“I need a moment,” she murmured, heading back to the bedroom.
As she lay down on the bed, the conversation she and Sir had with Rytsar started replaying in her mind.
“I had to do what was best for you, radost moya. Surely you understand that…”
Brie picked up her phone to call him.
“You are up early, radost moya!” Rytsar answered, sounding pleased.
“I need something from you.”
“What?” he asked good-naturedly. “Just say the word and it’s yours.”
She clutched the phone, preparing for the worst when she asked, “I need to know what you are keeping from me. I’m tired of being kept in the dark.”
“Have you spoken to your Master about it?”
“No, Rytsar. I’m asking you to tell me—right here, right now.”
He let out a long, painful sigh.
She tried to reason with him. “Do you remember how it felt when you knew the Koslov brothers were dead and you were finally free?”
“Da,” he answered somberly.
“That’s how I am feeling right now. Holloway can’t hurt me anymore, so you don’t need to protect me from whatever you are hiding.”
“I hear you, radost moya,” he replied, groaning to himself.
Brie was nervous, waiting for him to speak. She knew she’d won the argument, but she was unsure if she could handle what he was about to say.
“I would rather spare you the truth.”
“I need to hear it,” she insisted.
“Very well.” Rytsar sighed and then paused a long moment.
Brie held her breath, needing to hear the secret he’d kept for so long…
“The creature escaped from the convent, radost moya. The Reverend Mother was attacked and was badly injured.”
The blood drained from Brie’s face. “No…”
She closed her eyes and groaned in misery, understanding why he had chosen to stay silent.
Rytsar was quick to assure her, “The creature has no passport and is effectively trapped in Russia. Even as we speak, my men are closing in on her. It won’t be long before she is captured and safely locked up.”
“That’s why you couldn’t come…” Brie muttered as all the small pieces started coming together.
“Da. Your well-being is the only thing that matters, which is why your Master and I agreed to stay silent.”
“I feel numb…” she murmured faintly.
“You have suffered much, but you are strong, radost moya.”
All the anger she’d felt toward Rytsar about keeping his “secret” suddenly evaporated as reality set in. Even though Rytsar had rescued Tatianna from the slave traders, Brie knew he’d lost her months later when she committed suicide. Tatianna had been unable to handle the damage done to her soul.
After being rescued from a similar situation, Brie could only imagine how fearful Rytsar must have been that the same might happen to her—especially if she were to find out that Lilly had escaped.