my eye as he wandered toward the Summer Garden.
“Katerina … I must speak with you.”
I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the glass, sighing heavily.
“What do you want, Danilo?”
“St. Petersburg is not safe for you. You must leave immediately.”
Had the lich tsar finally returned? A cold fear settled in my stomach. If Konstantin was here now, the tsar needed to know. After Alix had warned the Light Court of Danilo’s visit to the ballet, St. Petersburg had been under increased security. But everyone had been holding their breath, waiting for the moment when the lich tsar made his move.
“Meet me in the park.”
Danilo’s voice was pleading and insistent.
“No. You must leave, Your Highness.”
I would not be safe anywhere near the crown prince. I was no fool. I turned away from the window.
The crown prince’s voice fell silent in my head, and I brought a plate of sweets to Papa, who was standing in the hallway with Tamara’s father. They both looked grave.
“Thank you, dear,” my father said when I handed him theplate. “Dr. Ostrev tells me there has been an increasing number of walking dead seen in St. Petersburg.”
Startled, I looked from Papa to the doctor. “Do the tsar’s men know?”
Dr. Ostrev nodded. “Two more were brought to the hospital last night. Dr. Bokova is certain they were not members of the Order of St. Lazarus.”
I swallowed. This meant these creatures were not under my control. Several times a month, the Koldun had me return to Vorontsov Palace to hold the Talisman of Isis and use it to issue general orders for the creatures. They could only be controlled by me, through the power of the Talisman, which was another reason why the tsar did not relish the idea of my leaving for Zurich. He wanted to keep both his personal necromancer and his personal army of undead soldiers reined in closely.
“Does this mean there is another necromancer in St. Petersburg?” I asked with a shudder. A cold dread filled my belly. There was only one other necromancer that I knew of: Princess Johanna Cantacuzene. And she was dead. Wasn’t she?
Papa frowned. “There can be no other explanation, can there? You don’t think they could still be your creatures, do you, Katiya?”
“
Mon
Dieu
, no!” With the help of Dr. Badmaev, I had finally learned how to control my powers so that I would no longer create any more undead accidentally. I had most assuredly not raised anyone from the grave on purpose.
“I will see if the Koldun knows anything, then,” my father said. “Katiya, will you tell your mother that I am headed to Vorontsov Palace?”
“Do you want me to join you?” I asked, only half hoping hewould say yes. What if George had returned to St. Petersburg? I was not ready to face him yet.
“No, my dear,” Papa said, caressing my cheek and giving me a kind smile. “The Koldun can take care of this without you. If necessary, he will ask the tsar and the empress to return from Fredensborg early.”
I did not bother to tell Maman why Papa was going to the palace. She would hear from Militza soon enough if any blood drinkers were involved. Maman was too busy fussing over baby Tamara to pay any attention anyway.
“Katerina, join me outside in the park.”
Danilo’s voice was back, and it was insistent.
“Leave me in peace,”
I thought irritably. I rubbed my temples, wishing I could steal up to my bedroom for a nap.
“Katerina, I will not leave until I speak to you.”
“We are speaking, Your Highness,”
I thought sarcastically.
But Danilo would not be put off.
“I will stay here in the park until you come out of your house. It is imperative that I see you.”
“Why?”
But he refused to answer. Tired of arguing, I flung a cloak around my shoulders and went outside to find him. I told myself I would stay within view of the guards at our front gate.
“Ah, my necromancer,” Danilo said, standing as I approached him. He had been sitting on a bench
“Katerina … I must speak with you.”
I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the glass, sighing heavily.
“What do you want, Danilo?”
“St. Petersburg is not safe for you. You must leave immediately.”
Had the lich tsar finally returned? A cold fear settled in my stomach. If Konstantin was here now, the tsar needed to know. After Alix had warned the Light Court of Danilo’s visit to the ballet, St. Petersburg had been under increased security. But everyone had been holding their breath, waiting for the moment when the lich tsar made his move.
“Meet me in the park.”
Danilo’s voice was pleading and insistent.
“No. You must leave, Your Highness.”
I would not be safe anywhere near the crown prince. I was no fool. I turned away from the window.
The crown prince’s voice fell silent in my head, and I brought a plate of sweets to Papa, who was standing in the hallway with Tamara’s father. They both looked grave.
“Thank you, dear,” my father said when I handed him theplate. “Dr. Ostrev tells me there has been an increasing number of walking dead seen in St. Petersburg.”
Startled, I looked from Papa to the doctor. “Do the tsar’s men know?”
Dr. Ostrev nodded. “Two more were brought to the hospital last night. Dr. Bokova is certain they were not members of the Order of St. Lazarus.”
I swallowed. This meant these creatures were not under my control. Several times a month, the Koldun had me return to Vorontsov Palace to hold the Talisman of Isis and use it to issue general orders for the creatures. They could only be controlled by me, through the power of the Talisman, which was another reason why the tsar did not relish the idea of my leaving for Zurich. He wanted to keep both his personal necromancer and his personal army of undead soldiers reined in closely.
“Does this mean there is another necromancer in St. Petersburg?” I asked with a shudder. A cold dread filled my belly. There was only one other necromancer that I knew of: Princess Johanna Cantacuzene. And she was dead. Wasn’t she?
Papa frowned. “There can be no other explanation, can there? You don’t think they could still be your creatures, do you, Katiya?”
“
Mon
Dieu
, no!” With the help of Dr. Badmaev, I had finally learned how to control my powers so that I would no longer create any more undead accidentally. I had most assuredly not raised anyone from the grave on purpose.
“I will see if the Koldun knows anything, then,” my father said. “Katiya, will you tell your mother that I am headed to Vorontsov Palace?”
“Do you want me to join you?” I asked, only half hoping hewould say yes. What if George had returned to St. Petersburg? I was not ready to face him yet.
“No, my dear,” Papa said, caressing my cheek and giving me a kind smile. “The Koldun can take care of this without you. If necessary, he will ask the tsar and the empress to return from Fredensborg early.”
I did not bother to tell Maman why Papa was going to the palace. She would hear from Militza soon enough if any blood drinkers were involved. Maman was too busy fussing over baby Tamara to pay any attention anyway.
“Katerina, join me outside in the park.”
Danilo’s voice was back, and it was insistent.
“Leave me in peace,”
I thought irritably. I rubbed my temples, wishing I could steal up to my bedroom for a nap.
“Katerina, I will not leave until I speak to you.”
“We are speaking, Your Highness,”
I thought sarcastically.
But Danilo would not be put off.
“I will stay here in the park until you come out of your house. It is imperative that I see you.”
“Why?”
But he refused to answer. Tired of arguing, I flung a cloak around my shoulders and went outside to find him. I told myself I would stay within view of the guards at our front gate.
“Ah, my necromancer,” Danilo said, standing as I approached him. He had been sitting on a bench
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