Academy Ashes

Academy Ashes - Chapter One

The world is blurry. A mix of white, blue and brown patches swim before my eyes. I blink. Blink again. The picture gradually clears into an identifiable image.

"Dad." I try to sit up when a sudden pain shoots up my spine and I remember. Everything.

The birthday dinner, the shattering glass, the strigoi charging in, its hand around my neck, the blood on its fangs, the endorphins of the bite, Rose, Angelica, mu - 

"Mum!" I try to clutch my dad's shirt but my fingers are too weak. I pause and take a deep breath. When I talk again, my voice is croaky, "She didn't..."

My dad shakes his head and presses his face against his hands. He is pale - even for a moroi - and his black hair is a mess. His arms are shaking and his forearms are badly bruised.

When he finally replies, his voice is so quiet I can hardly hear him. "She did."

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Of course she would. She's a mother. I was injured and she wanted - tried to heal me. I blink away any water that builds in my eyes. While she has learnt to control her one-of-a-kind element called spirit, healing still makes her weak. She doesn't collapse or anything but it means that she wouldn't be able to fight or use other magic as normal.

"Where is she?" I ask the question but don't know if I want to hear the answer.

"We-" dad's voice cracks and he lifts his head to reveal that his light blue eyes are full of pain, "we don't know." I try not to react but must have failed because he quickly adds, "They're searching for her as we speak. It's okay. Rose and Dimitri won't stop until she is found."

It's one thing finding her. It's another finding her alive.

"Dad, she's the Queen. Mum should have been guarded by at least five guardians." My voice begins to rise, "What happened?"

"I always said she'd get your attitude." I hadn't even realised that Rose had come into the room. It's a dhampir thing I guess. She closes the curtain seperating us from the rest of the hospital ward and walks over to where I lie. She crouches down to my level and clears her throat. Her face is now serious - I call this her guardian mode. As much as she likes to joke around, Rose knows when to draw the line.

"Anastasia, your mother ordered us to disperse and protect others without guardians of their own."

"But what about you? You are her own private guardian and best friend. How could you leave-?"

"Anastasia!" My dad is angry but Rose shakes her head and dismisses him.

"It's fine Christian." She turns to me and her dark brown eyes seem unusually gentle and tender. "I was told to protect Aunty Jill, Angelica and yourself."

No, no, no, no! "My aunt has Eddie -"

Rose puts her hand out to silence me. "Eddie was sent to protect the others - as were the rest of the guardians. Dimitri and I were the only ones guarding your mum and your family. You got... injured before I could get to you and your mother wasn't very far behind me. She tried to help but that only got herself into more trouble." The more Rose talks, the more regret and emotion I can see behind her eyes - even with her guardian face on. She almost whispers, "I'm sorry."

The tears I'd been trying to withold came tumbling out. I felt them rolling down my cheeks.

Rose was the first to embrace me. Dad soon followed. We were an emotional mess of panic and sorrow.