“I know.”
“Do you?”
His eyes burned into mine, searching for fracture. I didn’t give him one. The truth was more complicated, and I knew he wouldn’t understand. Ilana wasn’t just my sister. She wasthe only person in this world who had ever looked at me and seen something other than usefulness. She’d defended me when Kliment’s expectations grew too sharp. She’d laughed when I’d needed silence.
I loved her. But I wasn’t blind. She wasn’t coming back. Destroying the Chernykhs wouldn’t restore her pride. It would just burn more ground. But Kliment didn’t care. He needed war, and he needed me to execute it. He straightened, walking back behind the desk.
“There’s a vulnerability,” he said calmly.
I didn’t like the tone.
“What vulnerability?”
He opened a drawer and removed a thin black folder, sliding it across the desk toward me.
“We have intel on a possible leverage in the Chernykh household that can benefit us.”
My stomach tightened slightly. It couldn’t be something sensible.
“You want me to negotiate with them?”
“No.”
His gaze darkened.
“I want you to use this advantage and make them pay.”
I didn’t reach for the folder immediately, dreading whatever was inside.
“Be clear.”
“Ilana left because she believed she had options,” Kliment said evenly. “Because she believed the Chernykhs could protect her. Because she believed she could build something with them.”
His voice sharpened.
“Take that belief away.”
The meaning settled slowly. Like poison. He wanted to show Ilana that the Chernykhs could not protect one of their own, which only meant that whatever was inside the dossier was a Chernykh who needed to be taken away.
“Who?” I asked.
“Avgust has no obvious weakness.”
Of course he didn’t.
“He’s disciplined and controlled.”
“Yes.”
“But every empire has a softer flank.”
My hand finally moved, fingers brushing against the edge of the folder.
“And that is?”
Kliment’s mouth curved, but not in amusement. In calculation instead.
“Elisse Chernykh.”
