“That’s not enough.”
“It’s what we have right now.”
“We need to leave. Take them somewhere the Petrovs can’t find us.”
Julian finally turns to face me. “And go where? They found Cassian after he’s been careful for twenty years. You think they won’t find you?”
“Then what do we do? Just sit here and wait for them to move?”
“We prepare. We coordinate with Cassian’s people. We make sure if they try anything, we’re ready.”
I stand up. Can’t sit still anymore. “I need to talk to him.”
“He’ll be here in an hour. I already called.”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“Because you would have panicked. Like you’re doing now.”
“My children are in danger, Julian. I’m allowed to panic.”
“Your children are safe. That’s what matters.”
But his hand is still on that gun, and that tells me everything I need to know about how safe we actually are.
I leave his study and head to the playroom. The boys have built an elaborate fort using every cushion in the house. Blankets draped over furniture create walls and a roof. Finn’s inside explaining the fort’s defense systems to Liam, who’s adding modifications.
“This part is the lookout tower,” Finn says, pointing to a stack of pillows. “And this is where we keep the weapons.”
“What weapons?” Liam asks.
“Nerf guns. Obviously.”
Nadia’s sitting on the floor nearby, watching them with that soft expression she gets whenever she’s with the boys. She looks up when I enter and immediately reads my face. “You talked to Julian.”
I nod.
She stands and walks over, voice low enough that the boys can’t hear. “They’re safe here. Julian’s made sure of it.”
“For how long? The Petrovs waited six years. They’re patient.”
“Then we’ll be patient too.”
“I can’t just sit here waiting for them to strike.”
“What’s the alternative?”
“Taking them somewhere the Petrovs can’t reach.”
“There’s nowhere like that. Not really. These organizations have connections everywhere.”
“Then we keep moving. Make it harder to track us.”
“And take them away from their father? Away from the life they’re just starting to build here?”
The question stops me cold. She’s right. Running means taking the boys away from Cassian again. Means uprooting them from the stability they’ve finally found. Means going back to exactly what we escaped. But staying means putting them in danger.
I don’t have a good answer.
