The highest and best. Rodeo likes that. He has always wanted what's best for Adelaide, and he's always believed his Mama was right when it came to that. The best life for Adelaide was one far away from the toxic presence of her lawless big brother. A life of stability, normalcy. And he guesses that's what she found for herself. She's got a cushy life at the Capitol, she's got herself a husband who makes the kind of dough necessary to buy a rock the size of Cumberland County, she's clean and safe and well fed and now she's putting all of that on the line to run around with the goddamned Dog King. No matter how much his heart aches over the way she had cut him off, how can he blame her? Doesn't he truly want what's best for her?
Because there's no denying what's best when you look at the facts.
"Two ears is plenty," Rodeo tells her, shaking his head. "Shit, you coulda just given me one if you really wanted. Just as long as somebody's listenin'." Rodeo tips his head, watching her braid her hair. He's always liked watching women playing with their hair. It's relaxing, soothing. Like watching a TV show about manufacturing processes. All that machinery just churning and spinning. That's what he thinks of while he watches Zhenya's hands weave her hair into a vibrant red rope.
Rodeo reaches into his pocket. He draws out Zhenya's gift, hooking his finger into the chain and letting the pendant drop. He holds it out to her, dangling from the end of his finger. "This reminded me of you," he declares. The pendant is a dark silver wolf head with bright ruby eyes, but the wolf's long snout hides a wickedly sharp little folding blade that can be flicked out in an instant. To Rodeo, that's Mama Volka.