“No. I came in and out to replenish our supplies of food and to use the bathroom upstairs, since the bunker was designed without one.”
Because it wasn’t some hostel. “During the past three weeks, did you interact with anyone aside from Mestyla?”
“Yes. Twice. I drew Izolda’s feather on my cheek and added stripes before going into town to purchase supplies.Ediblesupplies.Notweapons.”
Though Ksenia’s hair is shorter than Izolda’s, and her nose, a touch crooked—unlike Izolda’s—to most, the sisters cannot be told apart. What does give them away is their pitch: Ksenia’s is slightly raspy, while Izolda’s is on the breathier side. I suppose only those well-acquainted with my family would pick up on the different tonality.
“So, you haven’t communicated with the Volkovs?”
“Not recently,” Ksenia says. “Not since?—”
“—you ended your tryst with one of the sons?” Isla finishes for her.
Ksenia seals her lips but the salt leads her to reply, “I saw them a few times after.”
“I hear they frequently visit their cousin Bohdan in West Sheva,” I say.
Her throat contracts. “Just business dealings. To aid their dwindling trade. Ever since my grandfather got the monopoly of the railway construction?—”
I flap my hand. “So they come down to West Sheva regularly. They wouldn’t happen to do more than deliver sleighs, now, would they?”
Ksenia’s jaw turns V-shaped from the vigor with which she strains to snuff her answer. “I don’t—I—TheyhelptheZaslofskyswiththeirshipments!”
A shadow bolts into the library floor, materializing instantly into a man.
“You’re all right!” Aodhan pants, his complexion stark.
Since the sight of blood doesn’t make him squeamish, I fathom distress that something had happened to me is to blame for his unusual pallor.
“Have you seen the body?” Isla asks him in Crow.
Aodhan nods.
“Is it Mestyla?” she asks.
“She looks so eerily like Alyona that I’m going to venture ayes.”
“Where’s Izolda?” Isla’s tangible worry causes my skin to crawl.
I neither want her exposed to her slain niece nor to her crazed, blood-soaked twin.
“She’s giving Elio a tour of the castle’s art gallery,” Aodhan replies.
“Make sure she goes into much detail,” she urges him.
“Already done.” He scrutinizes Ksenia, upper lip hiked up in disgust. “Why did Ksenia execute her little disciple?”
“Becauseher little discipleapparently wanted to rid me of my necklace,” I murmur in Crow.
Isla slides her lips, probably to keep from adding that it wasn’t only my necklace she wanted to rid me of.
“Have the Lodge searched from top to bunker,” I say, sidestepping him and leaving my sister’s handling to my guards. “Where’s Imogen and Salom? Have they arrested Bohdan?”
Aodhan’s cheeks hollow. When his eyes dart toward Ksenia, a chill of foreboding slinks up my spine. “They’re not back yet.”
It’s been well over two hours since Salom left with Imogen and Borat to arrest Bohdan, who couldn’t possibly have gotten far on his sleigh by the time they set out.
To keep my sister in the dark, I say—in Glacin, “Tell Imogen I’ll join them as soon as I see my niece. And, yes, she can torture him.”
