LOGINI still knew every word.“Mom.” Max’s hand tightened on my arm. “Drop it. Look at me.”I looked at him.He had dirt on his face and his lip was split and his eyes were wide and scared and absolutely certain, all at once. He looked eleven years old and he looked forty, and I loved him so much in that
Natalia’s POVI fought like hell.My arm shook from the strength it took not to let that blade drive down toward Andrei’s chest. Max’s screams faded into the distance. The knife hovered six inches above Andrei’s chest, getting closer with each second.I had both hands wrapped around the handle now,
Natalia’s POVIt all happened so fast—a flash of movement at the edge of the platform, a small hooded figure vaulting up the steps, and then the knife coming down in a quick, hard arc that made the blade catch the red light overhead.Andrei threw himself sideways just before the knife collided with
I straightened up. My heart was pounding. I looked around the room and for a single, disorienting moment, I had no idea where I was. The black stone walls, the red sky beyond the window, the dead air of this place—none of it felt right. None of it felt like mine. I felt like a man who had woken up m
Andrei’s POVThe collar of my shirt was pissing me off.I had fastened it twice already and it still insisted on sitting crooked, pulling too tight on the left side. I undid it a third time and redid it, slower, watching my hands in the mirror rather than my own face. My reflection had been botherin
Natalia’s POVHe didn’t hesitate.The moment I swung the rod toward him, his hand shot out and closed around my wrist like a vise. My arm wrenched sideways, and I felt the bones grind together under his grip, and the rod fell. It clattered somewhere on the stone floor, rolling away into the darkness
NataliaBy the time we finally stopped for the evening, I was completely exhausted. Not physically, because we spent most of the day sitting in the car, but emotionally—from watching Max grow paler and more still with each passing hour.Around sunset, we found a small clearing surrounded by dense pi
NataliaWith a quiet groan, our morning of passion cut short, Andrei and I untangled from one another and quickly dressed. I could practically feel his smirk burning into the back of my head as I pulled my robe around myself and hurried over to the door, although there was something else in that sta
Natalia & AndreiNatalia“We can play whatever you want,” Andrei said, already heading toward a cabinet in the corner of the dining room. He opened the cupboard door and pulled out a stack of various brand-new-looking board games, which made my brows shoot up in surprise.“Since when do you keep boa
NataliaMax looked so much better as he blew out his six candles. The sight of him grinning as everyone sang happy birthday made everything feel alright. Whatever Andrei had done upstairs, it had clearly worked.“Did you make a wish?” Jane asked, bouncing beside her brother. Her mouth was already wa







