Here is a new chapter! It took a while because I couldn't write every day, but it's the first chapter I've been writing on a plane, in a hotel and on a beach. Also, since I'm updating today, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Liv (AKA Satan), one of the biggest Jeddie fans and constant readers of my story because it's her birthday today :D I wish her all the best and to enjoy this chapter.

As I always say, I own nothing, Richelle Mead does, and I'm sorry for mistakes and misspelling, and... Well, I've distanced from the original story line so much that I don't think there even still are spoilers. Review if you have the time!

"...Shameful..."

"...A royal disgrace..."

"...Bad influence..."

"...Unworthy..."

"...An embarrassing relationship..."

"...Scandalous..."

"...Waist of potential..."

"...A princess and a guardian..."

"...Impulsive and irresponsible..."

It's hard to eat your breakfast with a feeling that everyone's staring at you. I learned that the first morning back at St. Vladimir's Academy. It was a Sunday, a day before the beginning of classes and a day before becoming a junior. For now I was just the center of attention. I wasn't the only one.

Eddie's arm was wrapped around my shoulders. I may had asked if we should be hiding, but whether we wanted it or not, it had no use now. Everyone knew.

The camera flash we'd seen the evening before? There were at least a dosen of them. Moroi basically have their own network. That includes an online browser, sections of social networks that are hidden to humans, and plenty of magazines and newspapers. A few of those are for serious news like new laws and council meetings, but cruical events in that area are so rare and the curiousity of Moroi is so great that most newspapers and magazines focus on gossip. Royals are the main target. Everyone wants to know what the Creme de la Creme is doing. Sometimes I had a feeling that's the main purpuse of royalty. Some of them don't mind. I don't like it all that much.

I'd been all over those magazines once the word had come out that I'm a Dragomir. I'd gone from happily invisible to one of the most famous Moroi. Everyone'd wanted to know what I'm wearing, where I'm at, what I'm doing, whom I spend time with, what I talk about, and of course, most importantly, whom I'm dating. That had been no one back there (there had actually been a few Adrian related runors, but they'd silented down when we laughed them off). After the assassination, it had been worse than ever. Eventually the pressure had been off of me as I'd 'dissappeared' to Palm Springs. When I'd returned, there had been a few articles about me, but most attention had been on Sydney and Adrian's infamous wedding.

When I'd seen the news reporters at the airport the day before, I'd thought there might be an article or two the next day. People would find out, but so what. We'd been hiding our emotions for long enough. I certinately hadn't expected this.

After landing at an airport in Missoula (they refused the get the academy's private airport ready just for us) with a few hours of delay because of the weather and a ride to St. Vladimir's with not very comfortable cabs, we'd gone to our rooms and straight to bed. Trey had taken a bus to his campus back in Missoula, Eddie had gotten a room in the guardians' building, Angeline in the dhampir dorm and I had been back with Aimee. I'd barely had enough strenght to text everyone at Court that we'd arrived safely, Eddie'd called me up to make sure nothing'd happened to me (even though he'd walked me to the room), then I'd literally fallen asleep with my clothes still on. I hadn't had a single worry in my head.

The next morning Adrian'd called me up, telling me Eddie and I are all over everything. Since you could get Moroi magazines in all Moroi places, we'd bought today's issue on our way to the cafeteria. We were on all the covers, a high quality photo of us kissing on a plane entrance. I guess they'd been trying to mark another 'dissapperance' of mine - the princess's department - and hit the 'jackpot'.

And those weren't positive articles about me finding true love amongst all of our differences, the fluffy and romantic story about how we're all the same inside and that it was a great step towards equality. No, no. They all wrote how I shouldn't be dating someone so out of my league, that I'm disrespecting myself and shaming my family with it, that I should find 'someone my kind'.

I was really upset about it, and I'd thought it'd hurt Eddie. I knew that had been one of the main reasons he had against our relationship. Our young and fresh relationship, that was now so fragile and exposed. The relationship everyone was suddenly tearing apart. I'd thought I'd lose him. Even Adrian'd warned me about it when he called. And Eddie had been browsing through all of those magazines the whole time we'd been here.

But he seemed more amused than upset.

"Look," he laughed. "This one says Adrian has a bad influence on you and that after he married a human, you felt the need to do something similarly scandalous."

I shook my head in a mix of amusement and exasperation. "That's a good one," I remarked. "I knew exposing the bond was a bad idea."

"I've never seen my name written so many times," Eddie said thoughtfully. "I've always been invisible."

"This is how I felt last year," I replied. "Except that things stood a bit more positivly back then. With an exception of a few people saying I'm faking it."

It appeared a forbidden relationship was even harder to believe than a secret member of a dying family. Dozens of people'd come asking if it was true only this morning. They of course reacted differently due to their social status. "So you two are like actually... Together?" was the most common reaction we got from royals that so clearly despized us it was a wonder we were worth speaking to. It didn't help that Aimee and Angeline were behind our table. Some royals that weren't so shallow and self-conceited seemed surprised, but not disgusted. And normal Moroi - the kind I used to be, especially my friends - more or less gushed about how adorable and romantic the whole thing is. There were also a few haughtly dhampir guys who came to our table and asked questions like "Do I stand a shot?"

"Okay, this one says it's disgusting," Eddie said, pointing at a magazine page. "Isn't that a bit exaggerated?"

"All of it's exaggerated, if you ask me," I sighed.

"And this says I should do my job instead of being lovestruck. And this one says I should've waited at least until you turn twelve!"

I rolled my eyes and dug my face into his chest. "How stupid is this?"

"Very," he replied distantly. I didn't see much else than his shirt, but I knew he was still reading.

"Look at this," he said in disbelief after a few seconds. I lifted my gaze with mild interest. "It says," Eddie continued, "'This shameful relationship could might as well be the final strike to the almost extinct Dragomir line, because dhampir children can in no way be considered as royals, no matter their mother's bloodline.'"

"Oh, my God!" I exclaimed and laughed histerically. "We've literally been together for a week! It's not like we..."

Our looks met and I saw thoughts that were reflecting mine in Eddie's eyes. I could easily imagine spending the rest of my life with him. That would've eventually led to settling down, and... Was I being selfish to my family? Should I really marry some Moroi prince in order to have decent royal children? When I loved Eddie?

"We can deal with that later," he said with uneassiness in his voice. Like he was reading my mind.

"I'll bet Adrian would gladly help you with that if your kids' bloodline's a problem," Angeline remarked. The uncomfortable silence that had fallen on our table vanished with laughter. It was the first time any of our friends by the table spoke (Aimee and Reed besides Angeline) in a while. I supposed they were hesitant about starting an awkward subject, when everyone that came by only pointed their fingers at me and Eddie. I didn't want to be the center of attention and leave them out of the conversation... But it's not like I chose to have all eyes on me.

"This is exactly what you were afraid of. Isn't it?" I asked Eddie. "The attention and the judging."

He eyed me blankly for a second after the sudden change of subject. "Yes, that's it. And it sucks." My heart stopped. "But," he continued, "Now that I'm with you, I can't stop anymore. I love you. And it's worth it. This'll pass."

"I love you too," I said quietly. My voice was shaking with emotion. His words made me so happy. He just told me himself that I can't lose him anymore, not to guardians, no to royals, not to other girls he'd been pushing away. Not even to Strigoi. He was too good at fighting to ever die in a battle.

We'd tried to hold back a little here in school, especially with all those eyes and our friends there, but I was going to forget about all of that to kiss him. His lips were the only thing I saw.

"Wow, there's an entire article about you. 'Who is Eddie Castile?' And an entire resime," Angeline said, reaching towards one of the magazines. And breaking the moment.

"And a shirtless picture," Aimee added. Both of the girls leaned in and watched the page closly for what I thought was too long.

"Okay, girls, I'm gonna have to ask you to back off sooner or later," I said tensly. Then Eddie kissed me out of nowhere and I forgot everything.

That Sunday was a day when I tried my best to block out the world around me. I'd never recieved that much attention in my life - especially negative attention. I felt like a caged animal. But, as Eddie pointed out correctly, as long as we had each other, all was worth it.

All of the worries about my personal life and public image were forgotten the next day at the ring of my alarm clock. The shortest horror story ever written: school.

"Unless you got better waking-up habits in the last year, I have to throw you out of bed now," I heard Aimee's voice in the distance.

"Ugh," I responded. I was so sleepy wasn't really aware of what's happening yet, but before I could get to myself, Aimee was next to my bed, pulling me out of my safe shelter.

I'd had trouble waking up my whole life, and since I was rooming with my best friend, the early bird, she put up with it and helped me out. Right now I wanted to turn her off and pull the covers over my head, but I knew I'd thank her later. As always.

"How are you up already?" I muttered as I finally managed to open my eyes and notice she was fully dressed.

"Been up for hours," she replied cheerfully. "I tried to wake you up a while ago, but you wouldn't wake up, so I got some breakfast. You missed it. I brought you a bagel." I couldn't muster a reply. Her energy was way too high for both first day of school and that early in a day. She made sure I'm awake one more time and hurried over to the full-sized mirror on the closet wing of our room, brushing her blond hair to perfection. I yawned and streched my arms. The cold air sent chills over my body as my legs dangled from the edge of the bed.

Aimee was still busy in front of the mirror. She was applying mascara, which I don't think I'd ever seen her do before. It wasn't until now that I actually noticed how nice she looked. I mean, she was naturally pretty, but she put a lot of work into her appearance today. She was wearing what I recognised as her best jeans and a tank top she must've been freezing in. The weather in Montana wasn't very kind in September.

"You look great," I said and smiled to her. She turned around, her cheeks colored with a faint pink shade. I got up, dug into my closet and brought up a thin beige jacket, handing it over to her. "But don't catch a cold."

"Thanks," she said shyly. Like she was reading my mind, she continued: "I don't normally wear make-up to school, but he doesn't know..." Realizing she's spilled me some information, she covered her mouth with her hand. Her blush became even brighter.

"He?" I exclaimed. "Who is he?" I attempted to sound insulted that I don't know yet, but the smile drawing on my face gave me up. I could hardly contain my excitement. Aimee deserved all the best - especially finally forgetting Brett.

"He is... Uh..." Aimee's face was a few shades brighter than usually and she just didn't want to say it. To her obvious relief, she was saved by a knock on the door.

"Open," I said quietly and pulled the cover over my head. I was aware of how great my hair and face must look after a full night's sleep.

The squeaky sound of the door opening accompanied Aimee's surprised - and a bit amused - gasp.

"Hi, is Jill here?" Eddie asked. I kicked the cover off and met his eyes. He was already looking towards my bed because he knew where I'd been hiding instantly. I ran into his arms, not caring that I'm still in my baggy flannel pyjamas and that my hair's a mess.

"Am I too early?" he asked.

"No," I murmured into his chest. "You can't be too early. I always want to see you."

"I wanted to wish you good luck today," he said, pressing a kiss on the top of my head. "Since I can't be there."

Both of us kind of hoped that as my guardian, he would be with me in class, following my every step like guardians in real life. But the head of the school informed us that classrooms are perfectly safe and that Eddie would only me a distraction for me. Headmistress Kirova not-so-subtly let us know that she's aware of our relationship and that she doesn't aprove it.

I snuck out of his arms and into the bathroom to get dressed, then Eddie walked me and Aimee to our first class. We ignored the stares and I had a feeling they'd decreased since yesterday.

Our first class of the day was World History. We'd gotten our schedules the day before. Aimee sat next to me in one of the last rows.

"I'm so glad you're here," she said. "Ever since you left, I feel like Ms. Malloy hates me." Ms. Malloy was our history teacher. "She has different criteria for me, she keeps 'accidentaly' skipping points on my exams and calling me out."

"Weird," I remarked. Ms. Malloy had been completely nice the last time I'd seen her.

"You know what really fascinates me?" Aimee asked. I thought she was still taking about our teacher, but a second later I learned that she'd changed the subject. "How you could just walk to Eddie a few moments after you woke up. I mean, you looked perfectly fine, but... You know. You don't let just anyone see your pyjamas. I love how close you guys are."

"Well," I smirked. Her admiration made me feel good. "Maybe you and the misterious he will be that close as well."

She blushed, still refusing to tell me who is it. I would've questioned her further in my curiousity, but in that moment Ms. Malloy walked in.

"Hello, freshly juniors," she said. "New school year, new beginnings," her eyes narrowed as we made eyecontact, "And new students, I see. Better said new old students. Miss Mastrano has had quite a few adventures in the year she's been gone, am I correct?" Maybe it was just the impression I got, but I had a really strong feeling that her voice became colder as she began to speak about me.

"I believe you should be reffering to her as Miss Dragomir, Ms. M," a guy named Caleb said.

"Mastrano is just fine," I assured. I had to put some effort into making my voice sound relaxed, because the whole thing was making me uncomfortable. To be precise, my official title was the Dragomir princess, but I prefered Mastrano because it made me feel more floored.

"Well, let's not argue about students' names," Ms. Malloy said. "Let's rather dedicate to history."

She began to elaborate on the Russian revolution, but as much as I tried, I couldn't pay attention to it. Something was constantly buzzing in the back of my mind. It was the bond. Nothing bad was happening, but Adrian was excited about something. After fifteen minutes that felt like forever I let feelings stronger than mine defeat me. It was too exhausting. The next moment I was looking through Adrian's eyes.

He was running through the luxurious halls of the main palace towards Lissa's private rooms. A few members of the staff were flashing him surprised looks, but he ignored them. A minute later he stormed into Lissa's living room. She was sitting on the couch, her hands resting in her lap, apparently waiting for him. A quick search of Adrian's memories confirmed they'd agreed to meet.

"I've got it!" he exclaimed. "I've got the Tarus ring!"

"Yay!" Lissa squealed and jumped on her feet to hug him. "Let me see it!"

Adrian pulled a small shiny object out of his pocket - a golden ring, shaped exactly as the Ivashkov one we'd seen on that photo, except that it had an oval indigo-colored, blue-violet tanzanite in the middle instead of a ruby. Obviously, since the Tarus family color was violet.

"Finally, we have one of the rings," Lissa said, admiring the ring in her palm. "Now we can begin to study them. You think you could get the Ivashkov one?"

Adrian scowled. "I doubt it. No one in my family is a big fan of me right now, except for my mom, which is the reason we got this one. Although she had trouble getting it, since she's not at her best as well." His mom had been born a Tarus. "But I assure you, I could easily get an Ivashkov ring if my aunt was still the Queen."

"You do have a way with queens, don't you?" Lissa smirked. Her face turned serious again in a second. "Wait, maybe I could get the Szelsky ring from Ariana. And the Conta ring from Marie!"

Ariana Szelsky and Marie Conta were two of her closest advisors in politic matters. They were both the princesses of their families and had been in the field for very long. Next to them, I felt like I'm just faking a princess. They were both in the council and candidated on the last election. Also, they were both probably the keepers of their family's ring.

"I don't doubt you could get them, but do we really need so many? I mean, don't you think they're all the same?" Adrian asked. Both him and Lissa sat back on the couch.

"That's exactly what I want to find out!" she exclaimed eagerly. "I mean, it's charmed gold we're talking about here!"

"You think there's a difference between casters?"

"Maybe. Maybe there are several ways to do it. I don't know."

"Well, as long as we're here, we should focus on the ring we've already got."

Lissa put the ring on the coffee table in front of the couch. They both watched it for a minute like it's on an exhibit. Then Adrian picked it up and opened himself to magic. I felt shimmers in my - his hand. There was definetly spirit in that ring. Very powerful compultion, it seemed.

"Whoa," Adrian breathed. "I couldn't have done that on silver!"

He handed the ring to Lissa. Her face reflected almost awe as she touched it.

"That must've been a powerful spirit user," she said quietly. "Do you think it was the only one who managed to charm gold? Do you think there are any records?"

"Wouldn't know," Adrian shrugged. "But it's worth a research." He paused, unsure what to say. "Although, how hard can it be? They generally use silver because it's easier to charm, the magic fades after a while. Gold is more durable, I think. That must be why the magic's still in there after all those centuries, just as powerful as it was. And we have to restore wards every few weeks because silver's more susceptible."

Lissa looked at Adrian in disbelief, perplexed over both his words and the number of facts he'd just recited. "So, what, you say we should just try harder and boom, we'll charm gold?" she asked dubiusly.

Adrian laughed wryly. "No, I seriously doubt that."

After a few minutes of silence as they both stared into the ring like some kind of a deity Lissa stirred in excitement. "You should ask Sydney! Alchemists use charmed golden tattoos, right? I know she's not one of them officially anymore, but I bet she knows all about it!"

Adrian shifted uncomfortably. "I have asked her, actually." I dug from his memory that it was a tourture for both of them. Alchemists were an unwelcome subject. "The thing is, the compultion in their tattoos comes from Earth magic. While I'm sure you felt the spirit in the ring. Alchemists don't even use it."

"Oh." Lissa's face fell. "But aren't there dosens of spirit charmed objects of all kinds? Not only silver, not only gold, I think I've seen wooden things and stuff."

"Yeah," Adrian scowled. "I'm afraid there's a difference between charming and soaking, or how should I put it. You can shower any object with magic, but it won't catch on. We only know how to charm silver in the way that controls people's will or heals them. I think. You know-"

"Miss Mastrano!"

Like a cold shower, Ms. Malloy's words pulled me away from the Court.

"The holidays are over, and if you think this is sleeping class, you are wrong!"

"I wasn't-"

"And you are even more wrong if you think I'll have any special treatment for you because of your so-called royal title!"

"I never wanted that!" I exclaimed. "I know I'm just a student like everyone else and that's what I want to be!"

It was true. Attracting attention was the last thing I wanted. I just wanted to be normal, not some spoiled brat that gets everything brought to her butt.

"I should've sent you to the headmistress for this!" Ms. Malloy yelled. She looked really pissed - but I was too. "You can thank me I won't do that because it's the first day of school. Next time get some sleep and don't spend your night doing God knows what."

She seemed to have calmed down a little. The class laughed quietly at her last words. I knew very well what she was hinting at, and so did everyone else. They might had been staring, but no one had been that obvious. I may had spent most of the night texting Eddie, but that was no reason to call me out in front of the entire class! Especially for a teacher! I was about to raise my voice, but Aimee kicked me under the table. I took a deep breath and managed to keep calm until the end of the period. Luckily, there were only minutes left.

We rushed outside the moment the bell rung. After that torture of a period, the rest of the day went by smoothly. Aimee had a sacred rule of listening in class, so I didn't get the chance to talk to her until lunch.

"Are you sure you're the one Ms. Malloy hates?" I asked her, piling half-cooked mashed potato on my plate. She only scowled in response. "And I wasn't even asleep!"

"Really?" Aimee bit her lip with a puzzled expression. "I elbowed you at least five times and you wouldn't wake up! What was that?"

"That," I said, "Is called my bond with Adrian."

"Wait, what? That thing can just make you fall asleep like that?"

"I wasn't asleep, I was in his head. Seeing the world through his eyes."

By that time we were already at our table.

"Quite an experience, isn't it?" Reed asked. I kept forgetting he was once shadow kissed too. We explained how the whole thing works for Aimee together. I had a feeling she wasn't really listening. It was for certain Angeline wasn't, because she spent the whole time stirring her lunch, sighing about how she's heard it all before. I'd told her when we became roomates.

But I was glad Reed was normally talking to me again. The day before things were a bit awkward. Well, everything was a bit new and fresh, and no one knew how to treat me and Eddie.

Speaking of which, my boyfriend was coming our way, carrying a tray I thought would break with the weight of everything on it.

"Can you guys imagine how greatly they feed the staff?" he asked cheerfuly. "Two years ago I was here, treated like dirt, and now I'm gonna eat like a king."

"Wow, you're actually an employee here. I can't believe it," I said. He chuckled and sat down next to me, pecking my cheek.

Then Angeline explained all of us how her first day in the new school was. I'd tried to be there for her as much as possible, but we didn't have all classes together. I'd probably be no help with the training ones anyway.

"However," Angeline finished, "They said that I have lots of potential but I'll have to try really hard to graduate next year."

I elbowed Eddie. "You'll help her, right?" I kind of wished him and Angeline would be my guardians someday. That couldn't happen if Angeline didn't graduate.

"Sure," said Eddie.

"They said it's mostly my attitude," Angeline remarked. We all scowled.

Lunch passed with similar conversations and Eddie insisting on sharing his 'kinglike' food with us. Unfortunately, lunch break only marked the school day was half way through. The whole thing was quite exhausting. For no real reason I'd overwhelmed myself with the comeback to school. It calmed me down to see Eddie in-between. As we kissed for goodbye, Reed touched my shoulder. I turned around and flashed him a smile.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked. His look and voice were tensed. I'd thought the awkwardness was gone, but apparently I was wrong.

"Sure," I replied. We moved a bit away from the rest of our friends, to the crowdy hall full of Moroi and dhampirs on their way to their next period. The rush was even bigger on the first day of school and I saw plenty of students checking their schedules to make sure they'd get to the right classrooms. The air smelled with a mix of their sweat and the dusty scent of stony walls.

"Um..."

Reed's voice caught my attention back.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"I, uh..."

I sighed. "Reed, the next period starts in five minutes."

"Does Aimee have a boyfriend?"

I felt my lips crack into a smile as a wave of excitement hit me. That would be perfect! Then I remembered I'd tried to set Aimee up with someone a bit after the Brett disaster and that she barely spoke to me for a week. And the misterious he was also there.

Was Reed he?

"No, she doesn't have a boyfriend," I finally said. Reed's face glowed and I hoped things would work out as greatly as it looked. "You should ask her out," I added.

Reed turned serious again and ran a hand through his hair. "You think she'll say yes?" he asked hopefully. I'd never seen him that insecure before.

"I don't know."

"What if she doesn't?"

"Then you'll know you tried."

I gave him an encouraging smile and hurried to my next class. The day dragged on like forever. I wanted to ask Aimee if she was interested, but I also wanted enough time to talk it through properly. I finally got to it later that day, when we were sitting in our room.

"Is Reed he?" I asked. Aimee gave me a surprised look. The question came out of nowhere, I knew.

"Well... Yes. How did you know?"

I shrugged. I didn't want to give Reed up, I didn't want to get in-between. But I could hardly hold my excitement back. "I'm just glad you're over that jerk," I said honestly.

The next day Aimee returned to our room late, excited to tell me Reed did ask her out. We both squealed with happiness and hugged.

"You knew about this, didn't you?" she chastised me. It was more of a joke than a real accusation. I gave her a recap of yesterday's events. Then she gushed about how great Reed is and I listened to her with a smirk on my face. I could most definetly relate to her - not with Reed, of course - and I was thrilled to see her so happy.

Two days of intensifying homework and my friends' lovestruck looks the famous date happened. Aimee spent two hours getting ready and had me walk her right to the place, saying she feels better with me there. She said she'd never felt so nervous before. She really liked Reed.

The date took place in one of the school club rooms, which meant I had our room to myself for an afternoon. Not that I was going to be by myself. Eddie and I hadn't spent more than an hour togeter since the Sunday we'd arrived and I'd spent the week feeling horribly empty inside. I didn't even realize that until I saw him. We met right in front of the door, as I was returning from walking Aimee. I threw myself into his arms, suddenly so happy and weirdly relieved.

"Hey, why don't we go outside for a little?" he asked.

I nodded, feeling dizzy with his nearness. "Just don't let me go."

He chuckled and tightened his grip on me. There was something about his hands around mine that let me know he missed me too.

We went for a walk around the strange-shaped pond close to the boarder of the school grounds. Woods surrounded every visible corner of the property, but the clearing around the water was just big enough for a small path. I could barely see the shining stars in the sky over the treetops. In the night, the combination gave a misterious feeling. It would've been scary if I were alone, but with Eddie it felt intimate and comfortable. It was the first time in a while we were truly alone. The moonlight gave a silvery-white shine to his hair, making him look even more angelic than usually. His kisses also felt heavenly.

"We should've done this more often, you know?" Eddie asked, pulling me closer. "I barely get to see you these days."

"I know," I said thoughtfully. "But this is just the first week. We'll figure things out eventually."

"I guess."

"And what exactly do you think we should do more often?" I teased.

"Something like this..." he said, swung me back and leaned in for a kiss.

I knew we could've stayed like that forever, but that wasn't how long we had. As the horizor begin to color in purple shades, we returned to my and Aimee's room. Since my best friend was still gone, it could be supposed as just my room at the time.

Eddie sat next to me on my bed. We talked for a while about everything that's happened in the past few days. I told him about the history incident.

"Well, Ms. Malloy is quite a change after Ms. Terwilliger," he stated. "I was assigned to Lissa during my field experience, so I was with her in World History, and let me tell you, the teacher was a bitch to her. To no one else. At least in the last semester. So if she gets on your back, let me know, I'll do something about it."

"Thanks," I said. I couldn't figure out why would she be like that. "Maybe she has a dislike for Dragomirs. She was perfectly nice before."

We changed the subject and he told me a bit more about his work on campus. He described he was mostly on fence duty, and also expected to make sure the boarders respect the rules. I was relieved to hear he even with all of that wasn't considered a teacher. That would've made our relationship even more infamous and truly forbidden. And I knew all about forbidden relationships and how unpleasant they are from my friends.

Things like that were soon off my mind, because before I knew it, we were kissing again. The situation was much like the one in my room back at Court, when he'd been laying over me, except that this felt even better because we were on my bed. It was as though are bodies are made for each other, two pieces of the same puzzle. The room was getting hotter by second and I felt all sweaty and out of breath... But I loved it. His hands were all over me, warm and safe, the hands of gold. I didn't even know what I'm doing, it all came automatically. Then his hands slid under my shirt, touching my back and the hem of my bra...

...And suddenly, panic swelled over me. Out of breath turned into unable to breathe. The sweat on my back was ice cold, scaring me even more. The fear was so sudden... But I couldn't do it anymore. I didn't what this to happen yet. I leaned on my elbows and pulled my body from under his. Eddie kept kissing me, he didn't even realize what's going on...

"Eddie... I'm not ready..." I breathed, making my voice as loud as I could in that panicked state. I barely recognised it as mine.

Eddie's eyes opened, baffled and dazzled from the high. "Huh?" he asked, his voice hoarse, like he just woke up.

"I can't..."

"Oh, my God!" he exclaimed and slapped his forehead. He climbed off of me immediately, so that his chest was leaning over my knees. His face was a reflection of despair and shock. "Jill, I'm so sorry, I didn't even think about it, I automatically-"

"It's okay, I get it-"

"No, it's not, Jill, I-"

"It's not your fault-"

"It is-"

"You're still doing it!"

The devastation on Eddie's face turned into surprise. "What?" he uttered after a few seconds of silence. My words came out of nowhere and seemed out of context. "What are you talking about?" Eddie repeated as I said nothing.

"You're still doing it, even after everything we've been through. You're being so damn insecure about yourself. You may have accepted that we love each other and are better together, but you don't trust yourself with anything. You blame yourself for everything. And I don't see why! I know how much you've been through, but this isn't good for you! You're a storm in a battle and scared to act in everything else. Don't you see that you could't have known about this? That 99% percent of the things you're blaming yourself for are not even your fault? That I love you because you're amazing and strong and good at everything you do and you deserve more credit than you give yourself? Trust yourself a little, for God's sake! You deserve it!"

Eddie stared at me blankly. His face was a mask, looking like he hasn't heard a single thing I'd said, but I knew his ears swallowed every word hungrily. His look told me that. Everything about him seemed numb, but his eyes told a story of their own.

As for me... My head bent down, and my gaze with it, because I couldn't stand how piercing Eddie's look was. I looked down at my hands, noticing they're shaking. My whole body was trembling from the excitement and adrenalin than came with the river of words I couldn't stop. I'd been wanting to tell him that for a long time. It always surprised me how the best way to come clean was to get speach consumed me so powerfully I didn't phisically feel anything until the moment I could take a breath and calm down.

I wished for at least some kind of reaction from Eddie, but I knew I wouldn't get it. Not yet. We'd been through things alike a few times. I'd shocked him with this, and I knew him well enough to know he needed to clear his mind, think about what had just happened and... Well, realize I'm right.

Silence lay over the room. Chilling silence. I still didn't dare to look up, so I just watched my legs dangle from the edge of the bed, as I gradually stopped shaking. I noticed Eddie stir and squinted in his direction. He was checking the time on his phone. In the rising daylight, the screen lighted up the room just for a shade.

"It's five minutes to curfew," he said, his voice breaking. The first thing he's said in the last few minutes. "I should get going."

"Okay," I said uneasily. I'd been so sure I know what's going on, but now I wasn't that certain anymore. I was afraid my face reflected my worry. "I love you," I said quietly as he opened the door.

Eddie mustered a wan smile as we exchanged gazes insecurely. "I love you too." He closed the door - gently and carefully, as it annoyed me so oftenly - and dissappeared. I threw myself back on the bed, the bed where it all happened. I was frustrated. All I knew is that he's confused - and so was I. I didn't know how he feels.

I suddenly wished I had Adrian's ability to see auras. I'd gotten so used to it because we were normally so close that I missed it now. Reading people definetly had its good sides. I was probably one of the rare people who could understand auras without being able to actually see them.

A few minutes later Aimee returned, her face glowing with happiness. I swallowed my worries and gave my best to smile. She rushed towards my bed and held both of my hands, squealing.

"So? How was the date?" I asked.

"Perfect! He's so amazing! Everything was so perfect, oh, my God! We couldn't stop talking, and he walked me to my room, and I almost missed it because I was so caught up talking to him, and... He's the best, oh, my God... Thank you so much for meeting him!"

I laughed. Her excitement was contageous and I was glad I kind of brought them together.

"And what did you and Eddie do?" she asked. Of course she knew I'd be with him. She just didn't know the latest events.

"We, uh..." I wavered. I felt a shadow fall over my face.

Aimee gave me a worried look, her brows furrowing. "What happened? Did you guys fight?"

"Um... Kind of. It's complicated. I don't want to go into details."

She wasn't insulted that I dismissed her, but the worry remained on her face.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine," I said, forcing a laugh. "You just had the best date ever, let's dedicate to that. How was it?"

Aimee broke into an excited smile and began to tell me what had happened between her and Reed. I listened carefully, trying to stay focused. I hadn't only changed the subject to not weight her, I also wanted to keep my mind off of Eddie for a while.

It didn't go very well. Eddie's words that were so short but said so much kept ringing in my head long after I got into bed. I eventually realized we hadn't even cleared up what had brought the fight on in the first place. Knowing I'd only have one more thing to worry about that way, I picked up my phone from my night stand, put it on silent and began writing a text.

About earlier... I hope you understand it has nothing to do with you, it's just that I just turned sixteen and I'm just not ready yet. Hell, I know you'll understand because you're you and you get me. I just had to write this because... Because I'm me and I had to make sure.

I put my head back on the pillow. It had no use, I was even more restless than before. I knew Eddie was laying in bed awake just like me. Or maybe not in bed, since he wasn't depending on a silly curfew.

I soon got my proof that I was right about him being awake, because my phone chimmed with a text a few endless minutes later. His response was short, but very satisfying: I know. And I love you for it.

I smiled to my phone silily. I love you too, I responded.

As I almost already fell asleep, another text came: And you were right. I've thought about it... It's hard not to believe someone telling you you're awesome. I'll try to trust myself more. Remind me if I fail.

That's why I'm here, I wrote back, my smile cracking wider and wider. Everything was in order again. Even better than before. Thoughts like that echoed in my mind, becoming more quiet by second until I drowned in sweet dreams.

A few weeks went by without anything extraordinary happening (whatever passes as extraordinary in my life). After that night's fallout with me and Eddie everything was perfect between the two of us, and I felt as though he'd taken my words in knowledge for real. Our lives weren't any more flawless than before, but the shadows of misery and guilt I'd used to catch in his eyes from time to time had gotten noticeably rarer, almost vanished. Eventually, when we'd settled down in our new routine, I succeeded to convince him into that promised fight practise. He was a bit hesitant and we kept it down to everyone but our friends because we'd gone further than just self defence a while ago. Also, that huge school gym with every equipment you could imagine was the only spot in the campus where I could freely wield offensive magic. Both of those things - magical and physical fighting - were still considered tabboos.

And speaking of tabboos, the stares and whispers pressuring us had definetly descreased, almost dissappeared. Most people had simply gotten used to us, although some royals - the ones that always found something to pick on - still felt like they have to be exceptions.

Aimee and Reed dated ever since the night of their first date, and Angeline often mentioned that they were a serious thread to Eddie and me at being the school's most cliche couple. We hadn't seen much Trey since he went to college (the academy wasn't a big fan of human visitors, they also weren't eager on boarders leaving the property), and I knew if I found it little, Angeline must've been choking with longing. We all had sympathy in our hearts for her, and ignored it when she was being a bit difficult. In my opinion, it was no comparation to her first Amberwood days. At least it seemed that she would graduate next year. I had a feeling she'd thrown herself into work to silent her loneliness down. Most of her questionable attitude was pointed towards us, which I liked much better than if she were shaking her temperament at the teachers. I tried to be by her side as much as possible, but as was significant for her, she discuised signs of pain and acted as strong as possible. I'd seen similar behaviour in Eddie, Neil and Rose. No matter her faults, I was more and more convinced Angeline was guardian material after all.

School was exactly the way I remembered it; not my favorite part of life, but as long as it was there, you might as well make the best out of it. Most classes kind of went by, but magic was my favorite. Our teacher, Mrs. Carmack, wasn't as strict in the belief that magic was meant to be kept in a box, like it's some sort of a curse among the Moroi. Maybe that was the reason she'd seeked a job as a maogic teacher. She was my favorite teacher. In eleventh grade we didn't have much control in her classes anyway, as we were divided into groups due to our specialization. Mrs. Carmack was only there to keep an eye on us and guide us in our work, and so occasionally harmless magic fights broke out. Of course, according to everyone, they 'never happened'.

While World History became my least favorite class. It appeared Ms. Malloy really did hate Dragomirs, or at least me. Suddenly I was responsible for everything I didn't do, I picked every fight, I was found talking in class whenever I was quiet, or passing messages at least. I tried not to hold a grudge, but it felt as though it got worse within every lesson. Aimee agreed, and even a few uninformed classmates had asked me what I did to the teacher to make her so mad. I rather didn't mention anything to Eddie, because I had no hard proof, and because I knew he'd act even without it. I loved how he'd do everything for me, but that didn't mean I wanted him to get in trouble. I needed him around.

I hadn't lost my contact with the Court either, in more ways than one. I'd made a few short weekend visits, Adrian was on my speed dial and most of the time I knew every thought on his mind. Him and Lissa were still working on the ring - unsuccessfully for now. Lissa brushed as many of her royal duties aside to have more time to figure out, while Adrian uncharacteristically spent most of his free time searching for any signs of former spirit users who had succeeded in charming gold. Their zeal had moved into me as well, keeping me awake at night thinking about a way to help them.

The warm summer had turned into fall long ago, now the red and orange shades of the woods had faded into a dull grey winter. First snowflakes were glittering in the cloudy November morning; thick silver mist lay over the academy. Frostbite crawled over the the window that allowed me the view. It looked beautiful out there - but I knew it only felt that beautiful if your coat was thick enough. Winter in Montana had a deserved reputation.

I was in my history class of all places, trying to be as invisible as possible to keep me off of Ms. Malloy's radar, letting my mind wander off. I knew I should've focused, but I was too lost in thoughts. And soon my mind wandered even further; I found myself in a different room. It was Lissa's living room and I was once again watching it through Adrian's eyes.

"You think Sonya wouldn't help us?" he asked with a sigh. It had been months and they were starting to fear they won't make it. Three rings were placed on the table, Tarus, Szelsky and Conta, anf the only realization they'd made by now was that the compultion inside them had the same caster and the same power.

"Sonya is, uh, busy," Lissa said, mischief shining in her eyes for a moment. Then her smile faded to a frown again. This tourtured all three of us. "How about Nina?"

"Er, I happen to think Nina won't be eager on working with me," Adrian uttered, feeling stings of guilt in his stomach. He held up a the simple golden ring Lisda had brought from somewhere for experiments. "Seriously, how hard can it be to charm a goddamn golden object!?"

"I don't know, it's so easy with silver!" Lissa groaned and threw herself back into the cushions of the couch.

"Wasn't for me," Adrian muttered. "God, I really wish we could get Nina to help us."

"What if we first try to get that strong of compultion into silver?" Lissa suggested. Adrian nodded defeated. He was out of ideas. "You got any?" he asked. Lissa flashed one of those royal smiles of hers and rushed towards a big wooden dresser. She pulled the top drawer open, revealing a glittering stash of chains, jewelry, utensils and everything imaginable that was silver. Adrian, quick on his feet to follow her, gasped at the sight.

"Holy crap, cousin, where did you get that?"

Lissa blushed, half proud and half ashamed. "I've been collecting silver wherever I could get it for a while now, to practise charming. This is what I've got."

"Hold on a second," Adrian said, excited to feel an idea forming in his mind. It had nothing to do with Lissa's words. "How do we charm silver? In theory?" The question was purely retoric.

Lissa gave him a puzzled look, then replied: "Well, we draw the magic into it. Spirit magic is an element in nature that would exist in either way, our body is just a bridge from it to the material world. That's why it takes so much self-control and discipline to wield the magic anf that's why the magic sometimes wields us."

"Exactly," Adrian said, his face glowing. "And we use silver because it's so very susceptible to magic. But what if we use the silver as a part of the bridge, the magic's final destination being the gold?"

"You mean we use the silver as a conductor of magic?" Lissa asked. She paused, then began to nod slowly. "Yes, that could work. We should try it out."

She took a thin silver chain out and considered it quietly. "I don't think I've charmed this one before," she said thoughtfully. "How do we suppose we do this?"

Adrian took the chain from her feverishly and wrapped it around the empty ring. The sweet and powerful taste of spirit magic flew over him. He sighed in joy - spirit was almost an addiction to its users - and directed it into the intertwined metals. Automatically, the magic he was wielding was a healing kind. He felt the way magic occupied the silver, as it should have, but he pushed further. Spirit travelled through every particale of the chain, until it finally reached the end. That was when it should've gotten into the gold...

And it did.

"You made it!" Lissa squealed and hugged him. Adrian grinned and returned her embrace. He was shaking with the adrenalin and so incredibly happy and extatic. Half of it came from spirit. But not all of it. I felt myself smile. Finally! They made it, and they were only a few steps to replicating the original Dragomir ring. I was so proud of Adrian, he had once been so convinced he's a failure, and now I knew he couldn't think that anymore.

"It's not a copy of the ring yet," Adrian said, and I once again thought maybe the bond worked both ways, "But we can work on it. We're almost there."

"This is a huge step," Lissa agreed, a joyful smile playing on her lips. But suddenly he collapsed on the couch and dug her face into her palms. "But we'll never reach it!" she suddenly broke out. "We'll never replicate the ring, and even if we do, what's the point? It's not going to bring me any closer to my family because it's not going to be the real thing. No one's worn whatever we'll create, and the meaning is purely simbolic. What's the point?"

Adrian, shocked over her outburst, sat next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, desperatley trying to get a grip of any comforting words he could say to her. I wanted to help myself too. I wished there was something I could've done, that I wouldn't be just an outside observer. Lissa was my family, all that's left of it. And I don't know why, I wished so strongly for that meaningless simbolic ring it made no sense. We all did. What had gotten into us? Why did a charmed piece of gold fascinate and obssess us so badly? If there-

"JILLIAN MASTRANO!"

I winced at my shouted name, ripped out of my thoughts. I'd left Adrian's a while ago.

Ms. Malloy was staring at me, her black eyes wide, face red.

"I thought we agreed you wouldn't use my classes as a time for your beauty sleep," she said quietly. Her face was like stone in silent rage, her charcoal-like eyes shining like fire. She'd shoot me in that moment if she had a chance. She only looked calm, but I knew she wasn't.

I wasn't much calmer than her. '"I wasn't asleep!" I exclaimed, completely forgetting I'm talking to a teacher. Students leaned forward on their chairs, looking like they found themselves in the middle of a soap opera.

"Then what exactly were you doing?" she asked, walking from her desk towards the middle of the class with her arms crossed over her chest. She looked like one of the teachers from the 19th century, walking with slow resounding steps. I felt Aimee shift away. I should've been scared, she was authority, but I wasn't. I felt resistance in every vein of mine, in every drop of my blood.

"What. Were. You. Doing?"

"I was-"

A flame lighted up on her desk, out of nowhere, thick black smoke filling the classroom. I didn't know what it happened, maybe one of the students messing with everything, maybe the teacher herself. She was a fire user, and maybe she lost control in her rage. I seemed to be the only one who noticed it. I rose my hand and sent a wave of water towards the desk, splashing the teacher in the process. The fire vanished... But it was like a brand new flame lighted up on Ms. Malloy's face.

"HOW DARE YOU!?" she shouted. I winced. I knew that if not before, I'm trouble now.

Ten minutes later I was sitting in the headmistress's office, waiting for Kirova to arrive. Her high leather chair looked much more comfortable than the wooden one they'd sat me on. I was in so much trouble it was a surprise they dared to leave me unsupervised when I could've caused another disaster.

I looked around the office. I'd only been there maybe twice. Never because I'd be in trouble. Tall closets and shelves were placed all over the room, filled with normal office props, objects I couldn't recognise as useful, records of teachers, students and others on separate shelves. They were only marked with initials. I gazed around hoping to recognise any.

I did. I was sure the initials VD marked my sister, Vasilisa Dragomir. The weird part was that it was placed along with the shelf that was meant for the record of others. I recognised a few names of former teachers that worked here before I left to Palm Springs, victims of the Strigoi attack two years ago, but no other former students. Actually, I was pretty sure I saw Rose's and Eddie's record along with other students, former and present. So why would they place Lissa with others?

I checked the door to make sure no one was there, then jumped up from my chair and stepped on my fingers to pick up Lissa's record and see what was so outstanding about it. She was the Queen now, but never at the time she'd been a boarder, so what did it have to do with the school?

I opened the dark blue record. It was lighter and emptier than I'd thought. After browsing through it for a minute, I also realized it wasn't even about Lissa. It was about Victor Dashkov. They had the same initials, so my confusion was understandable. But Dashkov was someone I'd never think about. I didn't have positive experience with him. In fact, he'd once kidnapped me and forced his spirit-wielding brother to compel me into not sleeping. The thought alone made me shiver. I almost stopped aimlessly browsing and closed the record immediately, when something caught my attention. ...the Dragomir ring... That was definetly what three words on a page I'd crossed said. The whole page was written all over with a hadwriting unfamiliar to me. It appeared to be a part of a journal that was enclosed to the record.

I glanced around the room to make sure I'm still alone, then stacked the journal under my cardigan. I tried to place the record back where it was before and sat innocently back on the wooden chair, waiting for Kirova again. It would've been better to look completely innocent, but I was shaking. I wanted to read the journal from one cover to another and find all it said about the ring, but I couldn't do it here, where I could get caught. I also felt a tiny bit guilty. I never would've taken the journal if I didn't find that reference.

...the Dragomir ring...

Was this a trail to finding it?

I wasn't sure how to end this chapter, or better said where. Do you like it better if there are cliffhangers in the end or if I close an event and start a chapter a bit later? Should chapters be shorter? Please let me know in reviews so that I can get better! Also, I'm thinking about naming chapters. Actually, I have all the names picked already, I just want to know if you want me to use them. Maybe I'll just update somewhere in a few days just to change the names of the chapters. Otherwise the next chapter is coming as soon as possible, by the end of the month I hope.