18. Betrayed

Chapter eighteen

Betrayed

Mila

A fter a week at court, I had finally settled in. The palace itself was easy to navigate, the layout deceptively simple, but it was difficult to remember where, exactly, each noble was housed within the ornate halls.

I looked up and down the long corridor, frowning. Where were Princess Alisa's quarters? I was supposed to meet with her to discuss a new commission, but all the rooms looked similar.

As I considered, the door in front of me opened. A tall young noblewoman, her skin a warm, dark brown but speckled with white, stepped into the hall, followed by her maidservant.

I'd heard of people with skin like this, but I'd never actually seen it. It was a skin condition that caused the skin to lose its color, and according to research by Blood Bastards, it wasn't contagious or harmful. I'd never heard of a noble with the disease; it lent the woman an air of exotic beauty.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

I bowed. "Apologies, my lady. I'm looking for Princess Alisa's quarters."

"You're a few doors too soon. I'm headed that direction already. I'll show you the princess's rooms." She turned and glided down the hall, the maidservant and I trailing after her.

The lady looked back. "What is your trade?"

"I'm a seamstress, my lady. Sofia Stepanova."

"Are you? I'll have to call on you when I need a new dress. Princess Alisa always wears the finest fashions. Anyone she commissions must be talented indeed." She stopped. "Here we are, Sofia Stepanova."

"Thank you, Lady…"

"Yelena Kyrilovna. Baroness of Arick."

Baroness of Arick. The wife of Kazimir Vladimirovich. I bowed, my shoulders tight. "Thank you, Lady Yelena."

The baroness and her servant continued down the hall, and I took a moment to compose myself. Lord Kazimir, the monster who'd attacked me, was married to that gentle young woman. I couldn't believe it.

Shaking myself, I knocked on the door. A servant ushered me into the sitting room, where the princess was already waiting. Sister to Prince Radomir, the highest-ranking Sanctioned in the land after the tsar, Princess Alisa was a widow who spent most of her time at court. She was a large woman with light skin and small eyes that stayed fixed on me as I came up from my bow.

"Sofia Stepanova," she sniffed. "My cousin says you are an accomplished seamstress. As Heli's fashion sense has never been particularly strong, that remains to be seen. I trust you're familiar with the most recent Andinorian styles?"

"Yes, your highness. If you'd like to see some sketches, I have them right here." I reached for the papers, but the princess waved a hand.

"No need. I already know what I want. Just show me your fabric samples."

She chose a gold brocade for her new gown. The style was wide-bodied with a bell-shaped skirt called a farthingale. It was designed for the warmer seasons of Andinor and not likely to be comfortable throughout the long Inzhrian winter, but she had made a single concession to the weather: the collar would be lined with fur, providing a modicum of modesty and warmth.

"And I want the sable for the color," she said as I began taking her measurements.

"Yes, your highness." I didn't bother to remind her that she'd made the same request twice already.

A loud noise from the outer hall made me jump. The princess's head jerked up. A bout of shouting rang out, and a moment later a maidservant rushed into the sitting room, her eyes full of tears. "His majesty Tsar Miroslav is here to see you, princess."

The tsar charged past the girl. "Traitors!" he thundered.

"Your majesty." The princess sank into a stiff bow. "I apologize for my state. I was unaware of the honor."

Having bowed as well, I stepped back, trying not to draw attention to myself. My heart raced. Miroslav, the monster responsible for Han's missing hand and for so many other hardships, was mere steps away from me.

"‘Unaware of the honor.'" He sneered at her. "As if you don't know exactly why I'm here. Traitors! Traitors to the Blood, all of you!"

Princess Alisa's small eyes widened. "Your majesty, I must protest. I and my household live only to serve you."

"You lie!" He thrust a paper under her nose. She took it and skimmed the contents, the blood draining from her face as she read.

Her voice trembled. "He is no brother of mine!"

Her brother. Radomir, possibly the most powerful Sanctioned in the tsardom. Had he joined Borislav? I couldn't imagine another reason for Miroslav's fury.

"You will swear to it you had no knowledge of this treachery?" Miroslav's skin was flushed with anger, a stark contrast to his cousin's ashy countenance.

"By Otets and the Blood."

"I will hunt him down." The tsar paced the room. "My brother's foolish rebellion was enough to bear, but I crushed that. Radomir was the leader of my forces! No one had more of my trust." He stopped in front of a large tapestry depicting Otets' Bloodline. "I was content to let Borislav spend the rest of his days in exile. I was not vengeful. The tsardom believed him dead. His cause was vanquished, and so I didn't hunt him down. See what that munificence brought me? He's taken my greatest ally, and they're raising an army." He spit on the tapestry, and a glob of saliva landed on Borislav's name. "I'll see them both hanged."

The princess opened her mouth and closed it again.

"Call your sons to court," he said, turning to leave. "I'll not give that traitor my throne nor my men. The court will travel to meet my army, and everyone can see what I do to traitors."

Princess Alisa and I both bowed as he swept out of the room without a backward glance.

As soon as we heard the door close, the princess called for her clerk. Noticing me, she said, "You may go. Come back tomorrow at the same time."

"Yes, your highness." I gathered my supplies, packing them up slowly and carefully.

The clerk appeared with the instruments of his trade. "We must write to my sons," the princess told him. "My cousin, the traitor Borislav, has returned to Inzhria, and my brother has joined his rebellion. Both of my sons are ordered to court immediately, and they must denounce Radomir and Borislav most vehemently to anyone they meet. I won't have the stench of treason attached to our name." Noticing me still in the room, she snapped her fingers. "Out, girl! You're not needed."

I went directly to Lord Ilya and Lady Heli's quarters. "Is the baroness available?" I asked the footman that answered the door.

He gestured for me to wait in the small entrance hall and went to announce me. He returned a moment later. "My lady asks you to attend her in the drawing room."

The baroness didn't look up as I entered the room. "I hope you're not here to change the fabric on my order, Sofia Stepanova. I must tell you, I'm quite settled on that color."

"Not at all, my lady. I had some new trim arrive this morning, and I wanted to show you."

Lady Heli glanced at me. "Close the door, child. There's a draft, and these old bones don't tolerate the cold."

As I did, the baroness set aside the book she was reading and beckoned me closer. "Do you have news?"

"Yes, my lady. I would have waited to tell Izolda, but I was nearby, and I do have some new trim with me."

"So long as you don't make a habit of coming to my quarters. What news?"

I took out the trim and handed it to her as I relayed what had happened in Princess Alisa's quarters.

The baroness ran her fingers over the sample of fabric. "Good. It's good that we're the first to hear of this. His majesty will be glad to know how quickly news reaches court. Well done, Sofia." She offered a rare smile.

I smiled back, grateful for the compliment. Perhaps I wouldn't be a complete waste here at court.

A moment later, the baroness was back to her usual business-like self. "You should build contacts within Alisa's household. She's close to the tsar and highly ambitious. News always reaches her first. The tsarina and dowager tsarina are more sequestered than the rest of the court, but an ally or two in the Tsarina's Tower wouldn't go amiss, either."

Being with the princess when the tsar stormed in was lucky, but Lady Heli was right. I couldn't expect to be so fortunate all the time. Most of the information I would gather would come from allies and contacts, friends I made at court. I needed to extend my social circle. "I met the baroness of Arick today, and her husband's manservant last week. Those connections would be worth developing as well, yes?"

"Kazimir Vladimirovich. Pah." The baroness scowled. "Common trash marrying his way into nobility. He sullies the tsardom. But you're correct. He has Miroslav's favor, and having eyes on him could be beneficial. "You have good instincts, girl."

"Thank you, my lady."

"Remember, in future, send your news through Izolda. If you're seen coming and going from my quarters too often, we'll both draw unnecessary attention." She handed me back the trim sample and waved a hand in dismissal.

I bowed. "Yes, my lady."

As I left, the baroness called after me. "Close the door, child! The draft!"