Queen of Someday Read Free Page A

that I almost sigh in relief. He repeats the process a few times, blowing my hands and then rubbing them with his. All the while, I’m watching his face. It’s not a romantic gesture, yet it’s strangely intimate. I don’t think I’ve ever been touched like this before, not by a man—and a terribly handsome man at that. My heart races in my chest, making me warm with flush.
    “Better?” he asks finally.
    I nod, taking my hands back reluctantly and folding them in my lap. “Yes. Thank you.”
    He grins. “So, tell me about yourself, Princess.”
    The muscles in my back stiffen. I wait for a moment, half expecting my mother to jump in with some nonsense about my feminine skills, most of which are blatantly untrue.
    “I like to ride,” I say weakly.
    “Do you hunt?” he asks.
    I nod. “I’m a good shot too.”
    A strange lump forms in my throat, as I realize I may never hunt with my father again.
    “Good,” Sergei says cryptically, peeking his head out of the carriage window.
    “Does that happen often? The attack, I mean. Do you often have a problem with bandits on the road?”
    He sits back, looking at me thoughtfully before answering.
    “No, never.”
    “Then why did the empress send you to escort us?” I ask.
    He’s quiet, looking lost in thought. “The empress didn’t send me.”
    I watch as an array of emotions play out across his chiseled face, worry, dread, and finally, resignation. He says nothing else, but I can read the tension in his squared shoulders, the tick working in his jaw.
    “It wasn’t a random attack, was it?” I ask boldly. “It was an assassination attempt.”
    His eyes flicker to mine. “You are a surprising creature, Princess. Clever as well as brave. Wherever did you come from?”
    I ignore the backhanded compliment.
    “Why would someone attack us?”
    He frowns, wiping his hand down his face and rubbing his neck.
    “There are those in court who are unhappy at the prospect of an alliance between Prussia and Russia, those who seek instead to fortify a bond with Austria. The empress favors you and your family, but that favor will extend only so far. If they can prove you unfit—in any way—she will have no choice but to send you away and find an Austrian princess to put on the throne.”
    I take a deep breath, drawing myself up in my seat.
    “Then I must be sure they have no complaint against me. Thank you for your honesty. I appreciate your warnings, and I will heed them.” I pause before adding, “And thank you for riding out to save us.”
    Reaching up, he picks a small clump of mud from my hair.
    “Oh, I suspect you had the situation well in hand.”
    ***
    I drift in and out of sleep as we ride on through the day. Just as dusk falls, Sergei nudges me gently.
    “We have arrived, Princess.”
    Pushing back the curtain, I watch out the window as we roll into the grand city of St. Petersburg. Even in the dim glow of the setting sun, the view is breathtaking. The iron-and-gold gates of the Winter Palace stretch before us, the Romanov crest, a glorious golden crowned eagle, watching us from the top. The carriage stops and Sergei steps out, speaking to the guards in quick Russian. The gates slide open and we roll inside, Sergei waving to me as we pass. The grounds are a menagerie of ice sculptures and glowing lanterns. I expect the carriage to stop in front of the grand entrance but it continues, rounding to the rear of the massive estate. Two guards step forward to assist us out as Sergei reappears and leads us into the servants’ entrance.
    “Why on earth were we not greeted formally?” Mother demands as we weave through the empty kitchens. The hearth is roaring with fire, and I can feel the chill melting out of my skin.
    “Surely you would not have the young princess introduced to court in just her petticoats?” Sergei says in the tone one might use with a whining child.
    She sighs. “No, of course not.”
    He tilts his head in a gesture of deference and leads