There would be no use arguing with him. Anton always gave in to anything Volkov wanted. She dropped her backpack on the ground and ran down the street to where Volkov was waiting.

Don’t let him shake you.

Look him straight in the eye.

He wants you to be afraid so that he’ll have the advantage.

Don’t be afraid.

She stopped in front of him and lifted her chin. “You wanted to see me?”

“For one last time,” he said softly. He reached out and touched her cheek. “I always forget how fragile you look. But you’re not fragile, are you? Between Anton and me, we’ve made you into almost as tough a bitch as your whore of a mother. Maybe even more.” He smiled maliciously. “But you’re not going to be tough enough to survive what I’ve planned for you this time. I’ve been very careful to load the decks against you.”

Don’t let him see the fear. “May I go now?”

If anything, his expression became even more malevolent. “And if by some miracle you do survive, it will only be to face what’s been waiting for you all these years. Are you ready for that?”

She had to keep her face impassive. “I’m ready. It would just be another Trial. I’d win that one, too. May I go now?”

He muttered a curse and for an instant she thought he’d strike her anyway. Then he pushed her away and got into his Mercedes. “By all means, you wouldn’t want to keep my men waiting. They’re primed and eager for you.”

She didn’t wait for him to start his car. She didn’t answer. She turned on her heel and headed back toward where Anton was waiting for her.

Don’t look back. Don’t be afraid of what’s coming. It will be difficult, but so was Rachmaninoff’s Third Concerto.

Close everything out but Rachmaninoff’s Third and the challenge waiting for you in that forest.

* * *

Casino Milan, Italy

Josh Mallory stopped Logan Tanner before he got on the elevator to go up to his suite. “There’s something you should know. You have a visitor.”

“I didn’t get a text on my phone. Now I wonder why not?” Tanner gazed at him quizzically. “Particularly since you seem to be getting such a degree of sardonic pleasure from telling me about it. Would you care to tell me why?”

Mallory scowled. “You’ve been in a terrible mood ever since you got here and have been giving my dealers hell. I figure you deserve a little trouble for making me up their salaries just to keep them from walking out on me. I have the best dealers in Milan, and I don’t want them going to some other casino.”

“They’re not alert enough.” Tanner grinned as he punched the elevator button. “I could have taken them to the cleaners before they took their first break. I’m just looking out for you, Mallory.”

“You’re just too damn bored,” Mallory said, disgusted as he got into the elevator and punched the button for the penthouse. “And I can look out for myself. I run this casino better than any other property you own, and you know it. It wasn’t fair to expect them to know you were counting cards when you were so good, you were barred from half the casinos in the world by the time you were sixteen.”