“Then you should have known. Mallory said Kaskov hadn’t let you go into it blind. Research is everything. I found that out during my first year doing the Trials. You have to know what to expect.”

“The first year…” He tilted his head. “That was when they sent you out in that speedboat to distract a smuggler who was trying to interfere with Volkov’s heroin traffic. It was one of your failures.” His expression hardened. “A broken leg and a concussion. I suppose you deserved that?”

“It doesn’t matter what I deserved. You have to accept whatever happens if you don’t do whatever you must to succeed. I was too scared, and I hadn’t researched that speedboat to find out what it would do if I pushed it too hard. I got too close to Dimitri and he swung a boat hook at me. I didn’t know anything about boats. I’d never been out of the village except for that trip to Moscow. My father had just given me a few lessons before they sent me out there in the ocean with my orders.” She smiled bitterly. “I had to go on a few other trips after that and I failed one more, but then I started doing my research and I learned how to win. Volkov didn’t like that, so they switched me to something that would be more challenging. I wasn’t being entertaining enough.”

“Not enough broken bones or concussions?”

“I got the broken bone from that smuggler, Dimitri. But the concussion was from my father. He doesn’t like to lose.” She smiled crookedly. “Volkov wasn’t pleased, he said my father was lucky that I hadn’t been permanently damaged and then what would they have done?”

“Yes, there’s always that to consider. No kid to beat up on? No wonder Volkov was upset.”

“I didn’t tell you that to make you feel sorry for me. I don’t want your pity. But it was important that I learned the value of research.” She frowned. “Which you should have done.”

He nodded slowly. “You’re probably right. I believe in research. I use it in my business constantly. There were just a few things about this job that made me more careless than usual about applying it. I’d already had to move too quickly, and I wanted to get you out of there.”

She gazed at him. “You’re apologizing?”

“I’m explaining. There’s a difference.”

“But you said I was right.” She smiled. “So there’s not much difference.”

He held up his hands. “I surrender.”

Her smile faded. “But it’s not because you were feeling sorry for me? I don’t need that.”

“Would I dare?” He shook his head. “No one needs pity less than you, Lara.” He paused. “But I should tell you that your father and Volkov were in a rage. Volkov appeared particularly angry about losing his favorite punching bag. They tried to get hold of your mother, and that’s when they realized that you’d done a flit. Volkov sent off your father with orders to bring you back.”