“We should.”
“Indeed, and with that said, I’m sure you’re eager to talk about thevineyard.”
“I am. Thank you for the heads up.” I give him a curt nod.
“I felt it was something you should know. Have you told Anastasia about it?”
“Not yet.”
He levels me a curious stare as if he can see through to the parts of me that are so taken with her. “Be careful with that one, brother. She’s a real beauty but she thought the sun shone from Viktor’s ass even before she understood what marriage was.”
“I believe you.” I’ve seen the evidence for myself. She might easily change her mind if she knew about Viktor’s involvement with the vineyard. But part of me fears she might not. “In any case, I don’t want anyone becoming aware that I know about this yet. I’m sure you can understand why.”
“Oh yes. That’s very wise given that it means death under the Knights’ law if anyone were plotting things they shouldn’t against their brother.”
The way he speaks makes me think he wants to get rid of Viktor. I’ve already assumed he doesn’t trust him, or he wouldn’t have ratted Viktor out about the vineyard. I want to be clear on why, among other things, I sense there’s more than meets the eye with Zakh.
“How the hell did you find out about the vineyard?”
He gives me a confident smile and I realize I’m right.
“I have a special penchant for getting information. I might be on a par with your lady friend there, or slightly better. She left a trace here and there but I cleaned it up.”
I raise my brows. “You can hack?” Or maybe it’s a little more than that if he can detect Gytha’s traces. She’s not messy in the least.
“It’s my thing but I don’t announce it. Sometimes it’s better when people don’t know everything about you. That way you can keep more things to yourself.”
“Do the others know?”
“Malik. Not Viktor.”
I could have guessed that. Zakh seems closer to Malik than to Viktor. It was just something I picked up on when we were at the wedding.
“Leif knows too,” he adds.
“I guess that’s why he wants me to get to know you guys.”
“I suppose so. He wants us to get to know you too.”
“What’s your take on that?” I’ve never cared one way or the other about being a part of them. I always thought they’d reject me, but I’m curious to hear his thoughts.
“I won’t lie, the situation is strange. I’m close to Leif, maybe closer than the others so I feel betrayed that he didn’t tell me about you. But I get it. I trust the decisions he makes are for the best. So I’m on board.”
I’m surprised by the lightness that fills me at being accepted. “That’s good to hear.”
“And you? What about you?”
“I’m on board too.” I am, though not with Viktor, but that goes without saying.
“Does that mean I earned some element of trust?” He keeps his gaze trained on me.
“You did.” I’m not going to give my wholehearted trust to him because I never do that—except with Leif and Ehlga—but this is a start I think I need. Zakh gave me a lead to check out that I wouldn’t have had. “I guess I don’t have to ask why you told me. You want to be Obshchak. Don’t you?”
“When our family got the opportunity to join the elite, I was always going to be the Obshchak when Father retired. I want it to stay that way.”
Well, this is the first moment I’ve felt that I can now choose my subordinates.
“What about Malik? What should I do with him?”