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A/n: Hello, everyone. It was really great to 'hear' from so many of you throughout the week. As always, your support and kind words mean the world to me. I'm really excited to be writing again, and as promised, I will try to post every second Sunday.
To 're a honey for the offer, and if I need your assistance on any Turkish translations, you will definitely be hearing from me. Also, I'm glad that you've finally made an account.
Enjoy the long overdue Chapter Eighteen.
Cheers,
T.
A Conflict of the Soul
Chapter Eighteen
"Right this way, Guardian Belikov. Guardian Croft is waiting for you."
Standing from my seat in the hallway, my polite smile of thanks to the clerk as she ushered me through the door was stiff and unconvincing. Feeling the knots in my stomach twist with every step I took as it brought me closer to a conclusion I now dreaded, the quiet closing of the door at my back trapped me inescapably with the consequences of my decision.
It trapped me, but it didn't mean that it had defeated me…not yet.
There hadn't been much time to strategize whilst waiting to be seen by the Council, but what little of it I had as I sat anxiously waiting in the long corridor had been put to good use. I had pushed aside my panic and concentrated on making contingency plans to challenge any decision that went against me. I wasn't prepared to accept what the cards had told me simply because I had made a choice…I couldn't, because accepting a fate I had no control over meant I would lose the only future that I wanted.
Rhonda had to be wrong. I couldn't let the cards win.
Taking a deep, bracing breathe, I was only vaguely aware of the clerk taking her seat as I took my own. Sitting perfectly still, I faced the long table with a calm expression that hid the painful pounding of my heart. It was only as I centred myself that I realised that Hans was the only one who sat there. Wondering where the other Council members were, I didn't know if their absence was in my favour or not.
Surely if he was about to deny my request, or worse, approve it only to send me packing, he would have wanted an audience to my arguments and disappointment? It didn't seem in his nature to deliver a blow alone. There was no showmanship in that.
Slightly altering the arguments in my head for just a single opponent, I forced myself to focus on Hans; feeling a small frown crease the smooth surface of my skin as I did it. Having obviously just come in from dinner, he should have looked relaxed, but he was sitting very tensely as he observed me. Paler than normal, there was a faint sheen of sweat on his upper lip and he viewed me now almost a little…warily.
Not knowing what to make of this, my mind spun around countless explanations, but ultimately homed in on one very unwelcome answer. Hans would have been in that dining room somewhere and would have heard the rumours surrounding Randall Ivashkov and his connection to me. Now when he looked at me, would he see a dhampir guardian, or the illegitimate son of a Royal?
Would his association aid me, or harm me?
I had told my mother that Randall wouldn't be a problem for me at Court; relying solely on his fear of me to keep him quiet, but I didn't actually know that for certain. He might have decided to create problems simply because he felt he was safe here. If that was the case, and the Council took everything else into consideration against my request, could this be the true meaning behind the cards that I had drawn?
Fiddling with the buttons of his shirt, Hans loosened his tie before pulling it off, swallowed roughly and cleared his throat. "Welcome back, Belikov." He began, gathering his paperwork, and himself, it seemed. "I didn't feel it necessary to include the rest of the Council members in this meeting. They've already made their opinions known on your request and there wasn't any real reason to keep them from enjoying their evening."
Of course. It's only my future that's at stake; nothing worth spoiling their night over, I wanted to sarcastically counter, but I kept my mouth shut as he continued, merely nodding to acknowledge what he had said. "It was a surprise to many of us, myself included, that you requested a transfer, but we can hardly hold that against you, now can we? You're a young man and it's expected that you would be ambitious."
"It's not ambition that's motivated my request, Guardian Croft, merely a desire to further the training of our guardians."
"An admirable sacrifice, then." He countered with a small smile, making me feel more uneasy than I already was. I didn't understand his motives or why he was acting so strangely, and the strain of it made my muscles ache. "Which is why after careful consideration," he continued. "The Council feels that it's a sacrifice that we can all live with. Congratulations, Belikov. Your request for transfer has been approved."
Feeling every muscle, sinew and nerve ending uncoil and relax; the relief was so acute it sizzled through my veins in painful surges. Holding myself upright by sheer will, the elation made it hard to think straight, but there was one thing I wanted, needed, verbally confirmed.
"Thank you, Guardian Croft. It is the training facility that I'll be transferred to, correct?"
Folding his hands over his paperwork, Hans slowly shook his head. "No, Belikov. You are not being transferred to the training facility."
Stiffening in my seat, I felt the cold sweat of fear break out over my skin at his words, chilling me to the bone. This was it…this was what the cards had prophesied. Rhonda had been right after all. It was my request to transfer that had changed my future. Trying to recall all of my arguments to prevent losing what I wanted more than anything, I could barely think through the incoherent panic of my mind.
Oblivious to my anguished thoughts, Hans sat back, laced his hands over his stomach and regarded me with dispassionate eyes as he continued to talk. "In light of your impeccable service record, as well as the actions taken in the defence of Saint Vladimir's during the attack, and the subsequent rescue of those taken, the Council feels that it would be more beneficial to instead assign you to…the Queen's Guard."
Only hearing him peripherally, it didn't matter where he was assigning me…why would it? The only thing that mattered was that I would be nowhere near the one I loved. Yeva had been right to make me give Rose the medallion to establish the link. At the very least, through Yeva, I could know she was safe.
"Belikov? Did you hear what I said? Belikov!?"
Glancing up at the commanding tone of Croft's voice, I felt strangely de-sensitized to everything that was going on around me and barely heard his words. The pain was there; stronger than anything, mixed in with regret, self-disgust and rage, but there wasn't much else. It was only good manners that made me ask, not interest. "I'm sorry, Guardian Croft. What did you say?"
Quirking a brow, he frowned impatiently. "I said that you've been assigned to the Queen's Guard."
Shifting slowly in my seat, I closed my eyes briefly as his words burnt through my sluggish brain. Focusing on them, they echoed, but the irresistible lure of them seemed too good to believe in. Surely I had heard him incorrectly? Maybe I was hallucinating; my fractured mind playing tricks on me?
"I'm sorry, Guardian Croft…could you say that again?"
Sighing heavily, Hans sat up and narrowed his eyes at me. "I said that you've been assigned to the Queen's Guard."
"The Queen's Guard…our Queen?"
Staring incredulously, Hans barked. "Yes. What other Queen did you think I was talking about?"
Shaking myself loose of the nightmare I had made for myself, I confirmed quietly, still not trusting that what I had heard was real. "Here? At Court…in Pennsylvania?"
"Well, yes, of course. This is where our Queen lives."
"But I'm too young," I blurted out suddenly, startling him and myself.
"There is no age limit on those chosen for the Queen's Guard, Belikov," he explained dryly. "Your record speaks for itself."
The Queen's Guard…The Queen's Guard, my mind whispered, still unable to believe what it had heard. Sagging a little in my seat, the joy of the moment – a moment that meant my future was still within my reach – was suddenly overpowered by disbelief.
The Queen's Guard was not something I would ever have thought would happen to me, not at this age, at any rate. It was an honour; the pinnacle of ambition in our world, apart from sitting on the Council, but more importantly, it also meant freedom…so much more than I would have had at the training facility. There were so many guardians assigned to the Queen that the rotational shifts often meant that any singular guardian might only ever have one or two shifts a week. That freed up so much more time to be with Rose.
Rose…
My future at Court was now secured, but was hers?
"Belikov?"
"Yes, Guardian Croft?" Straightening again, I found him watching me carefully and forced myself to concentrate.
"Do you accept the reassignment to the Queen's Guard?"
About to empathically answer my acceptance, suddenly a nagging doubt at the back of my mind stopped me. It was seed of suspicion…one that was rapidly forming. Why was I being assigned to the Queen's Guard? I knew that I was too young, despite Han's assurances and I had made no request for it, so why was I now being given a privilege that so few ever had?
You know why, a treacherous voice mocked quietly. It's because of Randall…because of the Ivashkov's…
"Does my assignment to the Queen's Guard have anything to do with the fact that Randall Ivashkov is my father, Guardian Croft?" I made myself ask, hating the man more than I had ever thought possible. Again, I wasn't my own person, merely an extension of him.
Shaking his head slowly, Hans levelled a hard stare at me, but he didn't deny that he knew. "Your transfer is because of your reputation and abilities, Belikov, and nothing more. Nepotism doesn't play any part in the assignment to the Queen's Guard." Waiting a moment as he watched my jaw flex, he said shrewdly. "You're free to turn down the assignment, if you have any doubts about its legitimacy. You do have a choice."
I did, I knew that, but to turn down something like this, no matter my suspicions, would be madness. Still not entirely convinced that this sudden honour didn't have anything to do with the Ivashkov connection, I warred with myself for a few seconds before I gave in…Rose was worth any sacrifice I had to make, even if it was my pride.
"I gladly accept, Guardian Croft. I would be honoured to be assigned to the Queen." My great-aunt. A woman whose polices and ideals I didn't particularly like or agree with, but as a guardian, I didn't get to choose the ruling monarch or where my duty lay.
"Excellent," he said, prattling on about information I didn't consider important; all stuff I already knew, my mind already focused on Rose. I couldn't allow myself to fully enjoy this moment until I knew that she was assigned to Lissa and we would be at Court together.
Maybe this was what Rhonda's card had actually meant? It wasn't Randall or my re-assignment that posed any dangers to us, so it had to be Rose herself. If she somehow failed her trials – which seemed unlikely – or was assigned to someone other than Lissa – which was entirely possible – we could still be separated and all of this would be for nothing.
The future was changeable. Rhonda hadn't been wrong about that.
Turning to the clerk, who had just completed taking her notes, Hans gave her a very subtle nod. Rising instantly, she said nothing as she exited the room. Catching my eye, Hans slide his very slowly to the top right corner of the room. Following his gaze, I noticed for the first time that there was a camera positioned there. It was obviously on, as there was a small, steady red indicator light, but as I watched it and wondered why Hans had wanted me to see it, the light flickered once before dying out.
Facing him again, I wondered, not for the first time, what his true motives were. "And now that the issue of your reassignment has been concluded," He began, seeming to relax marginally. "I would like to briefly talk to you about your student, Rosemarie Hathaway."
Instantly alert at the mention of her name, Hans reached for another file, far thicker than my own. I knew that I should have been focused on her, but there was something that didn't feel right about any of this. Why have the clerk turn the camera off? It wouldn't matter to anyone here that we were discussing a student, unless…
"Guardian Croft…may I ask why you've turned off the camera?"
"The less you know, Belikov, the better off you'll be. Just remember that at Court, there are always those watching and listening." It was said mildly, but it was clearly meant as a warning. Whatever it was that he wanted to discuss, was clearly only meant for our ears. Frowning over the file, Hans shook his head bemusedly.
"Miss Hathaway's file makes for interesting reading, considering that two years ago no one would have believed that she would have lived up to the potential of her bloodline, but she's proven just that. I'm sure that was in no small part due to your influence on her, but whatever you did seemed to work, so well done. She's surprised and impressed a great deal of us…including myself," Hans admitted reluctantly.
"She would have impressed you all without my influence, Guardian Croft."
"Hmmm." Thumbing through the file, he paused to read a page before closing it again. "Her abilities for a novice are remarkable, and of course there are far more suitable choices, but her unique bond with the Princess makes her the most obvious choice."
"The most obvious choice for what, Guardian Croft?" I asked cautiously, not allowing myself to get carried away by hope.
"To be assigned to Princess Vasilisa as her primary guardian after graduation." Pausing to gauge my reaction, I kept the surge of emotions rioting through me under tight control, but it was difficult, very difficult to keep the joy and pride from showing. When I revealed no outward sign or reaction, Hans went on. "Of course, she'll actually have to graduate first."
"She will."
"You're very sure of that."
"I'm sure of her abilities."
"That may not be enough."
"What do you mean?" I asked with a growing sense of dread.
"Miss Hathaway may be the most obvious choice for the Princess, but that doesn't mean that there aren't those who have raised objections to this. Very loud objections. They are the vast minority of course and it's a majority decision that will carry it through, but still, there are some very influential Moroi who would be prefer she not be assigned, by any means, to the Princess. So to satisfy everyone, it was decided that Miss Hathaway's Trials will be…marginally more difficult than those of her fellow novices, in order to prove herself worthy."
"You're setting her up to fail?" I growled as my fears seemed to confirm that I would lose Rose through no fault of my own, but through the prejudice of others.
"No…no," Hans quickly denied, holding out his hands. "Of course not. None of us here think that this will in anyway faze her."
"And yet you're risking that by caving to the minority? Hasn't she proven herself enough already?!"
Sighing, Hans gave me a look that spoke volumes. "Belikov…you know how our world works."
Unfairly, I wanted to spit, but instead asked. "How will her Trials be harder?" It was difficult to keep the tone of my voice even.
"I can't give you that much information, Belikov. Just be grateful I told you at all."
"Why are you telling me all of this, Guardian Croft?" It had obviously been deliberate. The clerk leaving; the camera's being turned off. He wasn't making any attempt to be subtle about it, but also didn't want to be held accountable.
Flashing me a look of unease, Hans began to gather his paperwork, deflecting instead. "I trust that this information will stay strictly between us, Belikov? You wouldn't want Miss Hathaway to stumble now by giving her information that would worry her. And also…teenage girls are given to gossip. It wouldn't be wise for that kind of rumour to spread around campus, now would it?"
Not tell her? Offended at even the suggestion that I was meant to keep this from her, I knew at once that it wasn't an option. Rose would be furious when I told her, and rightfully so, but that couldn't be avoided. Besides, it would be better for her to be angry and aware now, rather than complacent and disappointed later. Also, her training would very different when I returned. It would have to be far more intense than anything she had ever faced before because we had so little time before Trials and she would be instantly suspicious of it if she didn't know about it beforehand.
I wasn't about to let any kind of prejudice against her ruin the future we were so close to securing.
"Belikov?"
"Of course, Guardian Croft," I lied smoothly at his prompt. "It will stay between just the two of us."
"Excellent. I understand that I'm putting you in a difficult position, given your…relationship with Miss Hathaway, but you're a sensible young man. You'll do what's right."
Not liking the deliberate pause before he said the word relationship, I answered without inflection; on guard against anything that might cause any kind of suspicion. "I am her instructor, so yes, it is a difficult position."
"Yes," Hans murmured as he stood and begun to gather his files. "Her instructor. Of course."
Rising slowly, I watched him closely as his attention was focused elsewhere. Was there suspicion surrounding the true nature of my relationship with Rose? We had been so careful to do everything we could to prevent them whilst still being together, and to my knowledge so far, we had been successful, so why was there an implication from Hans to the contrary?
Had Adrian, in a drunken ramble earlier in the dining room, said something to give us away in a room full of influential Moroi? Instantly dismissing the idea, it was only because I knew that he would never jeopardise Rose that way, drunk or not, that it seemed implausible. Me, on the other hand, he would have no problem with endangering, especially now. So if it wasn't Adrian, and it wasn't us, then where did the suspicion lie?
Victor.
The testimony he had given at his trial implying that Rose and I were romantically involved hadn't been taken seriously enough by anyone at Court, at least not enough to warrant any further investigation, but it had obviously stayed in their collective conscious.
Was he the threat that Rhonda had warned me about? Since his escape, he had always been at the back of my mind; a constant worry only highlighted by Yeva's warning. Add it to Rhonda's, and it made perfect sense. He had so far managed to evade capture, and could literally be anywhere. He knew that he would never be able to get close enough to Lissa to kidnap her again, and as he was still dying, it was where his mind lay at all times, so using Rose as leverage against her was still his next best option.
"Good. That's settled then." Interrupting my introspection, I found Hans at my side and forced myself to concentrate on the moment. There would be time to worry about Victor later; right now, it was Rose I needed to focus on. "The Council and I will see you all on Thursday for Trials." Holding out his hand, I was surprised by the civility of the gesture, but returned it all the same. The man's behaviour from one minute to the next couldn't be more contradictory.
Escorting me from the room, we found Alberta perched on the edge of a chair in an otherwise empty hallway. Rising when she saw us, she looked almost guilty at being caught there, waiting for someone who was a subordinate, but she straightened her spine and nodded once at Hans. Returning the nod, he wished us a safe return and strode away down the hallway, but not before very subtly inclining his head towards another strategically placed camera. He was once again reminding me that we couldn't talk here.
Looking at Hans' retreating back, Alberta asked quietly once he was out of earshot. "What happened?"
"Let's go for a walk."
Frowning, she didn't question my answer but instead fell into step beside me as we left the building. Taking a more secluded pathway that would eventually loop back to guest housing, I could feel Alberta's impatience shimmering off of her in waves and decided not to make her wait any longer.
"My request was approved."
Eyes widening in surprise, Alberta's sure step faltered for a second. It was further proof that she hadn't thought my request would be approved, and that I would probably be punished just for asking in the first place. Recovering quickly, her weathered face stretched beneath a slow, broad smile as she reached out and squeezed my arm.
"Congratulations, Dimitri. I mean that, truly." Shaking her head a little, her relief was obvious. "Which division have you been assigned to at Court?"
"The Queen's Guard."
"The Queen's Guard," Alberta repeated, almost absently as we crossed a pathway that brought us to the middle of a densely bushed area of the otherwise manicured gardens. It was more secluded and perfect for the conversation that was about to follow. "That's wonderful. You'll be very happy with…wait. What did you say?!" Coming to an abrupt stop, Alberta's hold on my arm tightened as she pulled me to a stop beside her.
Inwardly amused at her shock, I kept it to myself before calmly repeating. "I've been assigned to the Queen's Guard."
Spluttering in astonishment, I really shouldn't have enjoyed watching her flounder as much as I did; Alberta had been nothing but generous with me, but it was really was something to see the normally unflappable Captain of the Guard caught so thoroughly by surprise.
"Breath, Alberta. Just breath."
Snorting at my request, she did just that before she was calm enough to say. "You tell me that you've been assigned to the Queen's Guard and you expect me to be calm about it?! Dimitri…that is…I have no words really." Scratching at her chin, she eyed me critically whilst continuing to shake her head. It was like she was trying to solve an equation and the ends just didn't add up.
"Well you did just congratulate me, so I don't think you need to say anything more."
Smiling wryly at my tone, she released her hold on my arm and gave it a friendly pat. "Sorry. I think I'm in a little bit of shock. It really is an amazing honour, Dimitri. Especially considering how young you are. In fact, I think you might be the youngest ever assigned." Pursing her lips, Alberta became lost in her own thoughts. It took her a little while to register that I wasn't more excited about it than she had expected me to be.
"Are you not happy about the assignment?" Pointing to a nearby bench, Alberta looked at me curiously as we sat.
"I am. Of course I am. Apart from being a great honour, it allows me so much more free time at Court than any other positions would ever allow, which is more than I could have hoped for. It's just that…" Scowling into the darkness, the spectre of Randall Ivashkov as normal hung over me; ruining a moment that should have been filled with only happiness, not doubt and resentment.
"You're worried that this is because everyone now knows that Randall Ivashkov is your father, aren't you? That the fact that the newly discovered great-nephew of our Queen has somehow influenced their decision to favour you."
Nodding just once, it was a grim confirmation of what she would have only heard and seen until now. "How could I not, Alberta? It's remarkably coincidental, don't you think?"
"Not at all. You requested this move months ago, Dimitri. The Council would have taken this long just to consider it and that would have been based solely on your service record up until that point in time, which was spotless. Add your heroics from both the attack and the rescue to it, and what was once a spotless record becomes a standard all on its own. You are the perfect candidate for this."
"It wasn't heroics, Alberta. All I was doing was my job, and it's not like I was the only one doing it." Shuffling my feet a little in embarrassment, my legs stretched out to cross at the ankle. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate her praise, just that I felt I didn't deserve it all on my own. There had been so many others involved…and so many that had lost their lives. Their sacrifices were far more important than my own.
"No, you weren't, but you are the only one who had requested a transfer before it all happened, and doing your job, by the way, is exactly what the Council would have been looking for when assigning you to the Queen's Guard. Doing your job means loyalty and duty to the Moroi. Randall being your father has nothing to with any of that."
"He can hardly be called that, Alberta." I growled, hating that she was making a meal out of mentioning it more than once. I knew that it wasn't meant to upset me, but it infuriated me all the same. Maybe she was doing it so that I would be able to handle it better in the future; dulling my rage by repetition.
"Regardless," Alberta replied airily, taking no offense to my tone. "Nepotism will only get you so far, Dimitri, and in our world, it's usually reserved only for the Moroi. You being assigned to the Queen's Guard would never be based on something as trivial as shared blood. You've been chosen because of your skills and capabilities, so don't sell yourself so short."
"And will everyone here think the same way?" I challenged with more belligerence than I should have. By now, most of Court would know about my connection to the Ivashkov's, and by morning, they would all know that I had been assigned to the Queen's Guard. Gossip here would be worse than any of the Academy campuses', and the automatic reaction to it would be that I was receiving preferential treatment…favouritism. And honestly, if I was in their position, it's exactly what I would have also thought.
Smiling indulgently, Alberta looked at me with almost maternal amusement. "Sometimes, I forget how young you still are. Let me give you some advice, Dimitri…from one guardian to another. You can't let what anyone else thinks influence you. Especially not here. Life at Court is going to be very, very different than any Academy campus. It's all about political influence here; who you know versus what you know. I'm not telling you that you need to make friends with everyone, or agree with the status quo, but I am telling you that you need to make sure that you don't make any enemies."
Mulling over her advice, I had to agree with most of it. The opinion of others had always mattered to me, but they had never unduly prejudiced my decisions. There were only a handful of people in my life who were important enough to make me alter any choice I had made…the most important of them was in Montana right now.
"Thank you, Alberta." She did make me feel a little better about it, but there was still a whisper of suspicion that I couldn't completely banish.
"You're very welcome. And speaking of enemies, you won't really have to worry about anything Randall does or says in retaliation to the scene earlier. He's seldom in favour with the Queen or any influential member of her inner circle, and even when he is, nothing he says or does is taken very seriously." Grinning wryly at my expression, her own turned serious as she continued.
"Adrian, however, is another matter entirely. The Queen adores him and vice versa, so you need to watch out for that. His resentment of you is going to be so much stronger now because he'll perceive you as even more of a threat than he already does, especially once he finds out that you've been assigned to her personal guard. He could be a very real problem for you here, Dimitri. You need to figure out how to deal with him."
"I doubt that the Queen will acknowledge me as her great-nephew, Alberta."
"Doesn't matter if she does or doesn't, in fact, if you're a praying man, pray that she doesn't. It will make life far easier for you here, and regardless…you're still a threat in Adrian's mind."
"You did already warn me not to make an enemy of him, and like I said then, I already made an enemy of him in Idaho. As long as he stays away from me…and Rose, it won't be an issue. I'm not looking to insert myself into his family, Alberta. I already have my own."
Looking sceptical, Alberta said no more on it, but I knew she was concerned about Adrian. I hadn't given much thought to him since learning of our connection; too angry with Randall and all of the repercussions of discovering our connection to bother, but now there was time for it. Did I think of him as my cousin? No, no I didn't. I certainly didn't want anymore of a connection to him than I did to Randall. Maybe if he was a better person, and wasn't always trying to make a move on the girl I loved, I might feel differently, but there was just too much shared animosity between us for that to ever happen. That had been more than evident at dinner.
Which reminded me of something else I had to do. "I owe you an apology, Alberta."
"For what?"
"My behaviour earlier in the lounge and dining-room. I shouldn't have allowed myself to be baited by either Randall or Adrian, but I did and if I caused you or the Academy any embarrassment because of it, I'm sorry."
Sighing, Alberta reached out to briefly pat my hand. It felt more condescending than comforting. "Dimitri, no one expects you to be hyper-rational, controlled and emotionless all the time…well, maybe you do, but that's because you've set ridiculously high standards for yourself and despite your best efforts, you need to remember that you are only a very mortal man at the end of the day. You've caused no one embarrassment. In fact; you might have won the admiration of a few of the more influential Courtiers here. You certainly seem to have caught Ibrahim Mazur's attention."
Looking sharply at Alberta, again I felt a frisson of unease tingle up my spine at the mention of the man. The last thing I wanted was him paying any attention to me. It was already bad enough that my mother owed him a favour for tracking me down earlier in the year…what would he expect from me in return? Feigning ignorance, as if Kon and I hadn't been discussing him hours earlier, I asked casually. "Ibrahim Mazur?"
"Hmmm. A Turkish Moroi of great influence. He has a…somewhat unsavoury reputation and deals mainly with import and exports, but is a favourite of our Queen, which means he has carte blanche at Court and basically everywhere else. He can be a useful ally to have, but also a very bad enemy."
Puzzled by both the reason and the meaning of her vague warning, I didn't press the issue because I didn't want to let on that that I knew more about him. As I had no intention on associating with the man more than was absolutely necessary once I was settled at Court, to my mind, it wasn't an issue. If at any time he leveraged the favour my family owed to him against me, I would deal with it, and him, then.
"Thank you for the warning, Alberta. I'll be sure to steer clear of him."
Eyeing me sceptically, Alberta seemed on the verge of saying something else before she thought better of it. Nodding once, she suddenly yawned widely before trying to smother it, and failing. Grimacing in apology as I checked the time, I was surprised to see that it was already after 10pm. Standing, I offered my hand to pull her up before we began our walk back. "I'm sorry. I've kept you awake with my problems, and you're tired. Let's head back to housing."
"Problem solving is what I'm here for, Dimitri, although one of your problems has cost me more than a few nights sleep." Eyeing me wryly, I knew exactly to which problem she was referring – my confession to loving Rose as my true motivation behind requesting the transfer. Nodding at my faintly apologetic grin, she sighed. "Besides, after the end of the week, I won't be around anymore for you to drop those kinds of bombshells."
"You'll still be only a phone call away, Alberta." I reminded her, grinning at her expression of fake horror.
"And luckily for me, technological advances have meant that I can now block numbers."
Laughing together, it was these rare moments of camaraderie that I would miss the most. Alberta had been more than a mentor since my arrival; she had become a friend. "Thank you, Alberta. For everything. None of this would have been possible if you hadn't vouched for me. It's not something that I will ever forget, or be able to repay you. I am truly in your debt."
Nodding, Alberta cleared her throat. "You're welcome, Dimitri. And you don't owe me anything; you never have. You deserve all of this and more, and so does Rose. Just…keep her line as much as you can, will you? Court isn't going to be as forgiving as the Academy. Once she's graduated, she'll have to…"
"If," I interrupted grimly, grateful for the opening to talk about another of my fears. "If she graduates, Alberta."
Suddenly on alert, Alberta's mouth tightened. "What do you mean, if?"
"They're making her obstacle course harder than the others as a way of proving herself. How hard, I don't know, but it's worrying me."
"What?!" Eyes narrowing dangerously, Alberta folded her arms over her chest with slow, controlled movements and bit out between clenched teeth. "How do you know this?"
"Hans. Once he had finished with the confirmation of my transfer, he spoke about Rose. Why, I still don't know. He gave me inside information that should never have left the Council's inner sanctum and then told me not to tell her about anything we had discussed."
"Which was?" Alberta impatiently asked.
"He told me that Rose will definitely be assigned to Lissa as her primary guardian."
"He just came out and told you this? Why? He knows that assignments are only decided after graduation. It's reckless to have decided this early."
"I have no idea, Alberta. All I know is that he was very certain about this…and that he also arranged for the camera in the conference room to be turned off when he was telling me this. It's making me uneasy."
Clearly baffled, Alberta ran her fingers through her short hair. "What else did he say?"
"That although Rose is clearly the best choice to be named Lissa's primary, there is still opposition from the minority of influential Moroi. That's why her Trials are being altered. He's convinced that if she passes it, the doubters will have to bow to the pressure of the majority and accept her assignment to Lissa."
"Son-of-a-bitch!" Alberta swore, taking a vicious swipe at a low-hanging branch. "That's why he wanted us here now, two days before Trials, because they want to alter the course without my interference, without even my permission. Who the hell does he think he is?"
"The head of the Guardian Council." I reminded her wryly.
Swearing beneath her breath this time, Alberta heaved a heavy sigh. "I don't know why he told you any of this. It's completely out of character for the man, and to be honest, I would be as uneasy as you are about his true motives, but he would have known that my hands were tied when he did. I can't change anything about it now; because it means he would know that you've told me and that could be disastrous. I don't even know if I'll be allowed access to the arena now."
"It's not fair, Alberta," I spat hotly. "How much more must she prove?"
The look she gave me was no less patronizing than Han's had been. "Like I said before, Dimitri. Court is very different. And let's not forget, this is Rosemarie Hathaway, we're talking about. She isn't some run-of-the-mill novice. She's survived odds that many of her adult counterparts wouldn't have. I know this isn't fair to her, but I have absolute faith that she will pass her Trials. The real question is…will you tell her?"
Slightly reassured by her belief in Rose; a belief that was as strong as my own, it put my troubled mind marginally at ease. "Yes. I don't want her going in blind, and I want to use what little time we have left to adjust her training; to try and prepare her as much as possible for whatever she's going to find in that obstacle course. She's not going to be happy about it, but she'll cope. She always does. All she needs to do is keep it to herself that she knows."
"Will she?"
Grinning at the scepticism in her voice, I resumed walking. "Yes. If I make it clear that she has to."
Eyeing me sceptically now, Alberta didn't look like she thought that was possible. "I agree with you that she should be told. There's no point in keeping that information between just the two of us. Did Hans say anything else whilst he was in a chatty mood?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
Looking less than pleased with my answer, Alberta growled. "What else?"
There was no point in putting this next part off. Like telling Rose about the tougher Trials, it was equally important for Alberta to know everything. With her knowledge of our relationship, she was in as much danger as we were. "He alluded to our relationship…and that there is suspicion surrounding it."
Grinding her teeth, Alberta glared at me for a moment before she asked. "How? There's no suspicion within the Academy campus, and the two of you are practically joined at the hip there. Why here?"
"Victor's trial. No one took anything he said about Rose and I seriously enough to investigate, because they all expected that he would do and say anything to escape punishment for his crimes, but apparently it stayed in the subconscious of some of them."
"Did Hans say anything specific about it?"
"No."
"Good. That at least is something." Reaching up to pluck at a Magnolia blossom, Alberta turned to give me a hard look whilst twirling it absently between her fingers. "You realise what this means, don't you? You and Rose have to keep your relationship a secret, even after graduation. Because not only did you perjure yourself during the trial, they'll know that you started a relationship with your student…your underage student. That is not going to end well for you, Dimitri. Rose will escape serious punishment, albeit with her reputation in tatters, but you…you they will crucify."
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I nodded in understanding. She wasn't telling me anything that I didn't already know. "We will…and we'll be careful to reveal it only once it won't raise any further suspicions. I just wish he'd kept his mouth shut."
"So do I. That man has been nothing but a menace." Alberta muttered, tossing aside the blossom.
"Has anyone heard anything about him?"
"No. He has everyone chasing after shadows at the moment. Lots of supposed sightings, but nothing confirmed."
Which meant that as long as he was still out there, he posed a threat to everything and everyone I loved, and Rhonda's warning was still in play; the cards could still win. Which one was the real threat…Rose and Trials or Victor and Rose? I didn't know, so I had to guard against both. Lapsing into silence as we left the gardens and took the pathway leading directly to housing, the lights glowed brightly in the near distance. Suddenly as tired as Alberta, I was more than eager for the night to be over. Morning meant we would leave for home. Morning meant I was only hours away from seeing Rose.
"Oh, no."
Glancing alertly at Alberta, I followed the direction of her troubled gaze and understood her unease. Lounging over a bench close to the entrance of guest housing, a visibly drunk Adrian rose unsteadily from his seat as he saw our approach. He was more unkempt than I had ever seen him; hair in disarray and clothing askew, he was flanked by a pair of guardians who gave us agitated looks and tried to keep him from falling over. It was clear that neither of them knew how to handle him.
Throwing a warning look in my direction, Alberta moved ahead of me and put herself between us. "Lord Ivashkov," she began pleasantly. "We'll be leaving very early in the morning to return to Montana. You should get some rest before then." Nodding subtly to the hovering guardians, they moved closer to him, but he shook off their arms, sneering at both of them and then her. It raised my hackles instantly.
"I'll do whatever the hell I want, Petrov," He sneered, slurring heavily. Anyone could see that reasoning with him was a waste of time. "You don't get to tell me what to do…not here."
Still polite, though he didn't deserve it, Alberta tried again. "Of course not, Lord Ivashkov. Forgive the implication. I meant no offense by it. I was merely concerned about your wellbeing." Watching as her hands clenched at her sides, the small sign of her anger was lost to him.
Not wanting her anymore involved in the escalating warfare between us; I rested my hand gently on the small of her back as a prompting gesture. Taking the hint, she bowed to Adrian. "Enjoy the rest of your evening, Lord Ivashkov. We'll see you in the morning." Trying to walk around him, he surged forward unsteadily and blocked her path, almost toppling over with the sudden unsteadiness of his movement.
Sticking a finger in her face, Adrian snarled. "You're still protecting him, aren't you? What does he do for you that you're covering for him, huh?"
Rearing back, Alberta didn't engage him, but his offensive implication clearly aggravated the anger she had tightly under control. Watching the confusion cross the guardian's features at his words, I decided it was time to intervene. I didn't want him insulting Alberta any further and I didn't want him, in his drunken state, to say something that would cause any further suspicion.
Moving Alberta gently away from him and towards the guardians, I hoped she would understand that I wanted her to keep them distracted whilst I dealt with him. Throwing a quick glance at me over her shoulder, she seemed to know what I wanted, because she inserted herself between us and them; keeping their attention on her whilst I turned towards Adrian.
"Well, well, well," Adrian sang in a slur, glaring bitterly at me. "If it isn't the Queen's other great-nephew. You really do have it all now, don't you, Belikov?"
Hearing the toxic resentment he wasn't bothering to hide, it should have hardened my attitude towards him, but there was so much pain mixed in with it, that for a moment I forgot about the animosity between us. It was a stupid impulse, because he wouldn't appreciate the gesture and would probably try to use it against me at some stage in the future, but nevertheless, I tried.
"Adrian," I began softly. "You're drunk and need to sleep it off. Let your guardians get you back to Royal housing, please? We'll talk in the morning."
"Talk? Talk? What the hell would I want to talk to you about? To offer you my congratulations? I've already heard all about your new job…word travels fast at Court, cousin." He sneered. "What else would we talk about? Your new name and family connections? Huh? Just because you're Uncle Rand's bastard, you think that changes anything? It doesn't. You'll get no favours from us. You're nothing to us!"
It was almost ironic that just this morning, I had compared him to my father when drunk, and that now that I understood the connection between us, I knew why. They were exactly the same.
"Enough." I hissed tightly, growing angrier by the second and cursing my own stupidity for thinking that Adrian could be anything other than a petulant child. Did he honestly think that I wanted favours from his family? I wanted nothing to do with them. By the end of the week, I would be a guardian to an Ivashkov, and that was all there would ever be to it. "You're making a fool of yourself, Adrian."
Growling, Adrian took an unsteady step towards me and swung wildly, but he was too far away. Missing completely, his momentum pitched him off balance and he fell hard to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Pushing past Alberta, his guardians rushed to pick him up, but he swore at them and shook off their help, rising clumsily to his feet to glare balefully at me.
"You think you so fucking smart, don't you? So smug standing there. So righteous. What would she think if she saw you now? What is she going to think when she finds out who you really are? Will she care, do you think? It doesn't make any difference to how she feels about me, and I'm an Ivashkov, too." Rambling drunkenly, his guardians looked confused, but both Alberta and I knew who he was talking about, and it enraged me beyond control. That he would so carelessly talk about her…
"Do you think Ro…"
"I said that's enough, Adrian!" Barking at him, his glassy eyes widened in shock at the aggression in my tone. It didn't matter to me that his guardians were now witnesses to everything…I couldn't allow him to say her name. He might not have been the threat that I was warned about, but he could make things very difficult for everyone involved, and that was a threat in itself. One that I wouldn't allow.
"Fuck you, Belikov!"
Lunging forward again, Adrian flew into a tackle. Neatly side-stepping him, he crashed heavily to the floor with a grunt of pain. Feeling nothing more than disdain for him, I held out a hand to his approaching guardians, forestalling their plans to pick him up again. "Allow me to assist, Lord Ivashkov, if you will?"
Backing away easily, neither of them argued, and in fact, they both looked as though they were wishing that I would physically retaliate. For a moment, it was a distinct possibility as every instinct to protect Rose told me to forget what I was, what he was…dhampir and Moroi. My patience with Adrian Ivashkov had officially run out.
Clamping my hands around his upper arms, they tightened to the point of pain as I hauled him roughly to his feet and drew him closer. Deliberately keeping my back to the others, I easily subdued both him and his struggles, and spoke very softly to him from between clenched teeth. "Listen to me very carefully, Adrian. Listen!" Shaking him just once, the motioned snapped his head back before he focused on me.
"Now I understand that your brain is stewing in whatever poison you've chosen to self-indulgently wallow in tonight and that because of it, you're not thinking very clearly right now, but do you realise that you almost said her name aloud, Adrian? In front of two Court guardians, both of whom report directly to Hans Croft. Do you really want to jeopardise her like that?"
Swallowing roughly at the quiet menace in my voice, some of what I was saying seemed to penetrate his drunken stupor, and for the first time since our confrontation had begun, he actually seemed to be nervous. "Answer me, Adrian? Do you?"
Lowering his gaze, there was shame in the watery green depths now, not defiance. "That's what I thought. You would do well to remember that, because Moroi or not, if you ever risk Rose again, in anyway, I will forget that I took an oath of protection and I will treat you like the enemy. You know what I do to the enemy, don't you, Adrian?"
Trying to pull away from my grip, it only tightened further as his head whipped up to stare at me. There was fear in those green eyes now. True fear. "If you don't, you should ask your uncle what I did to him when he threatened those I loved. I don't retaliate quickly, Adrian…and neither do I forgive. Additionally, if you ever insult Alberta again, no matter how subtle the insinuation, I will teach you the manners that you so obviously lack. And lastly. I am a Belikov; and very proud to be one. I am not an Ivashkov, and I never will be. I want no favours from you, or any other members of your family. As far as I'm concerned, we are not family; we are not cousins…we are only Moroi and dhampir. Do you understand me?"
"I'll tell…"
"You'll tell who?" I interrupted softly. "Who will believe you, Adrian? This may not be something that you've realised yet, but you are your own worst enemy, and like your uncle, nothing you say or do will ever be taken seriously because of it. Remember that." Releasing him abruptly, Adrian stumbled backwards in his haste to get away from me. Unnaturally pallid, the threat of my words had succeeded in sobering him enough to take them seriously. I hadn't made any of them lightly – though they could still backfire on me badly – but he had to know that I would protect Rose at any cost.
Glancing over my shoulder at his hovering guardians, they understood the silent cue and moved forward to collect him. Recovering a little, Adrian's fear was rapidly replaced by raw belligerence as they flanked him; bolstering his courage. There was still fear there, deep within the depths, but overpowering it now was hatred. Allowing his guardians to steer him away, I watched as they disappeared from view.
Tipping my head back, I closed my eyes and slowly inhaled; grappling for control over my temper. Opening them, the inky sky above was dotted by the twinkling constellation of Ursa Minor; the muggy night air was calm and quiet…I only wished my emotions were the same. I hated the way Adrian made me feel and react; it was no different from dealing with Rand. They both brought out the worst in me and made me feel that I had to stoop to their level. It was a common family trait, obviously, but maybe there was more Ivashkov in me than I wanted to admit.
Feeling Alberta at my side, I heard her softly ask. "Do I even want to know what you said to him?"
The look I gave her said she didn't, and it surprised me that Alberta didn't press for anything more. Really, she should have read me the riot act over so blatantly threatening a Moroi, and when she didn't, it only made the way I was already feeling far worse. She shouldn't have been willing to overlook my behaviour, but she always gave me the benefit of the doubt. Something that I wasn't always sure I was deserving of.
"I'm no better than either of them, am I?"
Sighing, Alberta slide me a sardonic look as she began to walk again and I followed after. "I'm not going to say anything to the contrary, Dimitri, because you'll learn one day, that you are nothing like either of them. Now…do you want to wallow like Adrian loves to do, or should we come up with a plan to get Rose through Trials that doesn't involve either of us being caught or fired?"
"You already know the answer to that, Alberta."
"Good. Then let's get on with it." Arching a brow as we reached the doors of housing, I grinned and opened them; ushering her through to the attendant waiting at the front desk. Taking a final deep breath before I went in, I knew that Alberta was right. There would be time to deal with Adrian and the rest of the Ivashkov's later. Right now, my only focus needed to be on Rose, because as things stood, she now posed the biggest threat to our future.