The next three days were wonderful. The day after Dimitri was released from hospital, they lifted the restrictions on student movements. Since there were so many places I could be, and there were still no classes, it was way too easy for me to spend hours in my Russian God's bedroom, which is exactly what I did.
We spent most of the third morning after the rescue making out. While Dimitri's ribs still bothered him, it wasn't enough to keep us away from each other. We'd discovered him leaning against the bedhead, me straddling his lap, was the perfect position. Provided I was gentle with his right side, it didn't hurt him, and it left all our other areas free to touch.
We'd been fully clothed, but slowly divested each other of garments until finally, we were in our underwear—two thin pieces of cotton all that was separating us from once again being one. Dimitri's long sensuous fingers were already at the edge of my panties when a bang of a door closing then the muffled sounds of Guardians talking as they walked along the hallway past the room distracted him.
"We can't do this, Rose," Dimitri groaned between heated kisses.
"But I want to!" I moaned, rocking my hips against his. "I want to so much! I burn for you!"
"I do, too. But you're seventeen years old and my student! I can't Roza."
"It didn't stop you the other day!" I snapped in frustration.
"I know, but it should have. I shouldn't have let myself do what I did. It was..."
"A mistake?" I supplied, feeling as though a bucket of ice water had been dumped on me. "You think being with me was a mistake?"
I climbed off his lap, hastily grabbing my bra and pulling it on before adding my shirt and pulling back on my jeans. Tears were already in my eyes, so I turned away so he wouldn't see them.
"I didn't say that, Rose," he growled, pulling the quilt up to cover the bulge in his boxers that showed how much he'd wanted it, too. "I was going to say irresponsible!"
"You regret it, don't you?" I whispered.
"I regret the impossible situation it puts us in. But I could never regret being with you, Rose. I love you, but we can't do this again until you graduate."
"But that's three and a half months away," I wailed. "Do you really think we can stop ourselves loving until then?"
"I don't think I'll ever be able to stop myself loving you," Dimitri said, running his hand over his face in exasperation. "But we need to not act on it. Physically."
"But I'm eighteen in two days!"
"It's not just your age, Roza. I'm employed as a Guardian, and part of my role is to teach you. If we get caught, my career would be over, and the same with yours—before it even got started."
I still had my back to him. I didn't want him to see the traitorous tears leaking from my eyes.
"Roza?" he implored, moving painfully across the bed and catching my hand within his. "It's not forever, I promise. Just a few more months, then we're free to be together."
He pulled me back to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Can I kiss you at least?" I asked petulantly.
"In private, you can," he said. "We just need to be careful. Your mother is probably already suspicious after you ran back into the caves to save me."
He was right. Mom might not pay me a lot of attention, but she wasn't stupid.
"Which is why you need to spend the rest of the day with your friends! Go hang out with them, and I'll see you at the assembly this evening," he suggested.
"Do you have any idea what it's about?" I asked, momentarily distracted from my disappointment of not being able to be with him.
"None. Alberta wants to see me beforehand, so I'll no doubt find out then—but I suspect it's about classes resuming."
"Where have you been hiding?" Lissa said, throwing her arms around me. "I've barely seen you in days!"
"Sorry, Liss. Alberta's had me doing errands while everything's so mixed up," I said truthfully, not adding I doubted Alberta had expected me to be quite so diligent performing my duties. "Where is everyone?"
We were in the cafeteria, and it was less than a quarter full.
"Some people are in their dorms, but many people have gone home. Alberta's had the Novices helping them move stuff for days."
Not for the first time I admired Alberta's shrewdness. If she'd asked me to help some indulged Royal move their boxes, a good amount of their stuff would have ended up broken. That's probably why she asked me to take care of Dimitri instead.
"I'd say over half the Moroi have gone home already, and more are leaving today," she continued.
"So many?"
"Lots of parents are freaked out," she explained. "They're saying St. Vladimir's is no longer safe."
Looking around, I could see it was almost exclusively non-Royals, or those without parents or close family to go to left.
"Anyone we know leaving?" I asked casually.
"Christian might be," Lissa said, looking sad. "Tasha hinted he should go to Minneapolis to stay with her, at least until things are sorted out here."
"But that will be a week or two max, right?" I asked in surprise.
"I don't know about that, Rose. Some kids yet to leave are planning to go to other academies or to study off-campus. It might be for the rest of the school year?"
I sat picking at my food, thinking it over. While I held no great love for St. Vladimir's, it was still the only home I had. If so many students moved elsewhere, they might be unable to justify keeping Guardians stationed here, in which case the campus would close. And it's not like I had anywhere else to go. Before I could get started on a pity-party for one, Christian came into the cafeteria grinning madly.
"Hey!" he said, giving Lissa a dazzling smile. "Rose," he acknowledged.
"Hey, pyro. You're looking happy with yourself?" I said, only a little abrasively. Since Spokane, we'd found a new appreciation for each other. But I still had appearances to maintain.
"I am happy!" he said, turning to face Lissa. "I have wonderful news!"
Lissa smiled sweetly, although I could feel through the bond she was worried that what he saw as good news might not be good for her.
"I just got off the phone to Tasha, and she's arranged for me and her to go to Court until all this blows over... And the best news is, you can come too!"
Lissa squealed with excitement, and I could feel her elation flood the bond.
"Oh my Vlad! What? How?" she gasped.
"Well..." Christian drawled, drawing it out now he had Lissa's attention. "My parents owned a house at Court. We never go there, but it has five bedrooms. Tasha said there'll be plenty of room for me, you, and she's asked the academy to send two Guardians. She's requested Guardians Belikov and Matthews so you'll have people you're familiar with. It looks like the school might close for the rest of the academic year, so we can continue our studies at the Moroi school at Court! The best thing is, we leave tomorrow!"
Lissa threw her arms around Christian's neck, overjoyed. Through the bond, I could see she was already imagining the two of them spending plenty of romantic time together. As for me? I'd never been so grateful the bond was one way. I'd been suspicious of the way Tasha had appeared to give Dimitri up so easily at New Year. It made no sense to me. I could see how she was cleverly attempting to use the attack at St. Vlad's to her own advantage. I did not doubt that Tasha planned to spend the next three and a half months convincing Dimitri to take her offer and stay with her permanently.
Finally pulling back from each other, and remembering they weren't alone, Lissa's eyes fell to me.
"Can Rose come, too?" she asked, suddenly noticing my downcast expression and it occurring to her that if the school closed, I'd be homeless.
"I don't think so," Christian said nervously. "It's not that Tasha wasn't willing," he said loyally, although personally, I suspected that was exactly the problem, "but from what she said, if the school closes, Novices will be sent to other academies to finish their training. They don't want to hold up the Dhampir graduating."
Yeah. Of course they didn't. Guardian numbers were low enough already. They'd do whatever it took to get the next batch graduated and on duty as soon as possible. Hell—if it weren't that we hadn't had our final grading, and our all-important scores calculated, I bet they'd have graduated us already.
"It's not so bad," Lissa said, looking at where I sat holding back tears. "It's only three and a half months—it will fly in no time," she consoled, although it didn't escape my attention that she was coping with the idea of being without me for a few months better than she had when she thought it was Christian she'd be without. But then my tears were mostly at the prospect of being without Dimitri and probably losing him forever. I was just lucky enough that my inner thoughts were my own.
"It will be great," I said, yanking a smile onto my face, not wanting to guilt her out. "Hopefully they'll send me somewhere cool. Maybe Peru? I heard there's a Dhampir training college there. I can't wait!"
Christian was fooled, but Lissa wasn't.
"Come help me pack my stuff?" Lissa asked me gently, giving Christian a look.
"Maybe later," I said noncommittally, my smile not faltering. "I should go visit Alberta and see where they're planning to send me."
"Maybe your Mom will know? You could ask her?" Lissa suggested.
"I doubt it," I said, trying not to sound bitter. "With so much going on, I don't think she'll have had the time to think about where I will end up. I'll come help you pack later," I promised, walking slowly out of the cafeteria, then sprinting across the lawn to the Guardians' dorm block.
I knocked on Dimitri's door, but there was no response. Waiting a moment, I tried again, but still nothing. He was probably meeting with Alberta; he'd said he had a meeting with her this afternoon. I ran back downstairs, taking the stairs two at a time and nearly bowling over Perkins and King on the second landing.
"What's the hurry, Hathaway?" Perkins shouted at my retreating back.
"Just looking for my Mom," I lied, not breaking stride.
"She's in Alberta's office with Alto, Matthews, and Belikov," he yelled back. "But I'd leave them to it—I could hear the shouting from the hallway!"
Shouting? Maybe Dimitri was refusing to go to Court with Lissa? But it didn't seem likely. Doing so would only draw attention to his motivations, and he could hardly say he didn't want to go because he wanted to stay with me. Still, if they were discussing my future, I deserved some buy-in! I was in the hallway approaching Alberta's office when the door opened; Alberta, Mom, Alto, Matthews, and Dimitri stepping out.
"Mom! You got a minute?" I called out, hurrying over to where she'd stopped, Alberta and Dimitri doing likewise.
"I'm afraid not Rosemarie," she said and started moving again.
"But Christian just told me the campus is probably closing and everyone's being sent away. Since this is my home, I was wondering where the other orphans and I would go?"
My mother stopped dead in her tracks, spinning to glare at me.
"You are not an orphan," she said, her eyes widening in shock and hurt.
Great. I'd offended her, and I hadn't even intended to.
"I know. Sorry. I just meant what will happen to those of us who don't have a home or family to go to?"
Mom flinched, and I could tell I was just making it worse. Behind her back I could see Dimitri subtly shaking his head, telling me to leave it.
"We will make provisions for every student," my mother said tightly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to attend the Guardians' briefing." She turned her back on me, following the other Guardians to the Guardians' Lounge. Dimitri followed, but not before shooting me what I suspect was meant to be a soothing, reassuring look. Truth be told, that frightened me more than anything my mother had said.
I wandered across the lawn, trying to calm my thoughts as I made my way to Lissa's dorm room. As I'd expected, she was freaking out. Not knowing whether she should pack her entire dorm room, or if she should pack for just a week or two, she had worked herself into a frenzy.
"If I'm leaving St. Vladimir's tomorrow forever, I need to work out what to do with all my stuff," she wailed. This was a problem. As the only daughter in a wealthy Royal bloodline, before their death, Lissa's family had spoiled her with every conceivable luxury. Her dorm room would take days to pack, and she'd need to figure where to store all her furniture and boxes.
"If you're leaving tomorrow, let's start with your toiletries and clothes," I suggested reasonably. "Either way, you'll need them. If they are closing the campus, it should be ok to leave the rest of your stuff here and send for it later on once you know where you end up. You could have anything you don't need sent to your old house?"
When Lissa's family had died in the crash that also killed me, their Montana residence had been packed up ready for Lissa to decide what she wanted to do with it once she came of age. It was an enormous house, so there'd be plenty of space to store whatever she didn't immediately want.
"You're right," Lissa said, as I hauled her suitcases down from the top of her closet. "Did you end up finding out where you're going?"
"No. Mom was in a meeting with Alberta, Stan, Dimitri, and Matthews but I caught her in the hallway on the way to the Guardians' briefing. I asked her what would happen to me and the other orphans, but she just got all shitty and snapped that I wasn't an orphan."
"She has a point," Lissa said coolly. Through the bond, I could tell her, who really was an orphan, had also taken exception to what I'd said.
Shit. In the space of an hour, I'd offended my mother and my best friend.
"I know that. It was a poor choice of words," I soothed. "I meant those of us who grew up as wards of St. Vlad's and don't have a home or family they can go to."
Lissa's ire immediately disappeared. Yes, she might be an orphan, but despite me having a living mother, I'd grown up as one.
"I'm sure they've worked out something suitable," Lissa said with optimism I didn't share.
"Yeah, that's what Mom said," I replied, trying to mimic Lissa's positive feelings.
We spent the next hour and a half packing, starting with the spring and summer clothes Lissa would likely need right away.
"There's no point packing your winter stuff. If you're leaving your other things, you can come back and get it all later," I suggested, walking around her room and picking out the various photos, teddy bears, and other family memorabilia I knew she wouldn't be able to live without.
"It will be weird spending so long without you," Lissa finally said, watching as I paced around her room.
"You'll be fine!" I reassured her. "You'll have Christian, Tasha, and Adrian, plus you'll have a ball at Court!"
Suitably diverted, Lissa spent the rest of the time we were packing outlining the places she wanted to explore. By the time we walked down to the senior school assembly, where my fate would presumably be revealed, she was in a great mood.
"There's Christian!" Lissa chirped happily, pulling me through the Dhampir section to sit at the front where the Royal Moroi usually sat. Not that there was much competition for seats; the section was all but deserted.
"All packed?" Christian asked Lissa, blessing her with a cheery grin.
"Sure am!" she replied with a glowing smile, leaning forward to give Christian a gentle kiss.
I was busy looking at the stage where the Guardians were assembling. Almost everyone was there when I saw Dimitri walk in as part of a group that included Townsend, Matthews, Nguyen, Perkins, Fernandes, and my mother. Wasting no time, they lined up in a double row at the back of the stage; my mother at the front because of her short stature, Dimitri at the back for the opposite reason. His eyes were roaming the crowd, working their way through the Dhampir section at the back of the hall where he expected to find me. I could see his brow crease infinitesimally as he couldn't locate me before his eyes locked with mine where I sat in the front row beside Lissa.
He gave me a look I couldn't decipher. Soothing, but wary. I had a feeling that whatever it meant, it didn't bode well for the next few months. Silence descended as Kirova stepped up to the lectern.
"School community—I know you, like me, have been shocked by the events of the last week. For the first time in our school's noble history, a direct attack was enacted on main campus. Thanks to the brave and diligent work of our Guardians, and some of our staff and students, the attack was repulsed and a recovery mission was undertaken to rescue those taken. I am happy to announce that this was largely successful and that losses were minimal."
I tuned out for a few moments as she read the list of Royal Moroi, Moroi, Guardians, and Novices lost, in that order. Just another way of reinforcing where my kind stood in the grand scheme of things. It wasn't that I was disinterested in those who lost their lives. I just couldn't think about it without getting emotional. I'd known most of those who fell.
"... so the School Council has decided to close the school until the beginning of the school year to ameliorate the risk presented by the caves and ensure the safety of our campus community. Arrangements have been made for all Moroi students. The majority will return home to their families or transfer to other academies for the duration of the academic year. Please return to your dormitories where your house matron will provide further details if your family has not already done so. Now I will hand over to Guardian Petrov who will outline the relocation plan for the Novices."
Wow. They were actually doing it. They were closing the school. My heart was beating fast as my eyes flicked up to where Dimitri was standing, his Guardian mask yanked firmly into place. I couldn't believe it had come to this.
"Thank you Principal Kirova," Alberta said, stepping up to the lectern. "With the campus closing, most Novices will be transferred to other American academies for the rest of the academic year. We have been in touch with parents, and where possible we will send Novices to the campus closest to their home, but in some cases, this has not been possible. Please rest assured you will not go to a new school alone. Every academy is taking at least thirty students, most times more. Additionally, each campus will take several Guardians and teaching staff from St. Vlad's. You will have friends and teachers you know wherever you end up. At the end of this assembly, lists will be posted by year on the outside doors. These will outline where you are being sent. Please understand we have put every care into creating these lists, and the allocations are final. Senior Novices, please stay behind. Assembly is dismissed."
The younger Novices rushed from the hall, eager to find out where they were being sent. The Moroi filed out in a more orderly fashion—most of them had already spoken to their parents and had their plans in place. Lissa squeezed my hand supportively. Come to my dorm room once you know where you're going, she said through the bond, noticing my tense, worried face. I nodded and gave her a wan smile before returning my attention to Alberta.
"Seniors. As graduating students, particular care and thought have been put into your allocations. No one academy could take on so many final year students, so you will be divided between the teaching academies. For some, this means you will go overseas to complete your Novice studies at St. Christopher's, St. Basil's, Croxton, or The Glen."
There were surprised mumbles from the crowd. This was unexpected. The majority of Dhampir were poor, so the opportunity to travel overseas was unexpected and overwhelmingly welcome.
"We have looked carefully at your strengths and weaknesses, and your destination academies have been determined accordingly. We hope we can turn this unfortunate circumstance into a plus by sending you to academies where you will get extra support in the areas of training in which you are the weakest. The list of your destinations will also be posted on the outside doors. Please stay behind Novices Ayett, Castile, Edwards, and Hathaway."