Citadels of Fire

  ***

  Twenty minutes later, Inga hurried back, walking behind Yehvah and Agrafena. Royal nursemaid to the two princes, Agrafena was their nurturer and true mother. When Inga found her, she’d been searching frantically for the boys. If anyone found out Agrafena lost the princes, it could mean the woman’s head on a pike.

  The grand princess would not have come anyway, so Inga alerted Yehvah and together they found Agrafena. Now a ring of armed guards, two of which carried torches to light the way, surrounded them. The guards were told a stranger had been seen in the part of the palace where the princes were playing—not that the princes had been lost.

  The group reached the intersection, the shadows retreating before the dancing flames.

  “That door, just there,” Inga pointed. She addressed Yehvah, but everyone listened. Two of the guards, one with a torch, entered first. When Inga peered around the guards, her heart sank. The doors to the bureau had been thrown open. The boys were gone.

  Agrafena whirled to face Inga, her eyes accusing. Stark fear contorted her face. Inga tasted bile in the back of her throat. “They were . . . they were here . . .”

  “IVAN . . .” the nurse shrieked.

  A muffled sound came from Inga’s right. The bed. A tiny hand stretched out from beneath it. Inga breathed in relief. They'd gone back to their original hiding place. Agrafena rushed forward and pulled Ivan into her arms. “Oh, thank you, Lord,” she said, smothering the small boy in her arms. “Where’s Yuri?”

  Ivan struggled to pull away from his nurse’s embrace. “Under there.” Agrafena knelt and pulled the younger boy out from under the bed.

  “Are you both well?” the nursemaid asked. Ivan nodded, burying his face in Agrafena’s shoulder. Yuri remained silent, starring dumbly at the wall. Inga didn’t think he had any idea of what had happened. He hadn't felt the imminent danger, much less the relief of rescue.

  “Come,” Agrafena said. With Ivan on her hip and Yuri’s hand in hers, she walked swiftly from the room. The guards stayed with her, and Inga ran to catch up with Yehvah, who beckoned her to hurry.

  A wave of exhaustion hit Inga. She’d not been tired when Yehvah sent her to fetch the silver, but she was now. Though the day drew toward its close, she still had dinner and plenty of cleaning to do before she could drop into bed. She rubbed her eyes.

  Yehvah patted her shoulder. “You did well today, Inga. I’m proud of you.”

  Inga tried to smile. It had been so long since she’d felt safe—since anyone had. She wondered if life would ever feel sane again.