When Raven stirred in the bed, Christian let go of the hair and blew out a deep breath. The sinewy strand floated toward the hearth and landed just shy of the grate. The end sparked, and the hair curled up before turning to smoke. The foul stench made him get up and cross the room. Christian sat on the edge of the bed, clasped his hands, and made plans.
Chapter 38
“Raven, come and let me have a look at you.” Viktor waved me over to the dining table.
I had slept all day and skipped meals. I thought maybe I could sneak into the kitchen for leftovers and avoid everyone, but it looked like Viktor was having a bite.
He rose from his chair like King Arthur and cupped my face in his hands. “You do not look unwell. It seems that there was much exaggeration at the table this morning.”
Damn. He knows. “Isn’t there always?”
“Who would put you in a coffin?”
“Who wouldn’t?”
He wagged his finger at me. “I can always tell your mood when you answer a question with a question. Sit.” Viktor resumed eating his oatmeal. “Nothing brings comfort like warm oatmeal. You must try.”
“I’ll pass. I just wanted to nibble on fruit or something.”
“Kira is sweeping floors on the east wing, so if you are hungry, you must make your own. She organizes and cleans brilliantly. I sometimes take these things for granted, but I do not know what I would do without her. She lights and replaces the candles twice a day,” he said, gesturing to the candlelit chandelier overhead, “and has begun organizing our storage rooms.” He set down his spoon and then wiped his beard with a cloth napkin. “While I do not need to know everything that happens with my team, if one of you is attacked, it is meaningful.”
“I was going to tell you eventually. I just didn’t want to ruin your celebration.”
After cleaning his bowl, he set the spoon inside and pushed it forward. “If you have new enemies, I must know. This affects everyone. Remember what happened with Niko?”
“Viktor, I don’t know what happened. If I did, I’d tell you. The last thing I remember is leaving the club to come home, but after that, it’s gone. Do you think all that time without oxygen did something to my brain cells?”
He set his napkin on the table. “Perhaps your memory will return.”
“Maybe I’ve told you this before, but I want to tell you again. Thanks for giving me a second chance. That day I met you, I thought you were a prick. No offense, but I didn’t trust anyone. Being with Keystone changed everything. I’m learning to trust people again, and I didn’t think that would ever be possible. It’s nice to know that people are looking out for me. I just want to make sure that I’m pulling my weight around here. That’s all.”
“The Raven I see before me is not the same woman I met that day. You have matured into a capable investigator and skilled fighter. This last case was very important, and you gave me so much more than I was expecting.” Viktor folded his arms on the table and gave me a pensive stare. “You did not deserve what happened last night. You should have been here to celebrate with us, but we assumed that you wanted to be alone. You have always been a loner. The higher authority is not pleased with the upheaval, but many are singing our praises.” He smiled warmly. “My contact has sent our money this afternoon, and there is a bonus included just for you—much more than your share. It is no longer a secret that Miss Parrish was my contact, and she is very pleased that we have taken down this crime ring. She negotiated the money for you; I did not ask for it.”
While I should have been thrilled to stockpile more money, something about it didn’t feel right. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I also hadn’t felt like myself. Not just because of the burial, but these past few weeks had taken a toll on me.
“Can I send it back?”
“Nyet. That would be an insult.”
“Then send the extra amount to HALO. You don’t have to tell Lenore what we did with it. Maybe it won’t be enough to split between them, but it seems like they should get something for helping us out.”