“I won’t.”
Ilana’s gaze had sharpened slightly at that.
“Why?”
“Because I’m not stealing her from someone. I love her, and she loves me, and I deserve to come and take her back in front of anyone. I am not scared of the Chernykh brothers because this is a matter of choice. And I am sure they will understand that Elisse is choosing me.”
Silence.
“Does Kliment understand that I chose Avgust?” Ilana asked, making a fair point.
“No. But I understand, I am sure Avgust and Iosif will too. She deserves to choose in front of them,” I said. “And not run away in the dark like a criminal.”
That was the only way this ended cleanly. I did not want to end it with secrecy or force but with clarity. I did not want this to end up in a lifetime of running and a lifetime of chasing.
So here I was. At the gates of the Chernykh mansion, I knew Elisse was just inside. I gave my name at the doors, and the guards stiffened immediately. Weapons hadn’t risen yet, but I could already sense they were ready.
“Wait,” one of them said into his earpiece.
The gates did not open, and they never even would have, except the security feed glitched only briefly, but it was enough.
Ilana, Clara, and Zhenya were right inside, creating chaos subtle enough not to look like chaos. I still didn’t know how they had done it, but I could imagine one of them making a call that was misrouted while another one of them redirected the patrol officers. The gates were somehow opened for me, and I drove in slowly. I did not need to be fast or aggressive. The engine cut in the courtyard, and I stepped out with no visible weapon in my hands. To my surprise, I could not see a single guard on patrol duty, which was strange.
I walked directly to the front doors and noticed how they were already opening for me, Ilana standing just at the entrance.
“Where are all the guards?” I asked her, stepping inside the foyer.
“Zhenya staged a fall and fake attack at the back, and Clara forced them all to go and check. I quickly ran to first open the gates for you and then the main gates here. Now we don’t have a lot of time,” Ilana said, ushering me inside.
“What do you mean?”
“I need you to get to Elisse’s room before the guards return.”
“I told you, Ilana. I am not going to hide,” I said, refusing to do this in the dark.
“I know you said that, but I don’t want you to die, Fyodor. Please be smarter than this and do exactly as I am saying before this entire plan goes to hell,” she whispered, trying to pull me towards the staircase.
Just then, footsteps began sounding all around us, and the foyer filled quickly as guards flooded in. Within seconds, everyone knew what was happening, and guns were raised, which were all aiming directly at me. Clara and Zhenya walked in as well, their eyes widening when they realized we had been caught.
It would have taken one twitch of a finger. One misinterpreted breath. To end this.
But I didn’t flinch.
“Iosif,” I called evenly, my voice carrying through the empty foyer. “Iosif, Avgust, where are you? Come outside.”
My call carried through the marble hall.
“I’m not here to fight.”
Footsteps echoed from the upper staircase, and Avgust appeared first, followed quickly by Iosif. Their expressions were carved from stone.
“You have some nerve walking inside the Chernykh manor like this,” Avgust said flatly.
“I’ve been told.”
Guns shifted slightly closer.
“You’re outnumbered and injured, and from what I can see, you are also unarmed, and you decided to walk inside enemy territory?” Iosif observed.
