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“She was reaching for something. It’s my fault for ignoring or even reprimanding her. I saw what it was—a small silver bracelet near the fountain.”

“You think someone placed it there,” he says.

“I think someone tried to kill my daughter once already, and now another accident nearly happened in my own house,” I say.

My voice drops as I reach the landing. “Find out who went near the pool today.”

“Everyone?”

I look back once toward Elara’s closed door. Then I continue down the stairs.

“Everyone.”

10

ELARA

The first coherent thought I have after Nikolai leaves the room is, I kissed him.

I kissed him.

I kissed Nikolai Volkov while sitting half-dressed on a bed in his house, wrapped in a blanket like a drowned rat, after he pulled me out of his swimming pool because I apparently decided today was an excellent day to demonstrate I cannot swim.

I sit with the blanket clutched to my chest, my hair wet around my face, my lips still swollen, and I want the floor to open beneath me and swallow me into whatever rich-people basement this house definitely has.

Dr. Levin checks my pulse while pretending not to notice that I look like a woman who has just made several bad decisions in rapid succession.

“Breathe in,” he says.

I obey.

“Again.”

I breathe in again. My lungs ache. My throat burns. My shoulder hurts from where I grabbed Anya and then flailed around like a panicked idiot in the water.

Other than that, I am perfectly fine.

Mentally, I may never recover.

“You inhaled some water,” Dr. Levin says, pressing the stethoscope against my back. “Not a dangerous amount, but I want you watched tonight. If you develop fever, worsening cough, chest pain, unusual sleepiness, or shortness of breath, someone must call me immediately.”

“Great,” I say. “So only the terrifying symptoms.”

His mouth twitches. “You also strained your shoulder again.”

“Of course I did.”

“And your hip will be sorer tomorrow.”

“Wonderful. I was worried I might enjoy walking.”

He looks at me over his glasses. “You are very fortunate Mr. Volkov reached you quickly.”

My face heats instantly. “Yes,” I say, staring at the blanket. “He’s very… punctual.”

Dr. Levin pauses for half a second. Then, because apparently, he is a merciful man, he says nothing. He finishes the examination, leaves instructions for rest and warm fluids, then gathers his bag.

“I’ll check on you in the morning,” he says.