Page 91 of Till Death Do Us Part

“You’re the head of the family.”

“I’m not… well…” She swallowed, reddening. “I trust her.”

“Your wife’s a smarter woman than you, Wolf,” Yulia said. Elaine frowned.

“Don’t insult my wife.”

Yulia faltered, just a little. “Well.”

“Let’s go,” I said. “Is your car here?”

“This way. Move quickly.”

“I’m gonna criticize your driving,” Petra said.

“I’ll leave you behind,” Yulia said, leading us towards her silver sports car that clearly came to a drifting-screeched stop at the entrance, and we’d barely piled in before she slammed on the gas, taking off while sirens screamed behind us.

Chapter 44

elaine

“You trust them,” Yulia said, sitting across from me outside the medical bay. Her eyes were sharp, studying me, but not threatening.

“I do.”

I could hear their low voices in the room, Jenna talking, Petra talking, Vera only talking in a clipped voice when asked a question. Sitting next to me, Caitlyn nodded.

“We all trust each other here,” she said. “I mean, we’re a family.”

“Hm.” Yulia folded her hands in her lap. There was still that thing I couldn’t tell about her, like she was encased inside ice, and even with the frozen exterior, I could see through it to something inside that hadn’t breathed in a long time.

“Vera’s risked everything for me,” I said quietly. “For us. She was… she was ready to die for us. Back at the South Yard.”

“She always has been,” Yulia said. “If I didn’t fear death, she and I would have killed each other long ago. But I am a human being, and I know my own mortality. The Wolf, as best I can tell, is already dead on the inside, and cares little one way or the other if she dies on the outside.”

“It’s different now,” I whispered. “She’s found a family now. A real one.”

Yulia scoffed, leaning back in her chair, her eyes flashing as she watched me. Caitlyn laughed nervously.

“So, uh… did the family just get bigger?”

“My loyalties belong to the Whitecliffs,” Yulia said. “But for now, consider me here… on loan. Our objectives align.”

Caitlyn folded her arms. “The Whitecliffs tries to kill her. You tried to kill her.”

“So you would do well not to think of us as friends, but as a temporary alliance,” Yulia said. “Your sister has a better sense for danger than you do, Elaine.”

“I don’t know if I’d go that far,” I laughed. Caitlyn did too.

“If you’re sticking around, you’ll hear how I tried to shoot Petra when I found out what they were doing. She won’t let it go that I’m a terrible shot.”

Yulia looked away. “Being a bad shot, Caitlyn, is a gift to be treasured. May it never change.”

The gravity of the comment settled heavy on both of us. Caitlyn looked down, and I sighed.

“Thank you,” I said. “For helping us. We wouldn’t have made it out without you.”

“What are you after, Elaine Whitner?”