If Victor knew there was another Dragomir, he might use that knowledge for one of his schemes. How? I wasn't sure but had long learned to expect the unexpected from him.
Yet . . . Victor knew a lot of Moroi secrets. I would have enjoyed watching him and Abe match wits. And I didn't doubt that a lot of Victor's inside knowledge involved the Dragomirs and Dashkovs. I swallowed. "Tatiana said that there was another Dragomir.
That Lissa's dad had an affair and that if I could find whoever this is, it'll give Lissa her power back on the Council."
When Victor and Robert exchanged shocked looks, I knew my plan had backfired.
Victor wasn't going to give me insight. Instead, I'd been the one to just yield valuable information. Damn, damn, damn.
He turned his attention back to me, his expression speculative. "So. Eric Dragomir wasn't the saint he so often played."
I balled my fists. "Don't slam her dad."
"Wouldn't dream of it. I liked Eric immensely. But yes . . . if this is true, then Tatiana is right. Vasilisa technically has family backing, and her liberal views would certainly cause friction on a Council that never seems to change their ways." He chuckled. "Yes, I can definitely see that upsetting many people—including a murderer who wants to oppress dhampirs. I imagine he or she wouldn't want this knowledge to get out."
"Someone already tried to get rid of records linking Lissa's dad to a mistress." I again spoke without thinking and hated myself for it. I didn't want to give the brothers any more info. I didn't want to play like we were all working together here.
"And let me guess," said Victor. "That's what you"re trying to do, isn't it? Find this Dragomir bastard."
"Hey, don't—"
"It's just an expression," he interrupted. "If I know you two—and I feel confident I do—
Vasilisa is desperately trying to clear your name back at Court while you and Belikov are off on a sexually charged adventure to find her brother or sister."
"You don't know anything about us," I growled. Sexually charged indeed.
He shrugged. "Your face says it all. And really, it's not a bad idea. Not a great one either, but not bad. Give the Dragomir family a quorum, and you'll have a voice speaking on your behalf on the Council. I don't suppose you have any leads?"
"We"re working on it," I replied evasively.
Victor looked at Robert. I knew the two didn't have any psychic communication, but as they exchanged glances, I had a feeling they were both thinking the same thing and confirming with each other. At last, Victor nodded and turned back to me.
"Very well then. We'll help you." He made it sound like he was reluctantly agreeing to do me a big favor.
"We don't need your help!"
"Of course you do. You"re out of your league, Rose. You"re wandering into a nest of ugly, complex politics—something you have no experience with. There's no shame in acknowledging that, just as I'm not ashamed to admit that in an irrational, ill-planned fist fight, you would certainly prove superior."
Another backhanded compliment. "We"re doing just fine. We have an Alchemist helping us." There. That would show him who was out of whose league. And, to my credit, he did look slightly impressed. Slightly.
"Better than I expected. Has your Alchemist come up with a location or any lead yet?"
"She's working on it," I repeated.
He sighed in frustration. "We"re going to need time then, aren't we? Both for Vasilisa to investigate Court and you to start tracking this child."
"You"re the one who acts like you know everything," I pointed out. "I figured you'd know something about this."
"To my chagrin, no." Victor didn't really sound all that put out. "But as soon as we get a thread, I assure you, I'll be essential in unraveling it." He walked over to his brother and patted Robert's arm comfortingly. Robert stared back adoringly. "We'll visit you again.
Let us know when you have something useful, and then we'll meet up with you."
My eyes widened. "You'll do no such—" I hesitated. I'd let Victor escape in Las Vegas.
Now he was offering to come to me. Maybe I could repair that mistake and make good on my earlier threat to him. Quickly, I tried to cover my lapse of speech. "How do I know I can trust you?"
"You can't," he said bluntly. "You"ve got to take it on faith that the enemy of your enemy is your friend."