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A pair of healers deep in conversation had passed while we kissed, but neither paid us any attention. No, the man before me seemed to be a shadow hard to shake.
“Yahontov. I was just about to return to the palace.”
He grunted. Despite standing on a lower step, we were the same height.
Without letting him out of my sight, I waved Vanya back toward Mariska’s room. Yahontov had probably already recognized her. He might not go directly to my father, but he was Roja and even Alexei had said their loyalty to the royal spymaster went beyond who sat on the throne and what other promises they gave. The question was,what would von Uster do with this information?
“Third Street, North’s Place,” Vanya whispered behind me before the door closed.
I started down the stairs, forcing Yahontov to follow, hoping removing him from her could protect her.
“How did you find me?”
He shrugged again. Probably someone had recognized me. Probably more people than I could guess reported to the Roja. A chilling thought.
The princely mask slid back in place. “I’m going to the palace.”
To review the night’s reports and find some sleep. And figure out the one word she had been able to utter.Tunnels.
We stepped out into the sun and Tal’s empty streets. The brisk pace until the palace walls prohibited conversations. As I slowed to get through the gate without being recognized, Yahontov let out a grunt sounding suspiciously like a laugh.
“What?”
He stepped between me and a delivery carriage, as if to protect me even from a skittish horse.
“I didn’t interrupt you for nothing.” This time the laugh was clear. “Another princess waits in your chambers.”
I did not bother correcting him or confront his knowledge of Vanya. It was a conversation that would need to wait.
I ducked below the rim of the carriage and sped my steps, damning whoever had let Helia into my rooms. Did no one respect a locked door?
On the short walk across the courtyard and up to the seventh floor, I did not initiate any more conversation, and of course, Yahontov said nothing, though I could feel his mirth as if I was an empath instead of wind whisperer.
Finally at my floor with too-tired eyes and in common clothes, I took a deep breath, then slunk into my own chamber like a thief, closing thedoor in Yahontov’s face after ordering him to make himself useful and bring me anything he could find on tunnels in Tal. He might be able to track me everywhere, but this was one place he had to obey. It was not like the Oberwaldian princess planned to kill me. Though I had accused Tempest of the same not long ago—without me, there would be no marriage contract. Perhaps Helia had found a loophole or convinced my grandmother to abandon her superstitions—perhaps the sun would rise in the west.
The true princess turned, pale-gray dress wrapping around her and spectacles sliding down as she took me in. Her mouth slammed shut, and I wondered if I should also spin to give her the full experience. Had she been Tempest, I might have. Instead, I threw the hat on my desk, discarded my coat, and rolled up my sleeves, relieved to remove one layer as the heat of the day reached even up here.
Helia looked me up and down without the teasing of her impostor. “Seems you’re more interesting than I assumed.”
“And you’re in my rooms. If you are concerned about propriety, you can wait outside.”
She waved her hand dismissively and settled on the sofa. “Do what you must. We need to talk, and you’ve been avoiding me.”
“I’ve been busy.”And avoiding her.Every time I looked at her, I saw another, compared her tomyprincess, and then cursed myself. But with the kiss fresh on my lips, their differences stood out—the slightly upturned nose, the rounder shape, the tighter curls. Even more was the way they carried themselves. Vanya danced and flew while Helia had both feet securely planted on the ground.
I entered my bedchamber and changed, leaving the door open so we could talk. After this night, and too many others, I no longer had the energy for decency. Helia clearly did not care.
“Have you convinced Solovyova to argue against the marriage?” I called as I pulled a clean shirt on.
Helia scoffed. “She seems convinced our union will save magic and life and Tal itself. I knew the City of Bones and Roses was old-fashioned, but this exceeds even my low views. How can this be the hub of trade and still be so stuck in time? Perhaps it’s fitting that the most advanced machine I’ve seen was a clock.”
“Solovyova stands by tradition,” I said, feeling the need to defend my grandmother despite agreeing with Helia.
“You can’t change the past, why cling to it?”
I stepped back out into the sitting room in my own black outfit, comfortable despite the stiff fabrics. “Any other possibilities?”
There was hope in my voice and I had to remind myself I wanted this marriage to go ahead. It was the only way to get free of my father, to enact my revenge and leave Tal behind. I did not want to break the contract… But could there be another way I had not considered?
