had previously decided.
“My Guard has taken custody of your loved ones,” Pasha said. “Ludmila Fanina and Renata Galygina have been placed under lock and key in an undisclosed location. They will be comfortable during the remainder of the Game, but should you not carry out my wishes, there shall be consequences. Your duel shall take place on the new island, beginning at dawn tomorrow.”
“Pasha, no!” Vika said. “This isn’t you!”
Pasha dragged his hand through his hair, catching himself only after he’d already mussed up half of his blond locks. He dropped his arms to his sides and stood with military rigidity.
“Perhaps it’s not the Pasha of the past, but I have no choice. I am to be tsar. This is me now.”
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
Galina braced herself. She had a feeling the Game’s whirlwind would come for her again soon. The magic had only summoned her back to Saint Petersburg for the transition of the Game, but she would likely be exiled again shortly, for the same rules as before applied: she would not be permitted to assist her student.
The tsesarevich locked away the Russe Quill and Scroll and marched out of the room with the grand princess. Nikolai and Vika stood gawking after them, both immobile, as if the tsesarevich had confiscated their ability to move.
Galina whacked Nikolai on the back of his head. “Do not forget the gift I gave you.”
He startled, then turned to her and huffed. “That is what you are thinking of, at a moment like this?”
“What else ought I be thinking of? The tsesarevich has made it clear that you are to execute a proper duel.”
Nikolai scowled and looked away.
Galina shrugged. “And you, Vika. I hope you’re happy with the choices you made for all your previous plays. My brother gave his life to you through that bracelet.” Any kindness Galina had felt toward the girl following Sergei’s death had vanished. It was Vika’s fault that Sergei had died. She should suffer some consequence.
“What?” Vika whipped around to face Galina.
“You didn’t think you had suddenly gotten more powerful, did you? All that extra energy you must have felt came from my brother. You took and took from him until there was nothing left.”
“No . . .”
“Oh, yes. He didn’t simply die.” Spit flew from Galina’s mouth onto Vika’s gown. “You killed him.”
Vika looked as if all the blood in her veins had drained out, just like the life had drained out of Sergei. Perfect, Galina thought. Let her despair do her in. Perhaps she’ll simply lie down and lose the Game. She deserves it.
Frigid air began to stir inside the room, and it merged into the tornado Galina had been expecting. She yelled over the churning of the wind, “You have all the training you need, Nikolai. Try not to make a mess of things. You ought to win.”
Then the whirlwind enveloped Galina completely, blew open one of the windows, and rushed out into the winter cold. She hoped it was not carrying her back to Siberia.
CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
Vika fled as soon as the whirlwind had taken Galina away. She climbed out the open window onto the banks of the frozen river.
“Wait,” Nikolai said, clambering out the window as well.
“Leave me be.” Vika turned her back to him. She swirled her arm over her head, and a small blizzard appeared. It spat snow into Nikolai’s eyes and pushed him back against the wall of the palace. Vika levitated, and a sleigh of ice formed beneath her.
“Vika, please. Wait.”
But she either didn’t hear him through the storm or she chose not to listen. She tapped on the sleigh, and it glided away on the surface of the river.
The blizzard pummeled Nikolai until she was gone from sight. As soon as the snowstorm vanished, Pasha’s Guard appeared on the other side of the window.
“Hey, you! What are you doing there?” Two rough pairs of hands seized Nikolai by his collar and dragged him back inside. A thick layer of snow tumbled off his hair and coat onto the wooden floor below. The guards righted him and gave him a shove toward the door. “Make haste before we arrest you. The exit is that way.”
Nikolai picked up his top hat, which had fallen off as he chased after Vika. He glanced back over his shoulder at the window, but the guards moved their hands to their swords in warning. He nodded and placed his hat back on his head, cold and wet from the now-melting snow, and trudged out of