surprised.” Technically, the dog
should
know him if he’d worked with Courtland, so this was a good test marker to also gain Aspen’s trust.
A pretty blush seeped into her milky-white complexion.
“You didn’t believe me.” He tried to sound surprised.
“Sorry.” More red. Matched her pink lips. “I’ve just been fighting to get him back, so it was a little strange that I’d never heard your name till you showed up on the news.”
“But you’re willing to believe me because of him.” He pointed to the dog.
Aspen ruffled the Lab’s head. “Talon knows people. Better than I do.” She clipped a lead on his collar. “If he accepts you, then I will.”
“You didn’t before?”
Her lips quirked, and she shrugged. “Your name wasn’t in the official report.”
Cardinal held her gaze, infusing it with reassurance as he spoke words that could unravel…if they weren’t the truth. “That’s because I don’t exist.”
W ATCHING
St. Petersburg, Russia
Age: 14 Years, 3 Months
The world sped by in a whirl of greens as the train spirited Nikol Tselekova toward Brno. Though he sat with his eyes closed, his mind was alert and rampantly going over every detail. Yes, his bed was made. No wrinkles or ripples. Windows spotless. Footlocker unfettered for inspection. Bedposts aligned with the grain of the wood floors that ran toward the towering window. Yes, all had been in place. He’d made sure. Stood there at the door to his room for ten minutes, inspecting. Obsessing.
He tugged the backpack on his lap closer, tighter. It was worth it. To deliver the gift. To see her face. If only but for a second. It would be enough to hold him over till he could attempt another excursion.
The train slowed as it entered the city. Nikol glanced at his watch, mapping his time and journey. Still well within parameters. Fifteen minutes later, the train pulled to a stop in the heart of the Moravian capital city.
He hoofed it through the streets, avoiding cars and cyclists and pedestrians alike. Invigorated with each step, he headed west, out of the city, up the country road to the missionary’s home. As he trudged up the road, he moved out of plain sight. Drifted farther into the trees lining the road. If he was right—
Laughter sailed from a yard. He tucked himself among the trees. Watched. A group of children played among a cluster of small homes. He searched their faces, anticipation thick. On one hand, he wanted to see her—out in the sun, laughing, playing the way she should. She deserved that. And so much more.
Reassured she was not there, Nikol moved forward. A young boy threw a ball toward his friend.
“Dobrý den!” Nikol greeted them.
The boy hesitated, then waved. It was not good that the child recognized him. That would be bad. Especially if the colonel discovered the secret. It would be a path straight back to Nikol.
Sitting on the bench, his back to the main road, Nikol smiled at the boy and lowered the pack to his lap. “Petr, jak se mate?”
The boy shrugged. “I’m good.”
“Would you do me a favor?” Nikol extracted the white box from his backpack.
Petr sighed. “For Kalyna? Again?”
Nikol nodded. He would have to find another way to deliver the gifts. It was too known. The boy was as comfortable with Nikol as he was with his friends. Perhaps he should just send them via the post.
But then, he would not get to see her open them. And that…that was what kept his heart alive.
“If you like her, you should tell her.”
The words brought a smile to his face, but Nikol merely nodded. With the eight-year age difference, it was not so simple as liking the girl.
Fisting his hands on his brown corduroy pants, Petr huffed. “What do I get?”
“Smart boy.” Nikol produced a bar of chocolate and a green banknote. “First, you must tell me—” He broke off when he noticed the boy’s gaze drift to the edge of the field. Following the gaze, Nikol tensed.
A girl stood
should
know him if he’d worked with Courtland, so this was a good test marker to also gain Aspen’s trust.
A pretty blush seeped into her milky-white complexion.
“You didn’t believe me.” He tried to sound surprised.
“Sorry.” More red. Matched her pink lips. “I’ve just been fighting to get him back, so it was a little strange that I’d never heard your name till you showed up on the news.”
“But you’re willing to believe me because of him.” He pointed to the dog.
Aspen ruffled the Lab’s head. “Talon knows people. Better than I do.” She clipped a lead on his collar. “If he accepts you, then I will.”
“You didn’t before?”
Her lips quirked, and she shrugged. “Your name wasn’t in the official report.”
Cardinal held her gaze, infusing it with reassurance as he spoke words that could unravel…if they weren’t the truth. “That’s because I don’t exist.”
W ATCHING
St. Petersburg, Russia
Age: 14 Years, 3 Months
The world sped by in a whirl of greens as the train spirited Nikol Tselekova toward Brno. Though he sat with his eyes closed, his mind was alert and rampantly going over every detail. Yes, his bed was made. No wrinkles or ripples. Windows spotless. Footlocker unfettered for inspection. Bedposts aligned with the grain of the wood floors that ran toward the towering window. Yes, all had been in place. He’d made sure. Stood there at the door to his room for ten minutes, inspecting. Obsessing.
He tugged the backpack on his lap closer, tighter. It was worth it. To deliver the gift. To see her face. If only but for a second. It would be enough to hold him over till he could attempt another excursion.
The train slowed as it entered the city. Nikol glanced at his watch, mapping his time and journey. Still well within parameters. Fifteen minutes later, the train pulled to a stop in the heart of the Moravian capital city.
He hoofed it through the streets, avoiding cars and cyclists and pedestrians alike. Invigorated with each step, he headed west, out of the city, up the country road to the missionary’s home. As he trudged up the road, he moved out of plain sight. Drifted farther into the trees lining the road. If he was right—
Laughter sailed from a yard. He tucked himself among the trees. Watched. A group of children played among a cluster of small homes. He searched their faces, anticipation thick. On one hand, he wanted to see her—out in the sun, laughing, playing the way she should. She deserved that. And so much more.
Reassured she was not there, Nikol moved forward. A young boy threw a ball toward his friend.
“Dobrý den!” Nikol greeted them.
The boy hesitated, then waved. It was not good that the child recognized him. That would be bad. Especially if the colonel discovered the secret. It would be a path straight back to Nikol.
Sitting on the bench, his back to the main road, Nikol smiled at the boy and lowered the pack to his lap. “Petr, jak se mate?”
The boy shrugged. “I’m good.”
“Would you do me a favor?” Nikol extracted the white box from his backpack.
Petr sighed. “For Kalyna? Again?”
Nikol nodded. He would have to find another way to deliver the gifts. It was too known. The boy was as comfortable with Nikol as he was with his friends. Perhaps he should just send them via the post.
But then, he would not get to see her open them. And that…that was what kept his heart alive.
“If you like her, you should tell her.”
The words brought a smile to his face, but Nikol merely nodded. With the eight-year age difference, it was not so simple as liking the girl.
Fisting his hands on his brown corduroy pants, Petr huffed. “What do I get?”
“Smart boy.” Nikol produced a bar of chocolate and a green banknote. “First, you must tell me—” He broke off when he noticed the boy’s gaze drift to the edge of the field. Following the gaze, Nikol tensed.
A girl stood
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