Read Online Frostbite: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Richelle Mead
Ads: Link
weren't in on, but I was only half-listening. I was still intrigued about her role with the Strigoi.
The self-control I'd tried to maintain finally slipped. "Did you start learning to fight before or after that happened to your face?"
"Rose!" hissed Lissa.
But Tasha didn't seem upset. Neither did Christian, and he usually grew uncomfortable when the attack with his parents was brought up. She regarded me with a level, thoughtful look. It reminded me of the one I sometimes got from Dimitri if I did something surprising that he approved of.
"After," she said. She didn't lower her gaze or look embarrassed, though I sensed sadness in her. "How much do you know?"
I glanced at Christian. "The basics."
She nodded. "I knew … I knew what Lucas and Moira had become, but that still didn't prepare me. Mentally, physically, or emotionally. I think if I had to live through it again, I still wouldn't be ready. But after that night, I looked at myself- figuratively-and realized how defenseless I was. I'd spent my whole life expecting guardians to protect me and take care of me.
"And that's not to say the guardians aren't capable. Like I said, you could probably take me in a fight. But they-Lucas and Moira-cut down our two guardians before we realized what had happened. I stalled them from taking Christian- but just barely. If the others hadn't shown up, I'd be dead, and he'd-" She stopped, frowned, and kept going. "I decided that I didn't want to die that way, not without putting up a real fight and doing everything I could to protect myself and those I love. So I learned all sorts of self-defense. And after a while, I didn't really, uh, fit in so well with high society around here. So I moved to Minneapolis and made a living from teaching others."
I didn't doubt there were other Moroi living in Minneapolis-though God only knew why-but I could read between the lines. She'd moved there and integrated herself with humans, keeping away from other vampires like Lissa and I had for two years. I started to wonder also if there might have been something else there between the lines. She'd said she'd learned "all sorts of self-defense"-apparently, more than just martial arts. Going along with their offense-defense beliefs, the Moroi didn't think magic should be used as a weapon. Long ago, it had been used that way, and some Moroi still secretly did today. Christian, I knew, was one of them. I suddenly had a good idea of where he might have picked up that kind of thing.
Silence fell. It was hard to follow up a sad story like that. But Tasha, I realized, was one of those people who could always lighten a mood. It made me like her even more, and she spent the rest of the time telling us funny stories. She didn't put on airs like a lot of royals did, so she had lots of dirt on everyone. Dimitri knew a lot of the people she spoke of- honestly, how did someone so antisocial seem to know everyone in Moroi and guardian society? — and would occasionally add some small detail. They had us in hysterics until Tasha finally looked at her watch.
"Where's the best place a girl can go shopping around here?" she asked.
Lissa and I exchanged looks. "Missoula," we said in unison.
Tasha sighed. "That's a couple hours away, but if I leave soon, I can probably still get in some time before the stores close. I'm hopelessly behind in Christmas shopping."
I groaned. "I'd kill to go shopping."
"Me too," said Lissa.
"Maybe we could sneak along…." I gave Dimitri a hopeful look.
"No," he said immediately. I gave a sigh of my own.
Tasha yawned again. "I'll have to grab some coffee, so I don't sleep on the drive in."
"Can't one of your guardians drive for you?"
She shook her head. "I don't have any."
"Don't have any …" I frowned, parsing her words. "You don't have any guardians?"
"Nope."
I shot up. "But that's not possible! You're royal. You should have at least one. Two, really."
Guardians were distributed among Moroi in a cryptic, micromanaged way
The self-control I'd tried to maintain finally slipped. "Did you start learning to fight before or after that happened to your face?"
"Rose!" hissed Lissa.
But Tasha didn't seem upset. Neither did Christian, and he usually grew uncomfortable when the attack with his parents was brought up. She regarded me with a level, thoughtful look. It reminded me of the one I sometimes got from Dimitri if I did something surprising that he approved of.
"After," she said. She didn't lower her gaze or look embarrassed, though I sensed sadness in her. "How much do you know?"
I glanced at Christian. "The basics."
She nodded. "I knew … I knew what Lucas and Moira had become, but that still didn't prepare me. Mentally, physically, or emotionally. I think if I had to live through it again, I still wouldn't be ready. But after that night, I looked at myself- figuratively-and realized how defenseless I was. I'd spent my whole life expecting guardians to protect me and take care of me.
"And that's not to say the guardians aren't capable. Like I said, you could probably take me in a fight. But they-Lucas and Moira-cut down our two guardians before we realized what had happened. I stalled them from taking Christian- but just barely. If the others hadn't shown up, I'd be dead, and he'd-" She stopped, frowned, and kept going. "I decided that I didn't want to die that way, not without putting up a real fight and doing everything I could to protect myself and those I love. So I learned all sorts of self-defense. And after a while, I didn't really, uh, fit in so well with high society around here. So I moved to Minneapolis and made a living from teaching others."
I didn't doubt there were other Moroi living in Minneapolis-though God only knew why-but I could read between the lines. She'd moved there and integrated herself with humans, keeping away from other vampires like Lissa and I had for two years. I started to wonder also if there might have been something else there between the lines. She'd said she'd learned "all sorts of self-defense"-apparently, more than just martial arts. Going along with their offense-defense beliefs, the Moroi didn't think magic should be used as a weapon. Long ago, it had been used that way, and some Moroi still secretly did today. Christian, I knew, was one of them. I suddenly had a good idea of where he might have picked up that kind of thing.
Silence fell. It was hard to follow up a sad story like that. But Tasha, I realized, was one of those people who could always lighten a mood. It made me like her even more, and she spent the rest of the time telling us funny stories. She didn't put on airs like a lot of royals did, so she had lots of dirt on everyone. Dimitri knew a lot of the people she spoke of- honestly, how did someone so antisocial seem to know everyone in Moroi and guardian society? — and would occasionally add some small detail. They had us in hysterics until Tasha finally looked at her watch.
"Where's the best place a girl can go shopping around here?" she asked.
Lissa and I exchanged looks. "Missoula," we said in unison.
Tasha sighed. "That's a couple hours away, but if I leave soon, I can probably still get in some time before the stores close. I'm hopelessly behind in Christmas shopping."
I groaned. "I'd kill to go shopping."
"Me too," said Lissa.
"Maybe we could sneak along…." I gave Dimitri a hopeful look.
"No," he said immediately. I gave a sigh of my own.
Tasha yawned again. "I'll have to grab some coffee, so I don't sleep on the drive in."
"Can't one of your guardians drive for you?"
She shook her head. "I don't have any."
"Don't have any …" I frowned, parsing her words. "You don't have any guardians?"
"Nope."
I shot up. "But that's not possible! You're royal. You should have at least one. Two, really."
Guardians were distributed among Moroi in a cryptic, micromanaged way
Similar Books
