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“Emma.”
Maybe it is him. Maybe seeing me passed out on the floor has reverted him back to the man he used to be before he believed I’d betrayed him. Maybe I’ve gotten my wish. Maybe the gods have decided that I’ve suffered through enough and they’re taking pity on me by bringingmyRuslan back.
Yeah freaking right.
Maybe pigs will fly, too.
“Emma, can you hear me?”
The voice is gaining in character. Definitely not Ruslan. A tear slips down the edge of my closed eye. Why is it that sometimes every kind little gesture that hedoesn’tdo feels so much worse than the cruel and awful things hedoesdo?
“Is she gonna be okay, Uncle Kiki?”
Of course. Kirill. That makes more sense.
“I-is Aunt Emma g-g-gonna d-die?”
“No, of course not. She just needs some rest, that’s all. I’m gonna make sure she’s okay.”
“Where’s Ruslan?”
Probably skulking off somewhere, cursing the day he laid eyes on me.
I force my eyes open, if only to convince the kids that I’m gonna be okay. I’ve already yelled at them unfairly today. I don’t want to burden them with any more trauma than I’ve already given them.
Honestly, maybe my parents have a point. They might be better off without me.
“Auntie Em!”
“Look, she’s awake!”
I open my eyes to find four hazy faces hanging over mine. The girls look relieved but Josh’s eyebrows are pulled together uncertainly.
“Okay, kidlets, let’s move to the side again. I’m gonna pick her up and take her upstairs.”
I try to groan in protest—You’re better off without me; just leave me here where it’s dark and warm and quiet—but before I’m ready, Kirill scoops me up into his arms. I’m not even doing the moving myself but the vertigo hits all the same. Any hope of arguing goes up in smoke.
I’m vaguely aware of Kirill saying something to the kids. He must be telling them to stay in the kitchen and finish their dinner because, when he takes me upstairs, no one follows us.
By the time he places me down on my bed, I’m mostly in control of my faculties. I can see and hear normally. The pounding in my head has subsided and the ringing in my ears has eased.
Kirill passes me a glass of water. “Here. Drink.”
“Thank you,” I murmur. “Are the kids alright?”
“They’re worried about you, of course. But I assured them that you’d be okay. And I’m gonna keep that promise. Which is why the doctor is on his way now.”
I cringe. “That’s really not necessary.”
“You fainted, Emma.”
“My parents sent me a little gift. Caught me by surprise.”
He nods grimly. “I saw. Don’t worry; we can handle it.”
“You don’t know my parents.”
“They don’t know Ruslan Oryolov.”
