33. Nothing Else Matters

(Mikhail POV)

All I wanted to do was rush to Montana so I could protect Sonya, but right now I had another more immediate problem to deal with. Thanks to Spiridon, a large wine-coloured stain was gradually spreading across my shirt, and I pressed my hand firmly against my shoulder until the blood flow eventually slowed before peeling my top off so I could take a closer look at the damage. Clenching my jaw, I unwound the bandage and inspected the wound with morbid fascination. A long, slightly crescent-shaped incision ran along my collarbone extending out towards the deltoid muscle and the dappled purplish skin was caked in congealed blood. I winced at the sight of the torn edges of the wound and swung my legs over the side of the bed, reaching for the emergency call button on the bedside table but changing my mind just before I pressed the buzzer.

If the medical staff found out about my injury they might try to keep me even longer, and I couldn't afford the delay. If anything, I'd prefer to get out of here right now – find somewhere private and secure to recover where I knew I wouldn't have any more unexpected visitors. Rising from bed, I ducked my head around the privacy curtain to make sure the coast was clear then snuck across the hall to the medical supply room. I found a shallow tray and filled it with the basic items I needed; a small pair of forceps, a needle and a spool of silk suture thread, surgical scissors, a bottle of rubbing alcohol and some sterile dressings. Returning to my room, I drew the curtain fully closed before perching myself on the edge of the bed with the tray of implements beside me.

After removing the old stitches, I tore open the sterile packaging on the needle and threaded it, being careful to control my breathing as I tipped a liberal amount of alcohol on the open wound. Steeling myself for the sharp sting, I raised the needle to my shoulder but just before it bit into the skin there was a rustling sound and the curtain opened.

'Misha? What are you doing?' Guardian Kardos asked as he entered, his expression a perfect blend of amusement and concern. 'You know you're in a hospital right? They have people here to do that for you.'

I lowered the needle, feeling like I'd been caught doing something wrong. 'Do you want to have a stab?' I asked sheepishly. 'This angle is a bit awkward.'

'Not a chance,' he replied quickly. 'If this was a life or death situation I'd be happy to help you out, but seeing as there's a room full of qualified people just down the hall I'd rather leave it to the experts. How did you do it anyway? Turn awkwardly in your sleep?' Don asked, pulling a sour face as he peered over to look at the wound.

'Not quite,' I began hesitantly, wondering how much I should tell him. 'I don't think the medical centre is the safest place for me right now. One of the guys who attacked us in the alley showed up to give me his sympathies.' I indicated towards my battered shoulder.

'What the hell, Mikhail?!' my friend glanced around watchfully, positioning himself protectively at the foot of the bed.

'Don't worry – he's gone for now,' I assured him, 'but there might be others. If you just let me patch myself up first, I could use a hand getting past the nurse at the front desk. I'm not waiting around for another visitor to pay their respects.'

Don frowned indecisively. 'Are you certain? You'll make a quicker recovery if you stay here and finish your physio. I'd hate for you to leave before you're ready and carry a long-term injury – that kind of thing can ruin your career. If you stay, I could reorganise the rosters and add another guardian on duty at the medical centre to make sure you're safe.'

'You don't understand Don… it was a guardian that did this. I don't know who I can trust anymore,' I whispered roughly.

'What?!' his eyes widened at the unexpected news and he grabbed the needle from me, deftly sealing the wound and dousing it with some more rubbing alcohol before wrapping it tightly in a sterile bandage. 'Put this on and get into the chair,' he ordered, passing me his jacket as he indicated to a wheelchair parked up against the wall.

I raised my eyebrows at the idea of being wheeled out like an invalid but obeyed him wordlessly. Meanwhile, Don went through the bedside table drawers to collect my few personal effects and added them to my duffel bag before hoisting it over his shoulder and wheeling me down the corridor.

'Just taking Guardian Tanner out for a quick spin. Look how pale he is – the poor man is clearly pining for sunlight,' Don gave the Moroi nurse at the front desk a cheeky wink that made her blush and she let us pass without question. Thank goodness women still fell for Don's roguish good looks.

As soon as we were out of the building we ditched the wheelchair in the carpark and headed off on foot, the streets all but deserted in the bright afternoon sunlight.

'If there are dirty guardians at Court, then I know the best place to go,' my friend told me as we paced along, alert to the smallest changes in our surroundings. He led me down a side street and doubled back around the public archives until we reached a building I knew very well.

'Guardian HQ?' I asked doubtfully as we approached the back entrance.

'I work the main security desk, remember – I can erase any footage of you entering and leaving. Nobody would dream of looking for you here, and there's one place in this building they wouldn't be able to access even if they wanted to.'

He led me to the closest elevator, punching in a secret code to access the top floor, and a minute later we were standing in a small private hallway staring at a thick wooden door. I'd never been up here before, but I immediately recognised the person who answered the bell.

'Hans,' Don greeted our boss with a tight smile. 'I've got someone here who needs to talk to you.'

Hans Croft was dressed in his pyjamas and we'd clearly woken him, but he immediately switched into professional mode, ushering me inside while Don waited in the lobby.

'So, what's going on?' the old guardian asked me when the two of us were seated in his study.

'I need to leave Court,' I said simply, realising it was the only way I was going to find any peace.

'Not an option,' the captain replied with a shake of his head. 'You've still got at least three weeks of rehab before that arm is safe to use.'

'It's the only option,' I countered. 'I just had a visit from one of the men that attacked me in Pittsburgh,' I tried to keep my voice even as I explained. 'It was a guardian – a private guard, not one of our boys. He said his charge had some kind of business with my partner Sonya and he didn't want me interfering, then he ripped my stitches and left.'

'What business would that be, exactly?' Hans narrowed his eyes, his mind already working through the possibilities.

'He didn't say, but that's the second time he's used physical violence in an attempt to get me out of the way. I'm worried Sonya is in danger – I have to go back to Montana. I have to get to her to before they do. I have to protect her.'

'Don't be foolish, Mikhail. You're in no condition to protect anybody,' Hans frowned. 'This is one of those cases when you need to take care of yourself first. Let me know all of the details and I can have Alberta set a guard on Sonya at The Academy if you think it's necessary.'

'No Hans!' I fumed, my impatience rising. 'I swore I would keep her safe, and I intend to keep my word! Sonya is my responsibility. If I have to resign my commission to leave I'll do it, but I'd rather go with your blessing than sneak out without a word of farewell. I'm not rostered on duty for another month. Please just give me this time to take care of my affairs.' I probably sounded selfish and paranoid but I didn't care anymore. Nothing mattered more than Sonya – not my career, not even my own health.

There was a long pause as the captain considered my request.

'I still think it's a bad idea, but I'll let you go if you can agree to stay here for another forty-eight hours. You need to give that shoulder time to knit, and get a proper rest in before you take off on a potentially dangerous mission. That will also give me time to arrange a direct flight to Montana and set you up with the proper medical supplies for your journey. Do we have a deal?' He eyed me with an uncompromising stare and I knew he wouldn't budge on his terms.

If I thought about it honestly, I could use the rest. I'd have little chance fighting off a novice in my present condition, certainly not a whole contingent of Dashkov's personal guard. And seeing as Victor Dashkov and Spiridon were travelling by car, a direct flight would probably get me to Montana around the same time as they did.

'Deal,' I nodded in agreement, gratefully accepting a pillow and blanket before settling down on Hans' sofa and falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

I slept for nearly twelve hours and awoke to the sound of a knock at the door. Hans was clearly out at work, so I padded over to peer through the spy-hole and saw Don waiting in the hall. The sight of his good-natured face instantly filled me with remorse as I noticed the faint bruising around his nose and right eye. All this time I'd been focusing on my own problems I'd completely forgotten that he'd taken a beating too. I opened the door hastily, meaning to make it up to him somehow.

'I'm just on my way to work so I can't stop long,' Don said apologetically, fishing for something in his jacket pocket. 'I meant to give this to you yesterday only I got slightly distracted by your blood leaking out all over the place,' he smiled wryly and pressed a small box into my hand. 'Anyway, I hope she likes it,' he added before turning to grab the elevator before it went down again.

The ring! My heart rate quickened as I locked the door behind me and pulled up a chair at Hans' study table, opening the tiny box to reveal a delicate gold ring featuring two intertwining flowers formed from clusters of rubies and diamonds. I smiled softly at the memory of Sonya with a pair of roses tucked into her hair – one red, one white – and felt a sudden surge of happiness and peace. In less than two days I'd be with my Sonechka again, and the next time I saw her I would vow never to leave her side, no matter the reason. I looked at the ring one final time, imagining sliding it onto Sonya's finger, before tucking it into a hidden pocket inside my bag and moving to look out the window.

It was 5:30am and the town below was a hive of activity. The streets and old buildings were warmly lit as dozens of moroi and dhampirs made their way home from work, preparing to return to their quarters before the sun rose. Hans wouldn't be home for a few hours yet, so I decided to use my time as productively as I could. After grabbing a snack I spent an hour or so in Hans' personal gym, starting with the exercises my doctor had set for me before taking a lengthy walk on the tread-mill – I wasn't quite ready for jogging yet but it felt so good to use my muscles again. When I was done, I showered carefully and changed into some fresh clothes before getting out the journal Father Nathaniel had given me to review my research on spirit magic. After a few hours sifting through the information, I was just scribbling down a few extra notes when I heard a key in the lock and Hans entered the apartment.

'Close the book Mikhail, we need to talk,' he said quietly as he pulled up a chair beside me, his face creased with worry. 'I've just had a call from Alberta Petrov. There's been some kind of accident and Sonya Karp has been admitted to St Vladimir's medical centre. She was frantic – out of control – when they brought her in a few hours ago and had to be sedated for the safety of the medial staff. She just woke up and still appears to be extremely agitated. Do you have any idea what might be going on? Is there any history of mental illness that we should be aware of?'

I gripped the pen I was holding and felt my breathing accelerate sharply.

'Why wasn't I told earlier?' I hissed. I knew it wasn't Hans' fault but he was the only one in firing range. 'I can't explain her condition, but I do know it's something that no medicine will cure. If I was with her I know I could calm her down – let me go to her Hans.' I grabbed his arm, silently pleading him to release me. 'If you don't let me help her she will be a risk to others and to herself'.

He didn't hesitate long.

'Alright,' he decided. 'Let me organise one of the Royal Court's private planes to fast-track your flight. It may still take an hour or two to get air clearance but you should arrive in Spokane no later than 9:00pm. I'll ask Alberta to send a car to meet you at the airport and have you at The Academy by midnight.'

My chin quivered with relief and Hans gripped my good shoulder in fatherly concern before turning to leave, on his way to make the final arrangements for my trip.

'Hold on Sonechka,' I whispered when I was alone again, hoping somehow she would sense my love and strength across the miles that stretched between us. 'I'm coming, Sweetheart. Just hold on.'

Author's Note:

I'm getting a Romeo & Juliet vibe at this point in the story – star-crossed lovers who are perpetually stuck on the wrong side of fate. At least now Mikhail is on his way to help…

Hope I grossed you out a tiny bit with Mikhail's shoulder wound?!

Should also say - the title of this chapter is a nod to the beautiful Metallica song of the same name. I think it 's a pretty good way to describe where Mikhail is at mentally in his desire to protect his lover (very un-Guardian-like).