Vampire Academy Read-Along: Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

Chapter 2 left us off with Rose agreeing to Headmistress Kirova's demands. The girls are immediately sent to class after their meeting, however Rose has to meet with the guidance counselor first. He gives her her new schedule and sends her on her way. The way the school works is rough--the days are long with the first half having the Moroi and novices separated. The second half they join together for their classes. 

Dimitri and Alberta escort Rose to her first class. The students' eyes immediately turn to her. She finds her old friend Mason among them and discovers that he's leading the days combat session. She finds another of her friends Eddie Castile in the class as well. After a few minutes of friendly banter, all the students want to know what had happened to her and Lissa over the past two years. Before she can say too much though, the guardian who oversaw the class comes over and demands they begin training. Mason suggests she partner with him. When the class is over, it's clear she's out of practice. Mason tells her she won't be ready for her trials in the Spring, but Rose responds by saying that she'll be ready--she's taking extra practice sessions with Dimitri. Mason is in awe. "So the man is a god."

Her next class of the day is with instructor Guardian Stan Alto who makes her stand in front of the class and "lecture" them. She finds herself in front of not only her fellow students, but a few guardians as well--including Dimitri.

"Enlighten us about your protective technique."

 Guardian Alto says she must have had some sort of strategy when taking Lissa into the world with Strigoi threats. Rose tells him they didn't run into any Strigoi. He continues to bate her, showing her exactly how much of a risk it was to take Lissa out of the protection of the Academy. He then tells her that hopefully she's learned enough to pass his class and qualify for her field assignment--something that all the novices look forward to. It's the best part. At the last half of their last semester, each novice is assigned a Moroi student to guard. The adult guardians monitor them and test them with staged attacks. If Rose wants to be assigned to Lissa at the end of her training, she has to do her absolute best.

Rose finally makes it to lunch after two more classes and Dimitri walks up to her. He asks her how her classes and training is going. He reminds her that she isn't guaranteed being assigned to Lissa and if she wants to be she has to prove she can protect her. After he walks away she is then confronted by Victor Dashkov. He asks her about her classes and voices his approval of her keeping Lissa alive while they were away. He tells her that he's been studying up on the bonds between Moroi and their guardians. He asks Rose what it's like to be bonded to someone in that way. She reluctantly tells him that it started near the time of the accident--when Lissa's parents and brother didn't wake up, but Rose had. The doctors said she shouldn't have survived. Victor is still in wonder over the bonds between Moroi and their guardians. 

"If it did happen more often . . . just think what it could do for the safety of all Moroi. If only others could experience this too."

Victor went into one of his coughing fits and his guardian suggests he go inside. He thanks Rose for her time and walks away. Entering inside the school, Rose feels Lissa's anxiety skyrocket and hurries to the commons. She finds Aaron and the girl who was holding hands with him earlier talking to Lissa. Rose stops and listens for a moment. The girl is talking down to Lissa and without hesitating, Rose grabs the girl dragging her away. "She does have standards, which is why you're done talking to her."

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Well, it seems that the first half of Rose's first day back was a bit of a reality check. She's clearly way far behind in her training and I think she's finally realizing that had they encountered any serious attack she wouldn't have been able to protect her best friend. And it looks like the drama is heating up with this mean girl. Hopefully Rose can keep her cool or she'll be on the fast track out of the Academy!

So what are your thoughts on Chapter 3?? Pretty intense right? And it's only the first half of her first day back! I would hate to be in Rose's shoes right now.