Page 220 of The Harbinger

I soon realized that he concealed a trove of hidden emotions beneath his impenetrable armor. Though he projected a frigid and callous demeanor, there were flickers of sentimentality smoldering just beneath his thick hide.

Taking the same seat, I buckled myself in and sucked in a jagged breath.

This was it. I wouldn’t see him again. We’d be separated by a vast ocean large enough to swallow the world and living on separate continents without a way to get in touch.

Vlad sat across the aisle, my change of clothes in a bag at his feet, while Grigoriy took the couch across from the TV.

“You should be grateful, you know,” Vlad said when the plane took off from the ground and leveled out in the air.

I snorted. “And why is that?”

He unbuckled his seat and moved across from me, sliding into the seat always reserved for Sacha. “No one gets out. No one leaves. It’s what drove Nikolai to madness.”

But I didn’t want to leave. That was the difference. He’d forced me away with the flick of his hand like I was nothing more than leftovers to discard.

“What do you know about Nikolai?” I narrowed my gaze his way while nursing my bound fingers.

“More than I care to.”

“Want to fill me in then?”

He shook his head, stood, and I followed, throwing my seat belt to the side.

“Of course not. What purpose would life serve without secrets?” I pivoted on my heel and strode down the aisle, grabbing my bag of clothing. “I need a shower.”

Half an hour later, my body was pristine, my hair liberated from the odorous oils they had drowned me in, and my emotions lay in tatters down the drain. After gazing at my branded flesh in the mirror as if it could vanish, I clothed myself, ran a brush through my hair, and slipped beneath the satiny sheets. It didn’t take long for sleep to consume me.

I’d slept through the Alaska landing but woke up before takeoff, ate a few bites of bread and cheese, then disappeared back into the back and slept the remainder of the way.

“We’re ready to land,” Vlad said, touching my shoulder.

“Where are we?” I pulled my arms above my head and stretched as a yawn widened my jaw.

“We’re about to land in a small airport in Idaho.”

I sat up and ran a hand down my swollen face. “Idaho? What are we doing there?”

“It’s where your family lives.”

I shrugged. “And then what?”

“We’ll drop you off at your parents’ home. And you live happily ever after.”

“Happy according to who?”

I eased my legs over the edge of the mattress, sucking in a lungful of air. The churning in my gut made me want to double over, but I fought it down. I shook my head, my heart thundering in my chest, then stood and squared my shoulders, swallowing back the panic rising inside of me, then followed Vlad back to my seat.

“Can I speak to him before you leave me?”

Vlad sighed but didn’t move.

“Please. I just…” I hung my head, and my finger ticked.

One. Two. Three.

I silently thanked anyone listening that my broken finger was on the other hand. “I need to hear his voice.” Desperation bled through my words, but I didn’t care. I needed to hear his voice, some spark of reassurance.

As Vlad settled into his seat, his gaze wandered aimlessly out the window as if contemplating my request. Grigoriy regarded him with a slow, solemn shake of his head. Disregarding his companion’s advice, he reached into his pocket and fished out his phone. He dialed Sacha’s number and handed me the device, his contact info scrawled haphazardly across the screen. The plane began its descent, but my mind was elsewhere, focused solely on the prospect of hearing Sacha’s voice once again.

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