Page 87 of Stilettos & Secrets on the 7 Seas

“Yes, my aunt. Petite, spunky woman, lots of wrinkles, white hair pulled back in a granny bun, blue eyes that sparkle like a mischievous fairy.”

“A woman matching that description found me after I ran away.” Her gaze shifted down to the hay spread across the floor. “My mother wanted me to leave Russia. I didn’t want to leave. I stayed a few weeks with some friends. I planned on finding her, but when I returned to the house, they were gone. My mother left a phone number with the neighbor who kept me when I was a child.”

I nodded. “It was my aint Elma’s number, wasn’t it?”

“She told me she was a friend of my grandfather. She told me about my mother. And then she told me my mother and sister had died. She told me lies.” Sasha gave me a murderous stare. “Can you imagine what it’s like to think my family died because I ran away?”

“No. But I do know there’s a guy who cares about you enough to stay through a moon cycle to help you.”

“Marco works for the WTF, same as Elma, same as you. She was no friend of my grandfather’s, and Marco is no friend to me. He wants the eye. The map. The King’s key. Just like you do. You don’t fool me.” She jabbed the knife in the air, possibly practicing to extract my eyeball. “When I find my mother, she’ll tell you about the corruption in your WTF, and we will find the King’s key together.”

“Why did Aint Elma bring your mother here?”

“You don’t know?” Sasha looked perplexed at my lack of knowledge of my great aunt’s wrongdoings. “My mother worked as a spy for the WTF, pretending to be on the Mafusos’ side.”

Until she fell in love with the bad man, I thought. A few more pieces of the puzzle clicked into place.

“It wasn’t until my grandfather lay sick and dying that he told me about the map and that maybe my mother was still alive, but he waited too long. Your aunt had died, and the location of my mother with her.” Sasha’s voice sounded small, like that of a young girl abandoned and alone, not of the woman who left me to die on theTitanic.

“And Rogue’s map led you here?” I asked.

Her head snapped up.

“I found it in your room.”

“Vane has a piece of the map, too. He keeps it in his coat pocket. I saw him look at it while I cleaned his room. I couldn’t ask…”

Her voice trailed off, and I finished for her. “Because you didn’t want to draw suspicion to yourself.”

She nodded. “I’ve asked around, but no one seems to know my mother. I’ve searched the town, Vane’s ships. I don’t believe she would have been a prostitute.”

I shook my head. “She wasn’t.”

“You know my mother?” Her eyes hardened, like she might try and torture the information out of me.

I took a step back. “I have information about her, but I’m not giving it up for free.”

Her jaw tensed, and she clenched her teeth. “What do you want?”

“I want the eye, and I want your help to rescue Marco.”

“I promised my grandfather I’d find the King’s key and destroy it. I must have the eye to find it. It’s the only way.”

“I don’t think your grandfather wanted you to work against us.”

“You’re wrong. The WTF is corrupt. He always knew this. They want the King’s key to make a weapon.”

“Do you think I would let someone use the King’s key for a weapon?” My tone softened. She had to believe me. I would never agree to use the key for harm.

“I don’t know you well enough to make that call.”

“If you want information about your mother, you’re going to have to trust me. If the prophecy is true and I’m the one who finds the King’s key, I would never let the WTF use it as a weapon.”

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “If you know where my mother is, why can’t I find her? How did you find her so quickly? You haven’t been here. I stayed. I’ve been looking.”

I decided even if she didn’t give me the stone, she deserved to know her mother had died.

“Elma lied to protect you. But sadly, your mother died only a few years ago in Nassau. I’m sorry.”

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