Page 91 of Unholy Tsar

I turn to Vera, but she’s already stumbling out of the car with her men, fleeing. Fuck. I jump out, but by the time I’ve gathered my bearings, they’ve already vanished into the smoke. The distinct crackle of gunshots fills the air, mingling with the screams of dying men.

I glance around for a weapon, a discarded gun or knife, anything I can use. But nothing shows up. Fuck. It doesn’t matter. Bracing myself, I walk into the smoke anyway.

It doesn’t take long before I come across one of Vera’s men. He’s panicked and isolated. An easy target. I come up from behind and grab him in a chokehold.

He curses as I bring him to the ground. “Where is Vera going?” I demand.

“I–I don’t know,” he chokes out. But I don’t have time for games. I snap his neck and toss his body aside. He only has a knife on him, but that’s enough. I take it and continue through the smoke, taking down my enemies one by one until there are none left.

By the time the smoke clears, only Tytus, Rian, Roz, Gabriel, and myself are left standing.

“Ah, there you are,” Rian teases when he finally spots me. “Our little damsel in distress.”

“Nice to see you too,” I nod. As nice as it is to see him, I’m not ready to joke around just yet. “But our actual damsel is still in danger.”

Gabriel steps up. “Cecilia? I have my men on it already and—”

“I know where she is,” I interrupt.

“That would help,” Tytus and Roz say in unison.

“Let’s get to it, then,” Rian orders.

They lead me to their cars, and I get in with Gabriel. He hardly waits for me to shut the door before he floors it. Dust kicks up behind us as we head toward my old palace.

As we drive, he fills me in on what they’ve uncovered about Vera and Viktor’s scheme so far.

Turns out, about ten years ago, Viktor and Vera, with help from Vladimir Portov and some other oligarchs, began discreetly funneling drugs and humans into the US, particularly into Kilpatrick territory. They kept the operation small so no one would notice. Anyone who did was promptly paid off or killed.

Slowly, they spread their disease through the country's underbelly, corrupting the solid structure and communal relationships we had built. Along the way, Vera left little clues that she hoped would connect us to all their horrific crimes.

If my men hadn’t mistakenly stumbled upon that drug den a few weeks back, we’d probably still have no idea what was going on right under our noses. And that could have been bad. Really bad.

I shudder at the thought. To Vera’s credit, she was this close to bringing down an empire. But she’ll have to do better than this.

“I’m sorry, man,” Gabriel says, clicking his tongue and shaking his head. “I thought my siblings were crazy, but yours are on a whole different level.”

“Thank God they’re not as smart as Tytus and Roz. Otherwise, we’d be in real trouble.”

“Amen.”

“But we’re not out of the woods yet. Where’s your phone?”

He gestures toward the glove compartment. I punch it open and grab the phone. Gabriel gives me the password, and I text Dante the address to my old palace, hoping beyond hope that he made it out alive.

My thoughts return to Cecilia. My fingers curl into fists. My pounding heart steels itself.

“Drive faster,” I tell Gabriel.

He doesn’t need to be asked twice.

I’m coming, dushen’ka. Just hold on a little longer for me. Please.

33

CECILIA

Water drips from the ceiling of the filthy bathroom, landing directly on the toilet I’m supposed to use.