•Rose Hathaway•
Beep. Beep. Beep goes my alarm. I groan and yank it and throw it against the wall. After it stops I sigh in relief, suddenly I hear feet running in my room. I look up and notice Viktoria looking around my room. "What was that Roza?" Viktoria asks.
"Oh sorry if I woke you up Viktoria. I'm notorious for my dislike of alarm clocks. I've gone through a lot of alarm clocks over the years." I chuckle before pointing to my alarm on the floor.
"It's okay Roza, it startled me. I thought you fell out of bed. And I've told you you don't have to be formal, just call me Vika. You're going to be my sister in law one day. Even if I have to get my sisters and babushka to help me beat some sense into Dimka's head. Shit Mama might even help us. Everyone loves you Roza." Vikt-no Vika says grinning. If a shark could smile it would match Vika's look perfectly.
"Umm Vika you do remember what I told you your brother told me before I left? I highly doubt he wants to marry me. Even if that were something I wanted he's made his feelings clear. Also why are you here and not back in Baia? It's summer break." I ask sitting up and wiping my face with my hand her eyes gain a weird glint in them when I ask that.
"Oh banushka told me I would need to stay over summer break. But I would be visiting home often. And my brother is a filthy liar, he has to be, because after everything you two have done for another you must be soulmates. It's okay once I tell everyone what he's done they will make him see his errors." Vika grins sharply.
Suddenly there's a loud knock at the door and I run to open it only to find Baba and Pavel waiting there. "Come in Baba, Pavel. I'm sure you wouldn't be here if it wasn't important." I invite them in.
They sit down at the kitchen table and Vika joins us. "Wait..?! Did you just say Baba?! Zmey is your dad, Roza?! Ohhh that honestly makes so much sense now." Vika squeaks looking between Baba's face and mine. Baba laughs and she blushes.
"Hello Kiz. I see you're settling in nicely. Unfortunately I'm here to inform you that Queen Tatiana has been murdered. And whoever did it used your stake to do it. Seems someone ransacked your room after you left. Fortunately Hans Croft knows it wasn't you as you were already on your way here when it happened. She left a note behind for you but since you weren't there to get it Hans read it and found out some important information regarding your bond mate. She has a half sibling out there, so he's sent a team to find them. So I wanted to give you a heads up in case you were pulled into the bond." Baba informs me seriously.
"Hmm can't say upset the bitch is dead, what with her getting that idiotic age law passed before her death. I can't believe someone would frame me. I may have had my issues with queen bitch but I wouldn't have murdered her. And I especially wouldn't have gotten caught using my own weapon. Any ideas on who might be the next king or queen?" I ask. Hmm I'm gonna have to find a way to contact Adrian and let him know I'm thinking about him.
"Hmm since Queen Tatiana was known to be grooming Princess Vasilisa to be next queen she's a strong possibility. Hans has also agreed to keep me informed of the search for the real killer." Baba grins panther like. "Oh also I'm to escort you to meet your new charge for lunch Kiz. So you might want to freshen up. We leave in an hour. " Baba grins as I jump up and run to my room and shit and lock the door. I set out clothes before heading into the connected bathroom.
I brush my teeth and then use the restroom before washing my hands. I wash my face and then hop in the shower and take a quick shower but leave my hair up. I don't have the time to blow dry it or anything. Once I'm done I wrap a towel around me and begin to dry off. I pull on a brown lingerie set before throwing on some deodorant and a hint of body spray. I then slip on socks before pulling on my maroon cropped blouse.
I pull on my black ripped jeans before slipping my feet in my black ankle boots. I throw my hair up in a messy bun and slip on some silver earrings that say 'Bad Bitch' on them. I throw on some maroon lipstick and then grab my black leather jacket and tug it on as I walk out my room. I walk back to the kitchen and see Pavel and Vika cooking? Huh, does Pavel have a thing for Olena? He's looking at Vika not as a potential love interest but a potential step daughter. Interesting, hmm I will observe him around Olena and reserve judgement for now. I sit down next to Baba.
"Well look whose finally joined us Kiz. Oh I have a gift for you Kiz." Baba smirks noticing me staring at Vika and Pavel. He then pulls out a package and sets it on the table in front of me.
"Baba you shouldn't have. I don't want you just wasting money on me." I huff pushing it back towards him.
"Ah Kiz that's what parents do for their kids. Also I'm making up for lost time in spoiling you. But this is a more practical gift. It's so I can contact you. It makes it easier so I don't have to track you down." Baba grins pushing it back towards me. I huff and roll my eyes before smiling at him. I take it and hug him and rest my head on his chest.
"Thank you Baba, you shouldn't have. But I appreciate it nonetheless." I smile before opening it. Huh he took the time to wrap it in wrapping paper. Oh it's a cell phone, that actually makes sense.
"It's no problem Kiz. Like I said this is easier than physically tracking you each time I need to talk to you. Or if I want to visit you. It has all your friends from court numbers as well as mine and Pavel's. I also included Olena's home phone for you Kiz. Oh and your mother's too." Baba grins. He looks at his watch before standing up. "We should get going Kiz, you don't want to be late to meeting your new charge." I stand up and follow him and Pavel follows us.
"Bye Vika, I'll see you when I get back. We can start on your training when I get back." I wave before leaving. She waves back before heading into her room. Baba and Pavel lead me outside to the car. Which is just as lavish as I expected from get in and once the car warmed up Pavel pulls off. I sit and watch the scenery as we drive. About fifteen minutes later we pull into a cozy looking diner. Huh I thought we'd be somewhere a lot snobbier.
I slide out the car and shut the door. "Alright Kiz, this is your stop. Call me or Pavel once your done and we'll come and get you." Baba instructs passing me my phone. Whoops I forgot to grab that on my way out. At least he knew I wouldn't have thought if that.
"Alright, thanks Baba. I'll see you after?" I ask kissing him on his cheek. He nods and smiles at me. I wave and then head I to the dinner. I walk up to the hostess."Merhaba, Yelena Zeklos ile öğle yemeği için buradayım. Lütfen bana doğru yönde işaret edebilir misiniz?" I ask choppily. The Belikov's helped teach me last time I was here but I'm still not the best. Guess I'll be asking Vika for lessons when I get back. She stares at me funnily before leading me to a booth near the windows.
Sitting in the booth is a teen maybe around the same age as Vika? She has long dark chocolate curls, pale ivory skin and bright electric blue eyes. She's dressed in a white lace top, a long maroon pencil skirt and maroon heels. She's sitting opposite her parents I'd assume. I look around and see three Guardian's sitting in the booth few booths down from them. "Ah you must be Guardian Hathaway. It's nice to meet you. Thank you for agreeing to be our Yelena's Guardian." Her Mom I'd assume says offering me her hand. I take it and shake her hand before sitting down next to Yelena.
"It's nice to meet you as well Misses Zeklos and Mr. Zeklos. I needed a change of scenery, plus I have experience with dealing with the type of magic your daughter has. So the Guardians believed I was the best person to help. Can I ask when your powers developed and how?" I ask looking at Yelena.
"I discovered it last winter. We were visiting my brother, Ivan's grave. I remember Mom getting separated from us somehow and almost falling down a hill and I panicked and all I could think is no not another family member and I felt this tugging in the pit of my stomach and somehow I pulled Mom over to me. But I remember afterwards feeling this intense feeling of dark anger, it scared me. I try not to use my powers too often." Yelena explains looking at her hands.
Wait a fucking minute, Ivan? Oh shit this is Dimitri's Ivan's family. What are the odds? Okay I can do this, keep calm Rose. "Huh interesting. I've yet to meet anyone else who has done that before. But there are many powers that's still aren't known. Also that's good that you limit how much you use it even though the inherent compulsion to do so is great for Spirit users, and that feeling is the darkness. It is dangerous if you don't handle it correctly. Can you do anything else? My bond mate can heal extremely well. And I know someone who can sense auras, dream walk and I even know someone who's a telepath. Plus there's the super compulsion all Spirit users have." I ask.
"Umm I can do the aura sensing and I've created really powerful illusions before?" Yelena asks looking at her parents and then me.
"Hmm okay, it's possible to learn the others. My bond mate has learned aura sensing and she's done the illusion once before. So will Yelena be returning to the academy with me for the rest of the break? I have a roommate but I'm sure I can get her a room right next to us and she can stay with me and my mentee while I'm training her." I ask looking at them.
They look at Yelena and then at me before nodding at whatever question Yelena seems to have in her eye. "She can return with you, your mentee will actually be Yelena's other Guardian once they graduate. We would like to see Yelena the week before school is to return though." Her mother answers. Huh so that's why they paired me with Vika, that sneaky bitch. I'm gonna get her when we get back. I nod my head in acceptance and then we begin to order food and talk about mundane things.
The russian translations for this chapter are:
1.) Merhaba, Yelena Zeklos ile öğle yemeği için buradayım. Lütfen bana doğru yönde işaret edebilir misiniz?= Hello I'm here for lunch with Yelena Zeklos. Could you point me in the right direction please?