Page 127 of Blood Mosaic

Oh, why had they told her mother all that? Oleg’s secretary probably thought she was reassuring Tatyana’s mother, having no idea the number of questions it would provoke.

“Mama, I don’t know when I’ll be able to send you money, but?—”

“I already have money in my bank account,” her mother said. “More money than I know what to do with.” She smirked. “I’ll never have to ask Karol for money again. I could buy the whole building and kick Mrs. Lipovsky out if I wanted.”

Wonderful. So Oleg had sent her mother money. Why? There was no telling. Emotional manipulation? Guilt? Maybe it was a down payment for Tatyana’s work.

She rubbed a hand over her face. “I need you to tell me how much money Oleg sent you so I can pay him back.”

“Good luck. He told me it was a small gift for our family’s inconvenience.”

Inconvenience? Was that how he thought of her?

“Just send me an email with the amount and…” Tatyana’s breath caught in her chest.

Email.

Phone.

Computer.

Fuck.

“Can you email me when you’re one of them now?” Anna asked.

She was completely cut off from her work. She was completely cut off from the modern world. “Oh my God.”

“I can see the look on your face, and you’re going to start to panic and go in circles about everything you can’t control, so I’m going to?—”

“I can’t do anything on my own!” She stood up, shaking her arms as a current of itching electricity ran under her skin. “I can’t call you without their help. I can’t email you, and even if I knew where a post office was, I don’t think I could get close enough to it without murdering someone and I already?—”

“Tatyana Otsana Vorona!” Anna snapped at her. “Calm down.”

She froze, closed her eyes, and focused on the water drops pebbling her skin. “I’m breathing.”

“In.”

She sucked in a breath and nodded.

“Out.”

She kept her focus on her mother’s voice and let out a stream of cold air from between her lips. She didn’t need to breathe. She realized that when there was no pressure in her chest as she held the air in her lungs, but the human instinct to breathe hadn’t stopped when her heart did.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

When she was back in control, she nodded.

“Good girl,” Anna said. “I’m going to send you some of my birds.” Her mother’s voice was deceptively calm. “Wouldn’t you like that, Tanya? I don’t think it would be good to send you Pushkin—you know how he gets around strange men—but I’m going to send you some of my lovely birds to keep you company.”

Tatyana opened her eyes and stared at her mother. “What?”

“Won’t that benice?” Her mother’s gaze was intent on the screen. “A few of my sweet birds to keep you company whileyou’re away. A little bit of home. Don’t you think that will be familiar to hear their calls at night?”

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