Page 70 of Unveiled

Semyon’s lips thin. "You've made your decision," he says, his voice just soft enough to stay between the two of us. "Enjoy that pie while you can still sit.”

I smile at him, my heart racing. I think back to when I was eighteen—young and naive. Semyon was older, powerful. I could never explain it, but the way he’d get stern with me always sent inexplicable heat through my body. Now the thought of him like that again—commanding, unrelenting, in charge—makes anticipation and nerves coil inside me. My cheeks flush as I focus on serving Stefan a slice of pie, though I’m acutely aware of Semyon’s eyes on me. His gaze feels like the ghost of a touch.

Tonight will be… memorable.

"How long do you need with the computer?" Semyon asks Matvei.

He shakes his head. "At least a week. There are major firewalls to break through. I've made some progress, but it's like the first crack of an egg. Nothing’s really happened yet. The more I can crack through the surface, the further we get.

"I’ve found some interesting information so far," he adds. "But I'll leave that for you to see later. I don’t want to say anything until I have more."

"Anya," Yana says curiously, pulling my attention away from Semyon. "We have a pretty big event coming up in a week.”

I remember when I was younger how it seemed Semyon was always going from one event to the next. He lived larger than life, and I was so jealous. His world seemed so much bigger than mine.

“Everyone’s expected to be dressed up for it. Zoya and I are going shopping for dresses. Maybe you can join us?"

As if she knows exactly how things work here, her eyes meet her brother's. Semyon sits back, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes narrowing slightly behind his glasses.

"That's fine," he says. "But each of you will have two guards on you."

Yana opens her mouth to protest, but Zoya just stares him down.

"Six guards?" Yana says incredulously. "Are you serious right now?"

"Serious."

"Semyon's right," Rafail adds, his voice firm. "We're on the verge of a war. We don’t know where alliances stand. We’ll take no chances."

Then, shaking his head, he mutters, "You're lucky he’s even letting you go out at all."

A war… we're on the verge of a war, and my family is at the epicenter of it. I look at Stefan, gleefully eating his pie with gusto. He has no clue what's at stake, that Eli could be in danger.

But we have to keep things safe. For him. For all the children here. For all the future generations.

Semyon’s hand flexes on my thigh.

I don’t have to do this alone.

Chapter 19

SEMYON

I have wickedplans for my wife when we get back home, but both she and Stefan pass out on the ride. They're exhausted. I can’t bring myself to wake her.

She looks younger when she’s asleep, the crease between her brows relaxed, free of that worry line between her eyes. I wish I could soothe it for her. I wish I could make it better.

I don’t know how to do this—how to be what she needs. Sometimes I wonder if I’m even capable of it. Emotions, connection… it’s like a language I’ve never learned, one I can’t comprehend. Every time I think I’m getting closer, she pulls away, and I’m left questioning if I’m destined to fail at this. But I can’t give up.

Exhaustion weighs on my chest, my eyes heavy when we park. My eyes feel like lead, but there’s no time to rest. Answers about Eli are just within our reach. If he’s beentaken, we’ll have to find him—but that’s only part of the battle. If he finds out I’ve taken his sister…

I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.

I wish I could tell her every circumstance that led to her mother’s death. I still remember that conversation we had in their kitchen when she pounded her small fist on the table, her voice trembling.

"You cannot drag him into this," she said, her eyes shining. "I won’t allow it, Semyon. I know who you are. I know who your family is."

Anya has her mother's eyes.

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