Chapter 96 Captured

• Alissia POV
• I twist my wrists against the ropes, feeling the rough fibers dig into my skin as I fight to keep calm. I know exactly why Kozlov wants me. The rhythm—my uncle’s strange, lilting tune—is the key to the family’s most treasured possession, a gold painting he stole from them. It’s why they’ve been hunting me all this time, why Kozlov couldn’t let me simply disappear. I’d found that old video of my uncle singing it to me when I was a child, and that melody had stayed hidden in my memory, only surfacing when I stumbled upon the video.
• Kozlov steps back into the room, his eyes dark with calculation as he sizes me up. His mouth curves in a cruel smile, his tone mocking. “Are you ready to be reasonable, Alissia? Or shall I continue to wait while you test my patience?”