Ch. 15
DPOV
Songs: Heart of Gold - Neil Young, Barton Hollow - The Civil Wars
When I emerged from my room Mama was already downstairs cooking enough food to feed the entire village, per usual, but it seemed everyone else was still asleep.
"Dobroye utro, Mama," I greeted.
"Dobroye utro, moy syn," she continued her diligent work over the stove as she spoke. "Did our guests sleep alright? I heard voices this morning." I hesitated, unsure how to respond and Mama turned around with a knowing look on her face.
"Everything is fine. Nothing to worry about," I brusquely replied. She wiped her hands on her apron and walked over towards me. I avoided her gaze, slightly embarrassed that she had heard us argue and slightly ashamed for keeping the truth from her. She reached up and placed her hands on either side of my face and inspected my expression.
"My son, always so strong for everyone around him. But who will be strong for you?" Her eyes held a hint of sadness as she looked at me.
I felt the familiar need to ease her worry and attempted a smile. "You, Mama. Of course."
"Ha! And don't you forget it," she pulled a rag off her shoulder and smacked me with it on the arm. "Now sit down and have something to eat."
Slowly the rest of the household trickled in and the usual morning routines proceeded. Yeva was the last to enter and she was still wearing the same scowling glare at Rose as the night before. I had learned at a very young age not to question Yeva, but that look was starting to irritate me. I could tell Rose was itching to say something so before a scene could erupt I hurried her and Eddie out to make our way to Mark and Oksana's.
Mama shoved a basket of food at me before we made it out the door, so we didn't show up empty-handed. Along our walk, Eddie pleasantly chatted with Rose keeping us distracted from the mix of emotions still lingering from our earlier dispute. However, I could see Rose wasn't completely focused on what he was saying and burning questions appeared to be building in her mind.
Eventually, her curiosity won over and she interrupted Eddie's raving about the blini we had eaten for breakfast. "What I want to know is who is this Gabe Azur guy?"
Eddie went silent and shot me a questioning look. I had given him as many details as necessary when we transported Rose, but nothing more. Even with minimal information, he understood the importance of keeping it quiet. Abe Mazur was neither someone you wanted to cross, or someone you could fully trust. We needed his help right now, but we didn't want to draw attention to that fact or let on that we were working with him. I gave Eddie a nod and he returned it, walking slightly ahead of us to give Rose and me some space.
"And what the heck is up with that? You guys have some secret language now?"
I ignored her sass and proceeded to answer her first question. "His name is Abe Mazur, but he is more well known around here as Zmey."
"Zma what?" Rose still wasn't astute to Russian terminology.
"Zmey. It's Russian for snake," I corrected. "He is a powerful Moroi and businessman who has his hands in deals all around the world; some legal, some...not so much." I thought about the stories I had heard growing up about Zmey breaking legs or setting fires to homes of those who didn't pay his debts. I had never witnessed his wrath and sometimes wondered if some of the rumors were actually started by him to incite fear, but I also wasn't stupid enough to discredit them. "He isn't royal but he seems to always have a hand in their pockets. He is equally respected as he is feared."
Rose was listening intently. "So, this Abe guy, he's someone you know? You just happened to have some gangster's name penciled in your black book for a rainy day?"
"Not exactly." I paused, unsure how much to divulge. Rose stared at me waiting for further explanation. "Your mother put me in contact him. After you left the academy she said he would have enough connections to track you down and find you. She arranged for me to meet with him to work out the details."
"My mother?" She seemed somewhat aghast that her mother associated with this sort of Moroi. I didn't blame her. I was just as surprised to hear that the straight-laced Guardian Hathaway even knew of Zmey, little less was acquainted enough to ask for a favor. I had some theories, but none seemed to add up.
"If this guy really is as hardcore as you are letting on, it doesn't seem like he'd be the type of person to just hand out favors for free." There wasn't much that got past Rose. In the field, her perceptiveness was a huge asset, but now it was causing her to lead to questions I didn't want to answer.
"He's not," I replied allusively.
I met him at the airstrip as instructed by Janine. The early morning fog created a hazy atmosphere, slightly skewing my visual, but I could make out his form in the distance. He was standing with three other Guardians flanking him, but I knew there were most likely others nearby. He was tall and slender like most Moroi and had a flashy air about him. He wore a pale gray fitted-suit, a blindingly white button up underneath, and adorned the ensemble with a bright teal scarf. I had seen him around Baia a few times as a child but was instructed to keep my distance. As I grew closer I felt like that small boy again, disobeying my mother by walking into the lion's den. I righted myself and remembered why I was here in the first place as the dark, mysterious Moroi reached his hand out to me.
"Ah, you must be Belikov," he regarded me curiously. "Any relation to Olena Belikova?"
I nodded taking his hand, not entirely surprised that he would know the best healer in our village and would bet that he had sent a few bent-up associates her way from time to time. "She is my mother."
"Well then, please give her my regards next time you speak to her. To Yeva as well. That woman is a firecracker." His words weren't unusual but the knowing look he wore left me feeling unnerved. I remained emotionless and awaited his instructions.
"No time to waste then," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a cellphone. "Janine tells me we are hunting down a group of renegade students. My resources are at your expense and if you feel you should need more you can contact Pavel here on this phone," he pointed to the surly Guardian beside him. "It is untraceable, and since the Moroi Council will most likely be looking for you soon I would think it pertinent to stay under the radar." I mistakenly let my impassive look slip and the flash of shock in my features seeped through. Alberta had just brought up the council's request to question me mere hours ago, and he somehow already seemed to be in the know.
"I make it a point to know everything I can about my business deals before they are underway," he read my train of thoughts easily. "Now, in terms of payment," he tossed me the phone and stroked his dark beard villainously. "It appears this mission means a great deal to you and you are risking a lot to go through with it."
"Yes sir," I replied sternly.
"My services are not easy to come by and certainly aren't cheap. This is a rather large debt you will be accruing; however, someone with your particular skills could be of use to me. When our business is complete I will come to collect. Is this understood?" His ominous look sent chills down my spine and I felt like I had just made a bargain with the devil. Regardless, if that's what it took to get to my Roza I would consent.
"I understand," I reached my hand out to seal our arrangement. A wicked smile crawled up his face as he shook my hand, and I wondered what a man with a brutal reputation like his could possibly want with me.
Luckily, before Rose could ask me any more questions we arrived at Mark and Oksana's and her attentions were diverted to our present mission. As we walked up to the front door I couldn't help but think even with the slim chances of succeeding in rescuing the princess, releasing Rose from her overbearing guilt, and clearing my name, it was possible that these would be some of the last moments I would have with Roza.
Eventually, Zmey would come for me, and then my fate would lie in the grip of the mysterious, ruthless serpent.
RPOV
Songs: Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac, 1940 - The Submarines, Blue Moon - Beck
When we arrived at the quaint house, a pretty Moroi woman with strawberry blonde hair greeted us at the door. She spoke rapidly in Russian to Dimitri with a joyous smile on her face. She was speaking so fast he could hardly get a word out, but she quickly switched to English after noticing the confused looks Eddie and I wore.
"Dimitri, aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" I was glad to hear her refer to us as friends rather than students or Novices. She didn't look down on us, like I had grown to expect from many Moroi, and seemed to regard us as equals. Standing there observing her I couldn't help but think something about her reminded me of Lissa.
"Oksana, this is Rose Hathaway and Eddie Castile. They are staying with my family for a short while."
"Pleased to meet you," she reached over and shook both of our hands before beckoning us inside. "My husband, Mark, is in the garden but will be joining us shortly."
Once we were all inside she offered us seats around a large wooden table and brought over a steaming pot of hot liquid. I didn't recognize the smell, but as she poured our individual cups it looked to be some sort of herbal tea. I politely took the cup from her but refrained from tasting it when I spotted the look on Eddie's face after his first sip. His expression read liquid death and I immediately placed my cup back on the table. I could see Dimitri suppressing a smirk at my hesitance and presented Oksana with the basket of goodies Olena had given him on our way out.
The Moroi woman let out an excited gasp and began pouring through the basket. "Oh, thank you. I hope Olena has sent some of her famous black bread." To her delight, Oksana pulled out a loaf and insisted on warming it up for us all to enjoy. I didn't quite understand so much excitement over a loaf of bread, but hey, to each their own.
I heard the swinging of a backdoor open and a tall, broad man, presumably Mark, walked in. Dimitri rose to greet him and gestured over to us with introductions. His salt and pepper hair gave away his seniority to Oksana, but their age difference isn't what surprised me the most. He was a Dhampir.
Dimitri had told me they were a bonded couple, but I had just assumed they would both be Moroi. Sure, Dhampirs and Moroi hooking up wasn't that uncommon, but married? That was considered extremely rare and sometimes taboo to most Moroi. Eddie seemed to be confused as well but was doing a much better job at hiding it. After the introductions, the couple began preparing a snack in the kitchen, occasionally asking Dimitri about his family, work, and other normal topics of conversation. Seeing how in sync the pair was as they moved through the kitchen without needing to offer the other direction, it was easy to tell how Dimitri spotted the bond between me and Lissa.
Oksana placed a few slices of the warmed black bread on the table and insisted we enjoy while she continued in the kitchen with Mark. After the herbal tea disaster, I was still hesitant to grab anything off the table, but it looked like it was my turn to be the guinea pig as Eddie stared at me waiting for me to take a taste first. It smelled much better, I'd give it that, so I swiped a piece and took a bite before I could chicken out. I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. The savory flavors melted on my tongue and I immediately wanted more. I devoured my first piece and was halfway through my second before I heard a light chuckle next to me.
"Not as frightening as the tea I see," Dimitri's thick accent languidly teased. I suppressed a sarcastic comment about the poison he deftly called 'tea' in order to maintain my polite demeanor and avoid offending our hosts. I shot him a look that said 'I'm not touching that stuff' which only seemed to amuse him more.
When everyone was finally seated at the table Dimitri's expression turned more serious and he began leading the conversation to our intended topic. Oksana was the first to join in.
"So, Rose. I hope you don't mind, but Dimka has already told us a little about your situation and what you have been going through. I must give my deepest condolences to you for the loss of your bondmate. I know that must have been unbearable for you." Her words came across as the typical 'sorry for your loss' spiel, but her knowing expression told me she really did understand, and they weren't being spoken just out of politeness.
"Thank you. It was a painful process, but that's the thing. She isn't really gone. The bond is still there." Oksana nodded as I began my telling and Mark sat there in perfect silence, absorbing all the information. I told them about everything that had happened at the academy and all of her visits since then.
"One thing I can't understand is how much stronger the bond seems to be now. Not only do we hear each other, but she can unwillingly pull thoughts and memories from my mind." As soon as the words escaped me I instantly regretted them.
"What thoughts exactly," Oksana asked. I remembered Lissa mocking my relationship with Dimitri in the alley and plucking those precious memories from my head to watch like a movie reel. As I sat there a strange sensation brushed through me that felt like light tickling in my head and a wave of heat rolling over me. The feeling was gone as soon as it came, and I chalked it up to too much black bread. I gave a nervous look to Dimitri sitting beside me and quickly averted my gaze, embarrassed by my lack of control to resist Lissa's invasion of our privacy.
"Nothing of any significance," I stammered in an attempt to change the subject. Oksana shot me a curious gaze and I could have sworn she looked over to Dimitri as well, but I was probably just reading too much into it.
As if sensing a desperate need for a change in subject, Mark finally spoke up. "And what about the spirits? How are they handling you being tied to the undead? As you have probably guessed so far, they don't take too kindly to the Strigoi." I tried to think about this for a minute. It did seem they had a stronger reaction to Lissa than me, but then when she was gone they switched sides.
"I've been trying to hold them in, but when Lissa breaks through it's harder to keep my guard up and I accidentally unleashed them on her to scare her off." He looked surprised by my response.
"Although it may seem like an easy escape at the time, you must do everything in your power not to let them out. Their initial threat may be the Strigoi, but once they turn their sights back on you, it can be very dangerous," his voice grew lower and more solemn. "When we were healed, our spirits were pulled from the land of the dead and brought back here, but a part of us never left. There is a chain, more or less, keeping you grounded in the world of the living, but the dead will keep trying to find a way to bring you back."
I heard a loud gulp next to me come from Eddie but was fixated on Mark's serious gaze. I hadn't realized my hands had started to shake until I felt strong, calloused warmth cover one. I looked down to see Dimitri's hand over mine on the table and my nerves started to settle. When I raised my sights up to his face he was regarding Oksana. "Is there anything that can help her control the spirits or prevent the princess from constantly entering her mind," Dimitri asked. I looked over to Oksana anticipating her answer, but she had a bewildered look on her face as her gaze hovered just above my head. Her eyes briefly shot down to Dimitri's hand on mine before inspecting the space above me again. I felt a little uneasy and moved my hands into my lap, causing her to refocus back on our conversation. What was that about?
"I may have something that can work as a temporary boost, so to speak. It will help you keep the spirits at bay and focus less on blocking out your bondmate." She stood up and went over to a dresser drawer in the other room. When she came back she presented me with a small, plain silver ring.
"It's charmed with Spirit magic. I've made similar trinkets in the past to help Mark with the darkness," I took it from her, examining it in my hands, "It should also keep Vasilisa from pulling you into the bond against your will and from getting a closer look at your...secrets." Oksana hadn't given anything away but the emphasis on that last word and the look she shot Dimitri told me she knew a lot more than she was letting on. I jumped up from my seat, suddenly feeling completely exposed and walked towards the backdoor.
"I'm sorry I just need a minute to get some fresh air." I clumsily barged through the rickety screen door, letting the cool wind banish the rising flush on my face. I took a couple deep breaths and opened my hand to look at the ring again. I wondered how something so small could provide enough power to keep Lissa's prying eyes out of my head. However, when I slid it onto my finger I instantly felt a rush of calmness and relief. It amazed me that we didn't think of something like this before. I heard the backdoor squeak open and expected Dimitri or Eddie to be waiting to calm me down, so I was surprised to see Mark standing there.
"I'm sorry," he started. "She tries not to, but sometimes she can't help it." I wasn't really sure what he was getting at.
"Uh, what do you mean?"
"Well, Spirit magic affects the users differently. Where your bondmate excelled in healing and compulsion, Oksana can see a great deal from people's auras...and their minds."
"You mean she can read minds?" I remembered the tickling feeling and the heat that spread over me during our conversation.
"It's similar to reading an aura but she can gain additional insight when she brushes their minds and pull specific information." The embarrassed flush immediately returned to my cheeks and I turned away. "She saw something between you and Dimitri before you entered the house, but your connection is much deeper than either of us realized."
"If it's okay with you I'd like to keep my sex life out of this okay?" I snapped back at him still avoiding looking in his direction. Mark seemed like a nice enough guy, but I didn't like anyone meddling in things they had no business in.
"That's not what I meant, Rose," he sounded a little uncomfortable. "Your aura has the typical signs of someone who is shadow kissed or bonded, but with an exponential amount of darkness hovering over it. What I can only assume is from the state of your bondmate. However, it shifts when Dimitri is near you, and even more so when you make contact." I turned around to face him again, thinking about the look Adrian had in our Spirit dream as he examined my aura. "You bring a lightness to each other. The darkness doesn't completely vanish, but your aura shines like the sun. It's like you are healing" I let his words sink in, still not fully comprehending them but knowing I shouldn't discount what he was telling me.
"This ring will help you with what you need for now, but don't discard the support you are already receiving from those around you. Just because you are having to close off part of your mind in this situation, doesn't mean you have to close off your heart."
His words hit me harder than I thought, and I could feel salt water in my eyes starting to prick. After the events of this morning, it was clear the more time I spent with Dimitri the harder time I was having keeping my emotions concealed. I was already being torn in two directions, one where my duty to Lissa was my only focus, and the other was desperately trying to hold onto feelings that I told myself couldn't exist anymore. Now with this information that being near Dimitri could potentially help rid me of this darkness, I was even more confused.
I gained control of myself before Mark could see the turmoil storming inside me and told him we should go back inside to join the others, but something told me he already knew what was going on in my head. Spirit user or not, his perceptiveness was undeniably strong.
Eddie and Oksana were in a heated discussion when we walked in. "But you've heard of it before? Transforming the undead?" There was excitement in Eddie's voice that piqued my interest.
"Yes. From another Spirit user we met a while back," Oksana replied, looking a little worried.
Mark immediately jumped in, "This isn't something we should be talking about." He flashed a serious look at Oksana and she returned it with an equally challenging glare.
"Please," Eddie chimed back in. "If there's something out there we have to know." Oksana turned away from Mark, assumingly to answer Eddie, but she stopped her gaze at me. She wore a strange look that Yeva got sometimes. It was like she was looking past my exterior and further into me. "Those are just ramblings from an old man. Who even knows if they were true," I could hear Mark objecting in the background, but my focus was still fixated on Oksana. I felt that familiar tickle again and stared back at her as she searched my mind. My instinct should have been to turn away or tell her to stop but I wanted her to know how serious I was about finding these other Spirit users and doing everything I could to save my best friend.
She looked at me standing there next to Mark as she responded to his reproach. "If there's even a small chance, they deserve to know." He looked between us in shock before letting out an exasperated sigh.
"A Spirit user we knew a while back told us about a group that would use their powers to transform the undead," Oksana continued. "They were mostly under the radar and only a select few people knew of them, but he claimed to have seen one of them restore a Strigoi. He was growing weary in his old age and his mind was not always right, as Mark said, but he used that exact phrasing as Eddie." My mind was racing, this is exactly the type of intel we needed.
"Do you know his name? The Spirit user that restored the Moroi," Eddie inquired.
"Her. The Spirit user was a woman," Mark spoke up. "But no, he didn't tell us. Only the place he had seen her do it."
I finally tore my gaze from Oksana and shot Eddie a look. This wasn't a lot to go off of, but I couldn't help but feel optimistic about this new information. There was a possibility that not only was there someone out there who knew how to restore a Strigoi but had actually performed the deed themselves. A name would have been better, but a location would do. We were one step closer to finding a way to bring Lissa back and release her tortured soul.
I looked next to me at Mark and with an uncontrollable smirk growing on my face I asked, "Where?"
A/N: Some new faces this chapter. Hopefully, a few of your questions have been answered. If not, all in due time. Next chapter we will hear from some of our other friends that we have been missing ;)