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Returning back to the academy had taken a bit more will power than I thought it would. Being out in the world, if even for a few days, had shown me a ray of light. For a moment there I could see what my life could have been like, had I been a human with a boring life. I'd be lying if I said the idea wasn't tempting.
I'd spent the time relaxing. Alberta had made sure my accommodations were a bit too luxurious and seemed better fitted to a royal, however I took it all in stride. Taking some time to pamper myself was amazing. I bought new clothes, got my hair and nails done, I did nothing but things I wanted to do.
The upped meds had allowed me the rarity of being able to eat what I actually wanted so I indulged within reason. I know I had managed to put on a bit of weight but that can't really hide the damage of the last few months.
Before I left, I'd stood in front of the mirror and looked at my body in my underwear. While I was still fairly toned my body had withered so you could see the outline of my ribs and hip bones. You can see a hint of my curves but even my healthy glow had been reduced to almost nothing. My cheek bones were more prominent than ever and I sighed. I would never look like I had ever again.
I'm at the academy in no time, after checking back in and heading to the clinic for my check up, I head up to Alberta's office. She smiles brightly when I walk in, looking me up and down before commenting on my rested features.
We discuss my amended duties, instead of guarding the classrooms all day, I'd be helping plan some of the "Strigoi" attacks, this would keep me off of my feet but still active. She gives me a bit more freedom, it's not like it matters anymore anyway. She's more concerned with my health than other's opinions. She also reminds me that I'm allowed to attend the last school dance, St. Vlad's equivalent to prom. I roll my eyes at her before taking my leave.
On my way out I bump into, you guessed it, Dimitri. He looks stunned for a moment. His eyes are glued to my face and I fidget briefly before stepping aside and mumbling an apology. I quickly make my escape before he can say anything in return.
Getting to my room is relatively quick in the daylight, Jericho trots up next to me along the way. He bounces around me like an energetic pup, running in circles and bumping his head into my hip until I touch him. I laugh, it's almost good to be home.
Heading up to my room I'm greeting to a surprise: one sleeping Moroi at my door. Golden hair looking like a haystack, the princess is sleeping pressed up to my door, beside her, her assigned "guardian". I take an awkward pause before dropping my bag loudly as I grab my key.
They both startle awake and she looks at me with large, red rimmed eyes.
"Rose…" She jumps up and pauses when Jer takes a step forward in a protective stance. Eddie stands warily behind her, eyes pinned on my wolf.
"Princess." I tilt my head in polite greeting before unlocking my door. "Novice Castile."
"I've been trying to get a hold of you." She starts, running her hand through her hair I can feel her hysteria rising.
"I've been out of town." I lift my bag up and drop it inside my room before turning to face her again. Jericho takes his sweet time wandering in, obviously realizing I can take care of this myself.
"I just wanted to apologize. Rose, please, you know I would never, ever say those thing to or about you. You're my sister, in every possible way, please you have to believe me. Avery," She spits the name with so much venom it almost makes me proud. Almost. "twisted everything, I don't know how she got so far under my skin… but please forgive me." She reaches for my hand and I take a step back, further into my room, out of her reach.
"Are you done?" I ask. Her lip trembles.
"I can never apologize enough…," I close the door in her face.
She knocks at the door, softly and I can feel her devastation as easily as I feel the headache brewing behind my eyes.
"Leave, Princess." I hear her and mentally feel her press her head to my door.
"I'm not going to give up Rose, I swear to you I'll find some way to make it up to you." She murmurs it but also projects it through the bond. I feel her begin to walk away, however she hesitates, turning to see him still staring at my door. After a moment he follows her out.
I sigh in relief.
My phone roars to life. I look at it and see Alberta's name flash across the front of the old school flip phone. I answer.
"Hathaway."
"Rose, something's come up." I raise an eyebrow even though she can't see me.
"Is everything alright?" I ask.
"Well yes, it's… well, Avery Lazar is still in a holding cell waiting to be transferred and she's asking to speak with you." I feel my body tense up. "You can deny her, of course, but..,"
"I'm heading down now." I deadpan, snapping the phone shut and start heading for the door, making sure to grab my leather jacket on the way out.
I jog out of my building and to the reformed detention/holding center. I'm admitted immediately, Alberta meets me at the top of the steps, her face drawn in concern. I see her eyes flicker warily to Jericho who's pressed to my side before she seems to accept that this is going to happen.
"I'm sure." I say answering the unspoken question, already focusing in on what was next, I wanted answers and I will get them. I'm walking down the stars, eyes finding dull grey eyes quickly.
"Well, well, well, Hathaway." She spits, I walk forward, standing on the other side of the steel bars.
"I'm not going to play your mind games, what was the purpose of all of this?" I speak through gritted teeth; I want nothing more than to strangle her delicate little neck.
"Ah, ah, your darkness is showing." She grins. I snarl.
"Good." I sneer. "Then you know what lengths I'd go to for answers." She fakes a thoughtful look before bursting in childish laughter.
"Hmm, you're so much fun." She purrs, reaching through the bars to touch me. Jericho snarls at her while I snatch her wrist, bending it backwards roughly. She hisses. "You're not like my Simon." She pouts. "You're all barely contained chaos." She grins widely. "You would have been the perfect addition. Maybe I should have just settled for you." Her smile turns predatory as she pulls her hand away from my grasp.
"Stop the bullshit Lazar, explain." I snap, she huffs.
"But it was so much fun watching you break apart, piece. By. Piece. Your despair was almost tangible. It was so easy. They all followed like lambs to the slaughter. How must it feel? To know that all those you held so dear were so ready to turn their back." She laughs loudly as I feel myself tense and growl.
"And yet you still failed." I deadpan. She pauses.
"Well, truly, I figured once Lissa took her swan dive I could do what I do best," She pouts as she presses herself closer to the bars. "and then you, well you would go insane with the lose and guilt and follow the princess, like the dog you are. She'd be all mine and by then…" She moves quickly grasping my shirt to pull me close so her lips were near my ear. "…so would you." She giggles madly as I step back and away from her.
"You're pathetic." I sneer. She laughs louder and suddenly it's like she breaks out of a trance, her eyes cutting glass in their focus.
"Oh Rose." She purrs and meets my eye. "Come here." A haze coats the edge of my vision. Her compulsion is like a vice grip and my body steps forward so she can touch me. I feel her trying to take control. Jericho growls viciously and I can feel people coming closer.
I growl. Something inside of me awakens with a vicious predatory urge, I feel it leap forward, trapping her in my mind. It's my darkness, or rather Lissa and I's darkness. How fitting? The one thing driving us both crazy was shoving this bitch into a pitch black hole in her own mind. It reaches through her compulsion and suddenly she starts to scream.
Every hurt, every tear, every last drop of acid covered anger seeps from me to her. Pushing with a furiousness that I don't think I'd ever truly be able to understand. It's like pulling Lissa's darkness yet different, but somehow manages to feel amazing.
Her screams are suddenly echoed by two others in separate cells and suddenly she's pulling her hair and thrashing on the floor. A surge of sick satisfaction washes over me. I don't know what I'd done, but she'd finally snapped.
Fucking bitch deserved it.
I turn and walk away, leaving the screaming spirit user and her shadow bound guardians to the clutches of the darkness we all dealt with.
I walk away from their screams, barely stopping to make sure Alberta heard it all before I leave the building.
Once the cold air hits me I feel the first tremble wrack my body, I run to my room, barely making it in time to collapse by the toilet to let my stomach empty itself. I moan as it feels like forever before the heaving stops.
Like lambs to the slaughter. Some dark part of me wonders how often they wanted to tell me all of those horrible things before the compulsion.
I laugh bitterly, maybe I've been alone a lot longer than I realized.