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“That doesn’t help us find Alisa,” I say.
“No, it doesn’t. But it does mean that whatever Domenico and Augusto planned will have been delayed.”
“You mean the wedding.”
“Exactly. This buys us time, Kostya. More importantly, it leaves the Ferrata Mafia in a temporary weakened state. We might be able to exploit this.”
“Anything we do short of a killing blow won’t change the overall balance of power.” I rub my temples. “Nor does it solve the problem of Alla going behind my back to give her blessings for any potential marriage.”
Augusto’s death lessened that possibility of that, but it certainly hasn’t eliminated it completely.
“I don’t understand.” Sima blinks. “How can Alla Antonova go behind your back on this anymore? Didn’t she give you the signet ring now that you’ve fulfilled the conditions she set out?”
“No, she didn’t.” I look at him and shake my head. “She saw right through the whole thing, and she’s clarified the conditions upon which she’ll hand me total control.”
“Which is?”
I sigh as I remember what Alla told meafter she met Emily and made her cry. The memories of Emily’s tears cause my hands to ball into fists. My nails dig into my palm.
“Kostya …” Sima insists, urging me to tell him. “What did she say the condition is?”
As much as I hate saying the words out loud, I know I have to.
“The only way my grandmother will release my inheritance,” I say as each word breaks off another piece of my heart. “Is after I put a baby in Emily’s belly.”
36
EMILY
After Konstantin had leftfrom our bed to talk with Gerasim, I got up on wobbly legs, slipped on a robe, and ventured out—driven by hunger and thirst—just in time to catch the two of them walk away with their heads bent low and whispering.
Whatever it is they’re talking about, it seemed important.
Against my better instincts, I followed just out of sight behind them to a different wing of the castle.
And now, I wish I hadn’t.
With my ear pressed against the door, I can only hear some muffled voices as Konstantin speaks with Gerasim.
Whatever it is, both men sound agitated.
But nothing can prepare me for the next set of muffled words coming from behind the door.
“The only way my grandmother will release my inheritance is after I put a baby in Emily’s belly.”
I clap my hand to my mouth to stop myself from gasping as soon as I hear them.
A cold trickle of sweat rolls down my ribcage, and I back away from the door.
What did he mean by that?I ask myself.He can’t be serious …
I turn, head looking down on the floor as I walk. I’m so wrapped up in my thought that I don’t even notice the massive man standing in my way until I crash against him and fall to the floor.
I look up and see that he’s not alone.
There’s an entirewallof men in suits.
Then, they part, and my heart drops away when I see Alla staring at me. Both her eyes, the good one and the one cloudy from cataract, drill into mine, and I fight the urge to shrink back from her.
