The Morning Star (27 page)

“I can tell you the words to say, but I have no control over the cold light,” George said. “A necromancer can touch this light and manipulate it to overcome death. That is why you are able to walk between the two worlds so easily.”

I waved my hand in front of the mirror, scattering the mist, and focused on the place we needed to go: Gatchina. His parents would still be there.

The trip back to the land of the living did not hurt quite so much this time. Maybe it was because I was too giddy to pay attention. I was worried about George, though, and focused my cold light energy on making sure he did not drag behind. The ritual took its toll on him anyway. Pale and coughing, George emerged with me in the cold snowy gardens outside the palace. I grabbed him by the arms to support him. He felt warm and solid, but I still couldn’t believe he was back home with me.

“You’re shaking!” I realized. “Let’s get you inside.”

The members of the Order of St. John who stood guard at the front of the palace could not believe their eyes when I shouted for them to open the gates quickly.

“Do as she says,” George muttered.

I was not sure if they did not want to follow my orders or were just in shock at seeing him.

The doors opened, and one of the footmen sent for the tsar immediately. I helped them carry George inside and up to the bedroom he shared with Nicholas. The empress and the tsar arrived soon after, followed by Nicholas and Xenia.

“Georgi!” The empress rushed to his bedside and grabbed his hand. “Oh, my son!” she sobbed. “My prayers have been answered!”

The tsar took my hand. “I owe you everything, Katerina.” He pulled me into his enormous arms and kissed me on the forehead. “I would be honored to call you daughter.”

“That’s a very good thing,” George said happily from the bed.
He was already starting to get his color back. “Because we were married in Egypt.”

“What is this?” The empress turned around sharply to look at me. I heard Xenia giggle from the doorway. Little Mikhail and Olga were peeking around from behind her skirts.

The tsar released me from his fatherly embrace, as if to distance himself from me. He did not wish to incur the empress’s wrath, it seemed.

George tried to push himself up onto his elbow. “Maman, you know I’ve wanted to marry Katiya for a long time. I did not want to risk losing her again.”

Everyone was staring at me. “It was an Orthodox ceremony,” I said, as if that would make everything better.

The empress glared at me, her eyes flashing silvery white. I suddenly worried that I was about to feel the full force of her Light Court powers.

I turned back to the tsar, finally willing to say what he wanted to hear. “And I have decided not to attend medical school. There are other things more important to me right now.”

The tsar beamed at me as the empress said, “Well, I should certainly hope so! When I think of those poor girls slaving away over textbooks in the European universities, I feel so sorry for them. And for the families who must miss them.”

But I still had hopes that the tsar would change his mind one day and the universities of Russia would be open to all women who sought an education.

“No, Katiya,” George said, struggling to sit up. “You are not giving up on your dream. We will move wherever we have to so you can become a doctor.”

I did not want to agitate the empress any further. I did not
want her keeping me away from George while he recuperated. We could decide where we were going to live much later.

Nicholas and Xenia came into the room to offer their congratulations and hug their brother. Nicholas winked at me, certain I would never betray his part in our wedding. I smiled back at him.

“Katiya, your family will probably like to know you are safe,” the tsar said. It brought tears to my eyes when I realized he’d called me by my nickname. He had already accepted me. “Shall we send for them?”

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty. I would be most happy to see my parents.” I was glad they would be coming to Gatchina, for I feared if I were to leave, the empress might tell the palace guards not to let me back inside.

“Katerina, we must find you and George a suite of rooms while he is healing,” the empress said. She was trying to maintain control over her son’s life for as long as possible. “When he is healthier, we can discuss purchasing a suitable palace for the two of you.”

George grinned. “Thank you, Maman. I am certain Katiya does not wish to spend the night here with me and Nicky.”

Xenia and Nicholas laughed, but they knew the empress was not amused. She stood up and planted a kiss on George’s forehead. Gathering her skirts, she looked at me, her faerie eyes still flashing silver with anger. “Come along, Katerina.”

I moved first to George’s bed to kiss him as well. I felt shy suddenly in front of all of his family, but I did not want to leave him for a moment. He smiled at me tiredly. “You need your rest as well, Katiya. I’ll see you later.”

The empress chose an elegant suite for George and me, far
from the children’s rooms, furnished tastefully in the English style that she preferred. The rooms were cozy and full of trinkets and knickknacks she’d accumulated on her travels. “When I get a chance, we shall sit down and go through my jewelry to see if we can find a suitable wedding gift for you.”

“I’d be honored, Your Imperial Majesty.”

She sighed. “Thank you, Katerina, for saving my son’s life. And thank you for saving us all from that odious vampire couple. Your marriage will take some getting used to, but”—she picked up my hand and patted it somewhat awkwardly—“I think you and Georgi will suit each other very well.”

I finally let go of the breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. She wasn’t banishing me. “Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Please, call me Mother Dear. It’s what the children call me.”

“Thank you, Mother Dear,” I said. The term of affection felt strange on my tongue, but I was relieved that I was not going to be an enemy after all.

It did not take long for me to settle in. The only belongings I had with me were the sword and the Talisman of Isis. I kept both of them close. I was given a new scabbard to replace the one I’d lost on the battlefield. The sword remained at my side and the talisman remained around my neck. I was making a list of the dresses for Maman to send over when she and Papa arrived.

“Katiya!” Maman’s face was covered in tears as she flung her arms around me. “We’ve been worried sick about you! Your father told me you were safe, but I know he was worried too!”

I put my arms around my father. “Everything will be fine now, Papa.”

“Are you certain?” he said, his eyes twinkling. He seemed thinner than when I’d seen him last. And was there more gray in his hair? “Your mother just found out she’s been denied a wedding.” He was teasing me, but I could tell by the lines in his
face I’d given them both a terrible fright by disappearing. Or perhaps it had just been the strain from the battle. It had taken its toll on all of us.

“I’m sorry, Maman. You will have to be satisfied with Petya’s wedding one day.”

“But that’s not the same. My only daughter!” She pulled her handkerchief out and dabbed at her eyes. “We must plan a ball for you! As a belated wedding reception!” Her eyes took on a new animation.

I put my hands on hers. “Let’s wait until George gets better, Maman. He is very ill right now.”

Papa looked troubled. “Anything we can do for him at the Institute?”

I shook my head. “I don’t think this is something modern medicine can cure.”

“Does Dr. Badmaev know?” he asked.

“The empress will not let the Dark Court doctor attend him.”

“It seems to me that the grand duke’s wife may have something to say about that,” Papa murmured.

I squeezed his hand. “If there’s any way, you know I will send for him.”

Maman touched my cheek gently, her eyes now brimming with tears. “Katiya, do you know how proud we are of you? You have fierce Romanov blood in your veins. You were so brave to stand up to Konstantin.”

I had to blink back my own tears as I glanced from her to Papa. “As were both of you,” I said. “I saw how each of you defended the tsar.” I had not seen much of the battlefield upon my return with George, but the grounds around the palace looked
wrecked. It had only been a day since the fighting, and they were still removing bodies. “Is Petya safe?” I asked, suddenly ashamed that I hadn’t asked sooner.

“He’s fine,” Papa said. “He and his friend Prince Kotchoubey are back at Vorontsov Palace guarding the wounded.”

“Did we lose many on our side?” I asked. There had been so much blood.

My father shook his head. “Most of the casualties were the blood drinkers who followed Konstantin. Your little aunt is a vicious fighter.”

He meant Militza. I was happy she had fought
with
us. But one day, I feared, she would come after my mother. “Maman was rather magnificent as well,” I said, squeezing her hands.

Papa’s face paled. “Your mother almost gave me a heart attack with her antics. Let’s hope the striga’s services are not required again anytime soon.”

As I laughed, Maman made a face. “Oh, I hope not too. That boy’s blood tasted horrible.”

Before the night was over, I had more visitors at the palace: the two members of the Grigori who had accompanied me and Danilo to Egypt. “Your Imperial Highness,” the elder one said, bowing. “The Grigori await your next orders.”

I wanted to get rid of the Morning Star, and I wanted the Watchers to be free of its curse. But the Grigori were not permitted to carry the sword. “Your husband can pass beyond the seven gates,” the elder Grigori said. “And he knows the names
of the angels who rule the planets. Perhaps he can invoke one of our brothers from the highest realms. The sword should be returned to its original home.”

“You mean heaven,” I said, and the elder Grigori nodded.

It was true. The stars had always been George’s favorite subject when he was in Paris studying with the mages. But he was not strong enough to complete such a ritual. I could not allow him to risk his health for this. “We’ll have to find another way,” I said, my hand going protectively to the sword at my side.

“Of course.” The two Grigori bowed and took their leave. “We will speak again soon, Duchess. In the meantime, we will guard you and your family.”

I wished I could simply turn the Morning Star over to the elder Grigori and be done with it. Miechen and Grand Duke Vladimir were both horrified that I should even consider letting such a valuable weapon go. But the tsar agreed with me; we both knew it did not belong in this world. The Grigori could not be freed from their curse, but I could ensure they would never again become the servants of a tyrant like Konstantin Pavlovich. For the present, the Morning Star would remain with me for safekeeping.

In the end, George did not get better. The wedding ball did not happen. Winter melted into spring, and the empress finally allowed me to send for the Tibetan doctor. I’d been continuing my studies with him and was certain he would be able to discover the source of George’s illness when I had not. Nor had any of the tsar’s physicians. Or perhaps they had and were too frightened to tell the tsar and the empress the truth. Because none of their suggested cures seemed to work.