His eyes narrowed at me from behind smoky glass as he shuffled silently.
“Okay, okay. Maybe I’m a little overprotective,” I admitted grudgingly. “I think I’m entitled.” But much more than that, I was obligated.
He continued to manipulate the cards without speaking, his fingers growing swifter with each pass. Finally, he said, “It wasn’t your fault, Stefan.”
I felt my mouth go dry. “What?” This was not a road I wanted to travel.
“Your brother’s being taken. It wasn’t your fault. From the way you described, it was planned, right? The beach was mostly inaccessible; he had a getaway car available. It was planned,” he repeated. “If it hadn’t been then, it would’ve been some other time. Some other place. You’re trying to make up for something you didn’t do.” To someone who’s not your brother was the unsaid tag on that statement.
“Misha.” I shook my head and tried for a smile, only to fall short. “Now just isn’t the time, but . . . thanks.” I didn’t think it would ever be the time for that discussion if I could avoid it, but I realized what the effort said about Michael. He had been locked away in a place of rigid authority and people who could’ve passed as robots for all the emotion they showed. That he could still reach out to someone was extraordinary, and I wasn’t about to slam a door in his face.
He dipped his head in acknowledgment and began to meander about the room, still putting the cards through their paces. From the bookshelves to the stereo system to the massive collection of DVDs, it all received a thorough examination. “I like this place. Is your house like this?”
I snorted. “You wish, kid.” Actually, I didn’t have a place to live anymore. Going back to the condo at any time in the foreseeable future wasn’t an option. I’d suspected that before I left, even without the added complication of Konstantin’s death. I’d taken everything important to me, which hadn’t been much. The majority of my money was for finding my brother. Material things hadn’t meant much, except as unnecessary expenses. But Michael hadn’t been allowed ownership of anything in the Institute. Of course the bright and shiny things in life were going to fascinate him. “But don’t worry. Whenever we settle in one spot, you can fill up your room with anything your greedy little heart desires.”
“Anything?” He moved to the window that faced the back of the property and looked over his shoulder at me with impudent challenge. “Honestly?”
“Anything that doesn’t come from an adult bookstore,” I amended.
He turned to look out the window, but I heard the indistinct mutter of “Issues, issues.” As he tilted his head, his attention was caught by something other than giving me a hard time. “There are fountains and a maze. It looks . . . nice . . . with all the snow. Peaceful.”
“It’s always prettier when you’re watching it from someplace warm, eh?”
His lips moved in a sheepish curve. “Strange how that happens.” Shifting to get a better look, he said, “There’s your uncle Lev. He’s talking to some people.”
Puzzled, I walked over to join him. It was Lev. I only caught a glimpse of him before he disappeared back into the house. The four people he had been talking with began to walk to their cars. All of them were obviously servants. One was the cook; I recognized her from previous visits. The man was Larson, and I didn’t know the other two—housekeeper and maid probably. But why would they all be leaving so early in the day?
It was a stupid question—colossally, monstrously stupid.
“Hide.”
The air was so clear and sharp, I was vaguely surprised it didn’t cut Michael’s face when he turned to look at me. “What?”
I gave him a hard push toward one of the couches resting against the side wall. “Hide!” Without further question he ran and pushed behind the piece of furniture, slithering out of sight. My gun had found its way into my hand, I couldn’t recall how. It was remarkably similar to a magic trick. Abracadabra. There it was, clenched in a grip carved from bone. My fingers should’ve ached. Maybe they did ache, but I didn’t feel it.
The crystal knob of one of the double doors began to slowly turn, and I stepped smoothly to the wall beside it. Lev had closed the door behind him as he’d left. He could not have possibly carried his weight up the stairs in the seconds that had passed from the sighting of him via the window, but I called his name nonetheless.
“Uncle Lev,” I said with laughter that passed through my throat like chunks of regurgitated ice. “Give me a hand, would you? This kid has me pinned to the floor. Thinks he’s some sort of wrestler.”
Wasn’t that a disarming picture? Michael and I rolling around in horseplay, laughing and joking.