Dimitri's Point of View in Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy) (Book 3)

Part 11

While I was treating them she told me that this was the first sign of her slowly losing her beauty. Just like Alberta and her mother had lost theirs. The life of dedication and protecting the Moroi really affected us in a lot of ways.

Back then I had told her that it wouldn’t happen to her that this life would never affect her beauty in anyway. And even now I thought the same thing. Rose was different from Alberta and her mother. Both Alberta and Janine have fully dedicated their lives to protecting and serving their Moroi charges. The only difference is that Rose will be safely locked away in Court with Lissa. Which will provide less brutality to her gorgeous face. She didn’t need to worry about losing her golden skin to a hard life. I was sure of it.

Alberta stopped pacing and resorted to sitting next to me. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she stared into my eyes. I could see the beautiful woman she once was before this life took that all away. She was still beautiful, not in the way Rose was, but in her own way. She had a tough beauty about her.

“I heard about her fight with Alto last night, and I know you care about her as much as I do. And want to help her but I don’t know what we can do. We’ve both seen what she’s capable of; we’ve both seen the damage in Spokane.” She paused her face darkening. I knew what she was thinking of. The blood that covered the floor as Rose screamed for us to leave her alone. Hovering over Mason as if she could bring him back to life. The tears and blood mixed in on her cheeks, the hurt and anger in her eyes as she stared up at us not making our features out.

Alberta shook her head. “I know Rose is much more skilled than this. She shouldn’t even need to take the field experience. I don’t even think what we put the novice’s through every year really helps them in real life.” She looked away. I was shocked at how close she came to mirroring my thoughts from talking to Rose earlier. “But I have to put faith in this program. It’s the only way we can teach them the ways of the real world. I had expected Rose to be the top student and take down every threat we threw at her. But maybe I was wrong. Maybe Spokane had done some permanent damage to her. Maybe…” her eyes looked sadder and sadder the more she talked. I placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. There were real tears in her eyes. “Maybe she can’t be helped. Maybe she’s incapable of killing Strigoi without flashing back to her first killing.”

Her voice trailed off as she looked away from me. I took in what she was saying. It was true, maybe there’s no way to help Rose. Maybe she really was gone in the sense of being able to kill. But thinking back to today, the fierceness in her eyes and the determination to pass this exam was a sign of how wrong Alberta’s thoughts were.

No, Rose was capable of killing. I’ve seen the way she watches Lissa as if she were in terrible danger. As if in any moment Lissa will be attacked, even in a highly guarded school. No, Rose hasn’t left us, and she never will.

I squeezed Alberta’s shoulder out of comfort. “I’ve fought her in the gym after Spokane. I’ve seen the way she watches Lissa as if they were already out in the real world. Rose hasn’t left us after Spokane. If anything she’s grown stronger and more alert.”

Alberta looked back at me, her eyes wide and hopeful; this only made her look much younger. “You really think so?” There was a hopeful tone to her voice.

I nodded. “I’m positive. I know Rose; she’ll never leave this life of protecting and serving the Moroi.” I thought back to the day in the gym after Spokane when she demanded to learn more about killing Strigoi. “No, she’ll be just fine.”

Alberta smiled at me. “I’m sorry…about all that, it’s just guardian numbers are lowering daily and we can’t afford to lose a student like Rose.”