FROSTBITE -- CHAPTER 4
I had one of my books from the reading list and sat outside enjoying the last bit of the sun while reading on a bench. That was where Dimitri found me. He sat next to me and asked me where I was last night, he wanted me to meet Tasha Ozera. I told him quite excitedly about the huge bath with the jets and the gorgeous room we were given, and I could not waste the opportunity. He gave me one of those rare smiles and squeezed my hand, and looked down closer at my hands. Yeah, I was proud of them. Magical help but so much better. He just gave my hand another squeeze. "I'm glad you are happy, Roza." I leaned my head on his shoulder, and he put his arm around me, kissing my head once and then getting up. I gave him another smile before going back to my book.
The rest of the day I spent with Lissa and Christian. I met Tasha, and Dimitri joined us. We went ice skating, and after getting used to the ice again, I hesitatingly tried out some of the moves I had learned so long ago when I wanted to take figure skating lessons. I did not get farther than level 2, but it was at least something I knew and could use. I felt so free and Tasha and Dimitri was staring at me and Lissa was not so adept at skating but Christian was skating gracefully around her and I even attempted some turns, cheating a bit with my flight powers so I would not fall on my ass. Lissa looked at me in shock wondering where I learned it. She and I were always together ... Oops. It kind of irritated me slightly when Tasha called Dimitri Dimka, but they were friends, even if she wanted more, he didn't, I hoped. Tasha extended her hand towards me. "Tasha Ozera." She had the same eyes as Christian, and there was a chunk of her face ripped off by teeth I think. She had the same raven locks Christian had. She smiled at me as I shook her hand. "I've heard a lot about you, Rose." I gave Christian a look, and Tasha laughed. "Don't worry, it was all good." "No, it wasn't," he countered. She shook her head in exasperation.
"Honestly, I don't know where he got such horrible social skills. He didn't learn them from me." I laughed. "Christian is just special." Lissa and Christian looked at me, surprised. I ignored their looks, skated around the court again, and then came back. Tasha started rubbing her hands and blowing on them. "Let's go warm up by the fire. I am sure they can get us some marshmallows somewhere," We agreed, and after one more round, we went inside. We had a fun afternoon, and I learned that Tasha was teaching Martial arts classes." I pretended to be surprised. I knew she felt the same way about fighting with magic as I did. I did not want the Moroi to fight with us on the front lines, but at least knowing how to fight with your magic could save their lives should we fail. "What do you think, Rose?" Christian seemed highly amused by my surprise, I must have sold it pretty convincing then.
"Think you could take her?" Christian asked me. "Hard to say?" I said, grinning at Christian, "I could definitely take you!" I told him smugly, making him frown. "You are being modest. I've seen what you guys can do. This is just a hobby I picked up." Dimitri chuckled. "Now you're being modest. You could teach half the classes around here." Dimitri and Tasha kept talking about her fighting skills, and when they talked about shopping, my head snapped back. I could actually go there too, pretend to have overheard a planned attack on the Drosdov's, go to the bank and deposit some money and get a card so I could go after Dimitri soon, "Mind if I tag along, this would be the first Christmas with my mom, ever and I wanted to get her something." Dimitri said that he would take us, and he was the one that did the planning, I made Mason, Eddie, and Meredith promise to keep an eye on Christian and Lissa. That made them roll their eyes at me. But I was serious, and Mason and Eddie took it as such.
Dimitri just looked at me proudly. Lissa wanted to know if I wanted money, but I shook my head. I have some saved up, this is something I wanted to do myself. We got into an Academy car, and Dimitri drove us towards Spokane. Tasha was sitting next to him. I made myself comfortable in the back seat. As soon as we left the wards I felt the pressure return again. I pretended to sleep so that Dimitri and Tasha could talk, hiding my face just in case Dimitri saw my face contort in pain. I suffered in silence. The town was just 4 hours by car, 5 by bus. It was near noon the next day when we arrived. This was going to mess with my sleep again, but I thought I could get away with sleeping in later. Dimitri turned into the mall's parking garage, and we got out. Shopping with a headache would suck but I was determined to go through with this. The plaza consisted of a wide, open area in front of a shopping center. A cafe was carved into a corner of the main building, its tables spilling out into the open area. A crowd moved in and out of the complex, very busy for this time of day.
I headed to the bank and Dimitri was reluctant to let me go alone. I went into the bathroom and took $ 250,000 out of my trunk and put it in my slightly extended purse. I opened a bank account with the help of compulsion charms and deposited the money. Then, with a Cheque and credit card in my purse now and $2000 spending money, I bought a few presents for everyone I knew. Nothing too extravagant, I would not be able to say where I got the money from. Wrapping the gifts up, I found Dimitri and Tasha, making sure to look slightly panicked and worried. We were taken to the car as fast as Dimitri could get inside. I told them that I overheard two men talking about an attack on the Drosdov’s on the 28th; I was not sure what time. Dimitri drove back to the lodge like a bat out of hell. I closed my eyes again. the whole day, I managed to push the pounding away with force, and it was just a light pounding in my skull. I closed my eyes again and focused on my breathing.
When we got there we were escorted to a sort of war base being set up. There were a lot of questions. I couldn't answer everything, but only what I pretended to overhear. Arthur Schoenberg immediately vouched for my credibility and told them simply that I was a valuable asset to have during a fight. My mother did not like the fact that I, her underaged daughter, was asked to come with. And Dimitri said I was not ready yet. But Art insisted, and the others agreed. I was gleeful about it. Now Lissa just needs to use some Spirit so I can get some darkness to use against the suckers. Mason and Eddie were sooo jealous about me being given the opportunity to go fight.
My mother and Dimitri were not happy. We had time to call in the cavalry on the down low. The 21st was a Thursday, and Dimitri decided that I needed to start training in earnest again. My mother agreed with him and told him that she wanted to see what I could do for her own peace of mind.