Page 233 of The Harbinger

“What can I help you with, Marina? I’m a busy man.”

“That’s precisely why I requested this meeting. I believe it’s time we discussed Mia,” she replied evenly, her tone laced with a hint of urgency.

“What is there to talk about?”

Marina’s voice dropped to a hushed tone, a note of concern creeping into her words. “There’s been some talk about Mia, about how she was the intended sacrifice,” she murmured. “And yet, you chose to eliminate your own papa instead.”

“Care to enlighten me as to whose tongues are wagging? Perhaps it’s yours?” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk and fixing her with a sharp gaze, my tone clipped and no-nonsense.

Marina recoiled at my insinuation as though the mere thought of such barbarism was beyond comprehension. “No, no, not at all. It’s just that some...they wanted some sort of proof,” she stammered, her voice trailing off.

I leaned back in my chair, my forearms resting casually on the armrests, my eyes never leaving Marina’s face. “As you should be aware, I am not obligated to reveal any details of Mia’s medical records to anyone. As Prophet, you are responsible for ensuring that such baseless rumors are put to rest. Yet, it appears you have failed in that regard,” I stated firmly, my tone measured but no less stern.

“I merely thought I’d indulge their curiosities.”

“It seems to me that your ‘indulgence’ has only served to fuel their curiosities even further. As a high-ranking member of this church, it is your duty to protect the integrity of our order and maintain our secrecy. Anything less is unacceptable.”

“I’m trying to do just that. What better way to stifle the rumors than to feed it the truth?”

I took a deep breath, inhaling slowly and deeply before leaning forward again, my hands clasped tightly in front of me as I exhaled. “Rumors will always be a part of our lives, Marina. But we cannot afford to give in to every idle whim and fancy.”

“No, but if this was a foretold sacrifice, then we owe them an explanation.”

I mulled over the latest developments, my gut telling me that Ruslan may have spread rumors about Mia. It was as if he had wanted her to fit into some twisted vision he had concocted in his head. But when I took matters into my own hands and ensured he wouldn’t harm her, it had ruffled more than a few feathers. The question now was whether those vultures would keep circling or if they would eventually back off.

“Release is not an option. So make sure the peace is kept and the rumors are eliminated.” My voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

Her sigh was heavy, and her shoulders slumped in defeat. “I understand,” she said, resignation tingeing her words.

“Marina,” I growled, my voice low and dangerous, “if you dare step into my office again and demand confidential information to appease those spineless fools, you’ll be the one skinned alive for their transgressions. Are we clear?”

Her body trembled, and she tried to force a smile. “Yes, High Priest,” she managed to whisper, her voice cracking under the weight of fear.

“Leave.”

As Marina scurried away, Dmitri opened the door for her, his face a mask of indifference. With a flick of his wrist, he shut it behind her, the sound of the latch echoing in the room. I wasted no time and reached for my phone, dialing Vlad’s number with practiced ease.

“Da.”

“Change of plans.”

Chapter 64

Mia

“Mia,mayIcomein?” My mother’s soft voice broke through the silence, and I lifted my eyes from the workbook I’d been staring at, the words barely registering.

“Sure.” I swung my leg over the edge of the bouncy mattress - not nearly as luxurious as the one in Russia - and closed the book.

As the door creaked open wider, my mother entered the room, her expression hesitant. I couldn’t help but notice the contrast between this place and Sacha’s home. Here, privacy was a foreign concept, even as an adult, while at Sacha’s, it was paramount.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard or not, but Dr. Jones was found dead this morning.”

My spine stiffened, and the blood rushed from my face as I rushed to pick up my phone.

“How?”

“It was terrible. They believe one of her patients had a breakdown and killed her.”