Page 26 of Rurik
Grigori took the bottled waters back to Madelyn and Charlotte, leaving Rurik feeling torn and alone in a way he never had before. He couldn’t ignore his father’s instructions. It had kept the family safe for thousands of years. His father had been the eldest of three brothers, the established leader. His two younger brothers, Rurik’s uncles, had died centuries ago during a battle with Nordic ice dragons on a quest for special gemstones, ancient and mysterious in nature. One had watched his mate die and had vanished, most likely perishing in the icy mountains. Since then, Rurik’s father had trained his sons to fill their roles as leaders, guardians, and battle dragons. If Rurik turned his back on his father’s wishes now, everyone he loved coulddie.
My family must come before myhappiness.
But as he looked at Charlotte, tiny fractures in his resolve seemed to splinter wider and wider. He had to face the rising truth. He didn’t want to loseher.
8
It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves. —William Shakespeare
Charlotte could still feelthe ghostly press of Rurik’s kiss on her lips. Something had happened between them. She hadn’t just seen stars. She’d seen herself through his eyes, running on the beach with Damien and Jason. Before that she’d been flying high above the clouds, without fear or panic. Just an amazing, thrilling sense of joy. She’d experienced his memories, and he’d experienced hers through a singlekiss.
There had been nothing in the Brotherhood files about that. At this rate she was going to have to write an entirely new set of rules about dragons, starting with mind-blowing kisses that make you share memories. But that was a problem. What if the next time they kissed the memories she shared exposed her for who shewas?
Rurik’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “Are youokay?”
“Sorry, just thinking,” sheadmitted.
Rurik tapped her temple with a finger and winked. “I’d love to know what’s running through that head ofyours.”
She smiled shyly. “Wouldn’tyou?”
Rurik bit his lip, trying to contain his smile, and for a moment she forgot they weren’t alone. Then Grigori coughedpolitely.
“You two going to disembark or stand here and ogle each other? I’m sure the pilot would like to refuel, and the flight attendant is cold because she can’t shut the door until we leave theplane.”
Embarrassed, Charlotte slipped her coat on and descended the airstairs ahead of Rurik, ignoring the chill of the wintry breeze. Her head and heart were still in the clouds, and there was no coming down, at least not yet. She and Rurik bid goodbye to Madelyn and Grigori and caught a cab to the center of Saint Petersburg, where they had a chance to explore thecity.
“Hungry?” Rurik asked as they passed by a row of buildings close to the WinterPalace.
She nodded eagerly. “Starving.” Charlotte was dying to try one of the local restaurants and actually take the vacation she’d told Rurik she was here toexperience.
Rurik led her to a cozy Serbian restaurant on the palace embankment of Saint Petersburg. The Gosti was famous for its Serbian specialty dishes, like pies with sweet and savory fillings, of which he ordered two and quickly found them atable.
Charlotte took a bite of her beef-filled pie as she studied the little eatery. It was painted in a deep emerald along the bottom of the walls, with a butter-yellow wallpaper with a delicate, somewhat faded floral pattern along the top half. A floor-to-ceiling bookshelf against one wall contained dozens of books—not that she could read any of them. The intimate setting reminded her more of summer cottages by Lake Michigan than what she expected to see in Saint Petersburg. Outside, the snow was falling thick and heavy, just how she’d always imagined itwould.
“I can’t believe I’m really here.” Charlotte beamed at Rurik, unable to contain the excitement and rush of actually being in Russia, living an adventure she’d thought she’d never have. She reached out to take his hand. “Thank you for this.Truly.”
“Anything for you, my little rose.” He brushed her fingers with his other hand, and they sat there quietly until they noticed an old woman staring at them. She wore a thick shawl around her head and shoulders, and the deep wrinkles in her face seemed as ancient as her browneyes.
“U vas yest ‘sil’ naya sud’ba.” The woman spoke in a rusty old voice, pointing at them, then to her ownchest.
“What did she say?” Charlottewhispered.
Rurik seemed to consider the woman’s words. “She believes we have a strong destiny, and she wants to tell ourfortunes.”
“Oh, can we? I’ve always wanted to do that!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Please?” Ever since she’d learned that magic was real as a child, she’d always believed in seers or people who could see glimpses of the future. Sure, most of them were just con artists, but some of them had to be real,right?
Rurik chuckled. “If you wish.” He spoke to the older woman and offered her the chair between him and Charlotte. “I will translate for her as she reads thecards.”
The woman hobbled over and eased down into the chair with a sigh, then removed a set of very old and worn tarot cards. The edges were rough and slightly crinkled. The illustrations, while faded, were still stunning in their design. She began to lay out the cards on the table. She made a horseshoe shape from left to right using seven cards. Her withered hands trembled slightly as she turned over the first. Then she began to speak in Russian, and Ruriktranslated.
“The Magician is the past, the cunning master of all he surveys.” The card showed a magician in a warrior’s pose, a sword in his hand, with roses and lilies all around his feet. His tunic was white with red robes, and he wore a belt that was made of an ouroboros, a snake eating its own tail. The old woman’s brown eyes flashed on the serpent ring that Rurik wore. It had a green jewel in its single eye, and its mouth was consuming its own tail. The ring was stunning, and Charlotte wondered how she hadn’t noticed it before. Of course, she’d been distracted by the rest of Rurik most of the time. The woman reached out and touched the serpent ring, then pressed her gnarled fingers gently against Rurik’s chest, speakingsoftly.
He translated for Charlotte. “Skill and confidence are yours but if misused can be your downfall. Beware of pride and arrogance.” Then she turned over the next card above it in the horseshoe formation and spoke again. “The High Priestess, guardian of secrets. She knows the secrets of life but shares them only with thewise.”
The card bore a woman with an enigmatic smile. She stood between two columns with a curtain suspended between the pillars. A crescent moon rested like a crown in herhair.
The old woman looked at Charlotte, speaking softly. Rurik did his best to match her tone. “You bear a great secret, hiding it from those who would betray it. You must trust your heart, or you will make a graveerror.”
