The crossbow didn’t move.
“If I wanted him dead, Yelena, both of you would already be ashes.”
“What do you want?”
Oleg cocked his head, watching his brother sleep.
Pavel. Even in the shadows, Oleg could see the deep, rippling scars along his brother’s back, as if a plow had scored Pavel’s mortal flesh.
“I will never understand how he survived that.”
“He says you saved his life.”
Oleg shrugged. “He was useful to me.”
“Was that all?”
Oleg decided on the direct approach. “Is Pavel working with Ivan to undermine me?”
Yelena frowned, and he had his answer.
“Pavel hates Ivan,” she said. “I think Ivan is blackmailing him somehow—that’s why he’s staying here—but Pavel won’t tell me.”
Oleg muttered, “Probably because he loves you.”
It was all quite evident now that he knew what Yelena was. His brother’s sudden sociability. His greater confidence. Pavel was in love.
That was… quite nice.
“Love is…” Yelena stammered, and for the first time, the crossbow wavered. “This is none of your business. Why are you here, Oleg Sokolov?”
“Who suggested the squab for dinner?”
Yelena frowned. “The chef. There was a shipment of them delivered to the house.”
Pigeon was too unusual a dish for it not to be a message. Someone knew about Oleg and Tatyana and also knew about his wife’s fondness for the birds.
“Did Pavel order them?”
“Pavel?” The corner of her mouth turned up. “You think your brother orders food for the palace?”
So no. It was not Pavel. Ivan perhaps? That would be in character.
“Did you come here because the main dish offended you?” Yelena narrowed her eyes, but the crossbow was steady again. “I don’t believe that.”
“I had my doubts about Pavel.” Oleg turned and sent a narrow spear of fire to grab the arrow in Yelena’s crossbow. “I don’t anymore.”
She gasped as her crossbow went up in flames. Within seconds, the weapon was nothing but ash falling to the blanket covering their bed.
Oleg grabbed the remnants of his fire and smothered it in the palm of his hand so that nothing important would burn. “Seriously” —he heaved the oak door open again— “tell him to get a metal door. And maybe better guards.” He waved a hand over the carved oak. “This is… this is ridiculous.”
Chapter 24
Tatyana
“You told him you were shot?” Sándor’s eyebrows went up.
Tatyana was lounging on the couch, waiting for Kezia to arrive in her office. “No, but I told him about the attack.”
