Dinastiya Tested // 3rd Book of the Takaryev Trilogy

Chapter 44

Artem and Ravil were eating lunch in one of the gardens near Saint Michael's Castle when an unfamiliar figure approached them. Ravil glanced up briefly, and the figure spoke. 

"Privyet, I'm from the FSO. Leopold sent me; I'm just checking in." 

Artem furrowed his brow, glancing over at Ravil for a moment. Suspicion was like fog in his blue eyes. 

Ravil blinked and brought his gaze back to the figure, now seeing that it was a young man with black hair and azure eyes. 

"S lyubovyu iz Rossii," said the young man. 

Ravil flinched. "Kakoya moya missiya?" 

Artem gaped, horror seizing him. "Ravil-" 

"Stand up," the figure commanded. 

Ravil stood.

"Draw your gun," 

Ravil revealed the gun given to him by the FSO. 

"Shoot your husband." 

"Hold on, Ravil," Artem stood as well, heart pounding violently. "Hold on, don't listen to him!" 

Ravil was unrelenting, and didn't appear to have had any change of mind. 

"Ravil, listen to me, I'm Artem, I'm married to you, I love you," Artem had fallen swiftly into desperation, and now, with tears in his gaze, was trying in vain to get Ravil to remember. "Don't shoot me,"

Thaddeus's lips contorted into a smirk as he heard the gun click. 

Ravil was about to pull the trigger when Artem tackled him from the side, pushing him to the right. Ravil didn't have time to rethink firing the gun, and as he hit the ground, a bullet left the chamber and found its home in Thaddeus's chest. 

Artem managed to pry the gun away from Ravil, but Ravil was still in an altered state of mind and seemed to be, for the most part, not mentally present. Artem gave him some space, then talked to him a bit in an attempt to bring him back to reality. 

"Ravil. Hey," Artem started. "Listen to me," He tried to block out the noise of Thaddeus gurgling his own blood. "Ravil-" 

"What a scene," said another, familiar voice. "We've got poor Azarov spitting up blood, and Artem trying to get back his husband." 

Artem lifted his gaze to see Hilarion standing by Thaddeus, who had crumpled to the ground. 

"You." Artem's voice was laced with an icy hatred. 

"Who the hell else would it be?" Hilarion half-laughed. "This is what I've wanted for years, Artem. Now do me a favor and don't ruin it." 

Artem took the gun that had previously been in Ravil's hands, then pointed it at Hilarion. "Shut up." 

"Even if you survive this, Ravil won't. You see, moy malchek, there's this thing called psychological trauma, and Ravil's got an overload of it. And there comes a point when the human brain can't process all that, and it shuts down." Hilarion explained, eyes gleaming as he revealed a gun of his own. "If you look to your left, you'll see a perfect example." 

Artem glanced to his left and saw Ravil, then turned again to face Hilarion. 

"You do know what that's called, don't you?" Hilarion asked with a smirk. 

Artem stood, keeping the gun pointed at Hilarion. "Shut up!" 

"It's called catatonia," Hilarion continued as if he'd never heard Artem in the first place. "You see, these sleeper agents all self-destruct eventually. Like bombs. It's inevitable. And you might survive this, but I can promise you that Ravil won't." 

When Artem said nothing, Hilarion kept talking. "You're really going to shoot your own biological father?" 

"I don't care whether or not we're related," Artem answered. "Ravil and I-" 

"Soon it'll just be you," Hilarion scoffed. 

"Ravil and I fought like hell to get here, and I'm not letting you hurt him or ruin this for us." Artem continued. "If killing you is the only way to do that," his blue gaze flickered with shadows of tattered family bonds, "Then I guess I'll have to kill you." 

"I bet you don't even know how to fire that damn gun." Hilarion nodded at the gun, his smirk widening. 

"Just wait, you devil." Artem growled, unaware that he was so dangerously close to becoming the very monster he'd spent his whole life battling. 

Hilarion flinched, blue eyes flashing. He clearly hadn't anticipated this, not at all...

Artem risked a brief glance over his shoulder at Ravil, who was huddled a few feet behind. His viridian eyes were vacant. Artem fought back the fear growing behind his pounding heart, and placed his gaze back on Hilarion's scarred face. 

Just as Artem was about to pull the trigger, he remembered. 

The sight of Ravil, standing mere feet from his mother Alina, with a gun in his hand, poised to fire. 

Artem shook his head and shut his eyes, making the not-so-horrible mistake of hesitation. Looking Hilarion in the eyes, he snarled, "Get the hell out of here." 

Hilarion blinked, a somewhat crazed grin returning to his face. 

"Get the hell out of here, and never let me see your damned face again. If I do, I won't hesitate." Artem warned with a note of grave sincerity. "The day I see you again is the day you die." 

Hilarion took a step back, pocketing his gun. "Fine." 

"Go." Artem's eyes were dark. 

Hilarion's grin widened. "Goodbye, my son." 

Artem lifted his chin slightly, blue eyes flashing. "I am not your son. Burn in hell. Get out of here before I pull this trigger."

Hilarion half-laughed again before turning and leaving the garden. Artem watched until he was sure he'd left for real. 

Then, Artem put the safety back on the gun and turned to Ravil, picking him up. "Alright, my love. Let's get you patched up."