just her life at stake, but her brother’s and all those faithful staff members who’d served her parents.
She couldn’t throw caution away for a man.
Yes, he was handsome, but if that was the only attraction, Katya could have easily sidestepped it with no problem. After all, she’d had no problem doing so her entire adult life. At the age of twenty-five, she’d had more than a few men exhibit interest in her. She’d even indulged in a discreet affair, but it had been part physical attraction, part curiosity. Her heart had never been given. She’d always managed to hold back the deepest part of herself.
32
Endless Chase
But this thing with Chase was more than that.
Chase stripped back the superficial layer of the physical, revealing her wounded soul, touching it in a way that brought tears to her eyes. He reminded her of all she’d had and lost, and what could never be.
Pushing away from the tree, she swiped her hand over her brow and straightened her pack. The crossbow was a solid reminder of why she was really here. The antique weapon was compact but effective, an instrument of death and beauty that had been in her papa’s family for generations. It steadied her as nothing else could. Quickly, she threaded her way through the trees at an angle until her path intersected with the dirt road that led to the castle. There was no one around to see her, so she might as well take the easy path.
She laughed at that. She’d never taken the easy path in her life. Her papa had always called her hardheaded and stubborn, but always with a smile on his face. She knew he was proud of her.
The firm-packed earth made walking much easier, almost enjoyable. The night was alive with sound and scents. There was beauty in the night. Most people were afraid of the darkness, but Katya embraced it.
Her papa had shown her all the stars in the sky, teaching her to navigate by their position. He’d taught her how to listen with her senses and to be aware of her surroundings at all times. She knew there was a small animal off to her right, probably a fox. There were clumps of wildflowers perfuming the air, mixing with the more earthy and pungent smells of the trees and the rich earth beneath them.
It was funny, but she didn’t know her biological father, wasn’t even aware of his name. Her mama had never talked of him at all, except to say he was gone. Katya didn’t know if that meant he was dead or if he’d just abandoned her mama when he found out she was pregnant. Frankly, she didn’t care. Afanas Markova was her papa in all ways that mattered.
Her papa had always said that he’d taken one look at her mama and known she was the one for him, and that Katya was meant to be his daughter. She rubbed her chest to ease the ache and felt the cross. She lifted the heavy gold necklace and wrapped her fingers around it. The metal was warm, almost pulsing with life, a reminder of all she’d lost.
Her papa was the only father she’d known. The only one she ever wanted. He was the one who had praised her first clumsy attempt at reading, the one who had lifted her onto her first pony, the one who had listened to her girlish problems and treated them with grave seriousness. He was the man who had cautioned her during her first, and only, love affair. Not a man to stick his head in the sand, he realized his daughter was a grown woman and had lectured her on responsibility and safety. He’d been uncomfortable during their talk, but he’d done it. She’d never loved him more than she had at that moment.
33
N.J. Walters
And she hadn’t lost that closeness when her brother Sasha had come along. Her papa had been very concerned while her mama was pregnant, watching her constantly.
But he’d been overjoyed when Sasha had been born. Rather than feel excluded, Katya had been made to feel even more special.
“I will avenge you both,” she vowed as she tucked the cross back inside the neck of her black long-sleeved shirt. She
She couldn’t throw caution away for a man.
Yes, he was handsome, but if that was the only attraction, Katya could have easily sidestepped it with no problem. After all, she’d had no problem doing so her entire adult life. At the age of twenty-five, she’d had more than a few men exhibit interest in her. She’d even indulged in a discreet affair, but it had been part physical attraction, part curiosity. Her heart had never been given. She’d always managed to hold back the deepest part of herself.
32
Endless Chase
But this thing with Chase was more than that.
Chase stripped back the superficial layer of the physical, revealing her wounded soul, touching it in a way that brought tears to her eyes. He reminded her of all she’d had and lost, and what could never be.
Pushing away from the tree, she swiped her hand over her brow and straightened her pack. The crossbow was a solid reminder of why she was really here. The antique weapon was compact but effective, an instrument of death and beauty that had been in her papa’s family for generations. It steadied her as nothing else could. Quickly, she threaded her way through the trees at an angle until her path intersected with the dirt road that led to the castle. There was no one around to see her, so she might as well take the easy path.
She laughed at that. She’d never taken the easy path in her life. Her papa had always called her hardheaded and stubborn, but always with a smile on his face. She knew he was proud of her.
The firm-packed earth made walking much easier, almost enjoyable. The night was alive with sound and scents. There was beauty in the night. Most people were afraid of the darkness, but Katya embraced it.
Her papa had shown her all the stars in the sky, teaching her to navigate by their position. He’d taught her how to listen with her senses and to be aware of her surroundings at all times. She knew there was a small animal off to her right, probably a fox. There were clumps of wildflowers perfuming the air, mixing with the more earthy and pungent smells of the trees and the rich earth beneath them.
It was funny, but she didn’t know her biological father, wasn’t even aware of his name. Her mama had never talked of him at all, except to say he was gone. Katya didn’t know if that meant he was dead or if he’d just abandoned her mama when he found out she was pregnant. Frankly, she didn’t care. Afanas Markova was her papa in all ways that mattered.
Her papa had always said that he’d taken one look at her mama and known she was the one for him, and that Katya was meant to be his daughter. She rubbed her chest to ease the ache and felt the cross. She lifted the heavy gold necklace and wrapped her fingers around it. The metal was warm, almost pulsing with life, a reminder of all she’d lost.
Her papa was the only father she’d known. The only one she ever wanted. He was the one who had praised her first clumsy attempt at reading, the one who had lifted her onto her first pony, the one who had listened to her girlish problems and treated them with grave seriousness. He was the man who had cautioned her during her first, and only, love affair. Not a man to stick his head in the sand, he realized his daughter was a grown woman and had lectured her on responsibility and safety. He’d been uncomfortable during their talk, but he’d done it. She’d never loved him more than she had at that moment.
33
N.J. Walters
And she hadn’t lost that closeness when her brother Sasha had come along. Her papa had been very concerned while her mama was pregnant, watching her constantly.
But he’d been overjoyed when Sasha had been born. Rather than feel excluded, Katya had been made to feel even more special.
“I will avenge you both,” she vowed as she tucked the cross back inside the neck of her black long-sleeved shirt. She
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