Niko stays behind me while I stand there, torn between storming back into Aleksei’s room or slinking down to mine. If I try to go back, Niko will likely throw me over his shoulder, and worse, Aleksei will shout and tell me to get lost. Not today. But I’m coming back.
“Niko,” I call without meeting his eyes. “Can you stop Katya from going into his room?”
“I’m your bodyguard, Claire, not your errand boy.”
I stomp my foot and glare at him. “That’s not what I mean. It’s just… not right.” I point at the short stretch of hallway between their doors. “This makes me very uncomfortable.”
He just shrugs, not my problem.
“Then I’ll camp here,” I announce, lowering myself to the floor, back against Aleksei’s door. “Sleep here. Eat here.”
Niko growls, stalking over to haul me up like I weigh noth
