Page 166 of Stolen Empire
He's tall and lean, with dark hair and sharp features that echo Katya's own face.
When his eyes lock onto her, I see instant recognition flash across his features like lightning.
His gaze is intense, searching, analytical.
This is Artemy Morozov, and he knows immediately what he's looking at.
He descends the porch stairs slowly and his eyes never leave Katya's face.
His expression doesn’t shift from amazement and awe.
"You look like him," he says calmly, almost in wonder.
"You have his eyes. His mouth. Even the way you stand…"
Katya doesn’t flinch.
"I’ve never met my father, so I can’t say if that's accurate or not. But I accept what you’re telling me."
As she speaks, she nods at him, then bows at the shoulders.
"My name is Katya Volsky, but I've learned recently that I'm Ekaterina Morozova."
Artemy circles us slowly, like a predator assessing prey.
"Where has the Morozov line been hiding?"
"Perm… Then Moscow—anywhere my mother could keep us alive and unnoticed."
Katya's voice remains steady and damn am I proud of her.
Not even the faintest hint of nerves in her tone.
"She wanted to protect me from this world. She failed."
Artemy stops directly in front of her now, his eyes studying every inch of her face.
"You know what you are now? You understand what your blood means in this city?"
His hand rises and he pinches her chin between his forefinger and thumb and gently turns her head as if not believing his eyes.
"I am beginning to understand," Katya says.
"And I am here to reclaim my father's stolen empire."
I see Artemy's expression shift.
Something almost like respect flickers across his features before his face returns to its neutral mask.
He understands her position as the true heir and thus leader of this family, and he doesn’t see her as a threat.
This is respect—his blood runs thick with Morozov family ties.
It's a good sign.
"Bold words for someone who grew up not knowing who she is," he says in a wry tone.
"I survived on my own. I learned to fight, to steal, to read people. I learned not to rely on anyone but myself. I didn’t need the empire to learn how to be strong." Katya leans forward slightly, and there is fire in her eyes now.
