The ownership of all characters related to and involving the novels of The Vampire Academy and Bloodlines Series remain the sole property of Richelle Mead, the Penguin Group and any affiliates.
No copyrights have been infringed on maliciously.
A/n: This is a long one. Enjoy.
A Conflict of the Soul
Chapter Twenty-Five
"Guardians," Alberta called out loudly, trying to be heard above the excited noise the newly graduated guardians were making as they handed over the last of their bags to the luggage handlers and waited to board the Academy jet. "Pay attention, please."
Clustered together on the tarmac, their chatter gradually quietened as they turned towards Alberta. Standing between Gregor and Dustin, she waited until she had their complete attention before beginning. "Anything that you haven't already packed will be delivered to you at Court later in the week. For those of you who will be assigned abroad, your belongings will be shipped in due course. Is there anyone here that hasn't collected their final transcripts?" Nodding when they all shook their heads, Alberta checked her list.
"Good, now when you arrive at Court, you will be greeted by Hans Croft and officially assigned before being given your instructions and shown to housing. To those of you who will remain in the country, this will be all the instruction you will receive unless your positions change in the future. To those of you who are assigned aboard, you will receive further instructions once you arrive."
Folding her hands over her clipboard, Alberta looked like she had more to say, but what more was there? She had trained and prepared the graduates for this exact moment. Ever the instructor, if anything, she looked a little forlorn to see them go. Clearing her throat, she leaned her head towards Gregor as he murmured something to her before checking her watch and nodding.
"With the exception of Guardian Belikov and Guardian Hathaway," nodding in my direction as I stood to the side with a few other guardians; Rose stood with the other graduates. "Who will accompany the Princess, Lord Ozera and Lord Ivashkov on the Royal jet; all of whom are already on board, all other graduates will be flown into Court on the Academy jet. Please get ready for your departure…you leave in ten minutes."
Dispersing, a few of the graduates walked up to the three elder guardians to shake hands before they began boarding. Rose and Eddie moved to the side, having had their bags packed first. They had been so eager to leave for the tarmac this morning that they had been waiting in the foyer half an hour earlier than scheduled and had been the first in the SUV's conveying us to the airstrip.
Amused at their eagerness, especially as it more the excitement of the unknown rather than leaving the Academy grounds that had created it; I watched them as they spoke quietly. Eddie said something before he looked worriedly first at her and then at the plane. He was remembering the last time they had flown together and the panic and fear created by it. Smiling reassuringly before answering him, Rose patted his shoulder before reaching up to quickly kiss his cheek. Ducking his head a little as his cheeks heated, he turned to board; waving at me as he got to the top of the stairs. Lissa was still on her meds so there shouldn't be a repeat of that flight…or at least, Rose and I hoped there wouldn't be.
Neither of us ever wanted to go through that again.
Returning the wave, Rose was approached by Gregor with his hand outstretched and something closely resembling a smile rearranging the stony set of his face. Dustin had already said his goodbyes to her and wandered over to me as the last of the graduates disappeared into the jet.
"I'm surprised Emil isn't here to see you off."
Shrugging in response, I didn't answer. There was no way that I could explain why he wasn't here without creating questions that I couldn't answer.
"Maybe he couldn't switch his shifts?" Not giving it much thought, he held out his hand. Shaking it, he was another of the guardians here that I would miss, even whilst knowing that I wasn't entirely certain I could trust him. "Good luck, Dimitri. Not just at Court, but with Janikowski. He can be a serious thorn in your side."
Samuel Janikowski was the head of the Queens Guard and had a more fearsome reputation than Hans Croft. He would be the biggest hurdle I would have to overcome whilst being indoctrinated within the QG. "So I've heard. I'll be prepared, Dustin."
"You'd better." Watching Rose argue good naturedly with Dean; Dustin's features twisted into a wry smile. "It's not going to be the same around here without you…or Hathaway."
"Quieter?"
"Definitely. I hope Court survives her."
Grinning, I clapped him on the shoulder before wishing him well in return. I had already said my goodbyes to those of the guardians not on shift earlier in the morning. Shaking Gregor's hand as he passed, he and Dustin got into one of the waiting SUV's and quietly drove off. It was only Alberta that was left now, and I knew from the look she gave Rose as she joined her, that she had something to say before she left.
"Belikov?"
Shouldering my bag, I gave the surrounding grounds and mountains one final look before I made my way to them. It wasn't just the Academy that I would miss, but the tranquillity of the setting. Pennsylvania, I was sure, had its own charm, but it would never be Montana.
Raising her voice as the whine of the jet engines warming up grew louder, Albert placed a hand on both of our shoulders and pulled us closer. "We don't have long, so I'll make this quick. I wish both of you the best of luck for the future and remember what I said." Looking at me specifically, I already knew what she was going to say. "You need to choose the right time to reveal your relationship. There will be immediate speculation surrounding it and lots of questions will be asked. You need to be prepared for that because if you give them even a hint of suspicion that it started before you've announced it, I won't be there to deflect it. Understand me?"
Nodding in understanding, both Rose and I knew what the consequences of the truth would mean for us.
"Can I ask you something, Guardian Petrov?" Rose asked, almost having to shout now.
"Of course."
"How long have you known that Ibrahim Mazur was my father?"
"Since the day your mother left you here." Alberta replied, not hesitating for a second.
"Abandoned me is more like it."
"Rose." Shaking her head, Alberta gave her a look of reproach. "Janine left you here to keep you safe. It was never about abandoning you. She knew that Ibrahim's enemies would look for you, but that they would never think to look in Montana. I know that you're angry with her and that your relationship is strained, but she does love you. Very much. You need to keep that in mind."
Still looking dubious, Alberta sighed. "Do you remember after Spokane? On the plane back to the Academy? Your mother was there for you; to comfort and hold you. When she found out that you were missing, she was frantic because she loves you more than anything. She didn't abandon you here."
Rose crossed her arms and cocked her hip but didn't argue. Her viewpoint of her mother wouldn't ever mesh with Alberta's; no matter how much Alberta championed her. I was as dubious about her as Rose was, especially when it came to Janine's capability of ever putting her child's needs before her own, but if Rose she wanted to reach out to her, I would support her on whatever her decision.
"I still need an unbiased opinion here. What do you think of Ibrahim?" Rose pressed.
"He's scheming and manipulative. I've never known him to do anything that didn't solely benefit him and hurt others in some way or another." Frowning, Alberta gave Rose a curious look. "Which is why I don't really understand why he decided to announce that he's your father; he gets nothing out of it. There's nothing for him to gain from it."
"So why did he do it!? Why put me in danger if he doesn't stand to get anything?"
"I honestly don't know, which is concerning because there's no clear motive. Be careful, Rose. Please. He can't be trusted and you can never forget that."
"Don't worry…Alberta. I won't."
Smiling at the use of her first name, Alberta didn't correct her, showing her for the first time that she acknowledged her as an adult and no longer as a child. "I am going to miss you, Rose; despite all the grey hair you've given me over the last fourteen years. Life at the Academy is going to be very quiet without you."
Grinning, Rose rocked back on her heels. "Sorry about the grey hair. If it's any consolation, I'm sure I'll give other people grey hair in the future." Glancing specially at me, Rose smirked.
Chuckling, Alberta took a step forward and enfolded Rose in a tight hug. Stunned for a moment, she looked at me with wide eyes before she warmly returned the embrace. Listening as the whine intensified and the stewardess appeared at the top of the stairs, Alberta turned to me and took me equally by surprise by refusing my hand and briefly hugging me.
"Thank you, Alberta," I spoke quietly into her ear. "For everything that you've done."
Nodding as she backed away a pace or two, she looked at us pensively for one long, last moment before turning to the waiting SUV. Watching as she drove off, Rose picked up her backpack. Ushering her ahead of me, I discreetly rested the palm of my hand on the small of her back beneath the hem of her jacket before quickly sliding it over the top curve of her buttocks in a brief caress.
Throwing me a quick smile over her shoulder, Rose paused at the top of the stairs and turned to look around one final time. Sighing, I removed it before she boarded; both of us still remembering the night before. Lingering in the cabin last night for as long as it was safe, we had left slowly; reluctant to leave a place full of so many memories. Wrapped around each other on the walk back to housing, we had stayed in the cover of the woods for as long as possible before parting. We both knew that it would be some time before we would be alone again. The first week of our new assignments would be too busy to make the time, and although neither of us liked it, it was something that we were both prepared for.
"It's about time," Lissa teased, smiling at us as we walked down the aisle and the stewardess closed and sealed the door behind us. "We thought you were going to catch the next flight." Resting her head against a grinning Christian's shoulder, they were seated to the right.
"Nope." Rose grinned. "You're stuck with me." Reaching up to stow her bag in the overhead compartment, I did it for her whilst putting my own alongside hers. Shrugging out of my jacket, I carefully hung it over the back of a seat in front and took a window seat to the left of the aisle.
"Hey, it's Guardian Hathaway…or should I call you Guardian Mazur?" Smirking widely, Adrian walked towards us from the rear; surprisingly without a drink in his hand yet, but it was still early and we had a long flight ahead of us.
Throwing him a dirty look, Rose sat on the arm rest of the seat beside mine and answered him flatly. "You shouldn't, because I've already asked you not to." Once he had found out about Ibrahim from the rumours swirly around the Academy, Adrian had cornered her to confirm it on Friday night. I hadn't been with her at the time, but she had complained about it to me when meeting on Sunday before the service. Instead of understanding that she was unhappy with the association and didn't want anything to do with him, he had pestered her about using him as to her advantage until she had snapped that she wanted nothing to do with him.
Most would have learnt to skirt the issue after seeing her reaction, but in typical Adrian fashion, he didn't take the hint and kept harassing her about it. Holding his hands in the air now, he backed off a step or two. "Hey, don't stake me, little dhampir. I heard you the first time."
"And yet you still insist on pissing me off about it. I'm only going to say this once more, Adrian, so listen carefully. I want nothing to do with Ibrahim Mazur…I don't want his name, I don't want his connections, I don't want you to mention it to me ever again. Understand me?"
Looking up as the seatbelt sign chimed and flashed, Rose dismissed him without another word and took the seat beside me before buckling up as the plane began to taxi down the runway. Smiling to myself, I secretly patted her hand in approval as we watched from the window as the Academy jet took off; following the same path, we gradually picked up speed until we smoothly lifted off.
"This feels strange," Lissa remarked softly once were in the air and the sign had gone dark. "We've flown out before, but we always knew that we were flying back. Now, it's the last time we'll do it and it feels…"
"Bittersweet?"
"That's exactly what it feels like, Dimitri." She answered me, smiling softly. "Bittersweet."
Leaning into Christian as he kissed her forehead, she nudged him into replying. "No, I don't feel that way." He answered, settling back more comfortably into his seat. "Personally, I couldn't be happier to see the back of this place. It's time for a change…for something new." Sighing, Lissa looped her arm through his and lightly hugged him. We all knew why he felt that way and none of us could argue against it.
Looking over her shoulder at Rose, Lissa raised a pale eyebrow. "Is that how it feels to you, Rose? Bittersweet?"
"Yeah. Dimitri and I were talking about it after church last night. For so long, I wanted nothing more than to leave the Academy; I thought I would feel like Christian does, and now that we have, I'm sad about it. It makes no sense, but there it is."
"I'm sure you did more than talk." Muttering under his breath, Adrian looked at Rose with a longing in his deep green eyes that would never be fulfilled before glaring blackly at me. Ignoring him, whilst still unable to feel any real sympathy for him, Lissa turned back to look at him before asking.
"What was that, Adrian?"
"Nothing, Liss. Just talking to myself." Looking at me, his features twisted into a sneer as he brushed aside a lock of brown hair falling over his forehead. "So, Belikov, tell us what you did to get assigned to my great-aunt? You're nothing special as guardians go, so what's your secret?"
Refusing to rise to the bait, Rose hooked her little finger around my own to keep me grounded and focused on what really mattered, which wasn't Adrian. Frowning, Lissa looked back at Adrian and decided that she wasn't going to let his question pass. "That's not a nice thing to say, Adrian. Dimitri is an exceptional guardian; I'm going to miss him more than anyone at the Academy. Why would you ask that?"
Frowning at her as she defended me, Adrian's eyes turned scathing. "Think about it, Lissa. He's young as Queen's Guard goes and experience is a criterion that can't be overlooked. He hardly qualifies; an Academy guardian who's had a little bit of action and suddenly he's number one for the job?"
"You call being part of the rescue team in both Spokane and the caves, not to mention defending the Academy against a major Strigoi attack a little bit of action? What is wrong with you?" Lissa demanded, glowering fiercely whilst Christian raised a brow at her vehemence. "He is an exceptional guardian that deserves the position. I don't understand the animosity you have towards him. "
Shaking his head, he scoffed but didn't answer. "There are a lot of exceptional guardians; far older and with the credentials to back it up, yet none of them were offered the position. Why is that?" Contemptuously mocking, Adrian was alluding to the family connection that he thought none of the others knew about. "Don't you think it's a little odd?"
"I think you're acting odd." Scowling, Lissa's normally placid temperament was being tested.
"There's an argument to be made for that." Lurching forward, Adrian rose and nonchalantly rested over the back of the seat in front of him. "What's your opinion about it, Belikov? Why do you think you were offered a position that so many can only dream about?"
"Adrian, what the hell is wrong with you?" Crossly questioning him, even Christian was becoming irritated by his attitude.
"It's a valid question. Maybe some kind of favouritism, hmm, but why would there be any favouritism involved? I'm confused by that." Continuing to goad me, I knew what he was referring to and because he thought no one else knew, he didn't think that I would retaliate. Normally, I wouldn't have, but it wasn't just the others that he was irritating right now.
Craning my head, I pinned him with a skewering look. "Really, cousin? You want to talk to me about favouritism?"
Taken aback by the familiar reference, Adrian straitened up and glanced quickly between Lissa and Christian. Both of them knew why I had said it and understood that Adrian was hinting at nepotism being the deciding factor in my assignment. When he saw that neither of them looked surprised by the remark, Lissa almost smirked. "We know, Adrian."
"You know?!"
"Dimitri told us."
Glancing disbelievingly at me, I was irritated now more with myself than with him for allowing him to force a response that I had been determined to ignore. Tightening her hold on my fingers, Rose squeezed again, but I was too preoccupied to respond.
"Why did you tell them?" He demanded to know as I glanced dismissively at him; fist clenching against the back of the seat. "You threatened me with life and limb if I told anyone, then you go and tell them. I thought you didn't want anything to do with my family?"
"He told us because he knew that it would eventually come out and didn't want any of us hearing it from someone else first, not because he wants the association, Adrian." Answering him sharply, Rose speared him with an equally sulfuric look. "He's considerate of the people that he cares about."
Barking out an incredulous laugh, Adrian looked pointedly at Lissa. "So you know about his connection to the Ivashkov's and still you think that he got the position because he was the best person for the job? I don't believe this crap. Are you all blind or just choosing to ignore the obvious?"
"What's obvious, Adrian?" Christian questioned impatiently.
"That he got the job because he's Randall's bastard son!"
"That's enough." Lissa snapped, jumping up from her seat to glare furiously at him. "Dimitri's parentage is none of your business and neither is the Council's decision to appoint him to the QG. You should be ashamed of yourself for even mentioning something that he had no control over, and honestly, if I was him, I wouldn't want anything from the Ivashkov's either if your attitude is the kind of welcome he would receive. You should be thankful that he's guarding your great-aunt, not resentful of it. Now, drop it."
Grinning approvingly at Lissa's scolding, Rose leaned over the armrest to view Adrian with an openly mocking expression. "You heard, Lissa. Drop it." Shifting back into her seat, Rose made way for the stewardess as she approached with the drinks cart. Offering refreshments to us, we both refused whilst Lissa and Christian opted for tea. Pushing it past us to where Adrian was still standing, Rose leaned over into the aisle again. "There's the drink cart, Adrian…why don't you keep yourself occupied and stop being such a pain in the ass?"
Glancing at the stewardess as she approached, he shook his head in refusal and sullenly flung himself back into his seat; silent for the moment, but it probably wouldn't last long. He was accustomed to Rose or Christian giving him a mouthful, but Lissa was another story. She was one of the few he both respected and listened to. Losing her good opinion wasn't something that would sit well with him.
Settling more comfortably in her seat, Rose moved her legs as far off to the side as would allow to make more room for mine as I stretched them out as far as possible. Drawing tiny circles over the back of my hand with her pinkie, Rose slowly withdrew her hand and folded them over the safety of her lap as the stewardess made her way back to the front of the plane.
Resting my head back, I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on the sound of the engines, but Adrian's taunts kept echoing in my head. Logically, I knew that my appointment to the QG had nothing to do with nepotism, but that wasn't how others would view it, and whilst Adrian's remarks were bases solely on envy over Rose, the envy of others would revolve around the ease in which I had been given the job.
"Stop overthinking it." Rose murmured quietly; interrupting my introspection. "Adrian's an asshole."
"How do you know I'm thinking about that?" I murmured back equally quietly; making no argument against her choice of language when I agreed with her…Adrian was an asshole.
"Because I know you, comrade, and I know that as much as you wanted this position and the prestige it brings, there's always going to be a little bit of doubt and insecurity that goes with it. People like Adrian and anyone else petty enough to resent you for it will always be able to see that, and will try to make you feel bad about it. You can't let them. You can't let them ruin this for you. You got the position because you earned it; you can't let him or anyone else ever tell you differently."
"You are biased." Unable to keep the pleasure from my voice, her words did make me feel better. And she was right. All too often I allowed the opinions of others to diminish my enjoyment of things that I had earned and deserved, and that was something that I needed to work on.
Smirking, Rose settled back more comfortably into her seat as her eyes closed. "Just like someone else I know. Let's just enjoy this, Dimitri."
"Yes, Guardian Hathaway."
"Hmmm…I love it when you call me that."
"Rose…" Cautioning her against starting something that neither of us could finish, the smirk broadened. Trying my best to do as Rose said and not overthink everything, I found that it was easier than I thought. The rest of the flight passed surprisingly fast as we talked quietly during some of it and lapsed into companionable silence for the rest of it and before we knew it, we were preparing to land in Pennsylvania. Leaning over me to look out the window, Rose's excitement practically vibrated off her as we landed as smoothly as we had taken off. Taxing down the runway, I could see the Court guardians waiting for us in the midday sun beside a series of SUV's. The Academy jet had landed ahead of us and the graduates had already disembarked and were beginning to leave the tarmac.
Waiting for the engines to power down, we unbuckled and collected our hand luggage. Straightening out any creases in my jacket, Rose buttoned her own as I slipped my arms into it. All of us, apart from the Moroi, were dressed in formal Court attire for the official assignments and orientation that would take place within the next hour. Following after the Moroi as the door was opened, Adrian was the first off the plane and under the protection of a large umbrella. Barely acknowledging the waiting guardians, he jogged down the steps and into a waiting vehicle before is quietly pulled off.
"Good riddance," Rose muttered, as Lissa and Christian were quickly protected by the shade of umbrellas and greeted by Court officials. Directed to another of the vehicles, they would go directly to Royal housing. Waving at us from beneath the umbrella, Lissa smiled nervously at Rose who winked at her, but as the she got in and the door began to close, Lissa called out. "Rose!"
"Yeah, Liss?"
"Come find us in housing afterwards; in the main lounge. We'll be waiting."
"Liss…I don't know how long this is going to take."
"Doesn't matter. Come find us...okay?"
Hesitating, it was the anxiety on Lissa's pale features that convinced Rose. "Ok. We'll come find you afterwards."
Smiling brilliantly, Lissa waved one last time as the door closed behind her and the vehicle moved off. Watching it leave, Rose turned to me. "I didn't think she was nervous about this, but she is."
"You two have been together for a long time. She's worried."
"Are you?"
Yes, I was, but I wasn't going to let her know that, and thankfully the interruption of Eddie joining us spared me from having to answer it.
"Hey," he shouted excitedly, getting into the SUV waiting for us. "Come on. Let's go." Speaking briefly to the officials remaining, we joined him and the others. The journey to the administration building was short and filled with question after question from Eddie's, whose curiosity couldn't be satisfied fast enough by the guardians traveling with us. Indulging him good naturedly, we arrived minutes later and were escorted through the foyer of administration and down the same hallway that led to the room where my interview – although it had felt like an interrogation – with Hans Croft had taken place the week before.
It was strange to think that it had only been last week…a lifetime had seemed to pass since then.
"Wait," Eddie protested as the vehicles pulled away with our bags. "What about our luggage?"
"Everything will be taken to housing for you, Guardian Castile. It will all be waiting for you once you've received your assignments and have been dismissed for the day." Reassuring him, Alyssa Williams, one of the many female Court guardians, gently prodded him to continue walking. Knocking on the closed doors, the graduates were shown into the room whilst I was asked to wait in the hallway. Casting me a nervous glance, Rose disappeared along with the rest of the graduates and the doors were firmly shut.
Taking a seat, I waited as patiently as I could whilst my stomach began to knot and my nerves began to tangle. I knew that there was nothing that I could say or do to change anything now, even if I had been allowed into the room, but that didn't make the wait any less tense. What if something went wrong in there? What if the decision to assign Rose to Lissa had been changed and she was assigned somewhere else…like out of country? What then? All our plans would be ruined.
Almost an hour passed before the doors were opened. Standing anxiously, the graduates were beaming from ear to ear as they rushed out. Dean, Meredith, Ryan, Samantha, Nathan and Shane surrounded me; all talking excitedly as one. From the bits I could understand, they had all been assigned stateside, with only Ryan remaining at Court to guard a residing Szelsky Royal. Congratulating all of them, I looked for Rose and Eddie over their heads. Finding Eddie walking out with one of the Court officials who had been at my inquiry, he wore a smile that threatened to split the seams of his face as he joined me.
"Dimitri…Dimitri…I got Christian!"
"Congratulations, Eddie. That's great." Shaking his hand, he could hardly contain his excitement.
"Where's Rose?"
"Speaking with Guardian Croft." Glancing over his shoulder towards the open doorway, his voice lowered. "He's a little scary."
"Did something happen in there?"
"No…at least, I don't think so. Everyone seems very happy with their assignments. He was very complimentary about all of us, especially after the attack. He was especially nice to Rose; he couldn't stop praising her actually. It was a little weird, but she didn't seem to think anything about it, and..."
"Who did she get, Eddie?" I interrupted his rambling sharply; unable to keep the anxiety from my voice. "Who did she get!?"
"Lissa, comrade. I got Lissa."
Turning away from Eddie as Rose's voice floated down the corridor and towards me, it was softly spoken, but I heard it clearly over all the other noise in the hallway. There was a quiet joy that surrounded her; one that she was trying very hard to keep contained because right now, surrounded, we couldn't share in it. Feeling each of my tense muscles slowly relax; the relief that washed over me was enough to make my legs feel like jelly.
It was all over…finally. She had done it. All the uncertainty, all the anxiety and fear that we would never have what we wanted suddenly vanished. It seemed almost surreal and for a moment, I panicked, thinking that it was all an illusion, but the smug satisfaction on Rose's face convinced me that this wasn't just another fantasy I feared would never come true.
Unable to help myself, though it would raise a few eyebrows, I pulled her into a brief, hard hug. "Congratulations, Rose. That's wonderful. Lissa is going to be very happy." We both knew there was more to be said, more to be shown, but it would have to wait until we were alone.
Nodding, she returned the hug before moving away. Sighing, her eyes closed for a moment; her expression almost giddy before she turned to Eddie, who grinned widely before snatching her up into a tight hug that lifted her feet from the floor. Laughing together, the pair were joined by the others and barely noticed as Hans Croft, the last to leave, closed the door behind him and walked towards us.
Acknowledging me with a slight inclination of his head, he turned to address the guardians with a broad smile that never quite reached his eyes. "Once again, my congratulations to you all. For those of you who will remain at Court, your orientation starts in 10 minutes. You will be instructed further from there. Guardians Hathaway and Castile, you will also be introduced to your far-guard partners as part of Royal Moroi protection in the main foyer. Once orientation has been completed, you will all be shown to your respective housing blocks and suites. Your schedules will be waiting for you there. Please read through them carefully and report to the heads of your respective departments for any clarifications or issues as directed. Thank you. That's all."
Moving off eagerly towards the foyer, the others didn't spare him a second glance at Hans as he came to stand besides me. "Guardian Belikov…it's good to see you again."
"And you, Guardian Croft." Shaking hands, the contact was light.
"They seem like a very competent, eager bunch. Alberta's done well with them."
"She has. She's an excellent instructor."
"And you're very loyal to her, aren't you?"
Cautious, I wondered where this line of questioning was going. "Shouldn't I be?"
"Of course. Loyalty is something we all value." Smiling blandly, there was nothing sincere about it. "I imagine that you're eager to begin?"
"I am."
"Good. Good. Your official orientation begins tomorrow night at 9pm. You will meet with the head of the Queens Guard, Samuel Janikowski, who will go over your qualification and fire arm competency examinations. His office is at the other end of the administration building. You'll remain with Hathaway and Castile during their orientation as you were their primary instructors at the Academy. Once that's complete, you have the rest of the day and night off to familiarise yourself with the grounds and schedules. There are no restrictions within the grounds for you and the guardians, unless it's around the Royal residence, but you'll have full access to that during your shifts. If you wish to leave the grounds during your time off, vehicles will be made available for you. I believe you've already had your personal banking account transferred?"
At my nod, he checked his watch. "Excellent." Walking off as I slowly re-joined the others, his behaviour seemed off. His loyalty comment was obvious; he wanted to remind me that it was owed to the Moroi first and foremost and not to Rose or anyone else, but there was just something about his manner that created a new knot in my stomach. How much of Ibrahim's influence over him was going to cause issues in the future?
Finding that the graduates had been split into two groups; Ryan was with the Rose and Eddie whilst the other group had the balance of the graduates. Joining the Royal group, I stood as near to Rose as it could without making it obvious that I just wanted to be close to her. Guardian Williams had already begun with the orientation and as she detailed their duties, three other guardians joined us.
"All of you will be living in the Royal housing wing designated for Royal Guardians." Turning to the new arrivals, she introduced them. "Guardian Aylesworth, this is Guardian Reagan. He is your far-guard. Guardian Castile, this is Guardian Woodley. He is your far-guard, and Guardian Hathaway, this is Guardian Spears. He is your far-guard. All your far-guards are also your rotational guards within the grounds. When your Royals leave the grounds, you will have additional guardians with you for added protection. When you report for duty tomorrow, you will meet with them and they will fill you in on any other questions you have. The head of the Royal Guardians is Misha Young. You'll be introduced to him tomorrow."
Shaking hands, the guardians introduced themselves before the far-guards left. Pulling out a small folder from the inside pocket of her jacket, Guardian Williams handed each of them a smaller envelope from within. "Each of these contains your Court Identification cards, your Social Security numbers, an expense card from Court and a personal banking card that your monthly paycheck will be deposited into. Branches have been opened for all of you in Allentown, which is the closest major city to us. You will also receive fuel cards when leaving Court from the vehicle controller."
"Please keep all receipts as you will be expected to submit them on a weekly basis to administration. Please do not misuse the cards because they will be confiscated if you do." Reaching behind her for three small boxes on the counter, she handed each of them out. Opening them, each found a cell phone. "These are your personal phones. The sim's are already inserted and the phones have been pre-programmed with the number as well as all emergency contacts within Court. The contracts for them are all paid for by Court. Guardian Belikov, you'll receive your new number tomorrow once your orientation is complete."
"Do you all have your driver's licences?" All nodding, their excitement was almost palpable at the thought of having their own vehicles.
"What about our firearms, Guardian Williams?"
Smirking at Eddie's question, Rose elbowed him. "Your firearm training will begin tomorrow and will last for one month." Williams confirmed, raising a brow at his eagerness. "At the end of that month, you will have a competency test and if you pass that, then and only then will you be issued with your firearms. If your Moroi leave Court, your far-guard will always carry their weapons."
"Are we restricted from any areas on Court grounds?"
"With the exception of the Queen's apartments, no." She answered Ryan's question. "The construction site at the end of the grounds, where they are currently building more accommodation, isn't out of bounds, but it is a construction site, so please be careful."
"When do we have time off?"
"That's on your schedules. You are free to leave Court grounds during those times, but are required to report back to Guardian's Young's office an hour before your shifts begins."
Nodding, Rose slide a furtive glance at me. I knew what was on her mind. She was anticipating meeting in secret and away from Court…she was also relishing the idea of all that freedom.
"Anything else?" When none of them asked any further questions, Williams nodded. "Good. You all report to duty tomorrow at 9pm. Please be dressed and report to Guardian Young's office half an hour before the start of your shift. If you are not needed by your Moroi, you may be used in other areas of the grounds. Your built-in cupboards already have a series of uniform changes all in your sizes. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to your residences. Guardian Belikov? I'll take you to yours as well."
Following after her, the three continued to talk amongst themselves as I followed after. Shown into Royal housing, it was a building adjacent to the Queen's private apartments. Riding the elevator to the top floor of the five storied building, the suites for Rose, Eddie and Ryan were on the same floor as my own, just in a different wing. Glancing at me quickly, the communication between Rose and I was silent, but we were both thinking the same thing. We were housed in the same building, on the same floor. It was the first time we had ever lived that close together, and would make it far easier to be together behind closed doors.
Escorted to my suite by the housing monitor, the others were taken to theirs by Williams further down the hallway. Given the access card, I was left to explore my new home alone. Stunned by the luxury of it after having living in the sparseness of the Academy for more than two years, I wondered around the kitchen, dining room and lounge before making my way to the bedroom and en-suite bathroom. Larger than my entire room at the Academy, it was tastefully decorated in pale red, cream and gold with heavy blinds that muted most of the sunlight. Pulling them apart, the room was flooded with bright sunshine.
Opening the French doors that led to a tiled patio, I stood at the balustrade and wrapped my fingers around the wrought iron; taking in the spectacular view of the Pocono Mountains. Most of the gardens could be seen from the patio with a large expanse of the undeveloped land beyond it. I could make out the edge of the construction site Williams had mentioned with the cranes and scaffolding gleaming in the sunlight. Finding that my luggage was neatly stored in a corner, I shrugged out of my jacket and slung it over the back of a chair tucked beneath a writing desk. Going into the bathroom, the glass-enclosed shower was enormous with marble counters that spanned the room.
Wondering that the other wing was equipped with and how soon I would get to see it, I unpacked and found that the closet was full of unfamiliar clothing. Official QG uniforms, by the look of it. Suits, crisp white shirts and dress shoes still in boxes. Raising a brow at the designer label, I wondered if this was standard for any new QG but stopped myself short before the uncertainty could creep in again.
Showering, I dressed casually in jeans and a button down shirt. There didn't seem to be any dress code for anyone off duty, but we were meeting the others in Royal housing, so I ignored the appeal of the cooler t-shirt. Eyeing the duster, which Rose amusedly remarked I would wear in the desert, I left it hanging on the wardrobe door as I heard a quiet knock on the doors to the suite.
Opening it, I found Rose on the other side. Looking around, the hallway was thankfully empty as I reached out to pull her quickly over the threshold. Once inside, Rose wandered around as I locked the double doors behind her. She had her hair up in a high bun and was in another floral summer dress in dark blue that floated around her shapely legs. She looked cool and delicious but reason still overcame hunger. "This is dangerous, Rose."
Turning to me, she raised a brow. "Should I go?"
Remaining silent, she smiled knowingly before looked around. "Wow. Queen's Guard housing is more impressive than just plain old Royal housing. This is very, very nice." Meandering through the rooms, she found the bedroom and stopped before giving me an arched looked over her shoulder. "That's a big bed, comrade. Just imagine what we could do in it."
I had and with my imagination came fantasies that made the fit of my pants dangerously tight. Adjusting myself with a wince, I moved to stand behind her and for a moment, threw caution to the wind. Wrapping my arms around her, I ground my pelvis into the cleft of her backside; rubbing the rising thrust of my erection into it. Nuzzling her neck, I kissed along the exposed bones of her clavicle. "Yes, it is. Is yours as big?"
"No." Turning into my kiss, Rose reached back and grabbed my hips, pulling me tighter into her. "It isn't, but it's big enough."
"Big enough for what?"
"Big enough for…" Craning her head, she whispered erotic promises that had my hips bucking into hers. Moaning, Rose grabbed my hands and moved them upwards to cup her breasts. Squeezing and palpating, I found her nipples through the cotton and pinched them; rolling them roughly between my fingertips. Reaching up, Rose caught at my chin and pulled my head down; sucking on my lower lip before she kissed me with a desire that burnt through any need for caution. Rocking my hips into the cradle of her backside, my cocked throbbed as she twisted and ground back against me.
Turning her, I wrapped my arms around her waist and hoisted her off the carpeting and into the air. Curling her arms around my neck, she clung tightly before pressing her forehead against mine. "This feels so weird. When I was sitting in the room listening to everyone receive their assignments, I was so nervous. I wanted you in there with me and it made it worse that you weren't allowed in."
"I know. I wanted to be in there with you too."
"When Guardian Croft called my name, I almost jumped out my skin. When he announced that I was Lissa's primary guardian, I…I didn't know if the relief or the joy was the stronger emotion."
"I understand that…I felt the same way." Kissing the tip of her nose, she sighed. "I wish I could tell you how happy I am right now, Moye Serdtse. Not just for you, but for me…for us. Everything we wanted is here. Finally. After everything we've been through. "
"It seems almost too good to be true. They're not going to take it away from me, right? Or change their minds?"
"No."
"I love you, Dimitri."
"I love you, Roza."
Kissing softly for seconds that seemed to last forever, our moment was interrupted by a voice calling out from the hallway. "Rose? Where are you?"
"Shit. Eddie" Muttering, Rose kissed me deeply once more before she wriggled out of my grasp. Setting her on her feet, she smoothed her skirt before giving me a look that very nearly had her on her back in that bed for walking to the doors, opening them and calling out. "Eddie, I'm in here."
Finding Eddie walking down the hall towards us, Rose invited him in as I moved from the bedroom and into the lounge; resting back against a plush sofa and trying to hide the erection that threatened to burst through the seam of my zip. Coming in past me, he smiled before walking around the suite as I heard him mutter from the bedroom, "Damn, this place is amazing, Guardian Belikov. I mean, I'm not complaining about my suite; it's awesome, but this is massive."
"My name is Dimitri, Eddie. I don't want to hear any more of this Guardian Belikov nonsense, alright? We're equals now. Experience doesn't matter."
Stopping between the divide of the bedroom and lounge, Eddie ducked his head sheepishly. "Right. Sorry. Force of habit. It's just going to take some time to think of you as anything other than a God."
"A God?" I questioned with a raised brow.
"It was Mason's term. That's how he thought of you." Rose explained, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned back against on the edge of a polished end-table. "When you brought Lissa and I back to the Academy, that's how he talked about you. He was in awe of you, Dimitri."
"We all were. We still are." Eddie confirmed.
"I'm not a God, Eddie."
"You are to us, Dimitri. It wasn't Alberta or Gregor or Stan that we followed into those caves. It was you."
Looking at me with knowing eyes, Rose nodded in confirmation at my disbelief. "He's right, comrade. It was you. You don't know how important you are to them. To all of use. If Mason…if Mason had survived, he would have followed you into those caves without question. He would have followed you anywhere." Folding her arms across her stomach, she looked at Eddie with a melancholic expression. "I miss him."
"Me too." Crossing to her, he hugged her to his side as they shared in their sorrow of a friend lost far too soon and far too young. Hating the grief that had suddenly stolen all the joy of the moment from them, I rose; ignoring my own discomfort. "Alright, you two. Let's go find Lissa and Christian. Tell them the good news, okay?"
Nodding, the pair separated. Eddie headed out first with Rose following more slowly after. Reaching the door, she leaned backwards; extending her neck for a secret kiss. Ending it too quickly, she winked at me before heading out the door. Grabbing the key card, I locked the door and looked down the hallway. "What are your suite numbers?"
"94." Rose replied, looking at me over her shoulder. "Eddie's is 97 and Ryan's is 98."
"Yeah. We're practically neighbours." Slinging an arm over Rose's shoulders, Eddie grinned down at her. "Feels weird, right? We've never lived this closely together before."
"We were in the same block at the Academy."
"Yeah, but we were at opposite ends of it."
"And yet I could still hear you snoring."
"That was Nathan, not me." Eddie replied indignantly.
"Sure, Eddie."
Smiling as the two continued to bicker; we rode the elevator down to the lobby and walked out into the warmth of a Pennsylvanian summer's afternoon. "It's hotter here; more steamy." Rose remarked, wiping away at sweat building up on the back of her neck.
"Yes. Closer to the coast there's more humidity."
"I can't wait to be off duty. First chance I get, I'm going into Philadelphia."
"Maybe you should check out Allentown first, Eddie."
Not listening, Eddie continued to outline his plans for his time off as Rose and I listened with amusement. Walking through the gardens, most of the flowering plants were in full bloom and the fruit trees hanging heavily with plums, cumquats and nectarines. The scent mingled with jasmine and orange blossoms as the pungent aroma of resin from tree bark filled the air.
Shown to the largely deserted main lounge of Royal housing a few minutes later, we were told that both Lissa and Christian had been there for a while; waiting for us. Finding them sitting closely together on a plush sofa, they were talking quietly to each other when they saw us approaching. Jumping to her feet as soon as she saw us, Lissa all but demanded. "So?"
Shrugging, Rose tried to look regretful before a huge grin lit up her beautiful features. "Sorry, Lissa…you're still stuck with me."
Squealing in delight, Lissa swooped forward to wrap her up in a tight hug. "It's official? You're my guardian?"
"Yep, not only am I your guardian, I'm also your primary, so apart from time off and when we're away from Court, I've got my eye on you at all times."
"There's no better eye to watch me…except his." Beaming at me, I bowed slightly in acknowledgment of the compliment.
"And me?"
Turning to Christian, Rose rolled her eyes. "Oh, Christian, I feel even sorrier for you."
"Why?"
"Because you've got me for your guardian." Grinning, Eddie looked at Christian with mirth in his hazel eyes.
"Oh, thank, God," Christian sagged in relief. "I was dreading that I would get Dean or Shane. I'd go looking for a Strigoi if that happened." Shaking hands, they grinned at each other. It was a good match. Eddie was familiar with Christian's tendencies to become reckless and Eddie was one of the few that Christian might actually listen to. They would do well together.
"Where's Adrian?" Eddie asked, looking around.
"With the Queen apparently. He was summoned to her almost as soon as we arrived and from what I'm hearing, we won't be seeing him again tonight."
"Good. Peace and quiet for the night." Rose mused darkly as Christian chuckled.
"When do you meet with the Queen, Liss?"
"Tomorrow, to discuss my college plans." Checking her watch, Lissa looked around. "Dinner is only going to be ready in about an hour; I requested it to be a little earlier for us. Should we walk around until then?" Lissa suggested, looping her arm through Rose's as she and Christian were handed large umbrellas by the doorman. "You can tell us everything that happened."
Walking leisurely down the winding pathways and deeper into the gardens, Rose and Eddie replayed everything that had happened with Hans and the other graduates. Whilst Christian and Eddie discussed what they were going to do in the major cities and how quickly they could get to them, Rose and Lissa discussed what they were going to once they got to Lehigh University. They would both attend in the fall, though Rose was only going as a necessity. She might take an interest in the classes that Lissa would attend, but it didn't seem likely. It was going to be difficult for us to spend so much time apart during those months and we would have to try and arrange for every spare minute off to be together, but it was only about an hour's drive from Court. We would find a way to make it work.
After everything we had already been through, neither of us was about to let a little distance come between us.
"Art History, maybe?" Lissa was saying now as we entered a thicket of oaks; walking ahead of us. "That's the major I want. I have no idea which minor to choose."
"Maybe the Queen's picked one for you already?" Rose mused, giving Lissa a look.
"She's just interested in my education, Rose. There isn't any ulterior motive."
"Hmm." Clearly mistrusting the Queen's motives, I had to agree with Rose. The Queen never did anything without a reason and whatever plans she had for Lissa, they were ones she was keeping to herself.
"Rose, don't you think that you're a little judgmental of the Queen? She's only looking out…" Trailing off as she brushed aside a large shrub branch; Lissa stopped and smiled suddenly; pulling Rose forward to look around the thicket leaves. Smiling as well, Rose looked at me over her shoulder and whispered. "Hey, comrade? You were right."
"About what?"
"Mia and Konrad."
Looking over her shoulder, with Eddie and Christian beside me, I saw what she meant. Sitting closely together on a bench and surrounded by overhanging branches of orange blossom, Mia and Kon were all but twined around each other; oblivious to anyone who might see them…actually, they didn't seem at all concerned that anyone would see them.
Their relationship was out in the open.
"This is wrong," Lissa murmured disapprovingly; twisting her umbrella out of the way before it poked Eddie in the eye. "We shouldn't be spying on them like this."
"You're right," Rose murmured back. "Let's go say hello." Latching onto Lissa's arm before she could protest, Rose dragged her out from around the bush and called out. "Hey, Mia!"
Startled, Mia looked up, but didn't jump away from Konrad. Smiling in delighted surprise as she recognized us, she straightened up and waved. "Rose…Lissa." Jumping up from the seat, she left Konrad behind and ran to us; blonde hair flying in the wind. Grabbing Lissa first into a hug and then Rose, she turned towards Eddie and Christian. Rising more slowly as Kon saw me, he didn't seem surprised, but he wouldn't have thought anything of it. He knew I had been transferred.
"Dimitri." Shaking hands, he looked as happy to see me as Mia did the others. "Great to see you again. Welcome to Court…officially." Bowing to Lissa and smiling at the others, he suddenly frowned. "Why didn't you tell me what time you were arriving today? I would have met you at the tarmac."
"Tarmac was crowded, Kon. You would have got lost." My initial impulse was to be as unguarded with him as I had been before, but Rose's question from last night rose suspiciously in my memory. What if he was one of Ibrahim's spies? Until I knew that answer for sure, I would keep him close, but never close enough to betray me.
"They do like their official welcomes here." Kon replied wryly before turning to Rose and Eddie. "Have you received your assignments yet?"
"Yeah. About an hour ago. I'm Edison Castile." Shaking Kon's hand in greeting, he smiled at Christian. "I've been assigned to Lord Ozera."
"Lord Ozera," Christian mused. "I like that, Eddie. Keep calling me that."
Laughing at him, Lissa hooked her arm around his waist. "Be nice, Christian."
"Hey, what's the point of having authority if you can't use it?"
"Like Adrian?"
"No, Rose." Christian cocked a black brow. "That's misuse."
"He's in trouble again with his Great-aunt." Konrad supplied; his mouth twisting as Mia moved closer to him and he reached for her hand; twining their fingers tightly together.
"For the drinking?" Rose asked, reaching up to pluck at a low hanging flower.
"Yeah. She wants him to go into some kind of rehab, but he's digging his heels in. According to what I'm hearing, their meeting earlier wasn't a pleasant one."
"He won't go." Rose confirmed darkly. "He doesn't want help from others and he doesn't want to help himself."
"He might not have a chance this time, Rose." Kon corrected before looking at me and cautiously asking. "Do they know about you and Adrian?"
"They do."
"You're cousins, Dimitri. Maybe you can convince him to go to rehab?" Grinning wickedly, Konrad knew better than to ask but couldn't resist the chance to bait me.
"Stop annoying Guardian Belikov, Kon. You told me he wasn't happy with the relationship." Mia chided before I could reply; elbowing him hard in the ribs as he doubled over.
"I'm not, Mia…and he knows it. He's just taunting me. And please, call me Dimitri."
"Hey, stop flirting. Get your own girlfriend." Hugging Mia possessively to his side, he smirked at my expression before turning to Rose. "Who did you get?"
"Me." Lissa chirped happily, slinging her arm around Rose's shoulders.
"That's great, Rose. Congratulations." Mia seemed genuinely pleased for her; their relationship having evolved beyond simple rivalry to something closely resembling friendship. "So you and Dimitri get to guard her together?"
"No, Mia. I'm no longer Lissa's guardian. Rose is now her primary." I looked at Kon with a brow raised in question as he shrugged. He obviously hadn't told her about the transfer to the Queen's Guard.
"Oh, then what are you doing?"
"I've been reassigned to the Queen's Guard. I start tomorrow."
Eyes rounding in her pretty face, Mia was stunned. "So you're going to be guarding your great-aunt? Does she know about you?"
"I'm sure she does, but that doesn't make any difference. This is my job and I'll do it regardless of any outside influences."
"Of course. That's wonderful news, Dimitri." Turning to Konrad, Mia frowned. "Why didn't you tell me? You obviously knew."
"Because you usually have my mouth occupied." Winking at her she blushed furiously, the rest of us laughed.
"Konrad Medvedev…that is private."
"Yes, babe."
I was happy for Konrad and for Mia, but I was also very envious at the openness and ease of their relationship. They didn't have to lie about where they were or hide who they were with. Not the way that Rose and I still had to. They were free to simply be with each other. Glancing over Eddie's head at her, Rose seemed to feel the same way as she looked at the couple with what could only be described as resentment. The resentment wasn't created by their relationship, but because she knew that it would be a long time before we could be as open about ours.
"It's almost time for dinner," Lissa commented, looking at her watch. "Do you two want to join us? As my guests? I've asked them to seat us early."
Sharing a look, the couple quickly nodded to each other before Mia linked her arm through Lissa's. "We would. Thank you for the invitation."
Starting back towards housing, the five former school mates talked amongst themselves ahead of us whilst Kon and I had a quieter conversation about what was going at Court and if there had been any further sighting of Victor Dashkov. He no longer worried me as much, not with Ibrahim Mazur's presence a more looming threat, but he was still a possible danger.
"You're still worried about him? There's been no further sighting of him; he's basically vanished. Besides, even if he was around, what could he do at Court?"
"Not much, but when Lissa goes to University in August, she'll be away from the safety of Court and he'll have more opportunities to get to her." With Rose caught firmly in the crosshairs. If Rose knew that that I was as concerned about her safety as I was for Lissa's, she wouldn't be happy with me or my lack of belief in her abilities. Knowing her, she would relish the opportunity to take apart Victor Dashkov and that could be just as dangerous.
"You really think Rose would let him get near her?" Nodding towards her, Kon shook his head. "Not a chance."
"Hmmm."
"Come on, man. Switch off protective mode and relax for a change. Enjoy this. You're going to love living at Court." Hooking an arm around my shoulders, he squeezed. "It's going to be great to have you here fulltime, although, with the big head you're going to get from being on the QG, I might take a swing at you before long."
"The last time you tried that, you were on the floor before I was, Medvedev."
"Cheap shot, Belikov."
Laughing now at a memory that had very nearly gotten both of us expelled, we were shown into the private dining room in Royal housing and to a table on the enclosed terrace. Seated at the large table, the pristinely dressed waiters took our drink orders and left us with the menus. Ordering, we lapsed into general conversation that was both comfortable and entertaining as Kon and Mia caught us up on all the gossip at Court. Asking questions about other guardians and Court officials that sound like nothing more than curiosity but were more probing than either of them realised, I began to build on the information I needed to tell apart friend from foe. Including Konrad.
"So, from what we've heard, they were caught in a filing room," Kon filled us in around a mouthful of salmon. "Not exactly the smartest place to hook up in, especially as there as so many people who go in and out of that room, but Bradshaw's never been the sharpest knife in the draw. Especially when he has an erection. It's the little head that does the thinking for him."
Spluttering around a forkful of steak, Rose laughed at his wording. "What was the problem with being caught?"
"The…lady, shall we call her, is married." Kon replied, waggling his blonde eyebrows comically.
"Damn." Christian muttered, adding more pepper to his potatoes au Gratin. "To who?"
"Misha Young."
"The head of the Royal Guard?" Shaking her head, Rose eyed Eddie. "When we meet him tomorrow night, he's still going to be pissed. We need to be on our best behaviour."
Gulping down a spoonful of brussel sprouts, Eddie groaned. "Great. The first time we get to meet him, and he's going to be as mean as a snake after finding out his wife is cheating on him with one of the guardians he oversees. Just what we need."
"What does his wife do…I mean other than this guy, Bradshaw?" Lissa asked with mirth twinkling in her eyes as she licked her fingers of the last morsel of cheese sauce from her casserole whilst Christian chuckled beside her.
"She works in admin. Her name is Caroline Fletcher-Young. She's the one that you'll all need to provide your expenses to once when you leave the grounds. Or, maybe not. There's rumour going around that she's going to be moved to another department…and so is Bradshaw."
"Where?"
"No one knows that yet, Dimitri, but my guess is it's going to have something do with toilet cleaning and sanitation disposal."
"Ouch." Rose winced.
"Are they planning on divorcing?" Spooning up the last bite of my beef stroganoff, I raised a brow at Konrad.
"Best guess is yes. It's not common for spouses to work that closely together at Court and because of the strife it's going to cause, no one expects them to stay together."
"No one is really going to feel much sympathy for her." Mia chipped in; spearing the last piece of her chicken. "She's not exactly popular. Because of her husband's position, she's always considered herself better than anyone else; dhampir or working Moroi. She's a real bitch."
"You're enjoying this." Rose smirked.
"Yeah, I am."
Laughing at Mia's almost gleeful expression as the waiters collected our empty plates, Kon and Mia explained more fully all the different working parts of Court. Returning to take our dessert orders, the dining room began to fill as night fell, and as both Rose and I expected, the speculative glances in our direction from those arriving began. Eyeing me agitatedly, Rose toyed with her soufflé as the others remained all but oblivious to them.
"So what other rumours can you tell us, Konrad?" Eddie asked eagerly; eyes lighting up at the prospect of more gossip.
"Actually, there is one very interesting rumour doing the rounds at Court at the moment…one that revolves around you, Rose." Looking pointedly at her, she grimaced and I glared blackly at him because there was only one rumour they could have heard about that involved Rose and it was guaranteed to spoil her mood and mine.
"Let me guess…it involves Ibrahim Mazur?"
Nodding, Kon moved his dessert plate to the side and leaned keenly over the table towards her. "Is it true?"
"Unfortunately, yes. He's my father."
"Damn. I was hoping that was one rumour that was nothing more than groundless gossip."
Looking at me, the communication between Kon and I was silent even as I sighed and sat back; resigned to the fact that this was going to be discussed whether I wanted it to be or not. He knew just how dangerous the man was and what this would mean for Rose.
"Who is Ibrahim Mazur?" Mia asked, puzzled, obviously having heard nothing about it.
"European Moroi…gangster." Kon replied shortly; reaching for a glass of sparking water. "He's bad news, but because he's a very wealthy Moroi and has favour with the Queen, he's generally allowed to come and go at Court as he pleases instead of having his ass booted from the property."
"And you didn't know he was your father?" Mia questioned gently, having picked up easily enough that this was a sore subject for Rose.
"Nope, not until the day of Trials when he loudly announced to anyone within hearing distance that I was his daughter."
"Your mother never told you who he was?"
"No, Mia. She never mentioned him. She claims that it was to protect me."
"From what?"
"His enemies, babe." Kon slotted in with a worried frown. "Like I said…he's bad news."
"Not only is he bad news, his announcement is distracting everyone from the only real thing that matters. That I'm a guardian and good at what I do. All they're going to see now is the daughter of Zmey." Flicking a look in my direction, I knew how she felt about an association with a father that wasn't wanted and that it would take away something from the reputation she would want to build on her own name and no one else's.
"Zmey…snake? Wow, that's not a good nickname."
Sighing at Mia's comment, Rose shook her head before pushing away her unfinished desert. Her appetite had vanished alongside her good mood.
Lissa, attuned as always to Rose's emotions, reached across the table for her hand; squeezing it tightly in silent comfort. "You can't let him ruin this, Rose. He doesn't need to be involved in your life."
"He already is, Liss. Whether I want him to be or not."
"What are you going to do when he comes to Court later this month?"
Dumbfounded, Rose stared at Konrad for a moment. "When is he coming to Court?"
"No dates have been announced yet, but from what I've heard, it's going to be in the next two weeks or so. It has to be because of you. He's never normally in the States this often."
Fiddling with the end of my fork, I suddenly wondered where he had heard this information from. Simple gossip or straight from the source?
"Fuck."
As the table fell silent at her expletive; one that held a wealth of emotion that no one could misunderstand, the mood suddenly changed from light-hearted to uncomfortable. Rose might have been able to avoid him at the Academy, had he actually stayed for her graduation ceremony and beyond that, but there was less of a chance of her avoiding him here. Wiping her mouth with her napkin, she tried to smile in reassurance at the troubled looks around her, but it failed miserably as the spectre of her father once again stole the enjoyment from the moment, and I silently cursed Konrad for bringing it up in the first place.
"Sorry, everyone, but talking about that man…." Not finishing the sentence, Rose stood and looked around the table in apology before settling troubled brown eyes on Lissa. "I think I need a little fresh air. Dinner was great, Liss. Thank you."
"We'll go with you. I'm tired; not used to getting up so early in the day." Rising too, Lissa pulled Christian up with her.
"No, stay. You don't need to come with me."
"Hey, you're my guardian. Where you go, I go, remember?" Pushing in her chair, she hooked her arm around Rose's waist. "Besides, I could use a walk after that meal." Patting her still flat stomach, Lissa turned to the waiter to ask him to pass along her thanks to the chef for the meal, whilst Konrad got awkwardly to his feet and Mia looked on worriedly.
"I'm sorry, Rose. I would never have mentioned it if I knew how upset it would make you."
"It's alright, Konrad. It's not your fault. I knew he would eventually come here looking for me. I just hoped it wouldn't be so soon."
"What does he want from you?"
"That is a question that no one seems to be able to answer." Casting a look towards me as I stood, Rose said goodnight to Kon and Mia as Eddie, Lissa and Christian repeated the same and the four began to walk out of the room. Ignoring the whispers and looks, she didn't acknowledge any of them as Lissa gave them a haughty glare before tucking her arm more firmly with her own in a show of solidarity.
"Shit. Sorry, Dimitri. I didn't mean to ruin the night." Looking genuinely apologetic and remorseful, I assessed his expression for a second before nodding, but said nothing more on the subject. Wishing them a goodnight, I followed after the four, all the while wondering if it had been a calculated move on his part in gaining information. Catching up with them as they entered Royal housing, the building ran adjacent to Royal guardians housing with a suspended central passageway that connected the two in order to provide easy, fast access to the guardians if there was ever any need for it.
Looking around the hallways and fire escapes, Rose familiarized herself with every route in and out as Lissa watched her with an amused half-smile as she showed us the doors of the adjoining suite she shared with Christian. "Take it easy, Rose. We're safe here."
"After the attack at the Academy, Liss, you can't honestly think that."
Sobering instantly at the reminder, she nodded. "What are your suite numbers?"
"Mine is 94; Eddie's is 97 and Ryan's is 98. Dimitri is further down the same hall in 109. If you take a left at the end of the hall and cross over the suspended walkway, you take your next right and you're there. Left then right, got it?"
"Got it." Hugging her tightly for a moment, Rose clasped her arms around her just as tightly as Lissa whispered something in her ear that made her lips twitch. Releasing her, Lissa turned to me. "So this is it?" Looking forlorn, I was helpless to do anything but reach out for her and pull her into a comforting hug.
"We're still all together, Lissa. That's what's important. Just remember that."
Sniffing, she rubbed her nose against my chest. "I will. Thank you for everything, Dimitri."
"It was a pleasure, Lissa."
Releasing her to Christian, he pulled her into his arms. "When will we see you again?"
"Probably not for the first week; we'll all be busy. We'll try and make some kind of arrangement for the week after to meet up."
"Great. Good luck with the Queen, Dimitri." Turning to Rose, he slung a casual arm over her shoulders. "See you tomorrow, probably?"
"As Lissa isn't going to dump you anytime soon, probably."
Smirking at her comment, Christian gently punched her shoulder before leading Lissa away with Eddie following protectively after as he said goodnight. It seemed he was already in guardian mode, which was good to see. Even within the safety of the grounds, everyone still needed to be alert. Glancing at Rose, I wanted time alone with her before I left for my suite, even if it was five minutes so an excuse had to be made.
Speaking loudly enough so that they and anyone else within earshot could hear me, I asked Rose casually. "Is your suite similar to mine?"
Sliding a wry glance at me, Rose shook her head as she understood my less than subtle prompt. Crossing over the catwalk again, she unlocked her doors and ushered me in with an extravagant sweep of her arms. Once inside, I explored a little. Decorated similarly to my own, it wasn't as large or as luxurious, but it was still a vast improvement on housing at the Academy. Finding Rose standing at the French doors when I returned to the lounge, she seemed lost in thought as she looked out over an almost identical view of the Poconos.
Kissing the top of her head, I wrapped my arms around her. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah. I feel a little stupid though for letting him mess up what was a really nice night."
"No one blames you."
"I blame myself. Maybe if I understood his motives a little better I wouldn't let him get to me, but it's frustrating not knowing what he's going to do next. Even with the leverage we have over him, he could still do anything, including interfering with us."
Concerned about that as well, there wasn't much I could say right now to dilute her fears. Kissing her ear gently, we stood for a long moment before Rose sighed and rested back against me. "Mia and Konrad look really happy. They don't have to hide their relationship. Not like we do."
Cupping her face, I rested my forehead against her own. "We'll get there, Roza. I promise. We just have to be a little more patient."
"We're not going to see each much; not for the next week at least."
"No, we won't and that's going to be hard, but we'll both be busy and the time with pass quickly." Turning her, I hugged her tightly before whispering into her ear. "Good luck with your first firearms instruction tomorrow. Please don't shoot anyone."
Snorting, Rose rested her ear against the heart she owned. "Maybe they can pin a picture of Ibrahim to the target?"
"Well, you wouldn't miss. We have more important things to concentrate on now. Forget about him, Roza."
"You first."
"Point taken." Kissing her softly; my lips lingered for as long as I could afford. "Goodnight, Moye Serdtse. I'll see you soon."
"Night, comrade…and good luck tomorrow. Not that you normally need luck."
"Thank you for it anyway. Get some sleep."
Nodding, Rose closed the door quietly behind me, but I knew that she wouldn't get as much sleep as she needed and neither would I. Walking slowly to my suite along the carpeted hallways; my thoughts were on tomorrow and what it would bring, but mostly they were about Ibrahim Mazur, and like Rose, I found it difficult to simply forget about him and the unknown threats he still might pose to us.