomir, which means you should at least show her common courtesy, or you'll all have to deal with me. And I believe I have a reputation for telling the truth."

The class was speechless.

"Also, even if Jill wasn't royalty by blood, she's still cooler than the rest of you. She's nice, sweet, and funny. And she was obviously cool enough to warrant my attention if I looked at her closely enough to notice her lineage and bring her to Court." I grabbed Jill. "Let's go. You can come to class with us today."

Jill grinned widely as I pulled her out of the classroom, Lissa following us.

"Thanks, Rose." Jill hugged me tightly.

"Of course, Jailbait." I smiled.

Jill gave Lissa a hug too. "Thanks."

"I'm your sister. No one gets to make fun of you but me." Lissa smirked.

"Aw, group hug." I intruded on their hug.

"Okay, let's go to class before Kirova gets mad at us. God knows she'll be angry when she finds out we abducted Jill." Lissa laughed.

"Correction, we saved Jill." I smiled.

The three of us walked to class—where we got yelled at by a teacher for ditching and being late.