Chapter 38 - Leap of faith

Present day - March

Dimitri POV

I was tired of sitting down and taking in the roads in front of me. I felt numbed by the monotonous task of driving for so long, the landscapes melting together so that all I could remember was the gray color of the asphalt. Spiridon and Rose were both sleeping. I thought about all the facts and tried to over and over again think of all the ways we were driving into a trap. Oddly, perhaps stupidly enough, on some level I believed in the princess. Of course I had to, otherwise we wouldn't be crossing the border between North Dakota and Montana.

I imagined how we would play this out, how we could make sure we weren't putting Rose at jeopardy. We would need to make sure that Celeste and Yuri were truly on our side, and I felt uneasy needing to question the two of them as I had gotten so used to putting all my trust in them as former members of the Division. My mind briefly thought about Spiridon and how he could've been the leak all the same. I grit my teeth and tried to repel that thought. Over and over again Spiridon had proved that he wanted the best for Rose and I couldn't allow myself to start questioning his motives. If we didn't trust each other, it would only cause a ridge in our collaboration, and now we needed to work like the well-oiled machine we usually were. Abandoning my post that caused the Strigoi to get an upper-hand was bad enough, and we were still trying to amend the consequences.

As agreed during another brief phone call with the princess, we would meet her along with her guardians roughly an hour away from the house at a shopping mall. If she kept her word she would keep Celeste and Yuri in the dark and make the trip under the disguise of getting new clothes. Being the last of her line luckily gave her some power and freedom over her coming and going from the Academy, provided that she had enough security.

I put on the blinkers and slowed down in order to stop the car. The sound of the blinkers must have woken Spiridon up since he jerked awake next to me and stretched for a bit, getting ready to sit behind the wheel again.

I left Rose with Spiridon in the parking lot and briskly walked into the mall. I was nervous, but honed the nervousness into sharpening my focus and instincts. It was one of the true benefits of having trained my entire life to become a guardian. Situations like these, where it was imperative to stay level-headed and ready, my training and experience were truly invaluable.

I spotted them well before they even rounded the corner, through the reflections from different windows and mirrors. I took a step back, shielding myself from their eyes and kept track of them as they moved through the mall.

It was unsettling spying on Yuri and Celeste. I had grown used to relying on them on different missions, trusting them with everything and that they were working on achieving the same things as I was. I zoned in on Celeste, trying to find any sort of clue to whether or not she was to blame for the leak. But all I could see was the same face that had greeted me so often with a smile. Her instincts must've kicked in because her eyes started flitting around her surroundings, trying to find the reason for feeling observed. I retrieved into the women's restroom, knowing it had two points of exits. It was the best solution I had come up with, and the second I closed the door behind me to one of the stalls after confirming I was alone, I pressed send on my phone, letting the princess know that I was here.

A short moment passed until I heard Vasilisa's voice just as they opened the door to the restroom.

"Do you really need to follow me here? The other ones didn't invade my privacy as much."

The door opened and I calmed my breathing, almost sure that it was completely inaudible.

"There's a reason that I was assigned to you."

I heard motion and was sure that Celeste was looking under the stalls, trying to see if anyone else was in there. My feet were tucked up and I felt a bit ridiculous for hiding in the women's restroom. The thought that my prestigious career had come to this passed my mind.

"All clear, princess. Sorry, but it's protocol."

"Guardian Matthews."

I recognized the tone and knew Vasilisa had started the compulsion, according to our plan.

"I want you to look at me, can you do that?" she continued in almost a whisper, and I opened the door to the stall and slipped out. Celeste didn't even look my way, totally transfixed by the princess. I nodded my approval to Vasilisa, and took a few steps to the side, allowing me to blindside Yuri if he decided to come in. I could also see both Celeste's and Vasilisa's faces either directly or through the mirror.

"Do you know about the leak in the Division?"

Her words were laced with gentleness, and Celeste nodded. "Do you know who the leak was?" she continued, and I noted how Celeste's face scrunched up in confusion. She shook her head, but I wanted the verbal confirmation. I glanced at Vasilisa who must've already anticipated it and gave me an almost imperceptible nod.

"What do you know about the leak?"

"I, uh, I don't know who it is. I know that the children are gone," she said and her face twisted in anguish. "I know that the perpetrators we caught got away somehow, but I don't know who is responsible for it."

"What do you know about Dimitri Belikov?"

The question surprised me, and I noticed a hint of darkness in the princess' eyes. She looked at me with cold determination and I realized she still didn't trust me. The thought made me pleased, it spoke more about her determination to keep Rose safe than any words.

Celeste was clearly struggling against the compulsion because her eyes tried to escape and find me in the small room, but Vasilisa corrected the breach. "Is he a good man?" she asked, instead of waiting for an answer.

"Yes, as good as they come."

"Do you trust him?"

A bead of sweat trailed down Celeste's temple. "Yes, I trust him."

"When the calmness dissipates, I want you to stay quiet and controlled. Can you do that for me?" Vasilisa purred. Celeste nodded lazily. "Guardian Belikov is here to help."

A few seconds passed and it was clear that Vasilisa was letting go. My training kicked in and I moved closer to her, shielding her from Celeste in case it was needed. Not that I had reason to believe that the princess was in danger, but I couldn't help but offer her my protection just in case.

"Dimitri?" Celeste whispered in disbelief. "What are you doing here? What is going on?"

"It's okay, I'm-"

Before I had finished my sentence Yuri barged in, gun ready, and I realized he must've heard me. He probably hadn't heard what exact words were said between Celeste and Vasilisa, but realized something was wrong when he'd heard a man's voice. I drew my gun and pointed it towards Yuri, blocking Vasilisa behind my back. Celeste was baffled, not sure what to think as she stood there between us.

"Dimitri, what are you doing here? What is going on? Is the princess in danger?" she asked. Yuri was glaring at me with his gun pointed at my chest.

"Please, everybody just calm down," the shrill voice of Vasilisa echoed on the tiles. "We can explain everything, but you need to put your gun away."

For a brief moment I thought she had meant me, but I noticed that she wanted Yuri to lower his gun. I realized that in that exact moment, she was placing her meager trust in me and I knew I would do my best not to break it.

"Yuri, this will all be cleared out. Just drop your weapon and let Vasilisa speak to you," I said and tried to stare him down. I exuded nothing but calmness, but didn't manage to convince him.

"For fuck's sake, you're pointing one at me. You really think I'd just forfeit?" he said through gritted teeth.

The corner of my lip tugged upwards. "You sound so much like Spiridon." That seemed to remind him that we were supposed to be on the same team, and he slowly lowered his gun and holstered it. I followed his lead and did the same, covering it with my shirt.

Vasilisa took a step forward and both Celeste and I were tense as we watched her work her compulsion on Yuri. When it was clear, or at least as clear as we could be, that neither Yuri or Celeste were part of the leak, they both turned to me.

"So, what the fuck is going on? Where's Spiridon?" Yuri asked. Before I could answer someone opened the door to the restroom, stalling for a moment before she entered. I immediately apologized and made my way to leave the restroom, explaining that my toddler had spilled apple juice on me. I thought that mentioning a child, although an imaginary one, would calm the old woman who had entered but she looked at me with disgust.

"Pervert," she muttered. I ignored her and made my way out, followed by the rest. We walked towards the parking lot, and I noticed Spiridon's blonde hair by a car, clearly on the edge. I nodded to him and he seemed to relax slightly as we approached him. I noted Rose in our car, several rows from where Spiridon was standing. He was clearly trying to distance himself a bit from Rose in case an altercation was inevitable. Rose was hunched down but I could see that she was looking at us with a worried expression.

"I see that your other half is here," Yuri said and I was again reminded how similar he was to Spiridon. The last time we had seen each other was at the raid, but it had been a long time since we had the chance to hang out for a longer period of time. Swapping equipment and information didn't really count. Not to mention a shared raid to take out assholes that called themselves guardians.

"When I gave that anonymous tip and ratted out the incompetent fools that guarded Vasilisa I didn't think they'd assign you. It's hardly an upgrade."

Spiridon's word sounded like an insult, but it only made Yuri grin. "Luckily for the princess, I'm not her guardian. Celeste is, I'm just the extra help."

"Same same, although Celeste clearly is an upgrade. How are you?" Spiridon said and appraised her. I knew they had shared some history, but not the extent of it.

"I'm all good. I see that you've lost your hair gel. It suits you."

Spiridon scoffed and was about to say something else, but Vasilisa wasn't having any of it.

"Where is Rose?" she demanded.

"She's here somewhere, don't worry," Spiridon said. Yuri blinked, not understanding the situation yet, but somehow Celeste seemed to have puzzled it together.

"One of them is still with you?" she asked us and I nodded. "I thought they all went with Arthur. Not that we've heard anything for a while now."

"We've kept her hidden, but ran into some issues. Not to mention lack of resources," Spiridon said casually, eyeing the princess.

"How does the princess fit in all this?" Yuri demanded.

"The princess found them smuggling that girl in a suitcase on my family's private jet," Vasilisa said. "Now where is Rose?" she added firmly.

I walked over to our car and with one final breath I opened the car door. Rose didn't say a word, but her anxiousness was palpable in the air. "It's okay, I've got you," I murmured and helped her out of the car. She latched onto my arm and back, glued to me like my proximity was anchoring her.

I let her hold my forearm, angling it slightly behind me so that she could follow my steps and still be shielded from the other's scrutiny. As we approached the rest, Yuri was watching us with his mouth pressed into a thin line. Celeste was impassive, almost impossible to read. The only thing that gave away her nervousness was the way her eyes kept flicking around trying to find any kind of threats.

Vasilisa took a few steps forwards and Rose halted. I also stopped walking, letting her set the pace for this meeting. I wouldn't want to push Rose any more than what was necessary. I turned towards her to make sure that she was okay and noticed that she was fearfully eyeing Yuri. Spiridon must've noticed that too because he took a few steps forward and settled himself between the two of them, giving Rose an encouraging, albeit tense, smile.

I could only guess how guardians had treated Rose to cause her to fear one that much, and I had to actively push aside the fury.

"Hi Rose, do you remember me?" Vasilisa said in a shy manner. A pang of sympathy shot through me as I realized the princess had never been in a similar situation, and was doing her absolute best to not frighten Rose.

Rose briefly let go of me and bowed her head down, falling into a full-blown curtsey. "Princess Vasilisa Dragomir," she mumbled with her eyes on the ground before she straightened herself and hid behind me once again. One of her hands was grabbing my forearm, not even close to encasing half of it. It ended up with her slightly pinching my skin as she gripped me, but I didn't mind. The other hand was resting on my lower back, and for some reason my traitorous body reminded me how good it felt. I shook away that feeling with disgust. Instead I focused on the confusion that flitted across the princess' face and it was clear that she wasn't expecting the formal mannerism of Rose. I internally cursed the Institution for hammering those values into Rose's head, clearly there to make the division between dhampirs and Moroi that much more palpable.

I briefly noted the others taking in the scene with various expressions, but something in Spiridon's made me falter. He looked dismal, his usually energetic eyes dimmed with sadness. I knew that he was thinking about the same thing as I was.

Vasilisa took a few steps closer and I felt Rose's fingers pinch me harder. The other hand curled up and gripped my shirt.

"I'm so relieved to see you unscathed," Vasilisa said. "Please, don't feel like you need to worry about titles and all that stuff. Call me Lissa." I was thankful for the princess and how she was trying to disarm Rose's tension, although it wasn't exactly helping yet.

"Alright then, uh, maybe we should start heading towards the house then?" Vasilisa asked and looked around the group. "The Academy expects us back before sunset."

"The princess comes with us," Spiridon said and turned towards Yuri and Celeste. "You can follow us with your car."

"I'm not going to leave her, she stays with me," Celeste said immediately, moving closer towards Vasilisa. This made Rose back a few steps and I let her drag me with her.

"Now, now, Celeste, it's not like you're leaving her without protection," Spiridon said.

"I don't care, she's staying with me."

Vasilisa turned towards Celeste. "Please, she's clearly scared. It's for the better if I go with them, that way we can go through what they need to know about the house. You can follow us with your car," she offered. I wasn't sure, but I suspected she was using a small amount of compulsion because Celeste agreed to that plan.

When I turned around I grabbed Rose's wrist and pulled away the hand that had been pinching me. I gently guided her back to the car and she seemed content with letting me push her forward. I opened the car door to the backseat and helped Rose in the car. "Seatbelt," I murmured quietly and closed the door. I walked around the car and saw that Spiridon was opening the passenger side door for Vasilisa. I got into the backseat as well next to Rose. Her hand darted out and found mine the second I pulled the door shut behind me. It made it harder to maneuver the seatbelt on, and she seemed reluctant to let go of me even for the brief moment of securing it.

Spiridon got in and started the engine, following Yuri and Celeste with his gaze until they got into their car. He then backed out of the parking spot and drove past them, allowing them to trail us as we made our way towards Rhea Daniels' old house.

We made the final turn and a house became visible. It was quite traditional, the wood paneling a warm brown shade in the afternoon sun. The roof was slightly slanted and covered with a dark gray metal. At first I thought it was a one-storey house, but as we got closer I noticed it had a second floor as well. The house was situated on a slope, and the entrance was on the upper floor. From the driveway I couldn't really tell what the back of the house looked like, but a large lake peaked behind it.

Next to the main building I noted a smaller building, a glass corridor connecting the two of them. This must be the extension Vasilisa told us about, and that the guardian quarters would be in that smaller building. It was nice not having to step outside when moving between the two of them but still be able to get a view of the surroundings, making me think that Rhea Daniels was a considerate woman. Most Moroi wouldn't have bothered to think about redundant things like that.

The front garden was plain and rustic, most of it consisting of plants that would grow there naturally. It still felt well kept, in line with what Vasilisa had told us about the gardener that came by every now and then.

Vasilisa instructed us to the separate garage that seemed to fit two cars. It made sense for us to keep our car in the garage in case anyone came by. That way it wasn't too obvious that the house was being used. Spiridon got out and took a few steps to one side of the garage. I couldn't see exactly what he was doing, but the garage door started opening so I assumed he must have activated the mechanism. He drew out his stake and checked the garage just in case before returning to the car. It might have been excessive knowing that there was surveillance all over the area indicating nobody was here, but he liked to be thorough.

"In addition to the key that opens the garage from the panel outside, there's a remote inside that you can keep in the car. The other car that's in is a bit old, but you can use it if needed," Vasilisa instructed.

I looked into the garage and was baffled by her definition of an old car. It was an SUV, probably an early 2000 model. It was considerably better than the sedan we had stolen, not to mention that it would eliminate the risk of getting caught with a stolen vehicle. I decided not to say anything.

Once Spiridon had parked the car we got out, Rose still staying in the car. I knew this was harder on her than I could understand, so I walked over to her side to help her out. Again, she let one of her hands cling to the fabric of my shirt as she stayed behind me, allowing her to use me as a shield. A wave of pride swelled inside me, filling me with the honor of being her chosen protector. It felt simply humbling that we had gotten so far that she could trust me like this.

We walked towards the porch and I noticed more details about our surroundings. The simple house I first thought of was clearly much more kept and maintained than I realized. At least for a house that was owned by a young girl, still in school. The opulence of the Dragomir fortune did not go unnoticed as I thought about how this big house was probably the simplest of them all.

The forest surrounded us and I couldn't help but think that this place was beautiful. I hadn't spent much time in Montana, but it reminded me of home. Baia was indeed a cold place during the winter season, but in the summer it exploded into a world of greenery filled with wildlife. I couldn't imagine what this place would look like in full bloom, but I suspected they would be quite similar.

Celeste had parked the car in front of the house. She glanced at the clock and I knew that they had to make their way back soon, leaving us with very little time together. I felt relieved knowing that they would soon be on their way away from here.

Yuri took the key from Vasilisa and proceeded to enter the building with Spiridon, their stakes drawn out. It was a tense wait while they searched it, but after a while they gave us the verbal signal that all was clear. Spiridon came back out and gave me a curt nod, giving the additional confirmation that he knew I wanted.

Vasilisa stepped through the front door and Spiridon followed immediately, effectively blocking Celeste's attempt to shadow the princess. I caught Celeste's irritation before she smoothed out her features. I wasn't sure if Spiridon had done it on purpose, but I knew he could be petty when he wanted.

I waited for Celeste to enter before I walked in, Rose behind me. My arm was keeping Rose right behind me as I let my eyes adjust to the darkness.

"Okay, uh, so this is my mom's house." She smiled reassuringly to Rose, before addressing the rest of us. "Let me give you a tour before we leave," she said and turned on the lights.

To the left of the main entrance was a staircase leading down, confirming my earlier observations that this was indeed at least a two storey building. Rose shied away from that and moved so that I was between the staircase and her.

Vasilisa showed us a small bathroom to the right, and the rest of the room was quite large, a combined kitchen and dining room. We walked further into the room and I noted the different shades of wood, the eclectic mix of decorations that somehow made the room feel homey. The kitchen was mostly in the left corner in front of us, medium-sized with a kitchen island that fitted three chairs. To the right was a large dining table that could fit at least eight people, if not more. Between the kitchen and the dining area was a glass door that led outside to a deck.

We continued past the dining table and made our way through the glass corridor that connected to the guardian quarters. As expected, that part was a lot more simpler, but well kept and practical. It had a small kitchenette, a bathroom, a bedroom with several beds including a bunk bed. Most of the common area, except the kitchenette, was used as a gym. It had basic equipment, mostly free weights, and a sparring mat.

Spiridon and I glanced at each other, and the barest hint of a smile passed his lips. I knew he had missed sparring on a proper mat, and so had I.

We headed back to the main house and walked past the room we had entered to the other side through a door. The next room was a living room with a fireplace. I noticed how narrow and long the building was as we kept walking across that room to the next door, entering a room filled to the brim with books. It had a plush couch that Vasilisa told us was a pull-out couch in case we needed it. The final room, adjourned to the library, was a study.

The interior was warm, wood and leather, specks of color here and there. It could have been chaotic, but somehow it worked well. It didn't really seem fitting for a Dragomir, but Vasilisa explained that this was the one sanctuary her mother had kept and that they never entertained guests here. This was the place where they went and hid from the world, where they spent valuable family time together. When she had explained this her eyes had fallen on the stack of board games on one of the shelves, and her eyes turned watery.

I could understand the sentiment and the importance of this house. It was warm and comforting. We made our way back towards the entrance with the staircase and I noted that the entire back walls of the building seemed to be made of glass. The lake was visible from the windows, offering a peaceful landscape with its glittering waters. I realized a deck extended almost throughout the entire backside.

Rose had done so well, listening to the princess explain different quirks and features of the house as we moved around. Spiridon took the lead, asking questions about the security while I shadowed Rose. Most of the questions remained unanswered, but Vasilisa assured us that her parents' former guardians had compiled a folder with all the necessary information. The rest of the group headed back towards the guardian quarters, leaving Rose and I standing by the staircase.

"You okay?" I asked. I had been concentrating on my surroundings, still knowing that she was nervous, but it still struck me with surprise to see her shaking.

She tried to swallow several times as if her mouth was dry.

"What's wrong?"

"Please don't make me go down there," she said and took a few shaky steps away from the staircase leading down. I frowned, not understanding her reaction. I took a few steps closer to the staircase and glanced down into the darkness of the ground floor, wanting to confirm that she wasn't seeing anything there, in addition to placing myself between her and the perceived danger. She backed further away and pressed herself against the wall and it was obvious that she was trying to control her breathing that had become heavy and ragged.

I heard the others approaching again. She looked at me with alarm and I grabbed her upper arm, gently dragging her outside again. It was clear that she was becoming too overwhelmed and needed space. Before I closed the front door I gave Spiridon a brief look, letting him know that I got the situation under control.

I turned to Rose who was now breathing heavily and clearly having a panic attack. She was rubbing her damp hands on her jeans over and over again, tugging at the collar of her sweater all while trying to catch a deep breath.

"Don't make me go down there, please." Her words were urgent and pleading. "Please."

I thought about why she was reacting the way she was, and I suddenly realized. I felt stupid for not understanding it immediately. I wanted to curse at my lack of sensitivity, but managed to keep quiet and only focus on her.

"Rose, look at me." I closed the distance between us and grabbed her wrist, ignoring the way she halfheartedly tried to pull it away from my grip. I placed her hand on my chest, letting her feel the steady pace of my chest rising and falling, as well as the regular beating of my heart. "It's not a basement."

She shook her head and tried to pull her hand away but I kept her put, placing my hand on top of hers. "I won't make you go down there if you don't want to, you have my word."

She was still shaking her head slightly and disoriented so I tried a different strategy. It was clear that I wasn't going to be able to convince her that the downstairs wasn't a basement.

My hand that was on top of hers gently squeezed around her fingers, taking her hand and guiding her away from the porch. "I want to show you something," I said and we made our way around the house. She was pliant and willingly following me, which made me suspect she was relieved to get away from the others and the house.

The sight of the lake seemed to have helped her calm herself, and I caught a small smile as she stared at the afternoon sun making the surface sparkle. It was a beautiful sight to behold. We walked to the edge of the lake, the small pebbles of stones crunching beneath us. We stayed there silent, both absorbed in our thoughts. I hadn't even noticed that I was still holding her hand until my thumb brushed her skin. I let her go immediately.

"Did you ever find the lake?"

I didn't understand her question at first, but then I recalled her speaking about the lake before. When she had found the dead boy she had been searching for the lake, and I had dismissed that detail thinking she was mixing up memories. I knew that 's Academy had a lake close by.

"There was no lake in that area."

"What do you mean there was no lake?"

"I mean exactly what I say, there was no lake in the proximity of the Institution. Spiridon and I searched the area thoroughly," I continued with a pang of guilt. We clearly weren't as thorough as we should've been, but on this matter I was certain. The search and aerials hadn't revealed any lakes in that area.

She turned towards me with a confused look. "But why would they name it the Lakeside Institution?"

"That is a very good question," I said and mulled over this new tidbit of information. "We haven't found any confirmed patterns with the Institution names yet. The first one that we found in Sweden was called the Blackbird Institution. We looked into that extensively and figured it reflected the location somehow. The blackbird is Sweden's national bird. This conclusion is supported by the fact that the second Institution was in the Ardeal region of Romania and called the Ardeal Institution."

"I think it's stupid."

I looked at her with my eyebrows raised, surprised by her outburst. Her earlier panic seemed long forgotten.

"I just think it's stupid to name a place Lakeside if a lake wasn't even close, that's all. Would've saved me a lot of trouble."

I hummed in agreement, taking a mental note to discuss this over with Spiridon. Being here would hopefully mean we could return to our investigation, all while Rose could get professional help. I knew I wouldn't force her to talk to someone, but it felt imperative to get her someone more adept at these matters than I was. Not to mention Spiridon. But it would be for her best to process all the trauma. I glanced at her and noticed that she was looking back at the house instead of the lake, and I turned to look in the same direction.

As suspected, almost the entire backside was glass. The ground floor was covered by the deck so that the sun wouldn't directly reach the rooms below, and I suspected the bedrooms were there. Under the deck was a neat stone floor and some outdoor furniture. The stone floor trailed off to a small pathway that led to the lake where we stood. There were plants everywhere, some still bare from the winter months, while others had started to grow leaves. The pine trees surrounded us and the lake. I noticed that there was a large portion of lawn in front of the guardian barrack, albeit blotchy with brown from the cold nights.

"It's not a basement then?"

"No, it's the ground floor where the bedrooms must be. Ready to go back?" I asked. She nodded and we walked back to the house following the narrow trail.

Spiridon opened the door on the ground floor, and a warm light came from behind him. I noted that the windows had some kind of filter on them, blocking us from seeing inside without an effort. I suspected they were reinforced as well.

"You okay, Rose?" he asked. She nodded and squared her shoulders, facing her fears as she stepped inside. Pride swelled in my chest, I knew she was thinking about Moore and what he had tried to do to her, yet she managed to go inside. I followed her and heard Spiridon shutting the door behind us.

The staircase was ahead of us, and next to it was a seating area with a tv and a console. Spiridon clearly noticed that I had seen it since he flashed me a grin. I knew that he was eager to challenge me with a game or two. It had been a long time since we had gotten the chance to take time for ourselves.

"I think this room is the best for Rose," Vasilisa said through the open door to the left. Rose wasn't as startled as I thought she would be, but she didn't move towards that room until Spiridon led us there.

I noticed that Vasilisa was taller than Rose, which most Moroi were compared to dhampirs. It took me a moment before realizing why their similarity had caught my attention. While dhampirs were usually more sturdy, Rose was as thin and delicate as the Moroi next to her. It was clear that she was somewhat malnourished, or at least very thin, and lacked the muscle mass dhampirs usually had, even those that didn't attend an academy. I hated how they had treated Rose, but pushed those thoughts aside.

The room was a large bedroom and I suspected that it might be the master bedroom. On the dresser to our left was the wedding picture of Vasilisa's parents. It had a wardrobe and some furniture, a large canopy bed and another door that led into an en-suite bathroom. The bathroom was luxurious compared to the ones we had had at the motel rooms, equipped with a tub and a separate shower stall.

I didn't need to see the rest of the rooms to know that Rose would stay in here, getting to enjoy the privacy of her own bathroom.

Rose was eyeing the photo with Rhea and Eric Dragomir. Vasilisa noticed and smiled a sad smile. "This was their room, it's the only one with a bathroom so I figured you could stay here. That way you don't have to share with your guardians."

I hadn't given much thought to where Spiridon and I would sleep, since even the pull-out couch in the upstairs library was a vast improvement for both of us. The guardian quarters felt too far away from this bedroom.

"It's too much, I can't stay here," Rose replied in a small voice.

"None of that," Vasilisa dismissed her concerns gently. "Whenever I visit I'll stay in my old room, I'm more comfortable there anyways. And besides, I'll be at the Academy for most of the time." Her tone left no room for argument, and she led us back into the common room. We moved past the staircase towards a door. Behind that was a hallway with several doors, the first one to the left revealing a laundry room.

"I guess this is your office then," Spiridon joked. I saw red and immediately took a step towards him. He had gone too far, reminding her of what they had forced her into before. The only thing that stopped me was a small giggle escaping Rose. She was grinning towards Spiridon, who was doing the same albeit ready to defend himself against me, I could tell that he was watching me intently from the corner of his eye. My temper calmed and I let it slow down into a simmer. I would confront him later about that kind of inappropriateness.

The three doors on the right side of the hallway were all bedrooms. One of them was mostly pink, and Vasilisa let us know that it was hers and that we could stay in the other two.

The last door at the end revealed a well equipped bathroom, although no tub. I wasn't used to taking baths anyways, they didn't really make them for someone my size.

"Uh, okay, then. I think I need to go back now." Vasilisa looked at Rose trying to determine whether she was safe here with us. She gave Spiridon several glances and I got the feeling she was trying to decide whether or not to voice her concerns.

Rose took a few steps closer to Vasilisa, separating herself from me for the first time since entering the house. "Thank you princess, I'll be safe here. With both of them."

I was escorting the princess back to the car where Celeste and Yuri were waiting. I hesitated on the porch.

"I can't express the extent of my gratitude. She needs a safe haven, we couldn't meet her needs while on the run. For that I'm indebted to you."

Vasilisa seemed startled by my words but quickly smoothed out her features.

"She's someone my age who was stolen from her home. You are doing an admirable job, helping those like her. This is the least I could do. I'm glad you trust me enough and I'll do everything in my power to not break that trust. But I must ask the same from you, please don't make me regret this."

"You have my word, helping Rose is my highest priority. I meant what I said on the plane."

We stood there awkwardly, not really sure what to say after such heavy words. But I needed to ask her to do one more thing.

"I think Rose has been exposed to compulsion. It was clear that her mind was tampered with when I questioned her. Would you be open to trying to break it? Of course, if that is what she wants."

"I'm not entirely sure I can help."

I could understand her hesitation, but I wanted to free Rose of the remaining restraints. Not only for our benefit, but also hers. I didn't want them to taint her memories. "I'll look into it, there must be something we can do," she added.

"When will you come back?"

"Easter is next weekend, so we have Friday and Monday off from school. I was thinking I could come then, if that's alright with you?"

"It's your house, princess. You're of course welcome any time, but we do appreciate a heads up."

"There's no way I can get you to call me Lissa and stop using my title?" she asked, mildly annoyed.

"Probably not."

Author's note:

Fun fact, both the Institution where Rose grew up and this house is built in Sims 4. Being two of us working on this story it was needed to visualize their surroundings the same.

Can't really express our gratitude enough for all the encouragement. It gives us the extra push to continue as work and life has been more hectic than usual. Even if we do this project for ourselves, it still makes us incredibly happy knowing that there's someone out there enjoying our work.

This chapter is over 6500 words (we started off in April with chapters that were less than 2000), as many of you mentioned that you prefer longer ones.