“And the Lebedevs areblackswans.”
“Yes. And it's a trait they're damn proud of. I can't imagine any Lebedev approving a portrait in which he was painted the wrong color.”
“Holy fuck!”
“Yes.” I ran my hand over the painting. “This is a lost king, Konstantin. Lost in so many ways. I suppose he could be a relative of Nikolay's father, but I don't think that's the case. I think this was a theft of both throne and name.”
“Holy fuck,” he whispered it this time. “Why do that? Why steal someone's name?”
“I don't know.”
“Nikolay's father is the first recorded Larch King, correct?”
“Yes.”
“So, it was he who took the throne from the real Lebedevs.”
“I . . . yes, if our theory is true, he would have been the usurper.”
“A man will go to great extremes to provide for his children.”
“All right.” I sat back and shut the book. “So, Niko's father probably killed the last king and stole his name. That's terrible, but what has it got to do with the murders?”
“Obviously, someone doesn't want this getting out.”
“Yes, but why not? I mean, Nikolay doesn't care about what people think of him. If this came out, he'd shrug and probably praise his father for having the strength to take the throne.”
“Yes, but remember, Timofey found the heir.”
“Yes, but Timofey's dead. So, why kill Andrei? Without the heir, this is useless information.”
“Maybe Timofey wasn't the only one who knew who the heir was. Maybe Andrei knew as well.”
“And that was why he wanted the body moved,” I said with an air of epiphany. “He didn't want anyone to suspect what Timofey had discovered.”
“Precisely.”
“But what about that logbook? What has this got to do with the attack on my village? Why would someone kill to cover up Andrei's mistake?”
“I don't know, but we're going to find out. Tomorrow, we're going to your old village.”
“Nikolay will never allow me to go with you, and if I sneak away, he'll punish me for it.”
“Fuck,” he muttered. “All right. I'll go alone. I'll leave in the morning.”
“Do you even know where you're going?”
“I have my tracker.”
“I thoughtyouwere the tracker?”
He laughed. “I am, but I mean my tracking device. One of its functions is a Kaplan form of GPS. I'll find the village, even if it's abandoned and off the map.”
“Okay.”
Kon took the book and set it aside, “Come here, swanling.”
He drew me down onto the bed with him and nestled me against his chest. I sighed and pressed against him, my hand going to his sternum before I moved it down, sliding slowly over his belly. When I heard his sharp inhale, I shifted to lie between his legs.
