Does Love Really Fade? {Vampire Academy}

The Truth

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After almost a full minute of staring at Jill in shock, she spoke again.

"Rose? What are you doing here? It's so early." Before I could respond I heard footsteps on the stairs and Jill's mother appeared.

"Jill, what's going on?" Her eyes were bleary with sleep, but that changed as soon as she spotted Sonya. Her eyes widened and she dove forward with a speed that impressed even me, pulling Jill back, "Back away Jill!"

"Wait!" I said, "She's not a Strigoi anymore, look."

My words made her pause temporarily and get a good look at Sonya. The sun had been steadily rising this whole time and was washing over both of us. That, combined with a complete lack of Strigoi features, convinced Emily that Sonya really had changed. Releasing Jill, she looked to me, "Rose? What's going on?"

I bit my lip and glanced back at the car, "Maybe we should come in."

Emily nodded, and glanced behind us, "Is that Mikhail?"

I nodded, "Dimitri Belikov is here too. Do you mind if we come in?"

Numb from everything that was going on, Emily nodded. I turned and gestured for Mikhail and Dimitri to follow us inside.

The commotion had drawn Jill's father, well, step-father, downstairs. He looked just as tired as the other two had and once he was sure his family wasn't in danger he started leaning heavily against a counter as he brewed a pot of coffee.

Now that the excitement was over, Jill was babbling in her usual way, occasionally interrupting herself with yawns. The whole thing made my stomach churn. When I'd been tasked with finding the lost Dragomir, I hadn't even given it a second thought. Lissa needed her vote to count so she could put a stop to the barbaric laws they were trying to enforce.

But now, seeing how carefree and innocent Jill was? I knew this girl. I also knew what the world of the royal Moroi was like. Jill was stronger than she seemed, but they would tear her down the instant they laid eyes on her. My eyes drifted to Emily, who hadn't taken her eyes off Sonya. I suspected if she wasn't so tired, she'd be asking a lot more questions.

Once the coffee finished brewing and mugs were distributed to everyone there was no avoiding the reason we were here. Before I could even start mustering up the words for it, Emily had found her voice.

"It's really you, isn't it?" She was looking at Sonya, who nodded with a small smile. Tears started trailing down Emily's face, "They brought you back to me. I can't believe it."

At nearly the same time, Sonya and Emily stood and moved around the table, pulling each other into what looked like a bone-crushing hug. Emily was still murmuring under her breath about what a miracle it was when she pulled back, "Why are you here?"

Almost unconsciously, everyone's eyes went to Jill. Emily stepped back from Sonya, "No. You promised you wouldn't tell!"

"She didn't!" I said, moving to stand next to her, "Really, she didn't. It's complicated but she kept her promise."

My words didn't help much, and Emily still looked betrayed.

"I had to, Emily." Sonya said softly, "You have to tell her. You can't keep this buried anymore. Not with everything that's going on."

"I will not-" Emily started, only to get cut off by her own strangled sob.

"Look, whatever's going on-" John's initial tiredness was fleeing him now that his wife was in distress.