[ i'm caught up with the show so far and distraught this is why i hate writing fics as the show is still airing but it's worth it ]

☽︎

DEAN IS LYING.

[ season 1 — episode 5 ]

After forty more minutes of walking in the fading sunlight, the group found the structure Rose was searching for. The location was more uphill, and there was a fairly stable-looking chapel remaining, giving them walls for protection from any Guardians trying to spy on them.

"This location will definitely work. Bravo Team won't suspect a thing," Meredith said, looking around. Then she began giving instructions. "Dean, you'll be midpoint of the relay. Herk, you keep watch over the church. You see anything, you signal Dean. I'll stand by first guard here. Two flashes, and I come running. Stay low, stay quiet."

"Got it," the boys chorused.

"And Eddie and I will stay close to Mish," Rose finished, sharing looks with a smiling Eddie and Mischa. She was finally confident that they were going to be able to do this. "We can do this. I know we can."

As Herk and Dean broke off to take their positions, Meredith shot Rose a smile. "Now that was leader-y. Not bad, Hathaway."

"Not bad yourself, Beckham," she replied, smiling as well.

"Wow," Mischa said with an impressed smile. "Rose and Meredith paying each other compliments."

"Bet Hell is feeling a bit chilly," Eddie joked.

Rose laughed before pushing them both to the chapel. "Yeah, yeah, get in positions. We've gotta make sure Mischa survives the night."

Mischa looked up at the sky, noting that the chapel didn't actually have a roof. The stars were finally out as the sun sank below the horizon. It wouldn't be long at all before the Guardians came and attacked, so they had to be ready.

☾

Like most vampires, Dimitri was religious, but the Guardian couldn't remember the last time he prayed like this. He'd seen enough horrors of the world to know that God wasn't some end-all-be-all solution to the problems of the Dominion, though faith still helped to keep him together. There wasn't time to pray when he was out there every day either risking his life or training children to grow up and risk theirs, meaning most were quickly said in his head as he went about his hectic day.

So, for Dimitri to take the time to be on his knees in an empty church and praying ceaselessly, he truly had to be desperate for a solution — any solution. He hadn't prayed like this since losing his last charge and friend. 

Every time he closed his eyes — and sometimes when he didn't — his mind conjured up some horrific image of Mischa being torn apart by the same Strigoi they captured. That was what he hated even more. Dimitri helped keep the Strigoi alive because he'd been following orders, and now Mischa was trapped outside of the wards with the same monster hunting her down. And Strigoi craved Moroi blood more than anything else.

Dimitri wanted to leave — he'd never wanted anything more. With every second that passed, his resolve was crumbling and his respect for the chain of command was disappearing. Because how the hell could they allow this to happen to the Novices, let alone with Mischa Dragomir out there? Who the hell did the Queen and the Council think they were to just toy with young lives like this?

The sun was down, something he was painfully aware of. Was Mischa smiling, sitting around a campfire with Rose and Meredith, or was she already running? Was she waiting for Mikhail to realize the Strigoi had been let loose and get her out of there?

Was Mischa waiting for him? The thought had Dimitri nearly suffocating with fear as he gripped his hands together so strongly that it hurt. He had to go. He had to find her and make sure she was safe, and then he'd face the consequences later. Because this waiting and following orders was the worst kind of agony.

But before he could jump up and leave the Academy behind, he heard footsteps echoing through the empty church. He turned his head just enough to see a distraught Lissa headed his way. She knew.

"Prayers won't help my sister and Rose," she said, desperate for him to do something, "but you can."

"Yes," he said, rising to his feet. "I can."

☾

Mischa and the Novices had no clue of the escaped Strigoi stalking them in the night. They didn't know that Dimitri was speeding their way on a motorcycle, determined to break every rule and get Mischa to safety. They also didn't know that Lissa, Christian, Mason, and Mia were piled into Jesse's car, headed that way too. But they did know when the Bravo Team made their first move.

A small campfire was lit in the middle of the chapel ruins to keep Mischa warm, who was curled up in a blanket that was packed for her. Rose and Eddie sat on either side, not talking much, as they were anticipating an attack at any time and wanted to hear if the others shouted in warning.

But Meredith didn't shout when she came around the corner with a smug smile on her face. "Hey. Look what we caught." They all looked to see Mikhail being escorted by her, who was caught when he found their abandoned collars. "Should we throw it back?"

"I say prisoner of war," Mischa said with a grin that made Mikhail laugh. When he put his hands up in defense, she felt it was fine to get up and go over to him. He wasn't planning to attack her.

"I'm just here to grade your defense strategy for Bravo Team, but it looks like you guys have it well in hand," Mikhail complimented, looking at the secure structure. Rose joined Mischa at his side while Meredith got warm for a little bit by the fire. "I'm impressed, Rose, though I should warn you some of the Guardians are chomping at the bit to one-up Janine Hathaway's daughter."

"I'm ready," she said with no hesitation. Mischa nodded, believing in her friends' capabilities.

"Well, it's not good enough to just be ready. Show them that you're not Janine Hathaway's daughter. Show them that she's Rose Hathaway's mum," he told her, smiling proudly. "'Cause I've got a thousand mirs riding on it." Rose laughed happily. "Which I'd happily split with you."

"Deal," Rose agreed with a smile. Then Mikhail lifted his boot, which she knocked her own against in a tap.

"And I won't give you shit that you've taken the easy job in all of this," Rose taunted as he took a step back.

"You've got this, Rose. And don't worry, your super-secret defense strategy is safe with me," he promised. Then he looked at Mischa. "Having fun yet?"

"I think you're legally obligated to give me a foot rub when we get back to the Academy," she said, thinking about all that walking.

"Um, I'll pay for you to have a foot rub with my winnings," he said, looking for a compromise. They both chuckled before he pulled the blanket over her shoulders better. "Are you doing alright?"

"Yeah," she assured him. "Got snacks and a fire. It's like camping... but not as comfortable."

"I don't love the idea of you spending a night in the wilderness," he told her. "But it's just make-believe. You'll be back home soon, warm in bed, where Dimitri will tuck you in."

Mischa scoffed and hit his chest. Mikhail laughed and grabbed her hand before she could hit him again. "I hate you," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Nah, you love me," he said, grinning. "You've got to say it before I leave — it's part of your Benchmark grade."

She groaned as if he'd asked her to do something incredibly inconvenient before wrapping her arms around his waist in a hug. "I love you, Miek."

"I love you too, Mish," Mikhail told her with a soft smile, hugging her back. Once they parted, he jokingly saluted her. "Keep your Guardians in check. Keep annoying them."

"Oh, I've had them at my beck and call all day," Mischa let him know proudly. "Alright, Mr. I Pick the Easiest Job, get out of here."

"I did pick the easiest job," he admitted shamefully while backing away with a smile. "Now I have a date to get to."

Mischa's mood had been severely improved after Mikhail's appearance. She sat with Rose, Meredith, and Eddie, making sure to compliment them on their defense strategy. Rose couldn't wait to rub it in Dimitri's face when they got back. And Eddie, like quite a little nerd, was taking notes so that he could tell Mason all about it, wishing he was there. But they all knew he made a mistake by not telling the Guardians about Christian going after his parents.

"Am I allowed to, like, take a nap?" Mischa asked, letting out a yawn. She hadn't slept in nearly a day, but neither had any of them. They were up all through the daylight hours.

"I don't know," Meredith said, feeling unsure. "What if they come and you aren't awake to run?"

"Mish is a light sleeper," Rose told them. "Like, an annoyingly light sleeper. Couldn't get away with any sneaking and snooping in that room."

"Well, maybe you should just retake the Guardian sneaking and snooping course to get better at it," Mischa joked while leaning against Rose's shoulder. "Besides, you always—"

"Rose!"

When they all heard the undeniable sound of Lissa shouting for Rose, they all stood up. "Was that Liss?" Rose asked, wanting to be sure.

"No," Mischa denied, not thinking she'd be a part of the assignment at the last minute. "She wouldn't be out here—"

"Mischa!" Lissa shouted, this time her voice much closer. And she wasn't the only one yelling. They could hear Christian and Mason's voices too.

The four of them quickly ran out of the chapel and saw that all of them were running toward them. Rose stomped forward, trying to make sense of it. "Lissa, what are you doing here?"

Lissa took in a deep breath and reached for Mischa's arm, glad they were still alive. "There's a Strigoi loose in the area. They set it free."

"Whoa, whoa, slow down," Rose said, shaking her head. "You're not making any sense."

"They put a Strigoi out here with you guys," Mason said.

"What? Bullshit," Dean scoffed.

"No," Mischa said, shaking her head in disbelief. She was too stunned to be scared yet. "I mean, they wouldn't. Mikhail wouldn't."

"No, it's true," Christian told her. "We think Alberta is the only one the Council told."

"Shit," Rose cursed, dread setting in.

"That doesn't make any sense. Why would they do that?" Eddie asked. "Why would Alberta do that? We have Mischa!"

"I don't know, but it's true," Rose said, thinking back on that horrible feeling that'd been building in her stomach.

"Whoa, whoa," Meredith said, looking at their leader. "How do you know that?"

"I just do."

"Look, Mia and Jesse are waiting in the car, but we have to warn the instructors," Lissa told them.

Meredith's eyes went wide. "Mia's here?" Before any of them could stop her, she took off toward the direction the others came in.

"Meredith!" Rose shouted to go after her.

But Lissa grabbed her. "Wait, Rose! We have to warn the others. Mikhail!"

"Mikhail has his date," Mischa said, shaking her head in denial. The Bravo Team didn't need him past assessing the defense strategy. He'd left immediately to get back to the Academy for his date. He wasn't out there. He couldn't be.

"And we don't know where the instructors are," Rose told Lissa, wanting her to realize they had to fend for themselves. "How the hell did you even find us?"

"I know how you think, Rose," Mason said.

"Good," she said, trying not to panic. "Then help me figure out what I would do next."

Mason stepped forward, seeming the most calm out of all of them right now. "You'd have Dean go get Herk, but we already did that."

Christian pointed back at the chapel. "He said to wait in there."

"Okay, let's go," Rose said, immediately pushing the three Moroi ahead of her. "Come, come, come."

Mischa and Lissa never let each other go as they holed up in the chapel remains. They all sat around the fire, making sure someone had eyes on every possible entrance. Mischa couldn't hear much over the pounding of her pulse in her head. Over and over, she repeated the same thing to keep her sane, to let her know he wasn't out there somewhere.

Mikhail had a date.

Mikhail had a date.

Mikhail had a date.

A scream cut through the air like a knife, and everyone jumped up on alert. They saw as Dean limped into the chapel, covered in blood and looking half dead. As he collapsed weakly to the ground, they ran over and crowded around him. Lissa hid her face in Mischa's neck when she saw the deep claw marks in his stomach that were bleeding profusely.

"You're okay. You're okay. All right? You're gonna be okay," Mason said quickly, not quite convinced of that as he looked at his friend. "What happened? Hey, where's Herk?"

"Mikhail caught him—"

"Good," Mischa said, relief washing over her.

Dean's dim eyes fell on her as he sputtered out a reply, gasping in between each word. "Mikhail's a Strigoi. He's... he's..."

Mischa could only shake her head, not even processing the information. "Liar," she whispered, still shaking her head. Dean was lying. She didn't know why, but Dean was lying. It was some cruel part of the Benchmarks, and he was lying.

But Rose knew better. "Oh, fսck. We need to go now. Come on," she said, beginning to lift him. Eddie and Mason helped as well.

It was Christian who got Mischa to stand when Lissa tugging on her hands didn't work. "Come on," he said, pulling her along.

Mischa shook her head yet again, looking him in the eyes. "Dean is lying."

Christian's eyes softened but he couldn't bring himself to comfort her in any other way. They moved as a group through the rubble of the chapel, trying to stay silent — except for Dean, who no one blamed when he couldn't control his whimpers of pain.

Rose was leading them and suddenly came to a stop in an open courtyard. "Shit. Stop," she ordered.

Lissa tried to step forward and join Rose, but Mason held her back. "Stop," he whispered.

Mischa felt all the breath leave her body when something came out of the shadows. Someone. Someone that taught her how to drive and who sang her to sleep with Old Moroi opera songs she would make fun of him for. Someone with red eyes and thick, black blood around his newly grown fangs.

Mischa stumbled forward and whispered, "Mikhail?"

Dean wasn't lying.

She could only see through blurry, tear-filled vision as Mikhail came closer, moving on all fours like a beast, snarling and shrieking at them. It was like he didn't even recognize them. It was like he was a monster.

Suddenly, before anyone could stop him, Christian ran forward. Lissa tried to follow, but Mason held her back. "Wait, Christian!"

Christian threw his hands up and sent a blaze of fire toward Mikhail. He didn't burn him, but the wall of flames kept him back, as the sun and fire were a Strigoi's greatest fear. It was Mikhail's greatest fear now. "I don't know how to control this!" Christian shouted, groaning from the effort. It hadn't been nearly as easy as Mischa made it look when she burned that tree down. And Mischa was far too stunned to help. All of them were. "Hey! Figure something out, or we're all fսckеd!"

Finally, Mason grabbed Rose and tried to snap her out of her. "Okay. Rose—"

"I'll distract him," she finally said, getting back on focus despite how horrified she was. "You get everyone to the car."

"No, Rose, you can't!" Lissa shouted, not wanting to separate. "What?"

"I can help," Mason insisted.

Rose shoved Mason toward Lissa, Eddie, and Dean. No one really noticed Mischa as she kept inching forward, closer to the fire and Mikhail. "It's my team, my rules!"

"Please don't do this, Rose," Lissa cried.

"I'm trusting you, all of you. Get to the car. They come first. Fucking go!" Rose ordered.

Mason nodded and rushed to the others, having to push Lissa to get her to head back to the car. "Go, let's go, let's go. Go, go, go."

Mischa finally froze, standing next to Christian, who was still holding the fire up but growing weaker. She looked past the flames and watched Mikhail, who was simply waiting for a moment to attack them.

"I can't hold this much longer!" Christian exclaimed, having to take a few steps back.

"Christian! Mischa!" Mason shouted from behind them.

Christian let out a breath and dropped the fire before turning and booking it. But Mischa still couldn't move — she couldn't breathe as the fire died out. And it wasn't until Mason threw her over his shoulder that her eyes finally left the Strigoi.

"No!" Mischa shouted suddenly, pouding on Mason's back. "Let me go back! Let me see him!"

"He's gone, Mischa!" Mason shouted, continuing to run to the car.

"W - we can capture him. L - like the o - one last night!" she cried, finding it hard to breathe. "A - an - and—"

"That isn't Mikhail anymore," he told her, knowing there wasn't time to comfort her now.

When they all reached the car, Jesse, Mia, and Meredith jumped out, looking at Dean's near-dead condition in alarm. Lissa and Eddie lowered him to the ground as gently as they could, but it didn't make any difference to his agony.

"Stop the bleeding, then get him in the car," Mason instructed, knowing they couldn't just sit around. There was no telling how many Strigoi were out there. "Eddie, Meredith, come help me set up the perimeter until Rose catches up. Christian! If you see something, torch it."

Mischa's limbs were locked in place as she looked in the direction they'd come from. They were too far to hear any sounds of fighting. All they could hear Dean, who was crying and struggling to breathe. Lissa knelt over him, her hands hovering helplessly over his wounds. "Hey, hey, hey. Dean. Dean, look at me." But Dean shut his eyes and seemed to stop breathing. "Dean. fսck."

Lissa wasn't sure how she knew what to do, but suddenly a rush of energy surged through her. A golden glow emitted from her hands and over the gashes in his stomach. All of them — except for Mischa — watched in awe as Dean's abdomen healed before their very eyes and he passed out. Mia was the most shocked, simply because she'd only seen that happen with her sister.

"He's... healed," Christian said in disbelief.

"Oh my God," Lissa breathed out, looking at her hands as Dean took in his first deep breath. She looked up at Christian and then her sister. "Mish, did you just see—"

She was cut off by a creature snarling as it ran out from behind a crumbled statue. It wasn't Mikhail, just a regular Strigoi. Jesse let out a squeal while running inside of his car, and Christian grabbed Lissa, keeping her behind him.

The only one that wasn't scared was Mischa, because she was too focused on the fresh blood on the Strigoi's wrist, as if he'd bit into it and forced his blood into someone's mouth. It only took a second for Mischa to put the pieces together, to realize this was the one they released. This was the one that killed all the other Guardians and Herk. He turned Mikhail.

So, when the Strigoi lunged at them, and everyone screamed, Mischa didn't. She didn't even scream when she was the one tackled to the floor. Nor did she flinch when his sharp claws dug into her forearms. Mischa pushed against him with her hands, letting out a loud, agonizing yell. The monster soared back, thrown by the air as her hands began to glow just like at the Specialization Ceremony.

Mischa rose to her knees, and before the Strigoi could get up, a stone came at him. Then another and another. The rubble around them rose through the air, whipping past the car and her friends, sailing straight for the monster. One by one, the rocks surrounded him, crushing and trapping him to the ground, every inch of him covered except for his grotesque face. And then, before it could even try to free itself, his head erupted in flames, his screams echoing loudly throughout the entire destroyed town.

Mishca didn't move a muscle or make a sound, her unblinking eyes fixed on him as she watched the Strigoi burn to death. But then Mia carefully pulled her up by her shoulders so that she was standing. It was when the screams finally died out that Mason, Meredith, and Eddie made it back, realizing the Strigoi made it past their perimeter.

"Holy shit," Eddie breathed out, looking at the smoking head. "Is that...?"

Mason ran to Mischa's side to check on her, seeing how her palms were glowing still. He frantically looked back and forth between her and the dead Strigoi, also taking note of the stone trapping the body to the ground. "Mish, you killed a Strigoi?"

"He did this," she whispered, the glow fading. Then her chin began to wobble. "He - he kil — Mikhail, he's no - not..."

Lights were suddenly shined on all of them, coming from the bright, LED flashlights every Guardian carried. Mischa covered her eyes for a moment, listening as orders were being thrown around. Someone, most likely the Queen, finally gave orders to send in a rescue squad of Guardians.

They were too late, though.

Mischa tore herself from Mason's hold and took off, running back to the chapel and ignoring how they screamed for her.

Rose wasn't the only one in the ruins of the church, anymore. She stood before Alberta and a small group of Guardians with Dimitri at her side and Mikhail's dead body at her feet. Though there were tears falling down her face, she still had to speak when Alberta simply requested, "Status?"

She took in a shaky breath before speaking, determined to do it herself and without Dimitri's help. "All Moroi accounted for. Two down... one Novice, Herk, and Mikhail."

"Whoever turned them is still out there," Alberta said, looking at her fellow Guardians, prepared to tell them to go after it. "We'll fan out—"

"It's not still out there," a hollow voice said. They all turned to see Mischa, who was leaning weakly against the crumbling walls. Her eyes were fixed on the body, not even really seeing anyone else. "It's by t - the car..."

"Which Novice did it?" Alberta requested.

Mischa ignored her and took a shaky step forward. Then another and another, feeling weaker as she went. Then when Mikhail was only five feet away, her knees gave in and she collapsed to the ground. She felt warm hands trying to pick her up, but she shoved him off and crawled to Mikhail.

"M - Miek?" she asked in a small voice, her chest constricting as she clutched his jacket. "No, no, open your eyes. Mikhail!"

"Mish," Rose said, her own throat tight as she tried to fight off even more tears. She tried to pull Mischa back as Dimitri had, but Mischa wouldn't let her and instead clung to Mikhail's body.

Mischa couldn't hear a damn thing, not with the pounding in her head. She pulled Mikhail closer, keeping his head in her lap as she shook her head. A sob broke from her chest, morphing into a cry of agony as she pushed her forehead to his which was already losing its warmth. "No, no, no," she whispered, gasping for air. "Not r - real. You sai - d it was j - just make-believe, Miek."

"Everyone, move out. Get her home," Alberta instructed Dimitri, knowing this wasn't the place for her to mourn. Then she tore her eyes off the mourning girl, knowing this could've been preventable.

It was a tragic sight — Mischa crying over Mikhail's body in the courtyard, Dimitri and Rose standing over them. Slowly, he knelt beside her and began trying to coax her away. "Mischa, he's gone," he whispered, trying to gently pull her away.

"No, he had a date," she said, shaking her head, refusing to look away. "No!" But then Mischa whipped around to glare at Dimitri, a realization hitting her. "You killed him!" she accused.

"No," Rose spoke up in a shaky voice. Mischa looked at her, the silent question in her eyes. "I did."

Whatever air that was left in Mischa's lungs felt like it'd been sucked out. "You... you..."

Rose couldn't stand to look at the pained expression on Mischa's face any longer. It wasn't just Rose who lost a friend and mentor. Mischa had lost a brother again, and Rose was the one to drive the stake through his heart. "I have to find Liss," was all she could say before turning and leaving them behind.

Another sob wracked Mischa's body as she shook. Dimitri took the chance, not wanting her to have the opportunity to look at Mikhail's body again. He put one hand around her waist and held the back of her head with the other, making sure that she was only facing him. "He's gone," he had to tell her in the softest voice he'd ever used. "I'm sorry."

Mischa shook her head in refusal, but when she tried to look back, Dimitri guided her back to him, pressing his forehead to hers so that he was all she saw. Mischa clenched her eyes shut, picturing what she would've seen if he let her. "Look at me, Printsessa," he whispered.

His thumb gently brushed her cheek comfortingly, allowing her as much time as she needed. Soon, the chorus of soft, scared 'no's that left her lips faded away. Mischa peeled her eyes open, looking desperately at Dimitri for any kind of relief from the pain she was feeling. "He's gone," he repeated, his own heart aching.

The way her chin wobbled broke everything inside of him even more than it already was. "But he had a date."

☾

Mischa wouldn't leave her room — not to eat, not to meet with her godfather, not to check on Dean or any of the other Novices. If someone needed to see her, they came to her. It was the only way she was even filled in on the major decisions that were made in the aftermath.

Lissa could heal people through Spirit. Victor, outraged by all of this, was going to run for King. Mason and Rose made up after their fight. But the most important—

In an attempt to get on the Royal Tour and find out more about her abilities, Lissa announced that she would be marrying Jesse Zeklos, using the excuse of meeting her future in-laws as an excuse of going on the tour. Mischa was allowed to come too, but she couldn't quite give a dame about Spirit right now if she was being honest.

If Lissa couldn't bring Mikhail back, then Mischa didn't find it useful at all.

Now, Mischa was alone for the first time since it happened. Upon leaving the chapel, she was taken back to campus on Dimitri's motorcycle. How he managed to hold onto her and steer at the same time, she'll never know, as she hardly remembered the trip home. For the first few hours after, while Dimitri and Rose were required to report back to Alberta, Lissa and Christian refused to leave her side. She had lots of visitors afterward — Eddie and Meredith. A few curious Novices who heard about what she did to a Strigoi tried to come, but she turned them away rudely. Mia was far too busy consoling Sonya to leave her side.

Any time Mischa thought of Sonya, a fresh wave of tears would wash over her.

But now everyone was gone, doing whatever they could to help themselves move past the events. Not Mischa, though. She laid on her back and stared up at the ceiling. Even that hurt. There were uncharged glow-in-the-dark stars that Mikhail helped her put up. In her arms, she had a pink, stuffed bunny rabbit that she hadn't thought to touch in years, which had been a gift from Mikhail when she was twelve and broke her arm.

Mikhail was woven into every part of her life but had still been ripped from it completely.

The sun was still out when a knock sounded from the door. It took Mischa a second to even respond, her voice sounding as far off as her mind was. "Who is it?"

"Dimitri."

"You're not the Guardian I want" she unfairly said, her eyes watering.

A moment later, she heard the handle turning as Dimitri let himself into the room. Mischa let her head fall to the side on her pillow to look at him, noting that he'd changed out of his Guardian uniform. The only reason Mischa was in a fresh, baggy t-shirt and not her clothes from before was because Rose came with Lissa and helped force her into a bath.

"Princess," he greeted, coming closer. "How do you feel?"

"Don't ask me that," she muttered. Then she sighed and softened her tone. "When my... parents and Andre died, do you know what would get me through it?" Dimitri didn't respond, knowing it wasn't that kind of question. "While Lissa was off with Victor, it was... Mikhail. He'd come to me on the days when I felt like I couldn't get out of bed, and he'd stay with me and have me list all the reasons and people to get out of bed for."

Dimitri felt he knew what was coming.

"Lissa," she began to list, her eyes watering. "Rose, Victor, and... him." Mischa then sat up, wiping at her eyes. "I can't keep shortening the list, Dimitri. I can't."

"I'm sorry that this has happened," he told her. "And I'm sorry that I wasn't there sooner. I'm supposed to protect you."

The tears began to spill onto her cheeks. Mikhail was supposed to protect her. "You're not my Dhampir, Dimitri," she whispered, remembering what they said to each other not even full two days ago. How had that only been two days ago?

"I know," he said softly while sitting on the edge of her bed. "He was." Mischa shifted quickly, moving to hug him. Dimitri took her into his arms instantly, letting her hide her face in his neck and rest on his lap while he ran a comforting hand through her hair. "Tell me how to help you, Printsessa," he requested softly.

Nothing hurt more than seeing her like this. He was supposed to protect her, and not just from Strigoi. But there was no way to protect her from this. The Academy didn't train them on grief.

"Can you just hold me?" Mischa whispered, her lips moving against his neck.

Dimitri nodded and tightened his hold on her, his strong arms keeping her pressed against him. Mischa held onto him like he was a lifeline, one hand clutching the fabric of his shirt and the other hand tangled in his hair as she cried. And then, as Dimitri began to rock her gently, he hummed the very tune Mikhail had been singing the day before after making plans for a date.