Page 43 of Hunter's Trial
Helena flinches. Good. Let her know the sort of man she married.
Horus speaks again. “Mr. Volkovich was truthfully only acting in Kate’s best interest. He surrendered without objection or fight… perhaps putting him to the test would be the wisest option. It would be beneficial to see if perhaps during his time in prison and subsequent freedom his motives have changed? And then decide his fate after that.”
Daniel instantly shakes his head. “No, you’re biased.”
Thankfully, Alek seems capable of hearing reason. “We could hear him out, at least. Horus knows him better than either of us do. I might not think that he’s capable of change, but I’ve been wrong before.”
“It would be improper for either of you to decide his fate in this matter regardless,” Horus says. “Nikolai’s fate should only rest in Helena and Anya’s hands. If he is forgivable at all, they should be the ones to forgive him first.”
I see the point that he’s trying to make -- but there’s no proof that Nikolai is the same person that he was before. The version of him that I’ve come to know couldn’t possibly be the same man who did all those horrible things. He has no reason to have pretended this whole time. Nothing to gain by manipulating and then leaving me. Does that count for nothing?
“We’ll think about it.” Alek says and crosses his arms across his chest. “For now, everybody should get some sleep. We’ll decide in the morning when everyone has had time to process.”
I get up and storm out of the room, Horus on my heels. The whole thing is just insane to me.
“Will you be all right?” Horus asks gently when we are out of ear shot. “Is there anything that I can do for you or Liz?”
I shake my head. “No, and thank you for what you did in there… you didn’t have to. Is there anything I can do to repay your kindness?”
Horus smiles softly as he walks me to my bedroom door. “My kindness might not be enough.” He almost looks for a moment like he wants to touch me, and then stops himself. “You can thank me when Mr. Volkovich is free again. Goodnight, Ms. Kate.”
The Next Day
Strange to be squeezed into the backseat of a SUV with two of Nikolai’s exes. There’s got to be a joke about this somewhere. Both women heavily pregnant and me in the middle of the pair of them. I’m a nervous wreck. I think that Henry, bless him, is just about the only reason that Liz detached herself from me. Without him convincing her that he needed her company, this meeting wouldn’t have even been possible.
Before today, I wouldn’t have said that I’m generally an anxious person, but I have no idea where Nikolai is, if they hurt him, what condition that he’s in – if he was injured to begin with.
It doesn’t help that neither woman on either side of me seems to want to say a single word to me. They don’t say a thing the whole ride over and I’m almost desperate enough to ask their opinion. Since when am I this woman? It’s like I’ve been transformed into some other version of myself that isn’t putting herself first. By choice, even. Or am I just that worried about Nikolai?
Both women have the right to their anger. Nikolai treated them horribly, but their husbands have just as many terrible things to their names. The issue is that they feel their husbands are redeemed, and Nikolai is just destined to forever be a monster to them. It’s not fair.
The guards guide us down a flight of stairs and Helena and Anya are whispering softly to one another in a way that I can’t hear them. It’s for the best. I probably wouldn’t like what they are saying anyways.
Though, it couldn’t have prepared me for what is waiting on the other side of the heavy door.
Nikolai, chained with his arms out to either side of his body and his head hanging low as he kneels on the cold concrete floor. My heart drops as I rush over to him, cupping his face in my hands and lifting it so that I can see him better. It doesn’t look like he’s physically worse off than the last time that I saw him, at least. Though, that doesn’t make me feel much better if I’m being honest.
“What have they done to you?” I whisper, not caring if the others hear me but not trusting my voice to speak without breaking. Was he like this all night? It’s barbaric to chain people like this. He has to be cramping all over! The bags under Nikolai’s eyes are deeper, groggy as he smiles weakly up at me. He doesn’t even seem to notice that we aren’t alone.
“Nothing that I don’t deserve, Kate, I can promise you that.” He chuckles to himself darkly.
This must be where he had kept Alek for all that time. And Anya. Nevertheless, I can’t stop hurting for him.
“Nobody deserves this… no matter what you’ve done.” I counter. It’s inhumane to chain people up like this. Though the heavy metal shackles look impossible to undo on my own, I try futilely anyway to free him.
“It’s no use. Kate, I mean it.” Nikolai shakes his head, telling me to stop and so I do, my fingers lingering on the chains cutting into his wrists. I would be surprised if he had any feeling in his hands at all right now. “It’s worth it, really. I’m glad that I could protect you from that miserable bastard.”
“I can’t say that it’s not satisfying to see you like this, Nikolai.” Anya says, crossing her arms over her chest. She looks angrier with Nikolai than Helena does. Is it because of the wedding or something else? “You know, I never wanted to be in a room with you again. Yet, it’s like I just can’t get rid of you.”
Nikolai’s black eyes roll slowly from me over to his ex.
“It’s the least that you deserve. Poetic justice that you have ended up in the same place that you left Alek and me to rot in .” Anya continues.
Nikolai interrupts her. “I’m sorry.”
Anya’s eyes widen in shock. I doubt that he’s ever apologized to her for anything before. “Sorry? You think that saying sorry is going to fix something like that?!”
Nikolai shakes his head, utterly defeated. “No, but if this is the only chance I’m going to get to apologize for my sins then I want to do that. You, Helena - I won’t ask for your forgiveness because I don’t deserve it. I just hope that you ensure your husbands keep their promise to Kate. Keep her and her daughter safe, no matter what happens.”