- We all know the dangers that lurk outside our gates.
- But under the protection of our Dhampir Guardians,
we are safe.
- The future of the Dragomir family is in your hands.
- Lissa, as your godfather,
I promised your family I would always look out for you.
- Spirit use is real.
- This feels dangerous.
- Maybe compulsion is just the start
of what Spirit Users can do.
- Rose is one of our best Guardian Novices,
but she's a handful.
- Will you teach me?
- Rose saw through my eyes.
I feel like you've always been pretty tuned into me.
- But this feels different somehow.
- Novices, the benchmark tests are simulated surprise attacks.
- A way forward has been suggested.
The only way to test a Novice's acumen
is by confronting them with a real Strigoi.
- It's too dangerous. - Always be ready.
Move it, Novice.
- Congratulations.
You five represent the Novices who exemplify the acumen
fit for our Guardian ranks.
Your objective is to escort a Moroi Royal
to a predetermined location
and secure it by sundown.
You will then keep your charge alive
by any means.
At nightfall, Bravo Team will enter the field
and come for you and your charge.
If your patch is popped by Bravo Team, you fail.
If your Royal's patch is popped, you all fail.
If you survive Bravo Team's onslaught tonight,
we'll see you on the Royal Tour.
In lieu of having an actual Moroi in the field,
one of you will be assigned the role.
Rose, since you're atop the rankings,
I'm making you team leader
and leaving the decision to you.
- Team leader? Me?
But what about-- - Decision's made.
- Putting Rose in charge of protecting
anyone not named Lissa isn't gonna end well.
Maybe you should just flunk us all now.
- Heavy is the head, Hathaway.
You want to be Vasilissa's guardian?
Leading your team to victory is a hell of a way
to make your case.
Everything you need is in these rucksacks.
Get changed and get going.
Good luck.
- Novices, pa-shon!
- Well, that's a great start.
- I'm good.
Probably could have done without that fifth pint.
- Yeah, no shit.
- Here.
Hydrate.
Looks like we're heading to a structure
a few hours away.
Herk, you're with me on near guard.
And Dean, you're on far rear.
Meredith, navigate and take far front.
- I knew I shouldn't have come back early.
- And Eddie, you're our Moroi.
- Why me?
Last I checked, I'm higher in the rankings than they are.
- You're also the youngest,
with the least amount of field training.
Now, we've got a lot of ground to cover
and not enough daylight to do it in.
So get dressed and let's get going.
- Come on!
Out with you.
All right, let him go.
Come on!
- Come on!
- Move it.
- You're one ugly bastard, aren't you?
- It's like a drug, isn't it?
- Andre. - The search for answers.
- You're not real.
You're just part of the Darkness.
- You can't run from me, you know.
- Stop it.
- The Darkness will always find you
and twist away at your insides until you remember!
- Leave me alone!
- Sandovsky's Syndrome?
That's terminal.
This is a * joke, right?
Can you please say something?
- How long do we have?
- Not long enough.
- Dad-- - Absolutely not.
- I can heal him.
- Heal, not cure.
- The toll it would take would be too great.
You know that.
- Sonya, if anything like that were to happen again--
- Apologies for interrupting at such an hour, Victor, but...
I'm afraid I made a terrible mistake.
- What you've done is unconscionable!
Reprehensible!
It is not who we are or what we stand for!
- Here, here. - What we stand for, Victor,
is the well-being of the Moroi.
- To what end?
Destroying the relationship between the Council
and the Dhampir community?
We have an obligation to everyone,
not just the Moroi. - Yes.
- We have never, ever willingly put
innocent lives in jeopardy.
And with our numbers so low already--
- They are not innocent. They are Dhampirs.
Their mere existence puts their life in jeopardy.
And we must demand both quality and quantity
if we are to breed a more capable line of Guardians.
- Yes.
- If your position is that
our top Novices are so ill-prepared
they can't defend themselves from a single Strigoi,
then you are only further making our case for us.
- My God, you're a * monster.
Now, I understand your fears after the losses at St. Jude's,
but I promise you, if this council is unwilling
to see reason, I will--
- I'd be extremely careful
what you say or do next, Victor.
The Queen is aware of the situation.
To act against the will of the Council
is to act against her will
and would thus be considered treason.
The Queen may be aware of this, but she can't be for it.
I propose an emergency motion to rescind the vote.
- Not without a 2/3 majority, as I'm sure you are aware.
- Tatiana, please don't speak to me
as if I haven't been doing this long before your fangs dropped.
Now, if you don't mind, the adults are talking.
- Fine.
All in favor of Victor's motion?
All opposed?
The nays have it.
- Rose.
Rose.
Rose, I'm tired.
- We can't stop.
- But I'm so hungry.
I won't be caught dead eating food so pedestrian.
I demand my feeder.
Do you know who my father is?
Know your place, Guardian.
- Eddie, I swear.
Just eat it and shut up before I kick your teeth in.
- Still not quite sure I get what Mason sees in you.
- You really must not want your teeth.
- I'm just saying, you're rough around the edges
and a bit prickly.
But Mason seems to worship you.
- I never asked anyone to worship me.
You don't know how love works, do you?
- Mason's not in love with me.
- The hell he's not.
- Mind your own.
- He's just a really good guy, Rose.
So fly that kite straight or cut him loose,
'cause you've got him twisted in knots.
- Appreciate the unsolicited advice,
but that's a really bad metaphor.
Hey, Meredith?
There are wards set up
around the training areas, right?
- Yeah. Why?
- Nothing.
Let's keep going.
- Sorry to hear about this.
Your dad is one of the good ones, you know.
- Sorry.
You have to work, and I'm sitting here
talking your ear off.
After last night,
I wouldn't have blamed you if you needed a minute.
It was...kind of intense.
No, no, no.
It was good intense.
Come on.
I like dissecting cadavers
and singing old Moroi opera in the shower, okay?
Normal is boring.
Normal can kiss my Strigoi-smelling,
opera-singing arse.
and then some.
And I'm completely here for it.
- Thank you.
- I'll see you tonight, okay?
I'll swing by when I'm done.
- Captain.
Status?
- The trackers in the squibs
have Alpha Team arriving to their objective
in less than an hour
with about 45 minutes to spare until sunset.
Bravo Team arrived in the area about 15 minutes ago
and are setting up base camp.
- Alberta.
A word, please?
Dimitri, you as well.
- Give us the room. - Yes, ma'am.
Everyone clear out.
- Very quietly, I need you to call off the field test
and bring everyone in. - Impossible.
They went radio silent when they arrived on site.
- Then send someone to retrieve them.
- What's going on?
- The Royal Council has approved live fire.
- I'll gather a unit.
- Stand down, Dimitri.
That is an order, Guardian.
May I remind you that the will of the Royal Council
is absolute?
Our duty is to protect the Moroi and the Academy,
not to coddle our own.
- You knew about this.
- As of 15 minutes ago.
But your fight, Lord Dashkov, is with the Council.
We follow their orders.
If you're willing to risk treason,
you will face the consequences alone.
- Dimitri-- - Dimitri will do as he's told.
- Do the Guardians out there know?
How could you? - Don't * lecture me.
I have no choice. I do what I'm told.
You should really have more faith in Rose's abilities,
especially considering all the extra training
you've been providing her.
They can handle it.
She can handle it.
If she can't, Bravo Team will.
- Take a quick breather.
- Well, this certainly isn't the accommodation
I was expecting.
- Never seen a human church in person before.
Do you think they know anything about us
or St. Vladimir?
- I hope not.
We don't need their shit spilling over into our shit.
- I don't know.
Human shit's kind of my thing.
- That doesn't sound the way you think it does.
- It does explain her bad taste,
if her crush on Mia wasn't enough.
- There's a heart in there, if you dig around a bit.
Well, what can I say? I like what I like.
I'm gonna walk the perimeter,
try to strategize a defense.
- Don't bother.
By the time you see Bravo Team coming,
it'll be too late. - You noticed that too.
- It's hard not to when you're standing
at the bottom of a bowl.
- Can I see that map for a second?
Maybe this is part of the test.
To see if we're dumb enough to stay
in an indefensible location.
There's another structure here.
If we leave now, we can make it by sunset.
- It's doable, and it's close enough
to set up a communication relay to keep an eye on this area.
- One more thing.
Alberta said to survive by any means necessary.
They can't fail us if there's no patches to pop.
- See?
She gets it.
- Overturning the Council's decision
would set a dangerous precedent in the transition of power.
- This is not an ordinary circumstance
nor an ordinary transition of power, Your Majesty.
- I will not incite political upheaval
even for you.
If you are so troubled by it,
perhaps you should finally consider running for the throne
instead of clinging to its coattails.
Are we done?
- Your Majesty.
- Why the sudden interest in the Moroi art of yore?
- I--art's kind of always been my happy place.
Yeah.
Rose and I had this plan, after graduation,
we'd go on this crazy worldwide art crawl.
- I've met the collector who donated this piece.
It's a shame you won't be joining us in the Royal Tour.
He's a lot, but he knows how to throw a party.
- Tradition's tradition, I guess.
No quorum, no Royal Tour,
although you must know that.
Given your detailed awareness of the law.
- What I do know is that you should have the right
to choose a spouse when you're ready,
not because Victor Dashkov is desperate for votes.
- He just wants what's best for me.
- If that were true, he would have found a way
to prevent a Strigoi from being released on your friends
out playing their little war games.
- This location will definitely work.
Bravo Team won't suspect a thing.
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. - Got it.
- We can do this.
I know we can.
- Now that was leadery.
Not bad, Hathaway.
- Not bad yourself, Beckham.
- Prayers won't help Rose, but you can.
- Look, I agree this is *d,
but what you want to do is insane.
Running out into the field? How would you defend yourself?
Because I don't think compelling a Strigoi to death
is gonna work.
- Well, it's better than not trying at all.
I need you.
You have a handle on your magic that's more than just
some stupid party trick.
I have to warn Rose.
- You just told Dimitri.
- Well, what if he doesn't find them in time?
Or what if the Strigoi find them first?
If the situation were reversed,
Rose wouldn't hesitate to come for me.
- That's what she's been trained to do,
An argument I see now holds no weight with you.
Ugh, Rose is gonna kick my *
for letting you do this.
- Let's get her and everyone home safely
so she can do just that.
- But they're offsite. How we gonna get there?
- Got it covered.
You're not gonna like it, but it's handled.
- A wannabe royal, a Dhamp, and a sad little outcast.
That's as low as a peanut gallery as there ever was.
- And yet we still have people we care about
that are worth saving.
- What's your excuse for being such a lonely *?
- Feel free to get out and walk at any time,
preferably while the car is moving, then.
And last I checked, it was the responsibility
of the Guardians to protect the Moroi,
not the other way around, just in case you've forgotten.
- You could have just said no, okay?
You didn't have to come with us.
- Well, when the last Dragomir comes knocking,
you answer, right?
Who knows?
You might find a way to make it up to me.
Ah, come on, Lissa.
There are far worse Moroi to * to erase a debt.
- Such a perv.
- Just shut up and drive, Jesse.
- Hey, hang the next right. I think I know where they are.
- Okay, big man.
- You should watch your six.
Look what we caught.
Should we throw it back?
- I'm just here to grade your defense strategy
for Bravo Team,
but it looks like you guys have it well in hand.
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.
- 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.
'Cause I've got 1,000 mirs riding on it.
- Which I'd happily split with you.
- Deal. - Mm.
- And I won't give you shit that you've taken
the easy job in all of this.
- You've got this, Rose.
And don't worry, your super-secret
defense strategy is safe with me.
Now I have a date to get to.
- That's a pretty melody.
- It's from an Old Moroi opera.
- Since when do you like opera?
- Alpha Team is in position.
Bravo Team, do you copy?
What the *?
- Your Majesty.
- These interruptions are getting tiresome, Victor.
- Vasilissa Dragomir was seen leaving
the palace grounds along with a few other students.
Care to guess where they were headed?
- On whose authority? - My guess is their own.
Please, I implore you. Stop the test.
You are the only one with the power
to take emergency measures
and overturn the Council's decision.
- Who else was with her?
- Jesse Zeklos, Christian Ozera,
Mason Ashford,
and my daughter.
- Hey, stop!
What are you doing?
- Where's Rose?
- Lissa, what are you doing here?
- There's a Strigoi loose in the area.
They set it free. - Whoa, whoa, slow down.
You're not making any sense.
- They put a Strigoi out here with you guys.
- What? Bullshit.
- No, it's true. - Shit.
- That doesn't make any sense. Why would they do that?
- I don't know, but it's true. - Whoa, whoa.
How do you know that? - I just do.
- Look, Mia and Jesse are waiting in the car,
but we have to warn the instructors.
- Mia's here.
- Meredith! - Wait, Rose!
We have to warn the others.
- But we don't know where the instructors are.
How the hell did you even find us?
- I know how you think, Rose. - Good.
Then help me figure out what I would do next.
- You'd have Dean go get Herk, but we already did that.
- He said to wait in there.
- Okay, let's go.
Come, come, come.
- Herk! Herk!
We gotta go.
Herk?
- What's taking them so long?
- Mia.
Mia, what the hell are you doing here?
You shouldn't have come.
- I was worried.
- Aww, I hate to break up this love fest or whatever,
but where's the rest of your merry band?
I skipped breakfast coming out here,
and I'm starving.
I need to feed.
- Did you miss your nap today, Zeklos?
Okay.
Well, this was fun.
Um, I think I'm gonna go now.
Feel free to enjoy the rest of this shit show
or, I don't know, get in.
I'm only offering once.
You know, you always were one of the smart ones.
Okay, what the * are you doing?
Give me the keys, Meredith.
- We're not leaving without-- - Give me the * keys now!
You know what?
It won't take much to hold me over.
Just a sip or two.
- Try it.
Go on, I'm begging you.
- Oh, come on.
It's a win-win, right?
I feed, you get high.
Who knows?
You might even enjoy being my little...
blood *...
- Mia, what the *?
- Mia.
Mia, look at me.
It's okay.
You just attacked a Royal.
You won't get away with this, either of you.
- You're okay. You're okay.
All right? You're gonna be okay.
What happened?
Hey, where's Herk?
- Mikhail caught him.
Mikhail's a Strigoi.
He's--he's--
- Oh, *.
We need to go now.
Come on.
- Shit. Stop.
- Stop.
- Mikhail?
- Wait, Christian!
- I don't know how to control this!
Figure something out, or we're all *!
- Okay. - Rose.
- I'll distract him. You get everyone to the car.
- No, Rose, you can't!
- What? I can help.
- It's my team, my rules.
- Please don't do this, Rose.
- I'm trusting you, all of you.
Get to the car.
They come first.
* go!
Go, let's go, let's go.
Go, go, go.
I can't hold this much longer!
- Christian! - Go!
- Stop the bleeding, then get him in the car.
Eddie, Meredith, come help me set up the perimeter
until Rose catches up.
Christian!
If you see something, torch it.
- Hey, hey, hey. Dean.
Dean, look at me.
Dean. *.
- Mikhail?
- He's gone.
No.
Mikhail.
- He's gone.
- Mikhail.
- He's gone.
No!
- Rose. Roza.
- Down this way.
- Status?
- All Moroi accounted for.
Two down--one Novice, Herk,
and Mikhail.
- Whoever turned them is still out there.
- We'll fan out and find them.
- Let's move out. - Get her home.
I was so worried.
- Oh, sore. - Oh, sorry.
How are you feeling?
- Like I've just had 1,000 people
trample over my corpse.
I'm fine.
Promise.
- Okay.
So don't freak out.
That's, um...new.
- I healed Dean, Rose.
There was so much blood, and then...
and then I just * healed him.
This is crazy.
I'm actually a Spirit User, just like St. Vladimir.
And look.
You know those traveling exhibits
from the museum that only I go to?
There's this painting.
That's St. Vladimir Compelling someone.
Think about what this means.
- It means that you should probably just take it easy.
Are you sure this is a good thing?
Because I've been picking up on some crazy emo vibes
from you lately.
- Well, how could it not be?
Didn't St. Vladimir live out his life in peace,
like, herding, like, sheep or something?
There was that nursery rhyme. Right?
It was like, "St. Vladimir" something, something...
"To guide him in joy on a"...
both: "Farm, with Anna beside him."
- Yeah.
Vladimir was the founder of our religion.
Some crazed emo guy wouldn't be in marble
on every other pedestal.
If I can just talk to the guy who owns the collection
from the museum, maybe he could help me
fill in some of the blanks about Spirit
and how St. Vladimir handled it without losing his mind.
But I have to know.
- Great.
So where is this mystery man?
- In Lisbon,
on the Royal Tour.
- It's voting families only.
How are you gonna score an invite?
- I don't like you and you don't like me.
But I have to marry someone with enough Dragomir blood
to get my quorum back.
And although this would not be a real marriage,
I should be spending some time with your parents
before we're officially engaged.
They are going on the Royal Tour, right?
- Why would you say such a thing?
- I'm so sorry, Sonya.
- No.
That's a lie.
She's lying.
- Sonya...
- It kills you to see me happy.
- I'll go.
Sonya.
Sonya, wait.
Sonya. Sonya, please.
No, he can't be dead.
He can't. - It'll be okay.
I promise.
- No.
It won't be.
- What are you doing?
- I won't lose you, too. - Sonya, no.
- I need to heal you, Daddy.
*.
- Rose.
How do you feel?
- Like I killed a piece of myself.
Like suddenly, I'm beginning to wonder
if I even want to do this anymore.
- I wish I could say it gets easier, but--
- But it * *s?
- But it * *s.
I'm sorry that Lissa got involved.
I'm supposed to prevent her from getting into danger,
on shift or not.
My mind should have been on her
instead of...
- Instead of what?
- You,
and whether or not you were safe.
- Hey, Hathaway, are you in here?
How are you holding up?
- I'd be a lot better if people would stop asking me that.
- Listen.
We lost one of our own.
I can't * begin to know how to process that.
The thing I do know...
I don't want to be mad at you,
ever.
You're one of the only things
that makes this life * bearable.
I know you're heading out on the Royal Tour.
But when you get back...
I'll be here waiting
like I've always been.
- A success?
You have the audacity to call four wounded
and seven dead a success?
Seven dead,
including a Moroi guard and a Dhampir Novice.
- It may not be the result we hoped for,
but it's certainly the revelation we needed.
We are being hunted by beings who wish nothing more
than to eradicate our kind.
Yes, seven lives were sacrificed,
but that was the result of one Strigoi, only one.
Now imagine a horde--
dozens coming after your wives
and your husbands and your children.
We need better-equipped guardians
if we are to survive with the recent influx
of Strigoi attacks.
We are one coordinated attack away
from being completely and utt--
- Victor.
- Over the past 24 hours, I've done
a great deal of contemplation regarding our future,
that of our children, and that of our children's children.
The one thing I keep coming back to
is that we deserve better.
Moroi and Dhampir alike, we deserve a better future.
With no other candidate capable of leading us there,
and after discussing it with my family,
I've decided to fight for it.
I stand before you to officially announce
my candidacy for Monarch.
- There are things I have to do for my family,
decisions I have to make.
But I just want you to know
it doesn't change how I feel about you.
And it doesn't change how much it meant to me
that you helped save Rose.
- Why does it feel like you're breaking up with me,
even though we're not together?
- 'Cause I want to be, Christian.
I want to be together.
And I'm so sorry.
I mean, I don't even know how to tell you this.
It's okay.
Whatever you have to do,
you do.
Okay?