Page 46 of Enemy of the Heart

Jace snorts sardonically. “Obviously.” Lou aims her middle finger in his direction, and he sniggers. “Just how do you propose we do that, Lou?”

“Reconnaissance and surveillance.” She rolls her eyes like this practical conversation is boring her to tears. “This is kind of my area of expertise.”

“It sounds like you’ll be needing arms,” Viktor remarks.

My girl grins, her eyes twinkling. “I want a bazooka this time.”

Viktor’s answering smile borders on terrifying as he holds out his elbow for her to take. “It’s a good thing I just got some rocket launchers.”

She squeals, then hooks her arm with his and saunters out of the room, leaving me with the heaviest pit in my stomach.

“I wish we were going literally anywhere else,” Jace mutters, dragging a hand down his face and sagging against the wall.

We. Alright, so he really meant it when he said he was sticking around.

I grunt an affirmation, but everyone knows I won’t deny that woman anything. Not even a mission as foolhardy, risky, and downright life-threatening. I would crawl across continents covered in broken glass for Louhi. She’d do the same for me, and Lou wouldn’t hesitate in helping me if we were going to save my sister. But I’d have the same hesitation no matter the target of this mission. The goal was to stay off the military’s radar, not position ourselves directly in their crosshairs. While I understand her desire to rescue her brother, we might all die in the process.

Fuck, this is a terrible idea.

Louhi

I toss my fluffy pillow into the boot of the SUV and slam it closed with enough force to scare off the snowflakes that have piled up. I can only pray that the relentless weather lets up soon. This drive is going to be long enough without having to contend with a snowstorm.

Sasha opens the door to the driver’s seat and starts the car, leaving one impossibly long leg dangling. When he climbs out, he tosses me the keys. I catch them with a smile.

“Why do you get to drive?” Sean huffs, then mutters somewhat under his breath, “The excuse of hot-wiring it doesn’t even track this time.”

I roll my eyes, though I don’t answer him as Viktor approaches. He descends the front steps with his hands in his pockets. His demeanor is casual and calm, but the firm set of his shoulders and jaw tells a different story. Gently padding over the snow, his dogs trail after him, their gait protective and predatory.

“Are you sure about this, Louhi?” he asks, his breath visible in the brisk night and only audible to my ears. I collected a small arsenal of weapons from him and already packed them into the hidden compartments of the car he loaned us.

“Yes,” I murmur without hesitation. “I need to bring him home.” One way or another.

The words burn my throat as though I swallowed too much fresh ginger and raw lemon juice. The sensation is probably more accurately akin to gargling sulfuric acid, but I can’t be entirely sure since I’ve never tried that before.

The idea of infiltrating a black site is dangerous and a touch reckless, but there’s no lengths I wouldn’t go to for my brother. I’ve already conquered one prison—twice—what’s one more?

When Honey Eyes explained that he thought my brother was just within reach, I latched onto that hope like it was an iron bar atop a cliff and I was dangling over the edge.

I’m not allowing myself to consider another possibility right now. But even if he turns out not to be at Kazakhstan, it’ll rule out one option, and some bloodshed could settle me enough to come up with our next plan.

While we threw some things into our bags, he kept stealing glances, and when I’d meet his eye, he’d exhale then go back to tossing clothing into the duffle bag. Sean is clearly nervous about this mission, and I understand that concern, but I have to do this. I need to be reunited with Mercer.

He subtly dips his chin. “Let me know when you get to Saratov, alright? Without you, who will kill all my enemies?”

I giggle, my head tilted back toward the navy sky crying white, fluffy tears. “Ukko forbid, you have to manage your own affairs.”

His chuckle is low and follows me as I stride for the car.

I don’t know what’s got me buzzing harder: the six cups of coffee I’ve consumed or the potential of being reunited with my brother. The sun is bright, illuminating the fresh layer of powdery white snow across the countryside as we get closer to Saratov.

Immortal’s “Return To Cold” plays softly through the speakers as I drive, my fingers tapping the steering wheel to the beat. The sunshine is a nice change from the relentless snowfall that the windshield wipers struggled to keep up with all night. I drove for the first five hours before Sean took over for a bit, but now that we’re edging closer to the city, I slid back behind the wheel. Thirteen hours is quite a while to be trapped in a car. At least Viktor had arranged snacks for us. If only Jace hadn’t been like a rabid dog with the junk food and left the rest of us with fucking carrot sticks and almonds.

A remarkable silence has filled the drive like a heavy mist, with everyone seemingly lost in their own minds. Jace and Sean are obviously concerned about sneaking onto this military base. I’ll admit that carries a significant risk, but it’s nothing compared to the weight of living without my brother. Nothing could keep me from him now. With my parents gone, he’s the only family I have left. I won’t abandon him.

Besides, stealth might as well be my middle name.

After another several minutes of quiet, Sean’s voice fills the car. “We’ve got to be close, right?”