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My mother flipped through some papers on a clipboard. "They don't have forensic details yet, but the same number of Strigoi couldn't have done this. None of the Drozdovs or their staff escaped. With five guardians, seven Strigoi would have been preoccupied—at least temporarily—for some to escape. We're looking at nine or ten, maybe." "Janine's right," said Dimitri. "And if you look at the venue…it's too big. Seven couldn't have covered it." The Drozdovs were one of the twelve royal families. They were large and prosperous, not like Lissa's dying clan. They had plenty of family members to go around, but obviously, an attack like this was still horrible. Furthermore, something about them tickled my brain. There was something I should remember … something I should know about the Drozdovs. While part of my mind puzzled that out, I watched my mother with fascination. I'd listened to her tell her stories. I'd seen and felt her fight. But really, truly, I'd never seen her in action in a real-life crisis. She showed every bit of that hard control she did around me, but here, I could see how necessary it was. A situation like this created panic. Even among the guardians, I could sense those who were so keyed up that they wanted to do something drastic. My mother was a voice of reason, a reminder that they had to stay focused and fully assess the situation. Her composure calmed everybody; her strong manner inspired them. This, I realized, was how a leader behaved. Dimitri was just as collected as she was, but he deferred to her to run things. I had to remind myself sometimes that he was young as far as guardians went. They discussed the attack more, how the Drozdovs had been having a belated Christmas party in a banquet hall when they were attacked. "First Badicas, now Drozdovs," muttered one guardian. "They're going after royals." "They're going after Moroi," said Dimitri flatly. "Royal. Non-royal. It doesn't matter." Royal. Non-royal. I suddenly knew why the Drozdovs were important. My spontaneous instincts wanted me to jump up and ask a question right now, but I knew better. This was the real deal. This was no time for irrational behavior. I wanted to be as strong as my mother and Dimitri, so I waited for the discussion to end.
When the group started to break up, I leapt up off the sofa and pushed my way toward my mother. "Rose," she said, surprised. Like in Stan's class, she hadn't noticed me in the room. "What are you doing here?" It was such a stupid question, I didn't try to answer it. What did she think I was doing here? This was one of the biggest things to happen to the Moroi. I pointed to her clipboard. "Who else was killed?" Irritation wrinkled her forehead. "Drozdovs." "But who else?" "Rose, we don't have time—" "They had staff, right? Dimitri said non-royals. Who were they?" Again, I saw the weariness in her. She took these deaths hard. "I don't know all the names." Flipping through a few pages, she turned the clipboard toward me. "There." I scanned the list. My heart sank. "Okay," I told her. "Thanks." Lissa and I left them to go about their business. I wished I could have helped, but the guardians ran smoothly and efficiently on their own; they had no need for novices underfoot. "What was that about?" asked Lissa, once we were heading back to the main part of the lodge. "The Drozdovs' staff," I said. "Mia's mom worked for them…." Lissa gasped. "And?" I sighed. "And her name was on the list." "Oh God." Lissa stopped walking. She stared off into space, blinking back tears. "Oh God," she repeated.
- Page 72 and 73: "Whatever. I can tell when you're l
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- Page 108 and 109: get a couple of guys to tell everyo
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- Page 130 and 131: Tasha shrugged. "If that's what it
- Page 132 and 133: "I have my sources." Somehow, sayin
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- Page 136 and 137: I looked at Mason questioningly. It
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- Page 146 and 147: "Hey yourself, cousin," he returned
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- Page 156 and 157: The rest of us just sort of stared.
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- Page 160 and 161: "You can't keep doing this," she gr
- Page 162 and 163: He stopped walking. "We could go."
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- Page 170 and 171: along with their blood, but they di
When the group started to break up, I leapt up off the sofa and pushed my way toward my<br />
mother.<br />
"Rose," she said, surprised. Like in Stan's class, she hadn't noticed me in the room. "What are<br />
you doing here?"<br />
It was such a stupid question, I didn't try to answer it. What did she think I was doing here?<br />
This was one of the biggest things to happen to the Moroi.<br />
I pointed to her clipboard. "Who else was killed?"<br />
Irritation wrinkled her forehead. "Drozdovs."<br />
"But who else?"<br />
"Rose, we don't have time—"<br />
"They had staff, right? Dimitri said non-royals. Who were they?"<br />
Again, I saw the weariness in her. She took these deaths hard. "I don't know all the names."<br />
Flipping through a few pages, she turned the clipboard toward me. "There."<br />
I scanned the list. My heart sank.<br />
"Okay," I told her. "Thanks."<br />
Lissa and I left them to go about their business. I wished I could have helped, but the guardians<br />
ran smoothly and efficiently on their own; they had no need for novices underfoot.<br />
"What was that about?" asked Lissa, once we were heading back to the main part of the lodge.<br />
"The Drozdovs' staff," I said. "Mia's mom worked for them…."<br />
Lissa gasped. "And?"<br />
I sighed. "And her name was on the list."<br />
"Oh God." Lissa stopped walking. She stared off into space, blinking back tears. "Oh God," she<br />
repeated.
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