The Flaming Tsar and the Magicborn

The Deep Breath Before the Plunge

"Well, that was a refreshing change of pace, one we most certainly needed," Alexandra said as she set a sleeping baby Olga in her crib and guided Hadassah to her bed.

"Indeed," Nicholas said as he had the servants take the trunks to the sitting room. "I was sure your grandmother would die of fright upon seeing how tiny Hadassah was compared to Olga."

In case you're wondering what was going on, Nicholas and Alexandra had spent some time visiting Alexandra's grandmother, Queen Victoria of England. While the older woman was charmed by baby Olga, she gasped in fright when the apparently tiny Hadassah jumped from behind a large couch and scared her. While Alexandra scolded the child for frightening her grandmother, Leo laughed, saying that Hadassah had the capability to charm the old monarch, and she should learn royal politics the moment she turned two years old. Nicholas agreed, knowing that Hadassah would need to learn the names of the remaining nobles and members of the imperial court as soon as possible.

"I must admit I enjoyed watching Hadassah appearing out of seemingly nowhere and scaring those stuck-up British cousins of yours," said Nicholas. "Even your cousin Wilhelm wrinkled his German nose at her, but she didn't flinch."

"Yet your cousin George seems to think she's a little charmer," said Alexandra.

"That's good for him," said Nicholas. "Yet when Leo took her to visit his cousins, the palace was in an uproar for three days. Your grandmother was certainly displeased with Leo not telling her where he was going or taking Hadassah without her knowledge or consent."

"Well, it seems our work as Trichenbergs is done," said Sir David, who had traveled with them to visit the queen. "We dangle my granddaughter in front of the prime minister and he gets as hooked as the queen is. Hadassah is on her way to becoming a master manipulator."

"May God help the poor man who dares to cross her path," said Leo.

As the babies slept and the adults spoke long into the night, Shiloh Smirnov spied on them from his hiding place. After learning about the deaths of his relatives, he didn't give himself into mourning their deaths; instead he maintained his secret identity as a servant working in the palace. Having been the second son of Luke Smirnov, Shiloh knew he was expected to join The Order of the Second Sons, a military group for second-born Jewish sons. Yet he chose to remain in the palace, for both his grandfather's sanity and to keep himself and his siblings out of trouble.

Yet tonight, trouble was going to find them.

Matthew came to him, saying, "You remember Lady Kayla, don't you?"

"Can't say I have," said Shiloh. "She was always weepy and spoke constantly of her children. I don't think she liked us or our father. Why do you ask about her?"

"Her grandfather is Sir Bernard Kroger," said Matthew, "and he's pestering grandfather about me."

"Well, you'll have to get married someday," said Shiloh.

"I know," said Matthew. "Sir Bernard wants me to marry his daughter, Jenna."

"Jenna?" Melissa coughed as she brought the boys their supper. "You mean grandfather wants you to marry Jenna Kroger? She's 43 years old!"

"Well, Alevtina Lukina was 40 years old when she had Demian," said Shiloh. "But I fail to see how that's relevant."

"Well, I do," said Melissa. "I don't know why that man continues to trouble our unhappy family. I mean it's already bad enough that our father had to take Kayla away from her family, but why her grandfather wants to bind our family with his is beyond me."

"Who knows what these noblemen and women are up to," said Shiloh. "But you can't say no to the marriage, not unless you want our family to be further exposed and destroyed by the werewolves."