The Morning Star

well and took a steaming cup of tea from the elaborately laid table in the dining room and walked over to the window. The late-afternoon sun was sinking, and the shadows from the houses along Millionaya Street were stretching across the Neva River. I saw people and carriages hurrying across the bridge. A shadowed figure in a long black coat caught 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 the plate. “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 he would 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 surrounded by a cluster of birch trees in the Field of Mars. It was getting late in the fall, and the trees were almost completely bare. I hoped the Betskoi House guards would still be able to see me.

“I am not your necromancer,” I said with a tired sigh. “Please, say what you have to say so I can return to my family.”

He took my hand in a swift but elegant move before I could step back. He held my palm up, the same palm he’d drank from several months ago at Smolni. Alarmed, I tried to pull my hand away.

“Shhh,” he said, caressing my hand lazily.

I was both revolted and excited at the same time.

“I am not going to take your blood here, Katerina. But I must drink soon. I am growing too weak to fight the lich tsar’s pull any longer.”

“What are you saying?”

His face grew serious, his eyes haunted. “Konstantin has found me, love. The bond I share with you I also share with him. He was released the night of my ascension. Now he wants to use me to get to you. I am trying to hold him back as long as I can, but I am growing weak. I must have blood. And it must be yours, my love.”

“No.” I pulled my hand again, and this time he let go. “How can he use you to get to me?”

Danilo’s smile was malicious as his black eyes suddenly flashed green. His voice changed. “NECROMANCER, I WILL TAKE THIS BODY AND YOU WILL REPLACE MY BRIDE.”

I was too terrified to move. My worst fears had been realized. The lich tsar had returned. He was standing in front of me. In Danilo’s body. “You don’t want me, Konstantin Pavlovich.”

“I MUST HAVE A NECROMANCER. AND I WILL HAVE YOU, MY LOVE.”

Was it Danilo or the lich tsar speaking? I was not Konstantin’s love. “The bogatyr will stop you,” I said with as much bravery as I could muster.

“Are you so very certain?” Danilo’s eyes flashed again, and he appeared to be back in control. “Are you so sure the tsar and his son are willing to go through such enormous sacrifices again to protect you? The tsar would be safer if you were dead, Katerina. Summoning the bogatyr again could kill him.”

I knew he was right. But I could not believe that the tsar would kill me to keep everyone safe from Konstantin. “Stay away from me, Danilo,” I said, backing away from him. There were plenty of people walking around in the park, and the front gates of Betskoi House were in sight. Yet I did not want to cause a scene if I could help it. “If the imperial guard finds you, they will arrest you again.”

Danilo’s black eyes gleamed. “There is no prison that can hold me, Katerina. And there is nowhere you can hide that you will be safe. Run back to your family, if it makes you feel better. Just remember the lich tsar can come after them as well.”

I could stay and listen no longer. My heart pounding, I turned and ran back to Betskoi House.

I made it to the front steps before I dared to look behind me. Danilo was seated once again on the bench, his hood back over his face. But I knew he was watching me. I hurried inside past the guards at the portico and slammed the front door shut, locking every bolt.

“Is something wrong, Duchess?” the footman asked.

“Do not, for any reason, allow any of the Montenegrin siblings to enter our house. Do you understand?” I was trembling and my voice was shaky.

He nodded, and the brief look of surprise was carefully concealed. “Of course, Duchess.”

I hoped to slip up to my room unnoticed, but Maman caught me on the staircase.

“Katiya, where have you been? You look like you’ve been romping in the yard with the dogs!”

I halfheartedly smoothed my hair and sighed. “Just getting some fresh air. But it gave me a headache and now I should go to bed early.”

“But we are having dinner at the Vladimir Palace tonight.”