We ride in a single car this time. Vlad drives. I sit in the back with Raina. I can feel her impatience in the way her fingers twist in the hem of her coat. The city lights move past.
At Aunt Tanya’s building, two of my guards stand outside in plain clothes. They nod when they see us. One calls up to confirm. Then we go inside.
My aunt opens the door at once. Her eyes widen when she sees Raina. Then they fill with relief.
“Thank God,” she says. “Come in, child. Your girl is going to burst.”
Nadia rushes from the small living room before we even step out of the entry hall. She throws herself at Raina with full force.
“Mama,” she cries.
Raina drops to her knees on the worn rug and catches her. They crash together. She wraps both arms around Nadia and holds on. Nadia clings to her neck and sobs into her shoulder.
I stand there and let the sight soak in. It hurts and heals at the same time.
“I’m here,” Raina keeps saying in a low voice. “I’m here. I’m here.”
Nadia pulls back enough to touch her face. “You’re hurt,” she says, seeing the bruise.
“I’m okay,” Raina says. “It’s just a bump. Papa already folded the bad house.”
“Good.” Nadia says fiercely.
I drop a hand on Nadia’s head. “You brought us to that house,” I say. “Your song was perfect.”
She smiles and wipes her face on her sleeve. “I told you I remembered,” she says. “Even the hooks.”
My aunt watches us with tired, soft eyes. “You take them home now,” she says quietly to me. “This place held her for a night. That was enough.”
I nod. “Thank you,” I say. “I owe you.”
“You owe me nothing,” she says. “You owe that child a kinder world. Start there.”
We gather Nadia’s small bag. The angry cat rubs against her leg once, then stalks away. Nadia laughs and waves.
The ride back is tight but warm. Nadia sits between us in the back seat. She holds one of our hands in each small fist. Raina leans her head on the seat and just watches her. She looks like she’s afraid to blink.
“I had a bad dream,” Nadia says at one point. “You were far away. The man kept talking. But then Papa came to the fox door and knocked the right way.”
“That was no dream,” I say. “You helped with that too.”
She beams.
By the time we reach the compound, she has started to yawn. The day took a lot out of her. Out of all of us.
At the main entrance, Vlad meets us. His face is tight. He walks around to my side of the car before I can open the door.
“Pakhan,” he says low. “There is a problem.”
My stomach drops. “What now?” I ask.
“It’s Anastasia,” he says. “We found her in her room an hour ago. Door locked from the inside.”
Raina’s hand freezes on the handle. “What happened?” she asks.
Vlad glances at Nadia, then back at me.
“Don’t hide it,” I say. “She is not a baby.”
