Page 179 of Dance of Madness

“I’ll tell you where she is,” I croak, “if we’re alone.”

“No,now,” he growls. “What have you done with my daughter?!”

He doesn’t wait for an answer, just slams the hammer down on my left middle finger. My eyes roll back, a choked cry of pain strangling in my throat.

“Tell me,” he murmurs, tracing the hammer lightly over the freshly-broken digit and sending new pain exploding through my cortex.

“She’s…safe?—”

“Sheisn’tsafe!” he roars. “Not unless she’shere, withme, inmyfucking home!”

The door to the basement swings open, and another of Marko’s men hurries in.

“Sir…” he murmurs, bowing stiffly as Marko turns to him.

“Whatever it is,” Marko growls, “it can wait until I’ve had my fill of this motherf?—”

“Sir, she’s home.”

Marko whirls back to the man.

“Excuse me?”

“Ms. Kalishnik, sir. She’s upstairs. She’s looking for you.”

Marko drops the hammer. It hits the floor with a sharp clang. He doesn’t even look at me as he bolts from the room.

On the one hand, this is good. She’ll tell him that she’s safe, and that I didn’t bury her in a shallow grave, and impress upon him that hereallyshould come back down here and release me.

On the other hand, until that happens, I’m down here with the real threat.

…Who's looking at me like he damn well knows whatIknow as he picks the hammer up off the ground.

Fuck.

That’s the other downside:

I might notlivelong enough for Marko to get back down here.

38

MILENA

Pavel staresat me with shock and horror, much like Ivan and Demyon, the two guards at the front door, did when they first saw me like this: barefoot, hair a mess, in a tattered, filthy white dress.

“Myfather,” I hiss. “Where is he?!”

“He…” Pavel stammers, shaking his head. “He’s in a meeting, Ms. Kalishnik…” He stares at me again. “You are…okay?”

“Back from the dead,” I mutter. “And I’m guessing based on the number of men walking around with guns drawn and the general grim tone that my father will be more than happy to be interrupted from his meeting with that news?”

Pavel stiffens. “Of course, Ms. Kalishnik. I'll get him for you.”

Just as he's running off, I hear a choked sob behind me.

“Milena!”

I turn and almost fall over as Angelina and Vasilisa crash into me, crying wildly.

---