story

He disappeared into her tower, and she guiding him into the dimly lit sanctuary of her bedroom. Their footsteps were soft, echoes of secrecy lingering in the air.

"In here," her voice barely above a breath. "It’s perfect for privacy."

Yuri glanced around, unimpressed. "Does no one ...

The next morning, the air was thick with an unspoken tension. Alexander arrived with a tray, setting it down in front of her without a word. His eyes didn’t quite meet hers.

“What is it?” she asked.

He hesitated, his fingers lingering on the edge of the tray before he finally spoke. ...

December 29, 2006

Your Highness,

I write in celebration of your birthday, though it seems the kingdom doesn't celebrate it as it does your sister's. I must confess, I don't understand why. I have no right to pry into royal matters, but my curiosity has overtaken my better judgment. ...

She was frail, a wisp of a girl whose pallor blended with the stone walls of the castle that confined her. Her fragility masked her sex; there was no makeup to soften her harsh, angular features, no vibrant silks to drape her slight frame. She spoke seldom, aware her words carried as much weight ...

There he was, lying before me. The dagger Yuri had given me had a miraculous weight: that of hope, that of duty. Sliding it through my hand, I almost dropped it. I was badly shaking. I had envisioned doing this hundreds of times in my head, taking my father's life in a different way each time. ...