THE QUEENS PROTEGE

CH 5

Secrets and Truths

Rose

"Your what?" Lissa practically screamed.

"Yes, you heard me, my dad. Like the actual Moiri who did it with my mom to make me!"

"Wow, this is big. I think I need to sit down." She sat down next to me, her eyes still wide with surprise.

"I need to know everything! What's his name, where has he been, why is he here now, is he with your mom, has he always known about you?"

"Slow down, take a deep breath and I'll tell you."

And that's what I did, I told her everything that I knew. How my parents were together, how I was very much wanted, where he has been all these years, everything. Even why he was here. She sat there listening and her emotions were all over the place mixing with mine and were almost too much.

"That's a lot to take in. How are you feeling about all this?" She calmed down a bit and grabbed my hands.

"Honestly I don't know. He wants to be a part of my life and I think I would really like that. I'm still on the fence about my mother, but I want to get to know him more. He seems really genuine about being in my life. Oh and don't freak out he also knows about our bond. Don't ask me how, but it seems like he has been keeping tabs on me my whole life. I guess I should be thanking Dimitri and Christian, if it wasn't for them he may not be here."

When I said Christian's name I felt her heart rate pick up.

"Speaking of Christian, is there something you want to tell me?"

"I could ask you the same thing about Dimitri." She wiggled her eyebrows at me.

"Touché, but I asked first."

"Fine, He's just as cute as I remember. He may be a bit more solemn from the last time I saw him. But it's completely understandable. Everyone already has this preconceived notion about him and they are all wrong. I totally get why he is a bit antisocial. He is living in the shadows of what his parents did. I feel like he could really use a friend right now and I would like to be that."

"You sure you don't want to be more than friends?"

"Maybe, I mean I haven't dated anyone since Aaron. And I don't think I have to worry about Christian using me for my status. But enough about me, what about Dimitri? I saw the way you looked at him."

"I'm not going to lie, he is good looking and has an accent."

"And?"

"And what? He's good looking and super nice. You know I don't have the time to be dating. I can just admire him, that's it."

"Sure. Keep telling yourself that."

"Liss you know how serious I am about my training, plus Tatiana would have my head if she caught me slacking off to date someone."

"True, but when are you going to allow yourself to have some fun? I mean we are still in school, you're not my official guardian yet. I want you to have some fun. What if I ordered you to have just a little slap and tickle?"

"Vasilssa Dragimor, did you seriously just say that?"

"Yes, and I'm serious! Maybe a little action would do you some good." I playfully smacked her on the arm.

"I can't believe you."

"You know I'm right." She was right, I did need to loosen up some, but It's hard for me. The queen had put a lot of pressure on me to be top of my class, which I was. I couldn't let anything distract me. We have already been through so much together and after the accident I felt even more protective of her.

"Whatever, I'm going back to my room to get some much needed sleep. Alberta asked me to meet her before breakfast to help train Dimitri."

"And "train" you will" she held up her fingers to make quotation marks.

"Seriously Liss, get your head out of the gutter." I laughed and stuck my tongue out at her as I headed to the door.

"Good night Liss, Sweet dreams of Christian."

"Now who's head is in the gutter?"

"Yours, remember I know everything." I pointed to my head, indicating that I'm always in her head whether we like it or not.

"Don't remind me, now get out and get some beauty sleep before you see Dimitri."

DIMITRI

I was still trying to adjust to being back on a nocturnal time schedule and didn't want to get up this early or was it late? Plus I was sore after my workout with Guardian Petrov, well Alberta. It had been two years since I had sparred with another Dhamphir. I sparred regularly with humans at the gym we belonged to in Portland. But they were no match for Dhamphirs, we were built to protect, I was always faster, stronger, and had more stamina. The only good thing about being up this early was I was going to see Rose.

There was a lot going on in my mind, but at the forefront was her. Not only was she the most beautiful woman I've ever met, she was the first person to treat me with kindness and not judge me or Christian since the attack. I appreciated that more than she could ever know. Her friend group was also very welcoming to the both of us. I was anxious about training with Rose this morning, Alberta had told me she was top of her class. It was kind of intimidating to be honest, I really didn't want to embarrass myself in front of her.

I got to the gym before anyone and decided I was going to stretch while I waited for them. I was going through my normal routine when I heard the doors open. Rose walked in, pulling her hair hastily up in a ponytail. She apologized for being late, but I could care less. I was too busy staring at her. She was dressed in a pair of tight leggings and a hoodie. I thought she looked good yesterday in just jeans, but in those pants, damn it was going to be hard to concentrate.

"Alberta isn't going to be here this morning so it's just the two of us." I swallowed hard, this was going to be difficult to keep myself in check.

"She filled me in on what you have done to keep up with your training. Do you feel comfortable enough to spar with me?" She said as she threw her bag on the ground.

"Honesty, Alberta kicked my butt yesterday and I'm a bit sore. It's been awhile since I have sparred with another Dhamphir."

"How about we go on a run? I've got a lot on my mind and could use a good run to clear it. Sounds like you've had a rough first day and could use one too. We can either run the track or the perimeter and I can show you around?"

"I wouldn't mind running the perimeter."

"Sounds good, let's go then." I got up from the floor where I was doing my stretches and followed her out the door.

"We'll start over there by the lake and we'll follow the ward lines." She pointed to the left where I saw the edge of a lake that I never noticed when walking to the gym.

We started out at a slow jog to warm ourselves up, then she started running faster. I surprised myself by actually being able to keep up with her. I think it partly had to do with me having longer legs than she did. She didn't talk at all while we did our lap of the school. Just pointing out things here and there. Once we got back to the gym she reached into her bag and threw me a bottle of water. I graciously accepted and started to slowly drink, not wanting to make myself sick.

"You did good." She grabbed her own water and took a sip. Then she took off her hoodie to reveal that she was wearing just a sports bra underneath. She really wanted to kill me today.

"For the rest of the morning how about we just do some stretches to help work out some of that soreness? I'm sure they are probably going to work you hard today."

"Thank you, I really appreciate that. I'm still trying to adjust back to a nocturnal schedule." We started to do some cool down stretches. I wanted so badly to say something to her. I just didn't know what.

"What's it like?" She looked up at me and I almost got lost in those brown eyes.

"What's, what, like?"

"The outside world?"

"Oh. Well I loved the sunshine and it was nice to be on a daylight schedule. We actually got to go to a regular High school which was strange. Thankfully we didn't run into any Strigoi. That's something that's actually nice about being back at an academy, I'm not constantly having to watch over my shoulder for threats. Well, other than other students picking on Christian,but that I can handle."

"Don't worry about Christian, he's got Lissa on his side and no one wants to make her mad.

"Is it because she is next in line for the throne?"

"Yep, so everyone kisses up to her." She stopped for a second.

"Wait a minute, If you've been on the run for two years and out of the Moiri society how did you hear about that?" That was another secret Christian and I were keeping. Did I feel like I could tell her? I did, she felt like a safe person I could trust.

"I'm not sure you've heard of them, but we met an alchemist that was stationed in Portland."

"Yes, I actually do know about the alchemist. I'm the only novice here that does, well bedsides you. The Queen has been giving me some extra training with her Royal Guard, since I will be one of Lissa's when we graduate. I'm surprised an alchemist would openly talk to you, plus keep your whereabouts a secret."

"Well she definitely was leery, but said she owed someone a favor to keep an eye on us. So every once in a while we would see her and she would keep us up to date on things she thought were relevant for us to know."

"Wow, I have so many questions about that. Every alchemist I have met has been an asshole."

"Like I said she really didn't like us, but she owed someone a favor. I have a feeling I know who, but I never asked."

"Still so many questions."

"She also told us what happened to Lissa, I'm sorry to hear she lost all her family. It must be tough being the only survivor of the accident." When I said that I saw her face drop and she mumbled something under her breath. Crap, we were having a good conversation and I just ruined it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's not that it's just." She paused thinking about what she was going to say next. She was really struggling with something. Then just like a bolt of lightning it hit me. Holy crap that was how she died, she was in the accident too. I was pretty sure she had a bond with Lissa and her being in the accident would make sense. But I didn't want to come straight out and ask her.

"If I tell you something can you promise to keep it to yourself?" She asked, giving me a pleading look.

"Of course I will, besides who am I going to tell anyways. Everyone is staying away from us thinking we are going to turn Strigoi at any moment or turn them."

"True, this school is full of assholes."

"Well, from what I can tell your not and your friends have been very welcoming." That got a little laugh out of her.

"You haven't been around me enough, I can be a grade A asshole."

"Thanks for the warning." That got me a big smile.

"Anyways, just know that if this gets out of this room I know who told because no one knows this."

"I promise." I took my finger and crossed my heart.

"Lissa wasn't the only survivor of the accident. I was in the backseat sitting next to her. She was in the middle between me and her brother. Instinct kicked in when we were hit and I covered her body with mine. That's the last thing I can clearly remember, next thing I knew I was waking up in a hospital bed." I saw a single tear escape her eye, all I wanted to do was wipe that lone tear away and hug her.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that it must have been hard on both of you."

"Thank you, it's been hard keeping that I was in the car a secret. Everyone always focuses on lissa, but we both lost a lot that day."

"Can I ask why you had to keep it a secret?" I'm pretty sure I knew why, but I wanted her to confirm it.

"The Queen wanted it kept a secret."

"Is it because of the bond you have with Lissa?" Her eyes widened in shock, oops I didn't mean to say that out loud.

"Sorry I didn't mean to just blurt that out."

"How, how in the world did you know? No one and I mean no one knows except for a small select group of people." She said with a slight stutter.

"In my hometown of Bai there is a bonded pair. I recognized the similarities as soon as I saw you and Lissa together. I 'm sorry again and I understand not wanting anyone to know, It's a tightly kept secret in my hometown. That's part of the reason they live there."

"I'm shocked you figured it out and even more shocked there is another bonded pair out there. I am kind of at a loss of how to feel or what to say."

"I'm sorry again I didn't mean to intrude on you and Lissa's privacy. I do know how the bond is formed and I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"I appreciate the apology, but don't feel sorry for me. Yes I technically died in the accident, but I saved Lissa's life. That's the way I thought I would go out is saving hers. It's what we sign up for when being a Guardian, putting our life on the line for our charge. In our case our best friend's life and I can't see a better way of dying. Don't get me wrong I want to live a long life, but unfortunately that's the world we live in. And when she becomes Queen the target on her back will be even bigger."

I understood everything she was saying. Christian had been my best friend for as long as I could remember. My mom had taken him into our household when his aunt died. So he was more like my brother than my best friend. I had a feeling Rose felt the same way about Lissa.

"I feel the same way about Christian, I would give my life for him."

"Can I ask you something personal? You don't have to answer me because it's really none of my business. But since we are basically having a heart to heart here I thought I would ask. Why did you and Christian run away?"

"As odd as it sounds, it was my babushka that told us to go."

"A what?"

"Sorry, babushka means grandmother in Russian."

"Gotcha, but why would she tell you to run away?"

"Honestly I don't know, but she saw something that made her feel we needed to go into hiding." She cocked her head to the side with a confused expression on her face.

"I know that look. It's hard to believe or even explain, but she kind of has visions of the future. She never told me what she saw, but when she tells you to do something you do it."

"I get it there are a lot of things in our world that can't be explained. Lissa's magic, for example, is one of them. So if you say your grandma sees the future I believe you."

That's not what i was expecting her to say, but it was quite refreshing. It's always hard to explain my Babushka, for me and my family we didn't think much of it, we just always did what she said.

"Thank you for understanding and not questioning it. I still don't always understand it myself. And I still don't understand why we had to leave when we did, or why we are here and not back at St. Basil's." I didn't tell her that I actually was thankful we were here and not back in Russia. I wanted to see my family, but I was really liking it here and yes meeting Rose did play a big part in that.

She nodded her head and looked at the clock on the wall.

"Ok we've chatted enough for now, if we don't get cleaned up and changed we're going to miss breakfast, and if you know me you know I don't miss any chance to eat." I had to laugh.

"I'm being serious. I love to eat, especially my daily chocolate donut for breakfast."

"Don't let me get in your way." I put my hands up in the air. She playfully hit me in the arm.

"Alright I'm going to go shower and change, I'll meet you back out here then we can head to the cafeteria."

"Sounds good." I got up from where we were sitting and grabbed my bag and headed to the locker room. I got one last good look at Rose in those tight pants. I really needed to stop staring at her, but it was so hard not to. I was going to have to take a cold shower before I came back out and saw her again.