Happy Weekend! Hope everyone enjoys their Saturday and Sunday! Much love.

Thank you as always for the reviews/faves/follows. It means the world!

Chapter Eighteen

Rose

Allocations Day.

The best, and worst day of our lives.

Today we would receive our assignments. I already knew I would be with Adrian, and Dimitri has already been assigned to Christian, but there was one more person whose future hung in the balance.

Eddie.

Lissa had put in a joint request with him, but it is still a long shot. Queen Tatiana has made it clear to both of them, all of us really, that she only wants the best for the Princess. Seasoned, experienced Guardians. My mother being one of them, we couldn't help but hold our breaths to know who the other would be.

Guardian Croft advised that by SIX PM we would receive the email that decided our fate. After that, we had one hour to report to Head Quarters to retrieve our packets, and another hour to pack and head to our new homes. Some would remain at Court with their Moroi, others would be boarding planes taking off overseas.

A look at the clock showed five-forty, only twenty minutes left of freedom.

Eddie and I sat in the living room of the Dragomir townhouse where we were all currently living. All five of us. Lissa and Christian agreed to let Tasha keep the Ozera house, only a few doors down from us, so she could move here to Court. With everything that has happened to her recently, we wanted to keep her close. Christian stayed with her for the first week, but she kicked him out to have his own life. So we piled into the four bedrooms, three bathrooms, townhome. Dimitri and I sharing one room, Eddie in another, Lissa and Christian in the master, leaving one room open for the nursery.

Hopefully, it stays this way.

Five-Forty-Five.

Eddie's leg bounced in anticipation, wringing his hands together.

"No matter what, I will always be here for you, you will always have a home with us," I laid my hand on his knee, stilling his movements.

Eddie was much like me. Raised by the Academy, no place to call home outside of the iron gates. If he is placed with anyone other than Lissa, he will have to adjust to a whole new life. And I can see in his eyes he is terrified.

"What if I don't make it, Rose? What if I am not as good as people say?" he whispered.

"What do you mean? You are one of the best, you keep up with Dimitri and me, well before…" I chuckled, gesturing to my stomach, "You will be just fine."

"The only times I have come across Strigoi, I have been captured," he snorted.

"Those were not normal circumstances," Dimitri stepped in, "If you remember, I almost died in the rescue mission, and you used to call me a 'God'," Dimitri chuckled, "don't sell yourself short."

"You still are," Eddie laughed.

"I'm only here because of Rose, if she hadn't stupidly come back for me, I would be dead. Or worse."

"Hey now," I jumped, "It was not stupid…." Dimitri lifted his brow, "Okay, maybe it was, but it turned out okay."

"Yeah, it did, just don't ever do it again," he shot me a pointed look.

"Yes, Sir," I smiled, shooting him a two-fingered salute.

Five-Fifty.

The minutes ticked by slower. The span between heartbeats taking longer. My fate was signed, sealed, and delivered two weeks ago, why am I freaking out so much inside? I would imagine this moment feels much like waiting on a college acceptance letter. The build-up and anticipation to know your future. Only it doesn't come with an oath to an ancient race, and a vow to lay down your life for someone else.

Five-Fifty-Three.

Maybe it's because I don't know what is going to happen to Eddie. The idea of losing another friend taking up residence in my mind. Clouding the silver lining of knowing my destiny with the unknown of his. After Mason, I can't bear the thought of losing him too. If he wound up in Siberia, or Turkey or Nepal like Mom had been, he could die and I would never know. Don't think like that, Rose, snap out of it!

Five-Fifty-Seven.

Three more minutes. Fuck. This is agony!

"Why don't you both go ahead and log in," Mom said, coming to sit next to me on the couch.

In-sync, Eddie and I fired up our laptops. Dimitri perched on the arm of the couch on my other side, crossing his legs at his ankles, managing to look completely at ease. Meanwhile, Eddie and I are fidgeting in our seats. Lissa and Christian, along with Adrian and Tasha lingered in the kitchen, letting this moment be just for us, the Guardians.

Typing in our usernames and passwords, our emails dinged with incoming mail immediately. Eddie and I shared a quick glance, looking at the wall clock one last time.

Five-Fifty-Nine, and counting.

"On three?"

"Yeah," he gave a single nod.

"One." Dimitri started for us, "Two. Three."

*Click*

Guardian Rosemarie Hathaway,

It is my honor, and privilege to announce your assignment to Lord Adrian Ivashkov.

I stopped reading, I already knew what it would say, so there was no point. I looked up to see Eddie's eyes wide, scanning the contents of his email at an alarming rate.

"Eddie," I drug out his name. He didn't answer, just kept reading. "Eddie."

His eyes stopped, rising to meet mine, "YES!" he bellowed, jumping from his seat, and running into the kitchen, "Guardian Castile at your service Princess," his smile split his face as he took Liss's hand in his, kissing her knuckles.

"Oh stop that," Lissa swatted his shoulder.

"Where is my devotion," Adrian laughed, raising a brow in my direction.

"Right here," I stuck my tongue out, sticking my middle finger in the air.

"Roza!"

"Rosemarie!"

Dimitri and Mom yelled at the same time.

"Oh, this is going to be fun," Adrian released a deep chuckle, "I just hope munchkin has your fire, Little Dhampir."

"God, I hope not," Dimitri mumbled.

Laughs erupted around the room, only to be cut off after a few seconds by a knock at the door. Dimitri stood to answer, Mom and I moving to the kitchen to join others. Straining the hear the conversation, I picked up on a male voice but didn't recognize it.

"Roza," Dimitri called.

Stepping back through the living area, I took in the man at the door. He is Dhampir, and large, but that didn't intimidate me. No, the small red pin on his collar is what sent chills down my spine.

"Guardian Rosemarie Hathaway," he nodded, "You have been summoned."

Author's Note:

Just a filler for some minor details.

Hope you all enjoyed.

All my Love,

Dream