Page 145 of Kingmakers, Year Four

It was lucky that Bodashka Kushnir had not been killed, or his father Foma. The fact that they were still alive, and captive at the monastery, was a useful bargaining chip.

In the end it was decided that my family would pay a settlement to the Kuznetsovs, that the Kushnirs would take over Danyl’s old territory in Moscow, and Dominik would retain St. Petersburg.

“In fact,” my father tells Dominik, once we’re all back at the hospital in Almaty, “I think it’s time you considered it your own. You’ve beenPakhanin all but name for a long time.”

Dominik frowns, the scar on his right cheek crinkling where it runs past his eye.

“I don’t care about a title, brother. The monastery will always be your home.”

My father shakes his head. “It belongs to you, Dom. St. Petersburg belongs to you. I raised my children in America. I made that their home.”

He turns to face Dean Yenin, who’s sitting next to Leo’s bed, a book open on his lap, trying not to listen in though of course he can understand everything being said in Russian.

“You owed two years to Danyl Kuznetsov?” my father asks.

“I did,” Dean says.

“I’ve agreed to pay a stipend to Danyl’s widow to compensate for the loss of her husband. Your service transfers to me,” my father explains.

Dean nods slowly.

“You helped my son to find me,” my father says. “I consider your service completed in full. If you want to join us in Oregon, we’d be glad to have you. But you’re free to choose.”

A look of stunned relief spreads across Dean’s face. I know those two years weighed heavily on his shoulders—especially once he fell in love with Cat. He wanted to be free to start his life with her, and he hated the anvil around his neck, impossible to shake off.

“Thank you,” Dean says. “I’m honored by your offer. I’ll consider it carefully.”

My father nods, then turns to Hedeon.

“I offer the same to you, if you want it—a place with the Petrovs. My son has told me that you may not wish to inherit from the Grays.”

Hedeon gives a rough shake of his head. “I don’t want anything from them,” he says.

“I apologize if our arrangement with Luther Hugo caused you pain,” my father says. “If you still want to know Evalina Markov, I could facilitate that meeting . . .”

“No,” Hedeon says. “No, thank you.”

I can’t tell if he’s trying to protect Evalina from the backlash that might ensue, or if his confrontation with Luther Hugo was so deeply disappointing that he no longer wants to meet his mother.

Hedeon and Leo are both cleaned up, bandaged, and recovering, but while Leo has regained all his usual boisterousness, Hedeon is as withdrawn as I’ve ever seen him. He barely joins in the cheerful conversation that bounces from bed to bed in this wing of the hospital that we’ve completely taken over.

I corner him when the nurses bring everyone dinner.

“Are you going back to Kingmakers?” I ask him.

He shrugs, picking at his food. “I suppose.”

“Hugo will only let you all back on campus if he thinks his secret is safe.”

Hedeon makes an irritated sound. “I don’t want anyone to know he’s my father any more than he does.” Then he stops, registering what I said. “Aren’tyougoing back?”

I shake my head. “Only to drop you all off. Then I’m going home with my parents and Nix. You could come with us.”

Hedeon considers. I can guess what’s really pulling him back in the direction of the school—and it sure as hell isn’t Hugo.

He asks me, “Do you feel happy now that you got what you wanted?”

I look at my parents who are eating and talking with Freya and Dom, my father’s arm around my mother’s waist.

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