AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I wasn’t planning to try and run off! You were less than twenty yards away; what’s the big deal?”
“I’m here now. What do you need?”
Her question cools the anger boiling in me. “I had something I wanted to ask about, but I’m worried it might be a little … sensitive.”
“You’ve got my attention. Let me put these in some water. Come along.” Ulyana strolls into the kitchen. I follow her closely, observing how she sets the basket on the counter, then fills a large fishbowl-shaped vase in the sink.
“Those roses are very pretty.”
“Aren’t they?” Her smile makes her blue eyes soften. “Arsen likes to have a fresh arrangement like this set out every week.” Using the shears, she trims the thorns with expertise, settling the stems in the water. “They’re lovely like this, but in the garden, they’re a masterpiece.”
“I’d love to see them up close.”
Her smile twitches, as if she’s evaluating if I’m still looking for a way out. “What’s this sensitive topic of yours?”
Sucking in a long breath, I look up at the ceiling, visualizing the room up above. “Don’t be mad. But I might have broken a rule.”
Ulyana sets the shears down loudly, sighing. “You went to the third floor, didn’t you?”
“I did,” I admit. “And what I saw there … I need help understanding it.”
“Galina, you were told not to do that.”
It’s strange. Her voice is sharp, but she doesn’t sound or look upset.
“What was that place?” I ask. “It was full of old nursery things.”
Her eyes slide away from mine. “It’s a room to house the ghosts of Arsen’s past.”
Unease creeps in until my arms stiffen. “What kinds of ghosts?”
“It’s not for me to tell you.” She starts to turn away. “In fact, I’ve already told you too much.”
Worried she’ll leave the kitchen before I get any closer to an answer, I round on her, blocking her path. “Come on, there’s no harm in sharing this info with me.”
Ulyana draws herself upward. If she’s trying to intimidate me, it doesn’t work. With a light sigh, she wipes her hands on her apron.
“Old memories have a way of acting like weapons, Galina.”
Tucking my chin to my neck, I let out a short, sarcastic laugh. “You think I’d use anything you tell me to hurt Arsen?”
“You might.” A familiar deep voice rumbles nearby.
With a start, I look over and catch Arsen leaning on the frame of the door, his arms belted across his chest. His eyes are fixed on me with sharp interest, his body like that of a lion—relaxed, yet able to pounce at will. His midnight black short-sleeved shirt and matching slacks add to the effect.
Freezing up, I dart a look at Ulyana. She’s fiddling with the bowl of roses on the granite island in the middle of the kitchen. I will her to speak first, to say anything, but she remains silent.
Arsen sways forward, entering the kitchen fully. He surveys us both with a serious frown. “Leave us, Ulyana.” He focuses on me intensely. “Galina and I need to talk alone.”
Sweat beads along my spine. Again, I try to indicate with my panicked eyes that Ulyana should say something. But just like before, she holds her tongue. With a tiny dip of her head at Arsen, she slips around him and exits the kitchen.
Holding all the air I have in my rib cage, I stay where I am, not even blinking. I’ve gone into survival mode, remaining still the way a deer would in the hopes that the predator doesn’t see it.
But Arsen has no problem noticing me. I’m all he sees right now.
“Galina,” he says firmly.
I shudder.
