Into the Ether - Complete

The Winter of Our Discontent: Part 8

We were about forty-five minutes away from the Academy when I pulled out my phone, checking to see if Lissa or Mason had been in touch. It was pretty much the first thought I'd given them all weekend I realized guiltily. There was one message from Lissa yesterday asking me when I'd be back. I knew I wasn't going to be in a state to see anyone after Dimitri left, and I'd be transitioning back to the Moroi timetable. So I texted her, telling her I'd be back in a few hours time but was seriously sleep deprived and switching back from days to nights so would see her on Wednesday. It was a believable lie, and would give me a chance to try and pull myself together before I had to see people.

The last minutes in the car were spent going through practicalities – Dimitri telling me who knew about him leaving and the circumstances surrounding it.

"I know it's going to be hard milaya, but until Alberta makes the news public if anyone asks, just tell people I've gone on leave to see my family. I hate to ask you to lie to your friends, but the fewer people who know, the better, especially Moroi. They just don't get that any hint of this mission could compromise it if the wrong people got word."

I nodded. No way would I be telling anyone knowing my silence might help keep the man I loved safe. We were five minutes from the Academy gates when Dimitri pulled onto the road shoulder. He kept the engine running so the heat would continue to run.

"We're nearly back, Roza," he started, taking my hands in his, "and before there are other people around, I want to thank you for the best few days of my life. Of the things I regret, our love will never be one of them. In fact, my only regret about it is I didn't let us act on our feelings earlier. Loving you has brought me the sweetest and most meaningful moments I've known. You're fierce, brave and beautiful and I still don't know how I was lucky enough to win your love, but I'll be forever grateful to you for giving it to me. No matter what happens, I want you to know you're the one for me." He leaned across, closing the space between us and bringing his soft lips to mine. "The only woman I've ever been in love with," he whispered reverently against my lips. "And the one I'll spend the rest of my life loving, no matter how long or short that is."

As we kissed, Dimitri used his thumb to wipe the tears from my cheeks.

"I'm the lucky one," I murmured, pulling back to lean my forehead against his. "I don't know how to describe how it feels to be loved by you. I meant what I said – you're very easy to love. You are and will always be the one for me, Comrade."

We held hands, looking at one another and saying things with our eyes and hearts that lips couldn't. It was hard not to feel bitterness that our time together had been so short, but I knew had it been just a day or even an hour I'd still have chosen to experience it with him, consequences be damned.

With a final kiss, he pulled away, squeezing my hands before releasing them to resume his grip on the steering wheel. Pulling back onto the deserted road, my Russian God drove us the final few minutes until we were at the gates of the Academy, stopping to check in with the Guardian at the gatehouse.

"Belikov, Novice Hathaway," he greeted when Dimitri wound down the window.

"Collins," Dimitri acknowledged. "We're back from a training exercise. Can you make a note on Alberta's briefing sheet we've checked back in, please?"

Collins nodded, opening the gate and waving us through. It was 3.30 pm. The middle of the Moroi night, so the Academy was silent.

"Have you got workout gear in your bag?" Dimitri asked.

"Yeah."

"Then let's go straight to my room. We can pack then go for a workout if you want?"

He pulled up at the foot of the Guardian dorms, coming around to open my door before grabbing our bags from the trunk.