The Relic — Evelyn Anthony

Shortly before his death, Lucy Warren's Ukranian emigre father leaves her a legacy with the power to change the course of history - St. Vladimir's Cross, a jeweled relic whose owner, by time-honored tradition, has the right to rule Russia. His final instructions are to locate Dimitri Volkov, a Ukrainian dissident of great renown living in exile, who will return to their motherland with the relic and set their people free. But as Lucy discovers, Volkov the legend is quite different from Volkov the man, now an apathetic alcoholic carefully manipulated by the KGB. Soon, however, Volkov finds his passionate spirit revived by Lucy's intensity and beauty, and their shared political fervor is matched only by the rising heat of their passion for each other. Mere steps ahead of a vicious killer out to stop them, they prepare to sow the seeds of revolt in Russia together, with only the remarkable powers of the relic - and their love - to protect them.