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We did it.
This secret plan we plotted for years is finally done, and now I’m fully a part of the world of the Knights.
I’ve shot straight to the top, and it feels like I’m right where I should be, even though this isn’t my world. This is my legacy and the thing my mother died for because my father didn’t want me to have it.
“It’s done,” I breathe.
“It is done,” Leif agrees, giving me a weary smile.
I can’t help but notice that he looks like he’s aged. I know the whole encounter was heavy for him because now his family knows he’s been playing sides all these years. Nothing was ever as it seemed, and he knew their fates were never going to be what they worked for.
“You okay, Uncle?” I interchange between calling him Leif and Uncle, opting for the latter during these moments when we can just be ourselves and let down the shields of defense.
“As good as I can be. Let’s hope by the end of this, we’ll still be worthy of Valhalla.”
Always the Viking. I swear Leif lives during the wrong time. Or maybe the universe got it right and he exists now so that people like me don’t forget the old ways. Leif favors the way of life our ancestors led before they became Knights and were just Vikings.
Sometimes, I wish I could be like that, but there is too much darkness in me, and I’m not honorable enough to care where my soul goes. Heaven or hell, Valhalla or Niflheim.
All I want is retribution for my mother. Until I get it, I don’t really give a fuck what happens to me or any part of me.
Sometimes, I can still hear my mother screaming as Uther and his men smashed their way into the cottage we were hiding in. He killed Mom within two minutes of grabbing her. That emptiness of life in her body when Uther threw her on the floor will always stay with me.
I was powerless against a man like him. He took me to that horrible place to torture me so I would know I had no hope.
But now hope is on my side.
Dragging in a breath, I clear my head of the haunting memory and return my focus to the present.
“I would still prefer if we did everything ourselves.” I wish I could change Leif’s mind. “I don’t want any of my brothers to be my subordinates.”
Brothers.I don’t even want to call them that. The word feels wrong in my mind and my mouth.
“That was how it was meant to be.” Leif presses his lips together. “Our family has never had an opportunity like this before, so it needs to be this way.”
He’s talking about the new structure of the Komarovsky. Months ago, after three members of the elite on the Knights’ Council went rogue, the Pakhan took the opportunity to streamline the leadership. The Volkovas were chosen because of Aleksander’s long-standing relationship with my father and the established lineage of power and wealth. In our family, positions of power are inherited, thereby keeping everything contained within one body. So, if the Pakhan and his heirs were eliminated, we would be able to take over the entire operation.
Prior to my father’s unfortunate state, he was the Sovientrik and Viktor the Obshchak. Although the Sovientrik can choose whomever he wants as a subordinate, the intention was to keep it in the family between father and son or between the brothers.
“You will need allies, Desmier. Allies you’ll find in your brothers.”
I smirk, not bothering to hide my sarcasm. “You were in there. You saw how they looked at me. There isn’t anyone in there I can trust.”
“We’ll see, boy. I knew this day would pit brother against brother and create enemies, but they’re men like you. They won’t want to walk away empty-handed. Better to have some power than none, even if that means falling in line and being a subordinate instead of the leader you thought you were going to be.”
As always, my uncle sounds wise, so I nod respectfully. “Alright. I guess we’ll see.”
“I’ll catch up with you later. I have a few more legal matters to attend to for the assets being transferred to your name.”
“Okay. Speak to you later.”
“Well done for today.” He smiles proudly.
“You too.”
He taps my head like he used to when I was a boy, then he walks to his car while I head in the opposite direction to jump on my motorcycle.
I have a few things to do, too, before I head home to get acquainted with the princess. Then I have one other thing I promised myself I’d do before midnight.
