Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
CONSTANCE
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Alik asks me. I pull my jacket tight over me as air sharp enough to bite crawls up my skin. Not painfully so, but enough to keep me alert as me, Pyper, and Alik walk the winding stone path that snakes around the Bershov estate.
“Yup, I’m good,” I beam at him in awe as I take in everything.
Even though I’m here, I can hardly believe my eyes that people get to see shit like this every day.
I mean… it feels ancient and unreal… so untouched and powerful.
It’s as if the world paused just for them and left the rest of us to move forward on our own.
Frost sparkles across the grass like powdered diamonds, still clinging to the long the roads.
The trees are tall, with branches stretched out like Christmas trees, dressed in hues of burnt gold and deep blood-red.
The kind of winter that only exists in fairy tales or old money estates with names like Bershov Ridge.
Marble statues peek out from hedges, silent watchers with cold, cracked eyes. Some of them are angels, wolves, lions, a woman holding a sword. Even a man bowing to a ferocious bear.
And beyond it all, the house looms, less of a mansion and more of a palace.
“Simply beautiful,” I mutter to myself and glance over to Pyper, who giggles, and it reminds me of Nadya’s. Cute.
“It’s insane, right?” Pyper says, watching me as I gawk at a white marble fountain shaped like a bear.
“Insane seems like an understatement,” I murmur.
“Like if this was my house, I would’ve never left,” I admit and not just because for the first time in a long time…
in years, I haven’t had to look over my shoulder.
I genuinely feel safe here with the guards all over the place.
But I snap out my head and point. “I’d be posted up with a book and a glass of wine, pretending to be royalty. ”
“I’m sure if zhis vas your house, Pakhan vould never let you leave. It’s crazy how much he adores you over his own blood.” Alik’s words sting even though I know they’re not meant to, but I can hear the sadness in his voice.
“I’m sorry,” I apologize, and he whips his head to me, eyes wide.
“Alik!” Pyper admonishes him, and he takes my hand.
“Oh nyet… I’m sorry, Connie. I did not mean to make you feel bad… it’s not your fault you’re so lovable. It’s just…” He goes quiet for a bit before continuing. “I also vant to have a close relationship to Pakhan,” he sighs and I pat his hand, cocking my head to the side.
“I’m sure you will. I know he loves you,” I tell him and glance over to Pyper, who purses her lips.
“Love? I don’t know about zhat, Connie. Sometimes it feels like Pakhan is incapable of love… but he deeply respects zhose he believes are strong…” Like Misha? “Like Mikhail,” he finishes and I hold back a flinch because I knew he would say that.
“H-how so?” I ask.
“Vell, you’ve seen it. He’s a hard man and his aura is…
a lot. Even vhen vee were rebyonok (children) he vas scary to us…
” Pyper answers. “But to Mikhail… vhen he came to ze house and never bowed down, even bared his teezh like an animal… Pakhan… vell…” she trails off and peeks over to Alik, who looks forlorn.
“You don’t have to mince vords, Pyper. Pakhan liked him better. Mikhail vas everyzhing I vasn’t… strong, healzhy, and powerful enough to command ze room. Zhat’s vhy Pakhan gave him ze heir title and not me.” Alik stops walking and I can feel his deep sadness.
“Oh Alik, I love Grandpa Viktor, but he’s a jerk for that. You’re plenty strong and… and I’m s-sure you can beat Mikhail… at something,” I stammer, not knowing what that something is, but I know it’s out there. I hug him and he squeezes me tight, patting my head.
“You are indeed a sveet one, Connie. It’s no vonder Pakhan loves you,” Alik chuckles and Pyper nods.
“Right! Ever since you met him, you run up to him, hug and sit on his lap, smiling like solnyshko (sunshine). I zhink Pakhan likes zhat about you. You make him feel like normal grandpa razher zhan ze head of ze Bershovs. Just like you make me feel like normal girl… like friend. And Alik feel like man and fierce like a bear.” She smiles and I take her hand, laughing, not really getting why things are so stiff here, but…
“Well, that’s because Grandpa Viktor is a normal grandpa to me…
I mean, he’s just a man and you,” I pause and beam up at her.
“You’re my bestest friend in the entire world, so I don’t make you feel like you’re my best friend, you are that.
And Alik.” I turn to him “You’re the best and sweetest man I know.
” I want to add that I know he’ll find someone, but now isn’t the time to say that.
Pyper throws her head back in laughter.
“I’m glad Grandpa finally invited you here… it’s nice making memories vit you in vhat vas a scary place for me for a long time,” she beams.
“Da, you are right. Zhat attitude is vhat vee love about you, Connie. You just make everyzhing better.” Alik runs his thumb over my lips and I don’t want to hurt him by pulling away to instead I look back out over the estate.
“You guys were scared of this place? Why? It feels like a fairytale land to me… almost like Narnia.”
“Narnia, huh?” Pyper giggles. “I can see zhat.”
“Da, vee used to get lost here with Nadya, Dimitri, and Mikhail vhile playing hide and seek as kids. Our mozher’s vould have to call ze guards to come find us,” Alik shudders.
“Oh, speaking of your parents… will I get to see them here?”
“Net zhey aren’t coming zhey are busy vit zhings for Pakhan, but I plan for us to all have brunch soon,” Pyper speaks up.
“Cool, let me know. Oh, and sorry for changing the subject, but seriously, this place is massive,” I tell them. We’ve been walking for hours, and I still don’t think we’ve scratched the surface of this place, but I spot something that makes me stop dead in my tracks, hypnotized.
“Whoa… what’s that?” I point to the emblem above the archway, tucked into the curve of black stone.
It’s gold and silver threads etched into steel, framed in deep crimson with two polar bears, standing on their hind legs back-to-back. One holds an ax in its hand. The other drips blood from its claws. Between them there’s a crown made of antlers. Below them, a phrase in sharp Cyrillic:
“Молния была рождена, чтобы охранять алмаз.”
“Zhat’s ze Bershov family crest,” Alik answers softly. “Your room probably has it on ze fireplace.”
“I thought that was just a fancy design. Like… a logo.”
“No.” Pyper shakes her head. “It’s our legacy.” Wow… legacy, huh?
“What does it say?” I whisper in awe, going over to touch it, and he follows behind me.
“Lightning vas born to guard ze diamond.” Alik steps up behind me, running his hands over mine.
“What does that even mean?” I look up at him and he smiles down at me, brown eyes glittering.
“It’s old legend zhat says zee Bershovs are descended from the Ursina Severna, zee northern bears.
Creatures not born of flesh, but of lightning, ice, and bred for battle.
Polar bears so large they could tear volves in half, so stealthy zhey could stalk a man through a blizzard vizhout leaving a footprint.
“Whhhat?!” I exclaim at the history.
“Da, ze Bershov line carries zheir blood. Some say zhat’s vhy our bodies run hot, even in ze vorst vinters.
” Pyper smirks and I glance at them, just now noticing Pyper ain’t got on a jacket and she’s walking around like she’s Childish Gambino singing Summertime.
I shiver, shaking my head, peeking over at Alik.
He’s at the very least got a scarf and a flimsy sweater on, but I can’t stop staring.
“That’s really cool though… like a real fantasy novel,” I mutter, bumping Alik’s arm.
“See I told you, you were strong.” I giggle and he swoops me up,
“You know zhey say a bears rage is slow and silent, but always fatal.” He kisses my cheeks.
“Right, you can beg a volf to show mercy, but bear…” Pyper smirks, her and Alik tickling me, and I fight to get out of their arms, swatting them.
“You’re savage,” I mutter.
“Sorry sorry…” Alik jokes and I turn back to the emblem.
“And what about the antlers?” I pant, a bit winded from laughing, but I point at the center. “It almost looks like a crown, but kinda doesn’t?” I tilt my head, examining it like art, and she grins.
“Oh zhat?” Alik stares at it. “Bears don’t ask for crown. Zhey rip zhem off kings and turn zhem to corpses,” he mutters and I lay my head on his, squeezing his arm, shuddering from the cold.
“Well, that’s oddly terrifying yet cool as fuck.”
“Mmm,” he peeks down me, but his mouth quirks. “You zhink so?”
“Hell yeah! It’s crude, but I’ll roll with the punches if that means my besties are some a bad ass mythical polar bears! Because that could only mean one thing.”
“What?” Pyper snorts, but I stand on the stacked bricks in the garden and puff out my chest.
“It means I’m untouchable!” I joke and Alik swoops me off my feet, swinging me around before setting me down.
“You can have all my power. I’m always in your corner.” He kisses my cheek.
“Aww, my big strong polar bear.” I scratch his chin, but I pause. “Oh, speaking of bloodline, is that heir thing the reason you guys don’t like Mikhail?” I ask as we continue our walk.
“Ugh, vhy ruin zhis perfectly good valk talking about him?” Pyper rolls her eyes and I chuckle, glancing over to Alik who’s suddenly silent.
“Because I’m a nosy bitch that’s why. Now spill the tea so I can sip slow.” I wiggle my brows and she huffs, snorting. “But seriously, he seems… uhm… intense, but not so intense you guys can’t get along.” I wonder aloud.
“Us get along vit zhat jerk?” Pyper scoffs. “I don’t zhink vee could even stand being in ze same room if not for Nadya and Dimitri. Nov zhey vould get along so well vit you.” Hearing her name makes my pussy tingle… mmm… too well…
“H-how so?”