Page 52 of The Pakhan’s Unwanted Bride

"Assume yes," I say flatly. "Which is why she stays under constant guard. No exceptions."

"What are we looking for?" another captain asks.

"Anything and everything. Someone thinks the Rostovas have something valuable, and they're willing to kill for it."

"What about Ivan's inner circle?" Gregory asks. "The assassination attempt required inside information. Someone knew his exact route and timing."

"That's your assignment," I tell him. "Dig into everyone close to Ivan. I want to know who had access to his schedule and who might have leaked it."

Gregory nods, his expression grim. He knows what I'm asking. Investigating Ivan's people means potentially uncovering a traitor, and traitors in our world don't get trials or second chances.

I dismiss the captains with specific assignments. Surveillance on key locations, interviews with witnesses, and background checks on anyone who's had contact with the Rostova family in the past month. It's methodical work, the kind of investigation that takes time and patience. But time is something Ivan might not have.

After everyone leaves, I return to the Galkin estate with Ana. She's quiet during the drive, staring out the window with worry etched across her face. I don't try to comfort her with empty reassurances.

Benedikt follows in a separate vehicle, and once we're back at the estate, Ana retreats to her suite without argument. The fight has gone out of her, replaced by exhaustion and fear. I watch her climb the stairs, her shoulders slumped, then I head to my private study and close the door.

I pour two fingers of whiskey and settle into my chair, then pull out Ivan's father's journal. The leather is soft under my fingers, worn smooth from years of handling. I open it to the first page and begin reading properly this time, not just scanning for relevant information but absorbing every detail.

The entries span generations, dating back centuries to when the Rostova family held royal status in Russia before coming to America. Ivan's father documents the ancient guardianship arrangement between our families with meticulous care. The Galkins protected certain knowledge. The Rostovas maintained the bloodline connections that gave the guardianship meaning. Together, we were stronger than either family alone.

But he also writes about threats. He mentions meetings with my father where they discussed "the arrangement" and "maintaining the balance", but he never explicitly states any particulars. Probably for security reasons. Can't let enemies find out too much.

I flip through more pages, reading about alliances and betrayals, about the delicate balance of power that keeps our world functioning. Ivan's father was a thoughtful man, more philosopher than ruler, and his observations are sharp and unsettling.

Then, about halfway through the journal, I find an entry that makes me pause.

The sword is more than a symbol, he wrote. It represents a covenant older than any of us. Samuil's father understands this, as his father did before him. The Galkins guard what must remain hidden. The Rostovas maintain the bloodline that gives the guardianship meaning. Together, we are stronger than either family alone. But if that bond breaks, if the guardianship fails, the consequences will reach far beyond our families.

I read the passage three times, trying to understand what he means. The sword in my private chamber has been in my family for generations. I've always known it was important, a symbol of our role as guardians. But this suggests it's far more than that.

I continue reading, but the later entries become more cryptic. I'm about to close the journal and pour another drink when something slips from between the pages near the back. A folded piece of paper, newer than the journal itself, falls onto the desk.

I pick it up carefully and unfold it. The handwriting is immediately recognizable. Ivan's precise script, the same I've seen on countless business documents over the years. But this isn't a business document.

The note is addressed to me. Not to his daughter, not to his family, but specifically to me.

27

ANA

The reports come in throughout the evening, but none of them reach me. I watch from the sitting room doorway as Gregory delivers updates to Samuil in the study. I see captains arriving with information, their voices low and urgent. Every piece of intelligence about my father's disappearance flows directly to my husband and his men, while I'm left standing on the outside looking in.

It's infuriating.

"Any news?" I ask when Gregory emerges from the study for the third time in an hour.

He pauses, his expression carefully neutral. "Pakhan Galkin is handling everything, Princess Anastasia. You don't need to worry."

"He's my father." I keep my voice level despite the frustration building in my chest. "I have a right to know what's happening."

"Of course." Gregory's tone is respectful but dismissive. "Samuil will update you when there's something concrete to report."

He walks past me before I can respond, leaving me standing alone in the hallway like a child who's been told to let the adults handle things. I try again an hour later when two more captains arrive. I approach them in the main hall, my chin lifted with the authority I've carried my entire life. "What have you found?"

The older captain glances at his companion before answering. "We're still gathering information, Princess. Pakhan Galkin will brief you when appropriate."

"I'm asking you now."