Chapter Text
Christian took the book from Ivan thoughtfully. How long would it take for him and Lissa to make up? Would they? And what was Rose going to do to force them to?
THREE
THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS were strange. The other novices and I might have had the flashiest graduation, but we weren't the only ones finishing our education at St. Vladimir's. The Moroi had their own commencement ceremony, and campus grew packed with visitors. Then, almost as quickly as they came, parents disappeared--taking their sons and daughters with them. Royal Moroi left to spend their summers with their parents at luxury estates--many in the Southern Hemisphere, where the days were shorter this time of year. "Ordinary" Moroi left with their parents too, off to more modest homes, possibly getting summer jobs before college. And of course, with school wrapping up for the summer, all the other students left too. Some with no family to go home to, usually dhampirs, stayed year-round, taking special electives, but they were the minority. Campus grew emptier each day as my classmates and I waited for the day when we'd be taken to the Royal Court.
That time of year was always the hardest for Alberta. She rarely ever saw the dhampirs who graduated again—it was a bittersweet reminder of the dangers that waited beyond the Academy walls. And after what had happened in the third book, even schools and Court were no longer the safe havens they once believed.
“Rose is going to hate Court,” Janine said, shaking her head. “She’s too much like her father. The politics and pageantry will drive her mad before long.”
“Well, they won’t be there too long. Lissa’s going to college,” Abe said, relieved that Rose wouldn’t be trapped at Court for a while longer.
We made our farewells to others, Moroi moving on or younger dhampirs who'd soon be following in our footsteps. One person I was sad to part with was Jill. I happened to catch her as I was walking toward Lissa's dorm the day before my Court trip. There was a woman with Jill, presumably her mother, and both were carrying boxes. Jill's face lit up when she saw me. "Hey Rose! I said goodbye to everyone else but couldn't find you," she said excitedly. I smiled. "Well, I'm glad you caught me." I couldn't tell her that I'd been saying goodbye too. I'd spent my last day at St. Vladimir's walking all the familiar sites, starting with the elementary campus where Lissa and I had first met in kindergarten. I'd explored the halls and corners of my dorms, walked past favorite classrooms, and even visited the chapel.
Abe and Janine were quiet, their expressions tinged with melancholy. Their daughter was an adult now—and they had missed it all. Missed her growing up, missed being part of her life, missed being there for her.
“Okay, seriously, this sucks,” Mason muttered, trying to blink back the tears burning in his eyes. He wasn’t the only one—those who had already graduated felt the sting of memory, and those still at the Academy suddenly dreaded the day they would have to leave the place that had shaped them.
I'd also passed a lot of time in areas filled with bittersweet memories, like the training areas where I'd first gotten to know Dimitri. The track where he used to make me run laps. The cabin where we'd finally given in to each other. It had been one of the most amazing nights of my life, and thinking about it always brought me both joy and pain.
“Oh, and the hits keep coming,” Karolina sighed, shaking her head. Her brother sat beside her, alive and well, with an incredible future ahead—if he didn’t mess it up. It was almost impossible to imagine him dead, or worse, Strigoi. Or how deeply his loss had hurt Rose—or would hurt her, if they couldn’t save him this time.
Jill didn't need to be burdened with any of that, though. I turned toward her mother and started to offer my hand until I realized she couldn't shake it while maneuvering the box. "I'm Rose Hathaway. Here, let me carry that." I took it before she could protest because I was certain she would. "Thank you," she said, pleasantly surprised. I fell in step with them as they began walking again. "I'm Emily Mastrano. Jill's told me a lot about you." "Oh yeah?" I asked, giving Jill a teasing smile. "Not that much. Just how I hang out with you sometimes." There was a slight warning in Jill's green eyes, and it occurred to me that Emily probably didn't know her daughter practiced forbidden forms of Strigoi killing magic in her free time.
“Ah, Rose—slowly collecting all the rebels,” Adrian said fondly, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.
“That poor mother,” Olena sighed. “And poor Jill when her own mother finds out.” She shuddered. “If my daughters or Dimitri ever kept a secret that dangerous from me…” She let the threat hang in the air, and her children wisely didn’t test her.
"We like having Jill around," I said, not blowing her cover. "And one of these days, we're going to teach her to tame that hair." Emily laughed. "I've been trying for almost fifteen years. Good luck." Jill's mother was stunning. The two didn't resemble each other much, at least not superficially. Emily's lustrous hair was straight and black, her eyes deep blue and long-lashed. She moved with a willowy grace, very different from Jill's always self-conscious walk. Yet, I could see the shared genes here and there, the heart-shaped faces and lip shapes. Jill was still young, and as she grew into her features, she'd likely be a heartbreaker herself someday--something she was probably oblivious to right now.
“Well, if Rose saw it, then Lissa definitely did,” Mason said, grimacing in sympathy for Christian. Everyone knew Rose was stubborn—but people always forgot that Lissa could be just as unreasonable when it came to the people she loved.
Hopefully her self-confidence would grow.
“We could help her,” Eddie said softly, looking at Mason, who nodded without hesitation.
"Where's home for you guys?" I asked. "Detroit," said Jill, making a face. "It's not that bad," laughed her mom. "There are no mountains. Just highways." "I'm part of a ballet company there," Emily explained. "So we stay where we can pay the bills." I think I was more surprised that people went to the ballet in Detroit than that Emily was a ballerina. It made sense, watching her, and really, with their tall and slim builds, Moroi were ideal dancers as far as humans were concerned. "Hey, it's a big city," I told Jill. "Enjoy the excitement while you can before you come back to the boring middle of nowhere." Of course, illicit combat training and Strigoi attacks were hardly boring, but I wanted to make Jill feel better. "And it won't be that long." Moroi summer vacations were barely two months. Parents were eager to return their children to the safety of the Academy. "I guess," said Jill, not sounding convinced. We reached their car, and I loaded the boxes into the trunk. "I'll e-mail you when I can," I promised. "And I bet Christian will too. Maybe I can even talk Adrian into it." Jill brightened, and I was happy to see her return to her normal overexcited self.
“Well, that’s rather sweet of Rose,” Karolina cooed.
“She did take to Jill rather fast,” Alberta mused. “A lot like she did with Lissa.” She frowned slightly. “It took a while longer with Mason and Eddie.” Rose was kind by nature, but this felt different—deeper.
"Really? That would be great. I want to hear everything that goes on at Court. You'll probably get to do all sorts of cool things with Lissa and Adrian, and I bet Christian will find out all sorts of things . . . about things." Emily didn't seem to notice Jill's lame editing attempt and instead fixed me with a pretty smile. "Thanks for your help, Rose. It was great to meet you." "You too--umph!" Jill had thrown herself into me with a hug. "Good luck with everything," she said. "You're so lucky--you're going to have such a great life now!" I returned the hug, unable to explain how jealous of her I was. Her life was still safe and innocent. She might resent spending a summer in Detroit, but the stay would be brief, and soon she'd be back in the familiar and easy world of St. Vladimir's. She wouldn't be setting out into the unknown and its dangers. It was only after she and her mother had driven off that I could bring myself to respond to her comment. "I hope so," I murmured, thinking about what was to come. "I hope so."
“Nothing bad is going to happen,” Abe murmured, as if saying it enough times would make it true.
Dimitri, however, said nothing. He only prayed that Rose and Lissa would not cross paths with him—the Strigoi version of himself. The thought of that creature harming, killing, or, Saints forbid, turning Rose made his blood run cold.
My classmates and select Moroi flew out early the next day, leaving the rocky mountains of Montana behind for the rolling hills of Pennsylvania. The Royal Court was a lot like I remembered, with the same imposing, ancient feel that St. Vladimir's tried to impart with its towering buildings and intricate stone architecture. But the school also seemed to want to show off a wise, studious air, whereas the Court was more ostentatious. It was like the buildings themselves tried to make sure we all knew that this was the seat of power and royalty among the Moroi. The Royal Court wanted us to be amazed and maybe a little cowed. And even though I'd been here before, I was still impressed. The doors and windows of the tan stone buildings were embossed and framed in pristine golden decorations. They were a far cry from the brightness I'd seen in Russia, but I realized now that the Court's designers had modeled these buildings off the old European ones--the fortresses and palaces of Saint Petersburg.
The Russians smiled softly, comforted by the brief, warm flicker of home in the midst of it all.
St. Vladimir's had benches and paths in the quads and courtyards, but the Court went a step further. Fountains and elaborate statues of past rulers adorned the lawns, exquisite marble works that had previously been hidden in snow. Now, in the full throes of summer, they were bright and on display. And everywhere, everywhere were flowers on trees, bushes, paths--it was dazzling. It made sense that new grads would visit the guardians' central administration, but it occurred to me that there was another reason they brought new guardians here in the summer. They wanted my classmates and me to see all of this, to be overwhelmed and appreciative of the glory for which we were fighting. Looking at the faces of the new graduates, I knew the tactic was working. Most had never been here before. Lissa and Adrian had been on my flight, and the three of us clustered together as we walked with the group. It was as warm as it had been in Montana, but the humidity here was much thicker. I was sweating after only a little light walking. "You did bring a dress this time, right?" asked Adrian.
“No, Rose Hathaway threw all her dresses away the moment she graduated,” Mason said, rolling his eyes at Adrian.
“Hey, given everything that’s happened so far, that’s not as far-fetched as you think,” Adrian retorted.
“And even if she did, Lissa would just buy her new ones,” Eddie added, nodding.
"Of course," I said. "They've got some fancy things they want us to go to, aside from the main reception. Although, they might give me my black and- white for that."
“Oh, they will,” Alberta, Dimitri, and Janine said in unison.
He shook his head, and I noticed his hand start to move toward his pocket before hesitating and pulling back. He might have been making progress in quitting smoking, but I was pretty sure the subconscious urge to automatically reach for a pack when outdoors was hard to get rid of so quickly. "I mean for tonight. For dinner."
“Oooh,” the girls cooed, all eyes turning to Adrian, who suddenly felt like a bug under a microscope.
“If this goes bad, I’m never going to live it down, am I?” he asked warily.
“Not with them,” Abe said, gesturing toward Karolina, Sonja, and Viktoria. “And especially not with Sydney.”
At that, Sydney turned bright red. “What? No! I’m an alchemist,” she stammered.
“Who happens to be friends with Rose,” Abe pointed out.
“Acquaintances,” Sydney corrected quickly, looking away.
I glanced questioningly at Lissa. Her schedule at Court always had assorted functions thrown into it that "average people" didn't attend. With my new and uncertain status, I wasn't sure if I'd be going with her. I sensed her puzzlement through the bond and could tell that she didn't have a clue about any special dinner plans. "What dinner?" I asked. "The one I set up with my family."
“You’re having dinner with her parents—and you tell her the day of?” Karolina’s tone was sharp enough to cut glass. Ivan and Dimitri both placed calming hands on her shoulders before she could stand up and go smack someone.
“Sorry?” Adrian offered weakly, uncertain whether he should be afraid or impressed. Karolina might be one of the kindest people in the room, but even nice people had limits.
"The one you--" I came to an abrupt halt and stared wide-eyed, not liking the smirk on his face one bit. "Adrian!" A few of the new grads gave me curious looks and continued walking around us. "Come on, we've been going out a couple months. Meeting parents is part of the dating ritual. I've met your mom. I even met your scary-ass dad. Now it's your turn. I guarantee none of my family's gonna make the kind of suggestions your dad did."
“I’m getting a feeling this is going to go very badly,” Janine said with a shake of her head. Moroi parents rarely approved of dhampir relationships—especially royal ones.
I'd actually kind of met Adrian's dad before. Or, well, I'd seen him at a party. I doubted he had any idea who I was--my crazy reputation aside. I knew almost nothing about Adrian's mother. He actually spoke very little about his family members--well, most of them. "Just your parents?" I asked warily. "Any other family I should know about?" "Well . . ." Adrian's hand twitched again. I think this time he wanted a cigarette as some sort of protection from the warning note in my voice. Lissa, I observed, seemed highly amused by all of this.
“For her, it would be a rare sight—seeing Rose so panicked over something so… normal,” Alberta chuckled.
"My favorite great aunt might stop by." "Tatiana?" I exclaimed. For the hundredth time, I wondered how I had lucked out with a guy related to the leader of the entire Moroi world.
“Not my fault,” Abe and Janine said at the same time.
“No,” Yeva said with a knowing smile, eyes still on her knitting. “Rose just has a type.”
Some of them jumped—she’d been so quiet throughout most of the book they’d nearly forgotten she was there.
“But Dimka and Adrian couldn’t be more different,” Viktoria said, looking curiously at her grandmother.
“Mama?” Olena prompted gently, but Yeva only smiled and went back to her work.
"She hates me! You know what happened the last time we talked." Her Royal Majesty had laid into me, yelling about how I was too trashy to hook up with her nephew and how she had great "plans" for him and Lissa. "I think she's come around." "Oh, come on." "No, really." He almost looked like he was telling the truth. "I talked to my mom the other day, and . . . I don't know. Aunt Tatiana doesn't seem to hate you as much." I frowned, and the three of us began to walk again.
“Not good. Not good,” Abe muttered, clearly not liking where this was going.
"Maybe she admires your recent vigilante work," mused Lissa. "Maybe," I said. But I didn't really believe it. If anything, me going rogue should have made me more despicable in the queen's eyes. I felt kind of betrayed that Adrian had sprung this dinner on me, but there was nothing to be done about it now. The only bright side was that I had the impression he was teasing me about his aunt stopping by. I told him I'd go, and my decision put him in a good enough mood that he didn't ask too many questions when Lissa and I said we were going to do "our own thing" that afternoon.
“Also not good,” he added moments later, rubbing his temple. “Rose and Lissa are going to get me into trouble with Janine again, I can feel it.”
My classmates were all getting a tour of the Court and its grounds as part of their indoctrination, but I'd seen it all before and was able to wiggle out of it. Lissa and I dropped our belongings off in our rooms and then set out to the far side of the Court, where the not-so-royal people lived. "Are you going to tell me yet what this other part of your plan is?" asked Lissa. Ever since Abe had explained about Victor's prison, I'd been making another mental list of the problems we'd have breaking into it.
“She’s your daughter—why did you tell her about the prison?” Janine demanded, exasperated.
“Because she asked?” Abe replied weakly. “What—so sue me! She’s my only child; I wanted to help her.” He paused, groaning. “And now I just really hope she doesn’t actually try to break into a prison—or rather, that prison.”
Mainly, there were two, which was one less than I'd initially had since talking to Abe. Not that things were really much easier. First, we had no clue where in Alaska this place was. Second, we didn't know what the prison's defenses and layout were like. We had no idea what we had to bust through. Yet, something told me all of these answers could be found in one source, which meant I really only had one immediate problem: how to reach that source.
“It can’t be that simple, can it?” Ivan asked Dimitri.
“I really hope not,” Dimitri muttered, shaking his head.
Fortunately, I knew someone who might be able to help get us there.
Please let it not be me, Abe prayed silently. If it was, he was sure Janine and Alberta would kill him—and then how could he terrify Dimitri properly?
"We're going to see Mia," I told her.
“Oh thank God,” Abe exhaled in relief, slumping back in his chair.
“You were worried she’d come to you,” Janine accused. “And if she had, you’d have helped her.”
“I’d say I’m sorry,” Abe smiled charmingly, “but we both know I’d do anything for our daughter.”
Janine just sighed and looked away, trying not to smile.
“How would Mia even get this information?” Sydney asked. “She’s not royal, and this isn’t exactly easy to come by.”
“Who knows,” Oksana murmured. “They’re all playing a dangerous game—one that could easily get them killed.”
Mia Rinaldi was a former Moroi classmate of ours--a former enemy, actually. She was also the poster child for total personality makeovers. She'd gone from a scheming bitch who was willing to crush--and sleep with-- anyone in her quest for popularity to a down-to-earth, confident girl eager to learn to defend herself and others from Strigoi.
“Given what happened in the second book, it’s understandable,” Alberta said softly, glancing toward Mason, who frowned. In the end, it would come down to him—would he act like his book self, or grow beyond it?
She lived here at Court with her father. "You think Mia knows how to break into a prison?" "Mia's good, but I don't think she's that good. She can probably help us get intel, though." Lissa groaned. "I can't believe you just used the word intel. This really is turning into a spy movie." She spoke flippantly, but I could feel the worry within her. The light tone was masking her fear, the unease she still felt about freeing Victor, despite her promise to me. Those non-royals who worked and did ordinary things at Court lived in apartments far from the queen's quarters and receiving hall. I'd gotten Mia's address in advance, and we set out across the perfectly manicured grounds, grumbling to each other along the way about the hot day. We found her at home, casually dressed in jeans and a T-shirt with a Popsicle in her hand. Her eyes widened when she saw us outside her door. "Well, I'll be damned," she said.
That got a few reluctant chuckles.
I laughed. It was the kind of response I'd give. "Nice to see you too. Can we come in?" "Of course." She stepped aside. "You want a Popsicle?" Did I ever. I took a grape one and sat with her and Lissa in the small living room. The place was a far cry from the opulence of royal guest housing, but it was cozy and clean and undoubtedly well loved by Mia and her father. "I knew the grads were coming," Mia said, brushing blond curls out of her face. "But I wasn't sure if you were with them or not. Did you even graduate?"
“To the shock and relief of many, I’m sure,” Alberta said with a fond smile.
"I did," I said. "Got the promise mark and everything." I lifted my hair so she could see the bandage. "I'm surprised they let you back in after you took off on your killing spree. Or did you get extra credit for that?" Apparently, Mia had heard the same tall tale about my adventures that everyone else had. That was fine with me. I didn't want to talk about the truth. I didn't want to talk about Dimitri. "Do you think anyone could stop Rose from doing what she wants?" asked Lissa with a smile.
“Well, so far only one person’s gotten close,” Ivan noted, glancing toward Dimitri.
“Well, now she needs to be kept safe from that person,” Dimitri replied simply.
“That’s not you in the books,” Karolina and Olena said together.
“It could be,” Dimitri answered quietly.
She was trying to keep us from getting into too much detail about my past whereabouts, for which I was grateful. Mia laughed and crunched on a big chunk of lime ice. It was a wonder she didn't get brain freeze. "True." Her smile faded as she swallowed the bite. Her blue eyes, always shrewd, studied me in silence for a few moments. "And Rose wants something now." "Hey, we're just happy to see you," I said. "I believe you. But I also believe you've got an ulterior motive." Lissa's smile grew.
“Well, she is Abe’s daughter,” Janine said with a sigh. “She had his wild ideas even before they met. Now that they have, it’s only gotten worse.”
“Aw, you say that like it’s a bad thing,” Abe said with a teasing pout. Maybe his reputation could at least offer Rose some protection—especially from Tatiana.
She was amused by me being caught in my spy game. "What makes you say that? Can you read Rose that well or do you just always assume she's got an ulterior motive?" Now Mia smiled again. "Both." She scooted forward on the couch, fixing me with a serious look. When had she grown so perceptive?
“Court will do that to you,” Janine muttered. “And Rose was always observant—adapting quickly comes naturally to her.”
"Okay. No point in wasting time. What do you need my help with?" I sighed, busted. "I need to get inside the guardians' main security office." Beside me, Lissa made a sort of strangled noise. I felt kind of bad for her. While she could conceal her thoughts from me on occasion, there wasn't much she did or said that came as a true surprise. Me? I continually blindsided her.
“Rose blindsides everyone,” Eddie chuckled.
She had no clue what was coming half the time, but honestly, if we were planning on springing a renowned criminal out of prison, then breaking into a security office shouldn't have been that big of a shock.
“For you, maybe,” Janine said to Abe. “But Lissa’s a good girl—she doesn’t have your rebellious streak.”
In truth, she was grateful for that. Lissa and Rose balanced each other out beautifully—chaos and calm, rule-breaker and heart-healer.
"Wow," said Mia. "You don't waste time with the little stuff." Her grin twitched a bit. "Of course, you wouldn't come to me with little stuff. You could do that yourself." "Can you get me--us--in there?" I asked. "You're friendly with some of the guardians here . . . and your dad has access to a lot of places. . . ." I didn't know Mr. Rinaldi's exact job, but I thought it was maintenance related. "What are you looking for?" she asked. She held up a hand when I opened my mouth to protest. "No, no. I don't need details. Just a general idea so I can figure this out. I know you're not going there just to tour the place." "I need some records," I explained. Her eyebrows rose. "Personnel? Trying to get yourself a job?" "I--no." Huh. That wasn't a bad idea, considering my precarious position with being assigned to Lissa. But no. One issue at a time.
“Sorry, Dimitri, but that’s the more pressing issue,” Janine sighed, wishing her daughter wasn’t so stubborn.
“No worries, Guardian Hathaway. I agree with you,” Dimitri said quietly. He didn’t want Rose getting herself into any more danger than she already had. If keeping her safe meant he had to stay Strigoi, so be it—better that than her dying by his hands.
"I need some records about outside security at other places--schools, royal homes, prisons." I tried to keep my expression casual as I mentioned that last one. Mia was on board with some crazy things, but even she had her limits. "I figured they must keep that stuff there?" "They do," she said. "But most of it's electronic. And no offense, but that might even be beyond your abilities. Even if we could get to one of their computers, everything's password protected. And if they walk away, they lock the computers. I'm guessing you haven't become a hacker since the last time I saw you." No, certainly not. And unlike the heroes of those spy movies Lissa teased me about, I had no tech-savvy friends who could even come close to breaking that kind of encryption and security.
Everyone turned to look at Abe.
“Hey, I haven’t done anything,” he defended quickly.
“But if she asked you, you would,” Alberta said, raising a brow.
“Ah… most likely,” Abe admitted without shame. “But then I’d have to figure out a way to keep her safe.”
“That’ll go so well,” Adrian said dryly.
Damn. I stared glumly at my feet, wondering if I had any chance at all of getting more information out of Abe. "But," said Mia, "if the information you need isn't too current, they might still have paper copies." I jerked my head up. "Where?" "They've got mass storage rooms, tucked away in one of the basements. Files and files. Still under lock and key--but probably easier to get to than fighting the computers. Again, depends on what you need. How old it is." Abe had given me the impression that Tarasov Prison had been around for a while. Surely there was a record of it in these archives. I didn't doubt the guardians had gone digital a while ago, which meant we might not find up-to-the-minute details on the place's security, but I'd settle for a blueprint.
“She makes me so proud,” Abe said with a fond grin at the book.
“Well, you sure know how to pick your girls,” Ivan chuckled, patting Dimitri on the back. “This one’s going to keep you on your toes.”
"It might be what we need. Can you get us in?" Mia was quiet for several seconds, and I could see her mind whirring. "Possibly." She glanced at Lissa. "Can you still compel people into being your slaves?" Lissa grimaced. "I don't like to think of it like that, but yeah, I can." It was another of spirit's perks. Mia considered a few moments more and then gave a quick nod. "Okay. Come back around two, and we'll see what we can do." Two in the afternoon for the rest of the world meant the middle of the night for Moroi, who ran on a nocturnal schedule. Being out in broad daylight didn't feel particularly sneaky, but I had to figure Mia's planning here was based on the fact that there would also be fewer people around that time of day. I was trying to decide if we should socialize more or
“Go and get some sleep,” the guardians ordered in unison. If the girls were going to sneak around during daylight hours, they’d need to be well-rested and alert.
head out when a knock interrupted my thoughts. Mia flinched and suddenly looked uncomfortable. She rose to get the door, and a familiar voice drifted down the hall toward us. "Sorry I'm early, but I--" Christian stepped into the living room.
“Oh, you have the best timing in the world,” Mason laughed, shaking his head.
“Great, now Lissa’s going to think I’m hooking up with Mia,” Christian groaned, rubbing his face.
He abruptly shut up when he saw Lissa and me. Everyone seemed frozen, so it looked like it was up to me to pretend like this wasn't a horribly awkward situation. "Hey, Christian," I said cheerfully. "How's it going?" His eyes were on Lissa, and it took him a moment to drag them to me. "Fine." He glanced at Mia. "I can come back. . . . " Lissa hastily stood up. "No," she said, voice cool and princess like. "Rose and I have to go anyway." "Yeah," I agreed, following her lead. "We have . . . stuff . . . to do. And we don't want to interrupt your . . ." Hell, I had no idea what they were going to do. Wasn't sure I wanted to. Mia had found her voice. "Christian wanted to see some of the moves I've been practicing with the campus guardians." "Cool." I kept the smile on my face as Lissa and I moved toward the door. She stepped as far around Christian as she could. "Jill will be jealous."
“Not just her,” Sonja muttered, shaking her head. “You’re both being complete idiots.”
And not just Jill. After another round of goodbyes, Lissa and I left and set back off across the grounds. I could feel the anger and jealousy radiating through her bond. "It's only their fight club, Liss," I said, having no need for her side of the conversation. "Nothing's going on. They're going to talk punches and kicking and other boring stuff." Well, actually that stuff was pretty sweet, but I wasn't about to glorify Christian and Mia hanging out. "Maybe now nothing's going on," she growled, staring stonily ahead. "But who knows what could happen? They spend time together, practice some physical moves, one thing leads to another--"
“If it bothers you so much, talk to the boy,” Oksana sighed. Lissa and Christian were making this far harder than it needed to be.
"That's ridiculous," I said. "That kind of stuff isn't romantic at all."
“Oh, really? Wouldn’t have guessed that from the books so far,” Ivan said sarcastically.
Another lie, seeing as that was exactly how my relationship with Dimitri had begun. Again, best not to mention that. "Besides, Christian can't be involved with every girl he hangs out with. Mia, Jill--no offense, but he's not really that much of a ladies' man." "He's really good-looking," she argued, those dark feelings still seething within her. "Yeah," I conceded, keeping my eyes carefully on the pathway. "But it takes more than that. And besides, I thought you didn't care what he did." "I don't," she agreed, not even convincing herself, let alone me. "Not at all." My attempts to distract her proved pretty useless for the rest of the day. Tasha's words came back to me: Why haven't you fixed this? Because Lissa and Christian were being too damned unreasonable, both caught up in their own pissed-off feelings--which were kind of pissing me off in return.
“Oh, now Rose is going to get annoyed,” Christian sighed. “This isn’t going to end well.”
“I wish I could say I feel sorry for you and Lissa,” Alberta said, shaking her head. “But you brought this on yourselves.” At least, she thought, this drama would be happening at Court, not the Academy. Let them deal with a furious Rose for once.
Christian would have been pretty helpful in my illicit escapades, but I had to keep my distance for Lissa's sake. I finally left her to her bad mood when dinner came around. Compared to her romantic situation, my relationship with a semi-spoiled
“Semi?” Adrian repeated, offended, placing a hand over his heart.
“More like royally spoiled,” Christian quipped.
“Thank you,” Adrian said, flashing him a grin.
royal playboy from a disapproving family seemed downright optimistic. What a sad and scary world this was becoming. I assured Lissa I'd head straight back after dinner and that we'd go see Mia together. The mention of Mia didn't make Lissa happy, but the thought of a potential break-in did distract her momentarily from Christian. The dress I had for dinner was maroon, made of light, gauzy material that was great for summer weather. The neckline was decent, and little cap sleeves gave it a classy edge. With my hair in a low ponytail that did a decent job of hiding the healing tattoo, I almost looked like a respectable girlfriend
“It’s actually rather sweet that she’s trying so hard,” Karolina smiled.
“Well, she does care for Adrian,” Alberta nodded. “So she’s trying to make him happy.”
--which only went to show how deceptive appearances were, seeing as I was part of a crazy scheme to bring my last boyfriend back from the dead. Adrian surveyed me from head to toe when I arrived at his parents' town house. They kept a permanent residence here at the Court. The small smile on his face told me he liked what he saw. "You approve?" I asked, spinning around. He slipped an arm around my waist. "Unfortunately, yes. I was hoping you'd show up in something a lot sluttier. Something that would scandalize my parents."
“Adrian!” Ivan and Karolina scolded in unison, and Adrian gave them his best sheepish grin.
"Sometimes it's like you don't even care about me as a person," I observed as we walked inside. "It's like you're just using me for shock value." "It's both, little dhampir. I care about you, and I'm using you for shock value."
“And that’s why you two aren’t going to work,” Abe said, shaking his head. “You’re both rebels. You don’t balance each other out.”
“Well, that won’t be a problem this time around,” Adrian said, nodding at Dimitri with a small smirk.
I hid a smile as the Ivashkovs' housekeeper led us toward the dining room. The Court actually had restaurants and cafes tucked away within its buildings, but royals like Adrian's parents would consider it classier to have a fancy dinner in their home. Me, I would have preferred being out in public. More escape options.
“You want to bet she’s going to make a run for it?” Eddie asked Mason.
“I don’t think she will,” Mason said thoughtfully. “She wouldn’t want to leave Adrian there to clean up her mess.”
"You must be Rose." My assessment of the exits was interrupted when a very tall, very elegant Moroi woman came into the room. She wore a long, dark green satin dress that immediately made me feel out of place and that perfectly matched the color of her--and Adrian's--eyes. Her dark hair was pulled into a bun, and she smiled down at me with genuine warmth as she took my hand.
Adrian smiled faintly at the mention of his mother—and how she was acting. So far, at least one of his parents seemed supportive.
"I'm Daniella Ivashkov," she said. "It's very nice to meet you at last." Was it really? My hand automatically shook hers in return. "Nice to meet you too, Lady Ivashkov." "Call me Daniella, please." She turned to Adrian and tsked as she straightened the collar of his button-up shirt. "Honestly, darling," she said. "Do you even look in a mirror before you walk out the door? Your hair's a mess." He dodged her as she reached toward his head. "Are you kidding? I spent hours in front of the mirror to make it look this way." She gave a tormented sigh. "Some days I can't decide if I'm lucky or not to have no other children."
The mothers in the room chuckled, while Adrian tried to avoid their eyes, cheeks turning red. Sydney smiled softly at the normalcy of Daniella’s behavior—it was almost comforting.
Behind her, quiet servants were setting food out on the table. Steam rose up from the platters, and my stomach rumbled. I hoped no one else heard. Daniella glanced off down the hall beyond her. "Nathan, will you hurry up? The food's getting cold." A few moments later, heavy footsteps sounded on the ornate wood floor, and Nathan Ivashkov swept into the room. Like his wife, he was dressed formally, the blue satin of his tie gleaming next to the starkness of his heavy black suit coat. I was glad they had air-conditioning in here, or he'd have been melting in that heavy fabric. The feature on him that stood out the most was what I remembered from before: a distinctly silver head of hair and mustache. I wondered if Adrian's hair would look like that when he was older.
“Never,” Adrian said firmly, shaking his head. “I’ll do anything not to go silver.”
Nah, I'd never find out. Adrian would probably dye his hair at the first sign of gray--or silver. Adrian's father might be exactly as I remembered, but it was clear he had no clue who I was. In fact, he seemed genuinely startled to see me. "This is Adrian's, ah, friend, Rose Hathaway," said Daniella gently. "You remember--he said he'd bring her tonight." "It's nice to meet you, Lord Ivashkov." Unlike his wife, he didn't offer to put us on a first-name basis, which relieved me a little.
“Makes sense,” Alberta said with a wistful sigh. “The only royals who were ever truly kind to Rose were Lissa’s parents. I still miss them—they were the example the rest should have followed.”
The Strigoi who had forcefully turned Dimitri had been named Nathan too, and it wasn't a name I wanted to speak aloud. Adrian's father looked me over, but it wasn't with the appreciation Adrian had shown earlier. It was more like I was an oddity. "Oh. The dhampir girl." He wasn't rude exactly, just disinterested.
Adrian sighed and shook his head. Same old father. Well, at least his mother was trying.
I mean, it wasn't like he called me a blood whore or anything. We all sat down to eat, and although Adrian kept his typical devil-may-care smile on his face, I again got the vibe that he really, really wanted a cigarette. Probably hard liquor, too. Being around his parents was not something he enjoyed.
“Nope,” Adrian muttered, half to himself. He really hoped the books didn’t show too much about his actual parents.
When one of the servants poured us all wine, Adrian looked immensely relieved and didn't hold back. I shot him a cautioning look that he ignored. Nathan managed to rapidly devour his balsamic-glazed pork medallions while still looking elegant and proper. "So," he said, attention focused on Adrian, "now that Vasilisa's graduated, what are you going to do with yourself? You aren't going to keep slumming with high school students, are you? There's no point in you being there anymore." "I don't know," said Adrian lazily. He shook his head, further tousling his carefully mussed hair. "I kind of like hanging out with them. They think I'm funnier than I really am."
“We do,” Christian said with a nod.
“Thanks, buddy,” Adrian winked, earning an eye roll from Christian.
"Unsurprising," his father replied. "You aren't funny at all. It's time you do something productive. If you aren't going to go back to college, you should at least start sitting in on some of the family business meetings. Tatiana spoils you, but you could learn a lot from Rufus." I knew enough about royal politics to recognize the name. The oldest member of each family was usually its "prince" or "princess" and held a Royal Council position--and was eligible to become king or queen. When Tatiana had taken the crown, Rufus had become prince of the Ivashkov family since he was the next oldest. "True," said Adrian deadpan. He wasn't eating so much as pushing his food around. "I'd really like to know how he keeps his two mistresses a secret from his wife."
“Oh, they’re not going to like that,” Adrian said, grimacing. “This dinner’s doomed.”
“I really feel bad for Rose and Adrian,” Viktoria said softly.
“Meeting the parents rarely goes well,” Olena winced knowingly.
"Adrian!" snapped Daniella, a flush spilling over her pale cheeks. "Don't say things like that at our dinner table--and certainly not in front of a guest." Nathan seemed to notice me again and gave a dismissive shrug. "She doesn't matter."
“What?” Abe asked sharply, glaring at the book. Nathan Ivashkov had just earned himself a spot right below Tatiana on Abe’s list.
“Well,” Adrian sighed, resigned, “I just lost a parent. Maybe Mother can marry someone decent next time.”
I bit my lip on that, repressing the urge to see if I could throw my china plate Frisbee style and hit him in the head. I decided against it. Not only would it ruin dinner, but the plate probably wouldn't get the lift I needed. Nathan turned his scowl back to Adrian. "But you do. I'm not going to have you sitting around doing nothing--and using our money to fund it." Something told me I should stay out of this,
“But she’s not going to,” Janine sighed, hoping Rose wouldn’t lose her temper too badly. Getting into trouble the moment she arrived at Court was the last thing her daughter needed.
but I couldn't stand to see Adrian dressed down by his annoying father. Adrian did sit around and waste money, but Nathan didn't have the right to make fun of him for it. I mean, sure, I did all the time. But that was different.
“Yeah, we can make fun of him,” Mason said with a smirk, “but no one else can.”
Eddie nodded, and Adrian hid a small smile. Somehow, over the course of the books, he’d apparently been adopted into their friend group.
"Maybe you could go to Lehigh with Lissa," I offered. "Keep studying spirit with her and then . . . do whatever else you were doing the last time you were in college. . . ." "Drinking and skipping classes," said Nathan. "Art," said Daniella. "Adrian took art classes." "Really?" I asked, turning to him in surprise. Somehow, I could imagine him as an artistic type. It fit his erratic personality.
Adrian could feel the stares. “Yes, I have an artistic side,” he said defensively. “Is that really so hard to believe?”
“No,” Eddie said slowly, “but—”
“But you’d never guess it,” Mason finished for him.
“How good are you?” Sydney asked, curiosity piqued.
“Not bad,” Adrian said with a casual shrug.
"Then this would be perfect. You could pick it up again." He shrugged and finished his second glass of wine. "I don't know. This college would probably have the same problem the last one did." I frowned. "What's that?" "Homework." "Adrian," growled his father. "It's okay," said Adrian breezily. He rested his arm casually on the table. "I don't really need a job or extra money. After Rose and I get married, the kids and I'll just live off of her guardian paycheck."
“What?!” Mason, Eddie, Christian, and Viktoria shouted at him in unison.
“You most certainly won’t,” Abe and Dimitri said together, perfectly in sync, both sounding entirely overprotective.
Karolina, Sonja, Olena, Mark, Oksana, Janine, and Alberta all burst out laughing, shaking their heads, while Ivan just rubbed his temples.
He wasn’t sure which was worse—Rose or Adrian.
We all froze, even me. I knew perfectly well that he was joking. I mean, even if he harbored fantasies of marriage and kids (and I was pretty sure he didn't), the meager salary a guardian made would never be enough to keep him in the luxurious life he required. Adrian's father, however, clearly did not think he was joking. Daniella seemed undecided. Me, I was just uncomfortable. It was a very, very bad topic to bring up at a dinner like this, and I couldn't believe Adrian had gone there.
“And here I thought it’d be Rose who messed up the dinner,” Eddie said with a snort.
“Well, at least it can’t get any worse,” Janine said hopefully.
“I’m hoping it does,” Adrian said with a smirk. The books were right—he did enjoy tormenting his father.
I didn't even think the wine was to blame. Adrian just liked tormenting his father that much. The awful silence grew thicker and thicker. My gut instinct to fill conversation voids was raging, but something told me to stay quiet. The tension increased. When the doorbell rang, all four of us nearly jumped out of our chairs. The housekeeper, Torrie, scurried off to answer it, and I breathed a mental sigh of relief. An unexpected visitor would help ease the tension. Or maybe not. Torrie cleared her throat when she returned, clearly flustered as she looked from Daniella to Nathan. "Her Royal Majesty Queen Tatiana is here."
“And it got worse,” Janine sighed, “Rose really can’t get a break.”
“She better be nice,” Abe glared at the book.
No. Way. All three Ivashkovs stood up abruptly, and a half second later, I joined them. I hadn't believed Adrian earlier when he said Tatiana might come. From his face, he seemed pretty surprised now too. But sure enough, there she was. She swept into the room, elegant in what must have been business casual for her: tailored black slacks and jacket with a red silk and lace blouse underneath. Little jeweled barrettes gleamed in her dark hair, and those imperious eyes peered down at us all as we offered hasty bows. Even her own family followed formalities.
“Oh, we better,” Adrian muttered, remembering all the lectures he’d gotten growing up. Since Tatiana was queen, it had fallen on the other Ivashkovs to set the standard of respect. If your own family didn’t respect you, why should anyone else?
"Aunt Tatiana," said Nathan, forcing what looked like a smile onto his face. I don't think he did it very often. "Won't you join us for dinner?" She waved a hand dismissively. "No, no. I can't stay. I'm on my way to meet with Priscilla but thought I'd stop by when I heard Adrian had returned." Her gaze fell on him. "I can't believe you've been here all day and didn't come visit." Her voice was cool, but I swear there was an amused twinkle in her eyes. It was scary.
“Agreed,” the teens in the room said, nodding. Those who knew Tatiana personally—like Abe and Adrian—just shook their heads. Warm and fuzzy she was not; everyone who wasn’t in her favor was simply a pawn in her game.
She wasn't someone I thought of as warm and fuzzy. The whole experience of seeing her outside of one of her ceremonial rooms was totally unreal. Adrian grinned at her. He was clearly the most comfortable person in the room right now. For reasons I never understood, Tatiana loved and spoiled Adrian. That wasn't to say that she didn't love her other family members; it was just clear that he was her favorite. It had always surprised me, considering what a scoundrel he was sometimes. "Aw, I figured you had more important things to do than see me," he told her. "Besides, I quit smoking, so now we won't be able to go sneak cigarettes out behind the throne room together."
“Can you stop that?” Janine asked, incredulous at Adrian. “It’s like you want to see how awkward you can make everyone.”
“Habit,” Adrian smiled, far too pleased with himself.
"Adrian!" chastised Nathan, turning bright red. It occurred to me then that I could have based a drinking game around how many times he exclaimed his son's name disapprovingly. "Auntie, I'm sor--" Tatiana held up a hand again. "Oh, be silent, Nathan. No one wants to hear it." I almost choked. Being in the same room with the queen was horrid, but it was almost worth it to see her verbally bitch-slap Lord Ivashkov.
“Well, that’s something we can all agree on,” Abe nodded.
She turned back to Adrian, face thawing. "You've finally quit? It's about time. I suppose this is your doing?" It took me a moment to realize she was speaking to me. Until that point, I'd kind of hoped she might not have even noticed me. It seemed the only explanation for her not screaming at them to remove the rebellious little blood whore. It was shocking. Her voice wasn't accusatory, either. It was . . . impressed.
“Oh, she definitely has something planned,” Abe said, eyeing the book suspiciously.
Adrian just hoped his great-aunt didn’t get herself into too much trouble with Abe—being Queen of the vampire world probably wouldn’t save her if he ever held a grudge.
"W-well, it wasn't me, Your Majesty," I said. My meekness was a far cry from my behavior at our last meeting. "Adrian was the one who had the, uh, determination to do it." So help me, Tatiana chuckled. "Very diplomatic. They should assign you to a politician."
“Not a bad idea,” Abe mused, thinking of how quickly Rose would lose her temper and clean out the rot in court.
“No, that would be a bloodbath,” Janine said, recognizing the look in his eyes.
“Well, it would be the fastest way to clear the court,” Abe countered.
“No.” That was Janine’s final answer.
Nathan didn't like the attention on me. I wasn't sure I did either, semi pleasant or not. "Are you and Priscilla doing business tonight? Or just having a friendly dinner?" Tatiana dragged her gaze from me. "Both. There's been some interfamily squabbling going on. Not publicly, but it's getting out. People are making noise about security. Some are ready to start training up right now. Others are wondering if guardians can go without sleep." She rolled her eyes. "And those are the tamest of the suggestions."
“This isn’t going to end well,” Alberta sighed. It was clear their world was coming to a fork—and God help them all if Tatiana and her council chose the wrong path.
No question about it. This visit had gotten a lot more interesting. "I hope you're going to shut those would-be militants up," growled Nathan. "Us fighting alongside guardians is absurd." "What's absurd," said Tatiana, "is having strife among the royal classes. That's what I want to 'shut up.'" Her tone grew lofty, very queen like. "We're the leaders among the Moroi.
“And the dhampirs?” Christian glared at the book. This was what he hated about their world—the focus on the Moroi. What about the men and women who died for them, who gave up everything to keep them safe?
We have to set an example. We need to be unified to survive." I studied her curiously. What did that mean? She hadn't agreed or disagreed with Nathan's stance on Moroi fighting. She'd only mentioned establishing peace among her people. But how? Was her method to encourage the new motion or squash it? Security was a huge concern for everyone after the attack, and it fell on her to figure it out. "Sounds pretty hard to me," said Adrian, playing oblivious to the seriousness of the matter. "If you still want a cigarette afterward, I'll make an exception." "I'll settle for you coming to make a proper visit tomorrow," she said dryly. "Leave the cigarettes at home." She glanced at his empty wineglass. "And other things." A flash of steely resolve crossed her gaze,
“And she’s back to being normal,” Mason and Eddie said in relief.
and even though it melted as quickly as it had come, I felt almost relieved. There was the icy Tatiana I knew. He saluted. "Noted." Tatiana gave the rest of us brief glances. "Have a good evening," was her only farewell. We bowed again, and then she headed back toward the front door. As she did, I heard scuffling and murmured voices. She'd been traveling with a retinue, I realized, and had left them all in the foyer while she came to say hello to Adrian. Dinner was quiet after that. Tatiana's visit had kind of left us all astonished. At least it meant I didn't have to hear Adrian and his father bicker anymore. Daniella mostly maintained what little conversation there was, attempting to inquire about my interests, and I realized she hadn't said a word during Tatiana's brief visit. Daniella had married into the Ivashkovs, and I wondered if she found the queen intimidating. When the time came for us to leave, Daniella was all smiles while Nathan retired to his study. "You need to come by more often," she told Adrian, smoothing his hair in spite of his protests. "And you're welcome anytime, Rose." "Thank you," I said, dumbfounded. I kept studying her face to see if she was lying, but I didn't think she was. It made no sense.
“Is your mother normally this welcoming?” Janine asked, brow raised. She’d never seen a royal act this warmly toward a dhampir dating their child.
“No,” Adrian admitted, tilting his head, “but then again, there aren’t many girls like Rose.”
Moroi didn't approve of long-term relationships with dhampirs. Royal Moroi especially didn't. And royal Moroi related to the queen especially didn't, at least if past experience was any indication. Adrian sighed. "Maybe if he's not around. Oh, damn. That reminds me. I left my coat here last time--I wanted to get out too fast." "You've got, like, fifty coats," I remarked. "Ask Torrie," said Daniella. "She'll know where it is." Adrian went off to find the housekeeper, leaving me with his mother. I should have made polite, inconsequential small talk, but my curiosity was getting the better of me. "Dinner was really great," I told her honestly. "And I hope you won't take this the wrong way . . . but I mean . . . well, you seem okay with Adrian and me dating." She nodded serenely. "I am." "And . . ." Well, it had to be said. "Tat--Queen Tatiana kind of seemed okay with it too." "She is."
“That makes no sense,” Abe muttered, glaring at the book. He was sure Tatiana was up to something—and if a single hair on his child’s head was harmed because of her…
I made sure my jaw didn't drop to the floor. "But . . . I mean, the last time I talked to her, she was really mad. She kept telling me over and over how she'd never allow us to be together in the future or get married or anything like that." I cringed, recalling Adrian's joke. "I figured you'd feel the same. Lord Ivashkov does. You can't really want your son to be with a dhampir forever." Daniella's smile was kind but wry.
“They think it’s a phase,” Alberta shook her head. “They think if they let Adrian date Rose, he’ll grow bored and move on to whoever they’ve lined up.”
“And what if he doesn’t want to settle down with… anyone else?” Sydney asked curiously.
“They’ll try to make me,” Adrian rolled his eyes.
"Do you plan on being with him forever? Do you plan on marrying him and settling down?" The question totally caught me off guard. "I . . . no . . . I mean, no offense to Adrian. I just never--" "Planned on settling down at all?" She nodded wisely.
“With him,” Karolina and Ivan whispered at the same time, eyes flicking toward Dimitri—who still looked annoyed at the idea of Adrian and Rose “settling down.”
"That's what I thought. Believe me, I know Adrian wasn't serious earlier. Everyone's jumping to conclusions that haven't even happened. I've heard of you, Rose-- everyone has. And I admire you. And based on what I've learned, I'm guessing you aren't the type who would quit being a guardian to be a housewife." "You're right," I admitted. "Then I don't see the problem. You're both young. You're entitled to have fun and do what you want now, but I--you and I--know that even if you see Adrian off and on for the rest of your life, you aren't going to get married or settle down. And it has nothing to do with what Nathan or anyone says. It's the way of the world. It's the kind of person you are. I can see it in your eyes. Tatiana's realized it too, and that's why she eased up. You need to be out there fighting, and that's what you'll do. At least if you truly intend to be a guardian."
“That’s what she was trained to do,” Abe said flatly. “She didn’t really get a say in the matter.”
“Abe, it’s what we do,” Janine began, but he just shook his head. He didn’t want to have that argument again.
“A lot of us chose different paths,” Karolina murmured, her thoughts drifting to Paul. She could never imagine leaving him behind to guard some selfish royal—her baby was her whole world.
"I do." I was staring at her in wonder. Her attitude was amazing. She was the first royal I'd met who hadn't immediately freaked out and gone crazy over the idea of a Moroi and dhampir match. If other people shared her view, it would make a lot of others' lives easier. And she was right. It didn't matter what Nathan thought. It wouldn't have even mattered if Dimitri had been around.
“Oh no, that matters,” Adrian said with a rueful smile. “If he had been around, she wouldn’t even have looked twice at me.”
He wondered if Rose and Lissa would actually be able to restore Dimitri—and if they did, how long he’d have before she went running back to him.
Not long, he thought. Not long at all.
The bottom line was that Adrian and I wouldn't be together for the rest of our lives because I'd always be on guardian duty, not lounging around like he did. Realizing that freed things up . . . yet it made me a little sad too. Behind her, I could see Adrian approaching down the hall. Daniella leaned forward, pitching her voice low for me. There was a wistful note to her words when she spoke, the tone of a concerned mother. "But Rose? While I'm fine with you two dating and being happy, please try not to break his heart too much when the time comes."
“Or I could break her heart,” Adrian joked, pleased that his mother was still looking out for him in her own way.
“Oh, he’s going to be a wreck,” Mason shook his head. “And the saddest part? She’s going to try to make it as painless as she can.”