Getting Out While You Can

Interests At Heart

I was never one to fidget, but I couldn't stand still. I was anxious and wound up, not having time to work out some of the darkness. A part of me wondered if being closer to Lissa was part of the problem.

I had spent two years in a different state than her, distance had definitely helped.

The two years I spent living not as a Guardian, I lost some of my habits and gained new ones.

"Stop it. You're going to yank a button off," Fanny hissed, coming to stand in front of me and fixed my shirt, making sure it was tucked nicely and the back wasn't sticking out. I let a loose breath between my lips that ruffled her hair ever so slightly, but it didn't matter to her. Fanny was in her Guardian black and whites while I was in skinny dress pants and a lilac colours blouse. It wasn't a colour I would have picked for myself, but Abe took care of our clothes.

I also wasn't thrilled about the heels I was in, but I could walk comfortably.

Dimitri was sitting in the chair just off to my side, watching me carefully. The meeting we were barging into was a public event, which meant non-royal Moroi and Dhampirs alike could attend in the audience, and they were discussing the law they passed.

It was the perfect storm to create. There would be enough opposition in the room to send out a wild fire.

"There, you look pretty and professional. Now if you could stop looking like you sucked a lemon, we'd be ready to go," Fanny said with a smile, smoothing out my shoulders.

"She always looks like she's sucked a lemon, it's just her face," Christian piped up, narrowly missing my hand that swung out to cuff him in the back of the head. I hated being here, and I was already antsy about it. Dimitri let a snort out and stood up, coming to stand in front of me.

"What is stressing you out, other than the obvious?"

"I look ridiculous," I grunted, crossing my arms over my chest. I shouldn't have let Abe pick my clothes.

Dimitri shook his head and gave me a comforting smile. "You don't look ridiculous."

"I do," I sighed, running my hand through my hair, pulling it from the clip.

"You don't. You look beautiful, just take a deep breath," he consoled, setting his hands on my shoulders. I looked at him with doubt but did what he said and took a deep breath. I reached back and unclipped my hair, shaking it out and running my fingers through it. Abe said having it up and back would make me look more professional, but the only thing it made me think of was how tight I used to tie my hair back as a Guardian. I turned and found a window with a bit of reflection and I pulled the pieces away from my face and clipped them back. Away from my face, but a blatant difference from how it was worn as a Guardian. I rolled my shoulders again as the doors opened to our room.

There was a man standing with Abe, heads bent together. I cocked my head to the side as watched them speak, pursing my lips slightly. Abe must have felt my eyes on them and turned his head to look at me. I raised my brows and the two came over. I watched the other man carefully. He was a Moroi but I hadn't seen him before, and I couldn't tell if he was Royal by his looks.

"Who's this?" I said pointing at him, my agitation not making way for my manners.

"This is Beni O'Connell," Abe said introducing us, "He is a very important player in our plan. Beni, this is my daughter, Rose."

"Nice to meet you," I said bluntly, shaking his extended hand. "Important player?"

"Nice to meet you as well, Ms. Hathaway. And yes, I've been working with Mr. Belikov remotely for our cause."