Rose's Point of View
"What did you do with my sister old man?"
I wasn't in the mood to play games with Abe, and after all the crap I'd been through in the last 24 hours, I was more determined than ever to get my answers.
"I see you've talked to your mother." He deflected, trying to buy himself a little time.
"Don't try to change the subject Old Man, where is Frankie?" I demanded.
Despite everything I had learned about her origin's and her real father, I still felt a fierce protectiveness over that little girl, and my concern for her had only grown since I'd come to terms with the fact that were related.
"Rosemarie, Frankie is fine. Your mother called me the other night and asked me if I could find a safe place for her. She said Victors spies at the academy had learned of the relationship between you two and he was planning on using that against you."
"Yeah yeah, I already know all that. What I want to know is where you sent her?" I told him, losing patience with this game of round and round. Between him and my shifty mother, getting a straight answer out of them was like pulling teeth.
"Why, so you can convince poor Belikov to hop on a plane and take you to her? Who does that help Rosemarie?"
"It helps Franke!" I argued.
I heard my father let out a disgruntled sigh on the other end of the phone.
"Dad" I started, hoping the affectionate term might soften him up. "Please, I need to know that she's okay. I know you don't understand it, apparently nobody does. But I love that little girl and I need to know that she's safe. You guys yanked her away from everything she knows in the middle of the night without so much as an explanation. She's only five years old Dad so please!"
I hated to beg him for anything, especially given how angry I was with both of my parents right now. But I was willing to do it if it meant I'd get what the information I needed about Frankie.
"She's at court Rosemarie, attending the academy here within the wards."
"She's at Alder?" I asked.
I wasn't really sure how he'd pulled that off. Alder was an elite academy that was incredibly small in size. Only the most well connected Royals attended that academy.
"She's at Alder…" Abe confirmed. "And I'm guessing within the next 48 hours you will be too." He sighed.
I smirked a little on my end of the phone.
Perhaps he knows me a little better than I thought…
When we stepped off the plane at the Courts landing strip, I was surprised to find the Royal Guard waiting for us.
"Lady Mazur, the Queen requests a private audience with you." One of the guardians told me.
I exchanged a wary glance with Dimitri, thinking nothing she could want with me sounded good.
"Go ahead Milaya; I'll get our things settled back at the room." He encouraged.
I wasn't thrilled about the idea of entering the lion's den alone, but given what had happened the last time Tatiana saw Dimitri and I together, I thought it may be for the best. Luckily for me Sophia got to tag along on account of her being my sanctioned Guardian.
I handed over my carry-on bag and leaned up to give Dimitri a chaste kiss on the lips before we parted ways. My eyes trailed after him as long as possible and right before he got into the car he gave me one last encouraging smile.
God I loved that man.
"What do you think the Queen B wants?" Sophia whispered as we rode in the silent SUV back to court.
"Beats the hell out of me." I answered.
I'd been asking myself the same thing since the Royal Guard had showed up.
"Do you think this is about Dimitri?" Sophia looked at me nervously. Something in my gut told me it wasn't. After my public display of affection at Christmas I had a hard time believing the Queen was willing to open that can of worms again so soon. Thankfully the car ride back to the palace was a short one and I didn't have to wait long before I got some answers.
"Welcome back Rosemarie." Queen Tatianna greeted me when Sophia and I entered the throne room. She was sitting there casually, dressed in a pricey yet elegant blue pantsuit.
"Thank you your Majesty." I was tired from the long flight, but I knew better than to be anything other than the picture of sophistication. Tatianna smiled; clearly pleased I was willing to go along with the usual dog and pony show. With Rose Mazur, one could never be too sure.
"I'm sure you're wondering why I called you here." She announced, and I was grateful she wasn't wasting any time getting to her point.
I nodded my head to let her know to continue.
"It's about Adrian." She replied, and I had to suppress the groan that threatened to escape my lips.
Seriously, what part of I'm in love with Dimitri wasn't clear?
"Your Majesty, with all due respect…" I started, but she quickly cut me off.
"I know what you're going to say Rosemarie, and this isn't about you leaving your Dhamphir. I think you've made it quite clear where you stand on that matter." She answered curtly. I knew she was still opposed to it, but at least she wasn't openly condemning me anymore.
"Adrian doesn't know about this, but it's come to my attention that he's been sneaking around with some human girl." The disgust was completely evident in her tone. "He's been gallivanting around Lehigh with this girl as if he doesn't have a care in the world, completely tarnishing his pristine reputation."
I didn't have the heart to tell her that his reputation was anything but pristine. Adrian was a man-whore for lack of a better term, not to mention a womanizer and a drunk.
"I'm sorry Queen Tatianna but what does that have to do with me?" I asked. I wasn't really sure why Adrian's illicit affair affected me any.
"Because Rosemarie, despite your unfortunate feelings for that Dhamphir, you are still the only woman Adrian has ever loved. Now I won't be so bold as to ask you to actually betray your beloved Dhamphir, but I have no calms about asking you to pretend. Fill him in on it if you must, but what I need from you is to seduce Adrian. Let him believe you're willing to give him a chance, and get him to walk away from that dreadful human girl. She's all wrong for him Rose; she doesn't belong in this world."
Was this bitch for real?
"Are you insane?" I shrieked. "What kind of terrible human being would ever agree to something like this?"
Her eyes narrowed shrewdly at my tone and accusations. It was out of line to speak to the Queen this way, but I was way too shocked to give a damn about formality. What she was asking of me, it was ludacris. Not only would I never betray Dimitri this way, but leading Adrian on like this would be wrong.
"The kind of person who would like to keep her little Strigoi sister safe…" she replied, smiling smugly when she saw my face fall.
So that's how my father managed to get Frankie into Alder. He'd done so by the Queen's favor.
"Are you seriously so closed minded that you can't even let your own nephew enjoy a little happiness? So what if the girl he's in love with is a human. Did it slip your mind that's how Dhampirs were created in the first place? Human/Moroi relationships weren't always so taboo you know!"
"Don't presume to lecture me on the history of my own people Rosemarie. I know full well what is and isn't taboo these days, I'm not as old as you may think. But I do know what I'm willing to accept and I'm not willing to accept seeing my great nephew with a human!" She was glaring at me hardly, and any other person probably would have cowered under the pressure.
"Well I suppose that's entirely in your right your Majesty, but don't presume to believe I can be so easily manipulated. I won't compromise my morals, not for you or anyone else. And if you so much as threaten Frankie again I'll make sure Adrian knows all about this little conversation were having…" I glared back.
Tatianna never had any children of her own, so as far as kids go Adrian was the closest thing she had. I knew how she felt about him, and how Adrian would feel if he knew she'd asked me to do this. She may have believed she had the upper hand because of Frankie, but she should have known better than to believe I would roll over so easily.
Frankie might be my little sister, but Dimitri was the love of my life. And if Tatianna made good on her promise to out Frankie, we'd just find some other way to protect her, and we'd do it the same way we do everything; as a team.
"So is that your final answer?" She asked, her face changing to blank and impassive.
"You bet your ass it is." I half growled. This wasn't a conversation I'd ever wanted to have, and thanks to the jet lag I was so completely over it.
"Very well Rosemarie, but don't say I didn't warn you." Her blank mask slipped slightly and I caught a glimpse of a knowing smile underneath.
What the hell was she up to?
"And what does that mean?" I spit back, not even trying to disguise my irritation. She looked at me the way an adult looks at a small child before she answered.
"You are so young Rosemarie, and there is so much about the world you don't understand. You think you're in love with that Dhamphir now, but I promise you it's never going to last. Much like Adrian, Lady Ozera has been her affections for that man quite clear. Do you honestly believe she'll just let you ride off into the sunset with what she perceives to believe is hers? She'll fight for him, and when she does, the question is; will you have thrown away your chance at happiness with Adrian?"
I wanted to scream at her, throw something, or chuck a few things against the wall. But I wouldn't do any of that, because in doing so I would be giving her exactly what she wanted. She was preying on my worst fears about Dimitri but I wasn't going to let her know that.
Dimitri and I were together now and we loved each other. We weren't living a secret life at St. Vladimir's, or trying to hide our relationship like a pair of star crossed lovers. We were adults now, who'd made a promise to each other and the world. Tasha could show up and wreak all the havoc she wanted now for all I cared.
Dimitri loved me, and nothing was going to change that now...
Right?