The Unfailing Light Read Free Page B

“What brings you two out here this morning?”
    Just then, Maman and Aunt Zina caught up with us. They became excited when they saw the tsar’s children. “Your Imperial Highnesses!” my mother said, bowing. “We did not mean to intrude, but we had hoped to visit the caves.”
    The tsarevitch took Maman’s hand gallantly and clicked his heels together. “No intrusion at all,” he said with a grin. “We were searching for a new fishing spot. Would you like for us to accompany you up the path to the main cave? It can be tricky to find.”
    George looked as unhappy as I was with the suggestion. It appeared, sadly, that his passionate regard for me had already cooled. Which was for the best, I realized. But even though I knew we could never be together, I also knew that I would never love another.
    “You are most kind, Your Imperial Highness,” Maman said with a slight nod.
    George stepped closer to me; I could smell the sunshine and fresh air on his damp clothes. His shirt was unbuttoned at the top, his sleeves rolled up to reveal tan, muscular arms that glistened with beads of water. I blushed as soon as I realized I was staring.
    “Allow me to carry your basket,” he said, holding out his hand.
    His fingers grazed mine as I handed the basket to him. It was like an electric current passing between us. “Of course I still feel the same,” he said in a low voice, so the others couldn’t hear. “How could you doubt that?”
    My cheeks burned and I felt a strange, light fluttering in my stomach. “Forgive me, Your Imperial Highness. I had forgotten my thoughts were so transparent to you.” His telepathy was one of his faerie gifts, courtesy of his mother.
    He held my elbow gently, forcing me to stay until the rest of our party had gone on ahead. His touch sent shivers up and down my entire arm. I could see Dariya talking with Grand Duchess Xenia before they disappeared on the winding forest path. No one noticed our absence.
    “How have you been, Your Imperial Highness?” I didn’t know what else to say to him.
    He smiled, and his face seemed to light up. “Terrible. And you?”
    I didn’t answer him. “How is the Order? How are your Koldun studies?”
    He sighed. “I leave for Paris next week to study with a secret circle of wizards.”
    “Paris? For how long?”
    “Several months, I’m afraid.”
    It had always been my and Dariya’s dream to visit the City of Light. What beautiful sights the grand duke would see. “How exciting,” I said, happy for him. But I could not help feeling sad that he would be so far away.
    “And you leave for Zurich soon,” he said.
    I nodded and kept staring straight ahead as we walked. If I stopped to look at him now, would I change my mind about leaving?
    “My father actually believes it is a good idea for you to go.”
    That caused me to stop in the middle of the path. “He does?”
    George shrugged. “Normally, he does not believe women should have occupations, but he feels a university education would be beneficial for you as his imperial necromancer.”
    Of course. I was a valuable pawn to the tsar and his wife’s Light Court. My education would depend solely upon my usefulness to the Crown.
    “Is he feeling better?” I asked. The ritual at Peterhof that had transformed our tsar into the ancient warrior of legend, the bogatyr, had been draining. For the tsar as well as for me. But Tsar Alexander possessed an almost inhuman strength. His battle with the lich tsar Konstantin had been amazing to see. And frightening.
    “He is much improved,” the grand duke said. “But as a physician you may be able to discover ways for him to recover faster the next time the bogatyr is needed.”
    I sighed and shook my head. “But that’s not why I want to be a doctor. I want to help all people. Not just the tsar.”
    “At least he is letting you leave, is he not?”
    “He does not want me anywhere near you. Neither does the empress.”
    “I’m going to Paris. You