Page 59 of Dark Embers

Oleksi

On the way to the penthouse the elevator ride is quiet and as I hold Sabrina against me, my mind is in fucking turmoil. When did Gavriil and Irina have a kid? Shit! I saw her a month before they were killed and she wasn’t pregnant nor did my brother, aunt, or cousin mention anything about them having a baby. I would’ve known if they had a kid.

The elevator dings to a stop and the doors slide open. Syd is there waiting for us. Her face is pale and drawn.

Sabrina's eyes dart to her immediately. “Where's Elena?” she demands, her voice edged with concern sensing that Syd is there with bad news.

“She's fine,” Syd assures quickly. “Elena is sleeping peacefully in the nursery.”

But Sabrina isn't convinced. She brushes past us, her footsteps echoing down the hallway as she rushes to see her daughter for herself.

I turn to Syd. “What is it?”

She hesitates, then speaks. “Sam called. It's about your aunt and Nikolas.”

My stomach tightens. “What happened?”

“Their yacht has gone missing,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper. “Sam received a distress call from Nikolas, and then... nothing. The yacht just disappeared like it was sucked into the fucking Bermuda triangle, only they were nowhere near it. Search teams are out now looking for them.”

“Damn it!” I hiss, running a hand through my hair. “Where were they when it disappeared?”

“Near Trabzon. You know the Turkish port city on the Black Sea coast, not far from the Georgian border.” Syd’s words send bolts of tiny shock waves through my system.

“What the fuck were they doing there?” I stare at her in disbelief. “I thought they were cruising through the Bahamas.” I rub my jaw. “That’s thousands of kilometers in the wrong direction!”

“I tried to find out from Sam but he’s as in the dark as we are,” Syd tells me but there is something in her voice and eyes that makes me think she doesn’t believe Sam.

“You think Sam’s not telling you the truth,” I point out.

“I think he knows more than he’s letting on,” Syd confirms. “Abouteverything…”

Before Syd can elaborate, Sabrina reappears, her face flushed.

“Don’t say a word about the yacht missing. Sabrina’s mother and Mark Dalton are on that cruise.”

“I know.” Syd nods.

“I just called my mother's phone,” Sabrina says, breathless. “Someone else answered. A woman who couldn’t speak a word of fucking English.” Her voice is raised in panic. “I asked her why she has my mother’s phone and was told that the phone was left in a hotel room. The woman is a housekeeper there and was taking it to the lost and found.”

“What?” My chest tightens. “Where? Where is the hotel?” I ask, my senses on high alert.

Sabrina looks confused. “Moscow,” she replies.

That cannot be a coincidence!The blood pumps faster through my veins as my heart picks up speed and I glance at Syd. “Get the jet ready. Pack your bags and round up Lev and Ivan”

“Of course.” Syd nods.

I turn to Sabrina. “How soon can you get packed and ready?”

She looks at me, confusion and worry etched on her face. “Why?”

“We're going to Russia,” I state firmly. “I hope you still keep your passport with you at all times?”

Sabrina

My heart skips a beat. Russia—again. At least this time, it's by jet, not a frantic drive across Europe.

“Twenty minutes,” I say, then pause, thinking of Elena. “Maybe longer, because of Elena.”

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