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“They left in the middle of the night, according to Uncle Vito,” she says. “They were supposed to follow a specific path through the woods to meet him.”
Scowling, I say nothing. I know the rest.
“I want to find the path they took, Nikolai,” she continues. “Maybe there’s a clue.”
My gaze falls on the unkempt bushes blocking the narrow path into the woods and the grass encroaching on the bare soil.
I can’t keep quiet. “That was eighteen years ago, Eden.”
“I know, but maybe …” her voice trails off. Her gaze combs the landscape in search of something that might still be there.
After Matvei was killed, my father went with his men to the site—an abandoned watch factory in Newark, far from the protective boundaries of New York City. Gennady went anyway, though the place had been scrubbed of all evidence; he thought he would find something despite the odds.
He never did, and he knew he wouldn’t. But he insisted on going anyway.
I nod. “All right, let’s search together.”
We start our search for the elusive path they took that night. However, it quickly becomes apparent that finding it won’t be easy. Time and nature have taken over, and detecting any clear trail through the woods is nearly impossible.
The sun dips behind a cloud, and the shadows of the tree branches overhead lengthen across the ground. Tall ferns wave in the breeze, playing with the bit of light left. The trail plays hide-and-seek as we try to follow it, turning us in every direction until I worry we’ll lose sight of the house.
“What if I never find it?” Eden says in frustration as the path vanishes under a crisscross of gnarly roots rising above the ground. “What if it’s just gone forever? Like her?”
“Hey.” I pull her into my arms. “We may not find it, Eden. But we’ll find out what happened together.”
“Together.” Her eyes flash as her determination returns.
Hand in hand, we continue our search, carefully stepping over uneven ground and pushing small branches out of the way. We continue, though soon, we’re surrounded by thick greenery.
“Dammit!” she exclaims, yanking her hand from mine. “We’ll never find it.”
“Eden,” I speak softly. “Calm down.”
“No, Nikolai.” Her voice cracks. “I just want to know the truth. Someone knows. Why can’t I know too? She was my mother. Is the truth too much to ask for? I deserve it.”
Her words strike me in the gut and echo the pain I felt for days, weeks, and years after I lost my own mother. She died without answering the one question that meant so much—why? It’s a cruel twist of fate that we both have this one thing in common, but I had the chance to know my mother while Eden’s was cruelly taken from her in infancy. I wrap my arms around Eden, drawing her close as she cries on my chest.
“Maybe …” Her voice is muffled against my chest. “Maybe I should just give up.”
My shirt collects the tears off her cheeks. “Don’t give up, Eden. I’ll get them. I promise.”
She flinches when I mention revenge and places a hand on her belly. It’s a subtle reaction, but it’s there—a tightening of the muscles around her mouth, a slight withdrawal of her hands as if to shield herself from me.
“Eden,” I stare until she returns my gaze. “What is it?”
She hesitates. “Nikolai, will you ever consider giving up your vendetta?”
I stare at the darkening sky over the mansion. “It’s not that simple to let go of anger and pain. But you know that, Eden. There is no other way to remain a pakhan and save our lives.”
Her gaze follows mine because it’s easier to look at the sky. “You’ll win, Nikolai. But will it be worth it when it’s over? You see how this vendetta is destroying my father. Don’t let it destroy you.”
I take her hand. “I’m letting one lone adversary ruin me.” I hold her hand too tightly. “I love you, Eden, but you will not change me. Or your father. More is at risk than lives.”
“My father’s vengeance has cost us,” Eden continues. “Do you really want to ruin what we could have for the sake of revenge? It’s not a declaration of defeat to change your mind.”
I’ve thought about how much I have to lose and how close I have come to losing it already. My chest tightens as I recall the night that nearly changed everything between us, the night when vengeance consumed me. The night I almost ended Eden’s life.
“Do you ever think about that?” she asks.
