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“You think he’s defected to Alexei’s side?”
“I think he’s dead,” Levin says bluntly. “Or captured, which is worse. It’s not looking good, Viktor. Alexei has a good portion of your men. He’s building a case to become your rival, and it’s going to get bloody. He won’t stop at hurting your family, you know that–”
“I know,” I say curtly. “But it’s going to be him who hurts in the end. I’ll see to that. I can protect my family, especially with you at my side. But I need to know where Alexei is.”
“I’ll do all I can,” Levin promises. “You know that I will,pakhan.”
“I do. You’ve always been loyal to me, Levin. I trust you above anyone else.”
“I’m grateful.” He inclines his head. “I’ll let you know as soon as there’s any other news.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose as he walks away, feeling the heaviness that Caterina’s arrival had momentarily lifted return. The burden of responsibility feels weightier than ever, and I wish more than anything that she understood that. That she could see how I feel that there are no good choices for me, only the path that I was set on. No matter what I do, it will be wrong because of the choices made for me from the beginning.
This is the life I was given, the legacy I was handed. It seems impossible to me that I could walk away from it.
And yet, that’s exactly what she wants me to do.
