Lying on my bed, I'd miraculously woken before my alarm. I suppose there had to be a first time for everything! It was 5:30 am, and we were leaving for our mission in an hour and a half. I couldn't believe the two things I'd waited so long for had finally happened; I was eighteen, and I was finally leaving St. Vladimir's. Yeah, I'd be back to pick up what was left of my stuff, but today was the last time I'd wake up at St. Vladimir's as my home.
I lay on my bed for a minute, giving the event the moment it deserved. For good or for bad, Rose Hathaway was a legal adult and was leaving home!
It seemed weird to be going somewhere without Liss. For as long as I could remember, where Lissa went, so did I. Still, I wouldn't have wanted to go to Court and see scar-face throw herself at Dimitri, so things had worked out for the best!
Thinking of Lissa, I was surprised I hadn't heard from her. Usually, she'd have been pounding on my door at midnight wishing me happy birthday. That obviously wasn't going to happen this year, but I'd kind of expected a 'happy birthday' through the bond, or maybe a text.
Checking my phone, though, the only message was an auto-send one from a coffee shop we used to go to in Portland, offering me a free cup of coffee in honor of the day. Nice to know someone cared, I thought with a wry smile.
Slipping into Lissa's head, I saw she was sitting at the counter in a large kitchen, watching Christian search through cupboards.
"Got it," he said, turning to her with a grin, holding a ribbed skillet. "Hopefully a good ole' fashioned barbecue will put Tasha in a better mood," he continued hopefully.
I watched through Lissa's eyes as Christian finished making coleslaw, potato salad, and seasoned some steaks. The mood coming through the bond was peaceful and happy. Lissa loved being at Court, but more than anything, she loved being with Christian.
Pulling out of her head, I was thankful that she was happy. She was more than my best friend—she was my sister, and I was hugely relieved she seemed to have taken the relocation to Court in her stride.
Climbing out of my bed, I packed up the pillow and quilt before walking across the hallway into the bathroom. Taking my time with my shower, I used the jasmine body wash Dimitri had once commented he liked the smell of. I was still disappointed about last night. Vlad knows what the accommodations would be like where we were going. Hopefully, we'd have our own rooms, but with so many people living together, the opportunity for alone time with Dimitri was bound to be limited. It's just I'd felt so in love and connected after the cabin, and I wanted to experience that with him again without enduring a Strigoi attack straight afterward.
Back in my room, I toweled off, dressing carefully. We'd be driving most of the day, so I'd ditched my sexy but slightly uncomfortable skinny jeans in favor of a fitted pair of cargo pants. Despite being March, the temps were topping at around 50 degrees during the day, so I put on a long-sleeved shirt and then topped it with a hoodie. I wore my hair out, applying some very subtle eyeliner, mascara, and then the lip gloss Dimitri gave me in the infirmary what seemed like a million years ago. Then, with a last look around my almost empty dorm room, I shouldered my bag, quilt, and pillow and made my way to the cafeteria.
Eddie was the only one from our group there when I arrived.
"Ready, Hathaway?"
"I was born ready," I joked, grabbing a plate of food and flopping onto the bench opposite him. "Do you reckon they'll give us stakes?" I asked between mouthfuls of bacon.
"I'm not sure they'd trust you with a real stake near Alto," Eddie said half-seriously.
"Ha!" I scoffed. "I could have staked Alto during the battle on campus if I'd wanted to. No one would have known!"
"It worries me you've even considered that," Eddie laughed, bringing a smile to my face.
Not long after Meredith joined us, then Blake. The four of us were sitting companionably when Lionel walked in.
"Hathaway. You're needed in the Guardians' Lounge."
I shoved the last piece of bacon into my mouth and picked up my toast, following Lionel out of the cafeteria and across the commons to the Guardians' building. The lounge was basically empty, although my mother, Stan, Alberta, and Dimitri were there with a few others. I couldn't help but notice how handsome Dimitri looked. Like me, he was dressed in cargo pants and a hoodie.
"You called?" I asked.
"I believe you're owed a couple of molnija and a zvezda," my mother said in a proud voice, pointing to where Lionel was readying himself at the tattoo station. "Lionel's been doing them over the last day or two as shifts have allowed—with so much going on there wasn't time to arrange a proper ceremony," she explained with a shrug. They'd obviously been waiting for me, as Alberta, Mom, Stan, Dimitri, and finally I went up to have our symbols from the battle and the rescue tattooed onto our necks.
When it was my turn, I had a quick chat with Lionel about positioning, and then he started. I knew what to expect, so I sat unflinching as he inked the battle star, and another two lightning crosses on my neck. It felt different, this time, though. After Spokane, my molnija had been a reminder that I hadn't been able to save Mason. They'd been permanent reminders of that loss. This time around, one of my molnija was for Dimitri; a symbol of what I'd done to save him.
"Four molnija and a zvezda," my mother said proudly, coming over to inspect the kill tally on the back of my neck. "I'm very proud of you, Rosemarie."
"Thanks, Mom," I said, feeling a little teary. It was one of the few times I could remember her saying that to me.
"Well done, Rose," Alberta agreed. Dimitri said nothing, but his eyes were trained on me, telling me what his lips couldn't.
"We should get the cars packed," Stan suggested to Mom, who rather irritably agreed.
"Belikov. Follow me to the motor pool and we'll bring the cars around to the rear of the kitchens," he ordered.
"Are you sure there was no other Guardian available to come on this mission with us?" Mom grumbled quietly to Alberta after they'd left. "We've not even started and already the guy is driving me batty!"
"I'm afraid not, Janine. He's put in for transfer every round for the last ten years. I have to give him a chance to improve his application..."
"I suppose so," my mother said with a sigh. "Rosemarie? Are you all packed?" she asked more loudly, suddenly remembering I was there.
"Yep. Got everything in the cafeteria with the others. What can I do to help?"
She might be my mother, but for this mission, she was also the lead Guardian. It wouldn't hurt to be helpful. Mom was pleasantly surprised.
"You can help Belikov and Alto load the coolers and luggage into the cars," she ordered.
"Who's traveling in which vehicle?" I queried.
Mom pursed her lips for a moment in thought.
"You, me, and Belikov in one, Stan and the other Novices in the other. You can invite one of your friends to ride with us if you'd like?"
"Thanks. I'll ask Eddie," I said, heading across to meet Stan and Dimitri at the kitchens.
"Guardian Alto, you're riding with Meredith and Blake. Guardian Belikov, Eddie, and I are riding with Mom," I announced.
Stan immediately bristled. "That's not how the vehicles should be organized, Hathaway! Guardian protocol states that the vehicles should be weighted by rank as evenly as possible."
I shrugged. "Don't shoot the messenger, Alto. If you don't like it, take it up with Mom."
Stan grumbled but turned back to shifting coolers into the trunk. "Bring that one over here, Belikov," he instructed none too happy. "If there's three in this car we can fit an extra cooler."
The food loaded, Stan climbed behind the wheel of his vehicle, driving it around to the front of the commons so they could add the luggage.
"Your new molnija suit you," Dimitri said with a smile as we jumped into the other car.
"Thanks, Comrade," I said, my heart fluttering.
He looked around quickly to make sure no one could see us.
"Beautiful girl," he murmured, bringing his lips to mine in a sweet kiss. He pulled away with a groan. "Let's get going."
When we pulled up to the front, Mom and Alberta were waiting with my fellow Novices. I was glad I wasn't traveling in the other car. Meredith and Stan both looked unhappy with the travel arrangements, and Blake permanently looked pissed off—so no change there!
We loaded our bags, stuffing our quilts and pillows in the back.
"It's no use, we can't fit another thing in," Dimitri said, passing me my quilt and pillow. "You'll have to have these on the back seat."
"Sounds good to me," I replied happily. Since I couldn't see them letting either of us drive, Eddie and I might as well get comfy in the back.
Both vehicles now packed and ready to go, Alberta said her farewells, giving me a long hug.
"She loves you very much, Rose," she whispered in my ear. "She has trouble showing it, but there's no doubt she cares. Just give her a chance." I nodded. No one knew better than Alberta how complicated things were between Mom and me.
Stan, Meredith, and Blake loaded into their car, Stan loudly and officiously directing Meredith to be his 'second', meaning she was responsible for the vehicle checks prior to departure. I couldn't swear to it, but I think I caught my mother rolling her eyes at Alto's antics.
"I'll take first shift driving," she announced to Dimitri, Eddie, and me. "Who wants to be second?"
As the other Guardian there, the role should have automatically fallen to Dimitri, but she was allowing Eddie and me to step up. I was torn. I'd like to work alongside Mom, but I'd also like to sit in the back seat next to Dimitri.
"I'll do it," Eddie said eagerly.
"And I'll take the second shift," I suggested with a smile. Best of both worlds.
We piled into the car; Mom driving, Eddie riding shotgun, Dimitri behind my mother and me on the passenger side in the back seat, nestled in under my quilt. We were silent as Eddie ran through the vehicle checks, Mom giving him an approving nod as we set off trailing Stan's car.
"So what's going to happen while we're away?" I asked as we passed through the Academy's ornate gates and out onto the road that led to the highway. "Kirova never said what they would do to make the Academy safer?"
"They're adding a second ward line and they're going to block off the caves," Mom said. "Although we believe the Strigoi are long gone, the School Council is bringing in humans to do seismic surveying. The plan is to carry out detonations and implode the cave entrances closest to the Academy. It's just too risky having such large secluded spaces so close to the school."
Eddie shuddered a little. "It will be a huge job," he said quietly. "Those caves go for miles, there must be exits all over the place?"
"Yes," Mom replied grimly. "It will take them months to find them all..."
I shivered underneath my quilt. I tried not to think about the fight in the caves. It had all happened so quickly, and while we'd got out relatively unscathed, not everyone had made it back. Some had been killed. And others? Well, God bless their souls—the belief was at least one had been turned.
Dimitri surreptitiously slipped his hand under the edge of the quilt, finding my hand and cradling it gently in his own. His thumb was rubbing soothing circles on my palm, and I closed my eyes; reveling in even the smallest touch.
We stopped at a fast food place called Kings Hat in Billings for lunch, much to my Russian God's annoyance. Declaring itself 'home to the flying burger' I indulged in one along with a Double Bacon Cheeseburger, large fries, and a chocolate shake. Eddie had similar to me, but Mom and Dimitri both chose healthier options; Mom ordering a chicken sandwich with a coffee, Dimitri choosing a steak sandwich and a bottle of water.
"You could have thought of the rest of us before you ordered that," Meredith grumbled at Blake, who was scoffing his second serve of onion rings. "You'll stink out the car!" Yet one more reason to be happy I was riding with Mom, Eddie, and Dimitri!
"When are the Novices from St. Basil's arriving?" Meredith continued, doing her best to avoid witnessing Blake's revolting habit of eating with his mouth half open.
"On Thursday," Stan supplied. "They're flying into Billings, so a small team will come back to collect them." Today was Tuesday, so we'd have two days to settle in before they arrived.
"What do you know about them?" I asked.
"Not a lot," Dimitri said. "Just that they're brother and sister. Twins. Artyom and Elizaveta Vitsin. Top male and female Novices of the senior class."
"They must be really good?" I mused. "You said St. Basil's is known for its combat program."
"Yes," Dimitri acknowledged. "They'll probably be excellent fighters."
"Good!" my mother said happily. "I'm looking forward to working with some talented Novices!"
Meredith raised her eyebrow at me. I don't think my mother realized that what she said could be taken to mean she thought the St. Vlad's Novices were rubbish, but that's how it had come across to me, and obviously Meredith had taken it that way too.
"Yes. I can't wait for them to get here and show us how it's really done," I snapped, standing up and binning my wrappers before stalking off to wait beside the vehicles. I'd been moping there a while when I heard footsteps.
"I don't think she meant to be hurtful," Eddie said, leaning against the car beside me.
"Maybe. But it doesn't mean she wasn't."
We stood in silence, leaning back against the car. We were still there five minutes later when Dimitri approached, followed by my mother. He said nothing, but I could see the loving concern in his eyes.
"Rose? Are you ready to take over as second?" he said, the car keys in his hand.
"Sure thing," I said, doing the exterior vehicle check before climbing into the passenger side completing the interior checks.
"All ready to go," I said in my most professional voice. From the corner of my eye, I could see my mother sitting behind Dimitri. While I didn't ignore her, per se, I wasn't introducing topics of conversation, either. This leg of the drive was comparatively short—just over two hours on the I-90, most of it through the Crow Reservation. We were most of the way there when my mother broke the silence.
"I can assure you, this is nothing like the real Aberdeen," she chuckled as we drove through a place of the same name a few minutes shy of the Wyoming border. There was nothing there, other than a sign. Open fields on either side of us, and some train tracks to our right.
"Aberdeen? That's in northern Scotland, right?" I asked since no one else seemed inclined to comment.
"Yes. St. Christopher's is just outside Edinburgh, but Aberdeen is the closest big city to where I grew up outside Glenkindie."
"Were there castles near where you grew up, Guardian Hathaway?" Eddie asked politely.
"Aye," she said. "We lived on a farmstead not far from Kildrummy Castle. It's a ruin from the thirteenth century. Not many people know it, now, but it was a Moroi and Dhampir stronghold back in the day. The first in Scotland. I used to play in the ruins for hours as a child."
"Wow!" Eddie said seriously impressed. "That's so cool! You didn't tell me your Mom grew up near a Moroi castle, Rose."
"That would be because I didn't know," I said, pointedly opening up the map on my phone and needlessly scrutinizing our route. There was no further conversation until we were approaching the outskirts of Sheridan. We found the America's Best Value Inn, pulling up moments after Stan, Blake, and Meredith. Mom alighted from the vehicle, she and Stan going to the office to collect the keys. A few minutes later, Mom climbed back into the car.
"Us girls have room eight. The guys have rooms nine and ten," she announced. All on the ground floor, Dimitri could pull up directly outside our rooms.
Mom climbed out, opening the door before getting her bag from the trunk and taking it into a basic but clean looking room with two queen-sized beds. She dropped her bag onto the bed closest to the door. Nodding to Meredith when she came in carrying her bag. As Meredith passed, I could smell the faint scent of onions.
"Rosemarie?" Janine said in a no-nonsense tone. "It's only for the night, but they don't have a foldout bed available. You'll be ok bunking in with me." It was a question but phrased as a statement.
"Sure thing," I said tonelessly, dumping my bag on the bed beside hers. It was just past 2:00 pm. Early afternoon. "Meredith? My legs are stiff after the drive. Want to come for a walk?"
She smiled and immediately agreed. While we weren't the best of friends, we got along well enough, and after six or so hours in a car with Blake and Stan, she probably needed to bitch even more than I did.
"That's fine but don't go far, take your phones and be back by three," Mom said, passing me a key and looking as though she'd appreciate a few minutes to herself.
"Yes, Mom," I said, with only a tiny amount of sarcasm.