What a Difference a Year Makes (Revised)

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

It was reaching the middle of January and the gyms had been open for two months. We've managed to complete four intensive training programmes for the Mazur Guardians, two in LA and two in Baia, and Abe was more than pleased with the results and wanted us to continue to conduct them so all of his guardians could benefit. We also have several self-defence classes for moroi operating in each gym; Christian has been very productive in this area, finding people who would like to learn to defend themselves and his offensive/defensive magic classes were a big hit in LA. Unfortunately we still didn't have anyone to teach these in Baia yet but the arena was ready and waiting for when we did. However the biggest shock for all of us was how many guardians were in the same position as us, meaning that they had been exiled by petty royals for choosing to live rather than be mindless robots. As a consequence of this we now had at least four hundred names on the agency lists between the two gyms; four hundred guardians that have been unsanctioned because of certain choices they have made. It beggars belief that this is happening when the Royal Council members are constantly complaining that there is a shortage of guardians, leading to tighter restrictions on dhampir.

The Guardian rest house that we had on the top floor of the LA gym is being put to very good use. Currently we have five of the beds occupied but in the first month of opening we were full. I really couldn't believe that we actually found some exiled guardians sleeping rough either on the streets or in human homeless shelters. It really upset me that dhampir who had trained their entire young life, missing out on a proper childhood, were reduced to this state because they wanted to experience life and make choices for themselves. I know that the guys were really angry with what we were seeing and we all vowed we would help in any way we could to get them back on their feet again. So two months in and some of those guardians were now living in their own rented spaces and were providing ad hoc guardian services to non-royal moroi through our agency.

"Rose, do you have another time sheet for me please?" asked Sean Todd, one of our boarding guardians. "I'm about to go out on that Conference job."

"Yeah, no problem Sean" I said rummaging around in the filing cabinet. "Here you are. Good luck and we will see you later."

"Cheers Rose" he said as he exited my office. "Ermm..... Rose?" the change in the tone of Sean's voice made me raise my head. "I think you need to come out here."

I was curious as to why Sean was acting, dare I say it, worried. I stepped from around my desk and exited into the main gym area. I looked to where Sean was and my eyes alighted on the last thing or things I wanted to see.

"Sean, you should get going you are going to be late but if you don't mind can you swing by the arena and tell the boys to come in here please?" I said to him. He nodded his agreement and left the building.

"Natasha, Vasilisa, how can I help you two today?" I said in a sarcastic drone. "We have a two for one special on drop kicks out of the door this season" I said as if I was selling them a bargain.

"We heard you were working here and we want to speak to the owner so we can tell him what sort of person he has hired" Tasha said with a sneer.

"Oh and that takes both of you does it?" I said looking at Lissa. She was about to reply when the boys walked into the room. "Great, guys you are just in time. Tasha here heard that I was working here and wants to speak to the owner about getting me fired" I said matter of factly to Dimitri, Mason and Chris.

At that point Tasha looked round and saw who I was speaking to "Christian, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be 'finding yourself' I think you said it was called" she said snippily.