Chapter 36

Adrianna POV

It felt all too familiar when I felt a presence sit down beside me, I honestly don't know how Nik found me sitting outside like this. It's not like I'm being forced to stay in my apartment like I was my dorm.

"How did you find me out here?" I wasn't even sitting near the guest housing, I was near home. There was a court yard nearby that had a pond, water feature and it was filled with flowers.

"I wasn't sleeping and I just happened to see you walking past my window, I followed you down here. Are you alright?" I looked over at him.

I was trying to consider what Bri said to me earlier, I knew Damon and Josh thought similar since it was something I once believed before I fell for Nik. We all hoped that aside from most of our future being pulled from our own choice we did we could find love and be success at keeping it despite our ever changing lives.

"I talked with Bri, Damon and Josh after you left earlier and I'm trying to process what they said is all." I leaned against him and he shifted to put his arm around me.

"Did you at least talk to them about what happened during your trial?" I didn't say anything at first, I didn't want to hurt his feelings by keeping this from him.

I eventually nodded and Nik shifted me so I was facing him, "don't ever worry about what you have to say, I know you didn't respond straight away because you didn't want to hurt my feelings. Dri I get us being out here and away from the academy and the roles that prevented us from having a relationship, we both need to learn how to make this work. We both need to adjust the way we've looked at this."

"I'm just so used to fighting you and pushing you away so things didn't become worse for us, it's hard to start letting you in."

"I know Dri, we've both need to learn and at least after tomorrow we have some idea as to what is in our future but please don't ever think I won't be here for you or don't want you in my future." Nik softly stroked my cheek as I nodded.

"Good, now are you going to get some sleep?"

"Nope, it's so warm out here and you can't force me back inside." I grinned at him

"I could pick you up and throw you over my shoulder," he smirked at me and I laughed.

"You wouldn't because if you do care about me at all you want me to be happy and right now I want to sit out here enjoying the sun."

"You're right, I would love nothing more than to make you happy but I also want to make myself happy and I know how that could happen." I didn't like the look he was giving me, it became even worse when he stood up.

The next thing I knew was I was being picked up and thrown over his shoulder and we were heading back towards the guest housing.

Nikolaus POV

"Were you really going to sneak out on me?" I turned at the sound of Dri's voice, I honestly thought she was still asleep and I had successfully managed to get ready without waking her up.

I frowned at her before walking over and leaning over to softly kiss her, "never, I was going to wake you up before I had to leave. I know you don't have to be up this early."

After I carried her back to my apartment and placed her on her bed there was a look of panic on her face and I froze, I had never seen her look that panicked because of something I did but I pieced together what I said and my action of putting her on my bed.

"Hey I wasn't expecting anything from you, I'm just as happy if we go to sleep. I just wanted you here." I placed my hands on either side of her on the bed and leaned in close to kiss and when I pulled away there was a smirk on her face.

"And if I don't want to be here?"

"Then you can leave but if you leave this time, next time I won't let you leave without a fight." I grinned at her and I couldn't believe the pull in my heart at the soft laugh that came from her.

"Can I borrow a shirt?" she spoke so softly I almost didn't hear her and she looked a little embarrassed and I was honestly confused.

"Why?"

"Because I can't sleep in these shorts and top," I smiled at her before walking over and pulling a shirt out of the draw and handing it to her.

"Nik?" Dri's voice pulled me back from last night's memories and I smiled at the sight of her laying there in my bed, in my shirt and I had to push away the thoughts I was having, especially after seeing how panicked she looked at the thought that I wanted sex from her.

"Sorry, are you going back to sleep or do you want some breakfast?"

"Mmm sleep," Dri muttered and it was then I released she was already almost asleep, I shook my head before softly kissing hers and heading into the kitchen to make a start on breakfast before my meeting with Croft this morning.

I didn't know how my meeting with Croft was going to go, I knew Petrov would have been asked to write a full report on everything that occurred during my three years at St Vladimir's and as much as I know I did the right thing by her by doing everything she requested of me. I had no idea if she would have included what happened with Dri or not and therefore I had no idea if Croft now knew about it, I was worried it would affect my placement, put me further away from Dri.

I still haven't told Dri about my actions regarding the incident that caused me to be placed at St Vladimir's and I hate that I am keeping that secret from her, I also knew I had to tell her before she found out from someone else. I have no idea how she would feel if she knew what really happened and I was dreading seeing her reaction in case it changed the way she viewed me.

"Now I have read over the report Guardian Petrov has sent over and it goes into great detail about how much of a valuable Guardian you were at St Vladimir's and she feels it was a great loss that you no longer work there as one of hers, she speaks very highly of you Guardian Anastas." Croft spoke and I was a little shocked, I didn't expect those things from Petrov.

"I didn't realise she did appreciate the work I did under her leadership,"

"Yes well it's all in here in the report as well as everything you did to try and protect the students, as well as teach them to better improve themselves before they were placed into the world." Croft patted a small stake of papers and it took me a moment to realise that's the report about me.

"I highly appreciate those kind words from her."

"As you should, now all of this aside. How did you enjoy being at the academy?"

I was silent trying to find the right words to word how I felt being at the academy, "can I speak freely?"

"Of course, it won't affect my decision." He replied and I took a deep breath.

"I preferred being placed at the academy instead of being with a Moroi, I understand I was placed there as a form of punishment I do and the same as three years ago I don't regret my actions. I was given that bit more freedom being at St Vladimir's, I was allowed to socialize with other Guardians. I was able to teach the next generation of Guardians but most of all, I was allowed the freedom of different job aspects of being a Guardian. I understand how important all our roles are, whether it's teaching the next generation of Guardians, preforming border patrols, protecting certain Moroi whether it is escorting them to and from places and even the Guardians who sit in our offices and do the paperwork that is required to make sure we are all running as smoothly as possible."

"You would be surprised to know that there are a lot more Guardians who prefer being placed at our academies instead of with a single Moroi, your actions made me think you were going to be one of those Guardians."

"I'm that predictable?"

"No, I wouldn't say predictable. The small number of times I have met with you, you've always had this anger about you in regards to what happened with your brother and even more so after what happened with the Moroi but it seems to have disappeared slightly after being at the academy. It's a good thing Anastas, it's allowed you to remember what it means to be a Guardian. Now we aren't quite ready to place you back with a Moroi, we believe it may be too early after everything that's happened but Petrov's report has put you in a very high regard of hers which isn't easy to do so we are giving you the option. You can go back to St Vladimir's or anyone of our other academies, or you can stay here at Court. Everything you've said about being at St Vladimir's I can make happen for you here, if it's what you wish. I can give you the wide range of duties if it's what you want."

I was shocked, I honestly didn't expect to be given the option, hell I assumed I was being forced back on a Moroi even though it was something I didn't want. Croft was right when he said I was angry after everything that's happened and I was, I still am in fact.

But the option of choosing my future is rare for a Guardian, most don't get a say and I didn't want to ruin that option but I knew just how much easier my future would be if I was at Court. I knew I enjoyed the small amounts of teaching I did at St Vladimir's but I also knew of the small number of students that stayed at Court and had classes at Court.

Croft was right in saying that the job opportunities were endless, I would be able to just have border patrols, or even shift work. I knew there were regularly Moroi going to and from the local airports when they couldn't use the private one at Court, everything was better option at Court and there would be so much more freedom at Court then at an academy. But I couldn't help but think of Dri in all of this.

I knew Dri had a meeting about her future yesterday, I had no idea if she had a say in her future but she knew what her future entailed and it's why she refused to tell me the outcome. She didn't want her future to influence the choice of my own and I knew it would have, but did she know I was getting this option?

"Court, I would like to stay at Court in you will have me that is."

"I had a feeling Guardian Ivashkov's placement would affect your choice, in all honestly I thought you would choose to stay at St Vladimir's if it wasn't for her."

"I'm sorry?" I had no idea what he meant by Dri's placement.

"I know about what happened between you and Ivashkov, don't worry it wasn't in Petrov's report. It came out yesterday during a meeting about Ivashkov's future as a Guardian. Did she not tell you what her placement was?"

"No, she refused to tell me, she said she didn't want her placement to affect mine. I honestly had no idea that she was being placed at Court but can I ask you why? She is an incredibly Guardian and I believe her talent is wasted here at Court." It was true, I thought Dri was an incredible Guardian and her being at Court was a waste.

"It's not a permanent placement, if she didn't tell you maybe you should speak to her. There is a lot more to it, is there anything else you would wish to talk about?"

"No of course not, when do I start?"

"For now you aren't needed, we've had the shift rotations worked out for a couple of months now. It's something we need to do before the new Guardians arrive, I'm sure it will be a week or two at the most before you will be placed in the rosters. That being said I will spread the word and let the other Guardians know you are available to cover shifts so enjoy your potential time off Anastas."

"Very well, thank you." I nodded at him before standing up with the idea of leaving his office.

"Oh and Anastas?" I looked over my shoulder at him, "Welcome to the team." He gave me a genuine smile and I nodded at him before heading back to my dorm with the idea of talking to Dri.