Some Hotel Room | Tuesday Evening

[guardian_god]

Avoiding discussion of the weekend had been surprisingly easy. With all their other issues, Dimitri had been fine to steer clear of Rose's special relationship with Lissa based on the unspoken promise not to mention his marrying Tasha. Beyond the weekend, Dimitri couldn't say he was minding being back in Fandom. It honestly helped him feel more

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[guardianborn]

Rose had been to the gym too of course. That was just how things were. But she'd spent most of the day obsessing over events while wandering around and getting soaked in the rain. She'd stayed up to 'listen in' to Lissa most of the night, and as she'd pondered over what she'd heard, she'd finally figured out where to go next.

Of course Dimitri was reading in the hotel room. What else would he be doing?

"I've got a plan," she announced, heading to the bathroom to grab a towel to try to dry her still-damp hair.

[guardian_god]

Of course Rose had a plan. The strange part was her being willing to share it. "Oh?" Dimitri marked his place in his book and set it aside.

[guardianborn]

She explained plans when she needed to. Right now, this was when she needed to.

"It's been four days so they've probably left off searching quite so much," Rose started off, rubbing at her hair with the towel. "Guardians have way more important things to do than run around the world looking for two dhampirs. Plus they think you helped me break out because you're in love with me. Like it was some stupidly romantic stunt. So at least they don't think you're Strigoi again or anything."

No, she didn't have to add that part in, but this was partial repayment for her getting left out of the loop for so long.

"So we need to get off the island and actually do something to help."

[guardian_god]

How good of Rose to explain things he already knew. "Yes. I am aware of how guardians operate. What I don't understand is why you cannot accept that we're not helping anyone if we get caught."

[guardianborn]

"Well, for one, if you'd actually listened to me, the possibility of us getting caught is way lower now," Rose said dryly. "And for the other, we can't do anything at all to help from here."

[guardian_god]

"We're not supposed to be helping, Rose." Dimitri didn't understand what she didn't understand about that fact. "Abe is working on it."

[guardianborn]

She shot him a look and bit her tongue to keep herself from pointing out that when he was a Strigoi, Dimitri had told her to stay away from Abe like fifty times.

"Not with figuring out who killed the Queen," Rose said. "I know Lissa and Abe and Christian are dealing with that. But - there's something else."

Throwing the towel over a chair, Rose pulled the now wrinkled letter out of her pocket and handed it to Dimitri.

Rose, If you¹re reading this, then something terrible has happened. You probably hate me, and I don't blame you. I can only ask that you trust that what I did with the age decree was better for your people than what others had planned. There are some Moroi who want to force all dhampirs into service, whether they want it or not, by using compulsion. The age decree has slowed that faction down

[guardian_god]

Dimitri read the note, feeling almost unsurprised that there were other, unclaimed Dragomirs in existence considering how their world worked. But he had to ask, "This is real?"

[guardianborn]

"No, Dimitri, I made it up," Rose snapped, glaring at the stupid question.

[guardian_god]

He rolled his eyes at her. "You know what I mean, Rose. You did the ghost thing?"

[guardianborn]

She couldn't help snickering at him asking that so easily. They'd all changed, huh.

"Yeah, she wrote it," Rose said, remembering her ghost's hard eyes. "It's real."

[guardian_god]

"Have you shown anyone else? No, of course not, because they would have solved the mystery without you and that's just not allowed, am I right?" He was more amused than upset by this turn of events.

[guardianborn]

She glared at him, snatching the paper back from him. "It says not to tell people about it. And what was I supposed to do? Show someone the secret letter from the Queen I supposedly killed while they watched my every stupid move in that cell? Please, Dimitri, enlighten me."

[guardian_god]

"I'm sure you're capable of passing notes, Rose, but it's a moot point now. What's your plan?" She should just be happy he was willing to go along with it and not insist they stayed in Fandom for the duration.

[guardianborn]

"Hey, I'm just doing what she told me to," Rose pointed out. "Weren't you the one to always say I should show more respect to Tatiana?"

[guardian_god]

Dimitri snorted, "That was when she was alive."