Niko leads me by the hand out of the forest into a wide clearing where two black vans and several cars are parked. Men dressed like him stand guard, rifles raised as they sweep the fields and tree line. When they spot us, their guns snap in our direction before lowering again. Even after Niko lifts his hand to signal them, their bodies stay tense, keyed up for another threat.
Relief loosens my chest. They must be Aleksei’s men. A sigh slips out, but I don’t let myself fully relax. Not yet. Not until I’m behind walls and locked doors. I used to believe the Drognov estate was my prison, now I know it shielded me from horrors like this.
Niko strides toward a soldier with a thick beard and steady brown eyes, the only one without headgear, and exchanges quick words. After hearing the man’s re
