Free Into the Flame by Christina Dodd

little mouth. ‘‘Listen! While Mama’s gone, she’s going to get you something.’’

    ‘‘What?’’ Rebellion still flashed in his brown eyes.

    ‘‘Something you’ll like very much.’’

    Aleksandr considered her suspiciously. ‘‘What?’’

    ‘‘Something very special.’’

    ‘‘What?’’ His arms flew into the air in an excess of toddler exasperation.

    She laid him down, tucked his blanket around him, and handed him Bernie. ‘‘If you want this very special, very wonderful thing, you be good for Grandpa and Grandma. Brush your teeth. Take your naps. Take care of Bernie.’’ Her hand lingered on the worn fuzz of his constant sleeping companion. ‘‘Can you do all that?’’

    ‘‘Yes!’’

    ‘‘Then I will go and get your daddy and bring him back to you.’’

    Because Douglas Black was the Wilders’ true offspring, their fourth son, their only hope . . . and only Firebird, his runaway lover, could convince him to help.

    Chapter Seven

    ‘‘G ramma?’’

    Zorana half woke at the sound of a little voice beside the bed. ‘‘Hm?’’

    ‘‘Aleksandr and Bernie get in with you and Grampa.’’

    Zorana used her rear to urge Konstantine over. With a deep grumble, he moved.

    Lifting the covers, she gestured Aleksandr and Bernie in. She hugged Aleksandr close, this grandson of hers, and felt another piece of her heart break.

    Damn that doctor. Damn Miss Joyce. Most of all— for Zorana knew whom to blame—damn the devil and his machinations.

    ‘‘Gramma, guess?’’ Aleksandr wiggled like a fish.

    Never mind that it was barely dawn. He was awake, and he wasn’t going back to sleep until he took his nap after lunch. ‘‘What?’’

    ‘‘Mama’s going get Aleksandr a present.’’

    ‘‘She is?’’ Zorana smiled. ‘‘What is she getting you?’’

    ‘‘My daddy!’’

    Zorana sat up, dislodging Konstantine on one side and Aleksandr on the other. ‘‘What?’’

    ‘‘My daddy. My daddy! Mama get Aleksandr my daddy!’’ His voice got louder with each repetition.

    Zorana sat very still, her mind buzzing as she tried to put the pieces of this puzzle together. ‘‘Where is she getting your daddy?’’

    ‘‘Costco,’’ Aleksandr said with impeccable childish logic.

    Konstantine didn’t sound at all sleepy as he rumbled, ‘‘Do you buy daddies at Costco?’’

    ‘‘Yes. And a new puzzle for Bernie.’’ Aleksandr chuckled as he imagined the delights to come.

    ‘‘Aleksandr, stay here. Grandma’s going to go talk to your mama.’’ Zorana started to climb over the little boy.

    Konstantine stopped her with a hand on her arm. ‘‘Firebird left half an hour ago.’’

    Zorana turned on him. ‘‘You heard her leave? And you didn’t do anything?’’

    In the breaking dawn, he was a broad lump under the covers. Light glinted off the chrome of his oxygen tank and his IV pole, and she could dimly see the plastic tubes that ran up his nose and into his arm. Yet for all that the disease ate at his body, his eyes were still sharp and bright. ‘‘Zorana. Liubov maya . We have all had a horrible shock. But none of us has suffered as Firebird is suffering. If she felt she had to leave without telling anyone—’’

    ‘‘Aleksandr!’’ Aleksandr said helpfully.

    ‘‘—without telling anyone except Aleksandr,’’ Konstantineagreed, ‘‘then I know better than to stand in her way.’’

    ‘‘But where is she going?’’ Zorana demanded.

    ‘‘Costco,’’ Aleksandr said. ‘‘For Aleksandr’s daddy.’’

    ‘‘That sounds reasonable to me.’’ Konstantine tugged Zorana back down on the bed and put his arms around her and Aleksandr.

    Zorana had never felt less sleepy. ‘‘All this time, she never would tell us who Aleksandr’s father is. Why would she go find him now?’’

    ‘‘Last night, for Firebird, everything changed.’’ Konstantine tapped his forehead.

    Yes, and now Zorana’s heart was torn.