Chapter thirty-five

"How come Aunt Katya couldn't stay?" Sydney looked up from her place at the kitchen table. She'd been given the job of grating cheese for dinner, mostly to keep her occupied while Irina tried to think. Irina glanced at the clock on the wall, wondering how much longer it would be before Jack returned from taking Katya to the airport.

"Mommy?" Sydney stopped working altogether and was looking expectantly at Irina.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

Sydney sighed. "You're not listening to me. Why'd Aunt Katya have to leave?"

Irina turned back to the vegetables she'd been chopping. She wanted Jack with her when she explained to Sydney that they had to move. There was a part of her that resented it; she'd just got her life back together, Sydney was settling in, they liked it here.

She didn't want to think of ridiculous prophecies and mysterious people dropping into her life unannounced.

"Mom." A whine crept into Sydney's voice.

"Aunt Katya had to go back to work, Sydney. That's why she couldn't stay." Irina's tone was sharper than necessary. Unbidden, the words she'd read the previous night sprang to mind – This woman here depicted, will possess unseen marks . . .

She shuddered.

"Mommy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, sweetheart." She realized she'd chopped the carrots too fine; they were useless now. Pull yourself together, she thought. "What did you and Uncle Andrei do today?"

"We went on an inspection," Sydney said. "Uncle Andrei says all the grapes here are his. That's a lot of grapes, huh, Mommy?"

"Mm-hmm."

"But he said I could have some. He said next time he'd name the wine after me."

"Really."

"Mommy, you're not listening again."

Irina glanced at the clock again and tried to convince herself that the queasiness she felt was morning sickness, and not worry. Where was Jack? Surely there couldn't be too much traffic on a Saturday.

"Uncle Andrei says we're going on another inspection on Monday. After school. 'Cept then we get to see how they make wine." Sydney paused. "He said I had to ask you if I could taste some wine then."

"What? Taste – Absolutely not."

Sydney sighed again. "He said you'd say that."

There was a loud noise from outside, similar to the sound of a car backfiring. Irina knew better. She turned around. "Sydney, come here."

"Mommy, I'm not finished grating—"

"Sydney, do as I tell you."

As Sydney got to her feet, there was a chuckle from the doorway, and the last person Irina had ever wanted to see again stepped inside.

"So this is where you've been hiding, my little witch."

Stunned, Irina could do nothing but stare at Gerard Cuvee. She held out her hand to her daughter. "Sydney, come here."

"You look surprised to see me." He smiled. "Did you miss me?"

Sydney was also immobile, her gaze fixed on the gun in Cuvee's hand. "Sydney," Irina repeated.

Cuvee stepped closer to her, spurring Irina into action. "Stay away from her."

Cuvee traced Sydney's jaw with the barrel of his gun, and smiled at Irina. "Pretty little thing," he said. "But she's not what I came for."

Irina thought of everything Cuvee had done to her, and she knew she'd go through it all over again if it meant keeping Sydney safe. Surprisingly calm, she smiled at Cuvee. As she leaned against the kitchen counter, her hand closed around the handle of a knife. Cuvee's gaze raked her from head to toe, and she recognized the expression on his face.

"Mommy?" Sydney was pale, wide-eyed and trembling. Her gaze flickered to the floor, and when she looked up again, tears spilled down her cheeks. There was a small pool of urine at Sydney's feet, and Irina felt her heart shatter further.

"Of course I missed you," she said. "If you come here, I'll show you just how much."

Cuvee just smiled. "Don't worry, my pet. We have plenty of time to get reacquainted."

His gun was still disturbingly close to Sydney's head.

Then, when Irina thought the situation couldn't possibly get any worse, her sister walked in, crossed to Cuvee's side, and kissed him, keeping her gun trained on Irina.