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👑 N I K O L A I 👑
Winter reached Ravka in its full glory in the following week. The days were short, the sun wasn't there a lot of the time, and it was exceptionally cold in Os Alta. The inferni had their hands full in the mornings, making sure each fire was burning so nobody was freezing in the Grande Palace.
"I can't wait to go on a ride through the snow," Aneela said to her husband when they were walking down the corridor towards Zoya's meeting room for their weekly briefing.
Nikolai smiled and nodded. Going on a ride through the snow is going to be so romantic. "Zoya said snow will arrive soon. It's only a matter of days now."
"If you can't wait, ask her if she'll make it snow," Tamar, who was walking in front of them with her brother and Genya, said over her shoulder. "I'm sure she'll do it."
"Where is Zoya, again?"
"Still in her room. Tamar said she was up all night and was only able to catch a couple of hours of sleep in the early morning." Nikolai explained. "But I'm sure she will join us shortly, although she should really sit this one out."
"And focus on her health," Aneela added with a sigh.
"Have you met Zoya?" Tolya commented. "She never takes care of herself if something is up."
Like you, my friend. But Nikolai didn't say it out loud.
Genya nodded in agreement and opened the door to the meeting room. "It is crucial that we-"
Shocked, four of them stopped in the open door and stared into the meeting room. A darkhaired man who was tied to a chair screamed angrily into his gag and pulled roughly on his restrains when he saw them.
Ximen Kir-Taban was obviously not liking his situation. If the knots wouldn't be so tight and he would be able to slip out, he would surely start to fight all of them at once. Nikolai had never seen a man this furious. And he had seen a lot of drunken bar fights in his times as Sturmhond.
How on earth did he end up here? Who kidnapped him?! And from AHMRAT JEM?! One of the most secure places in the world?
The tailor was the first one to find her words again. "Nikolai ...?"
"Not the queen, I'm afraid." A tall figure merged from the shadows in the back of the room, aligning with the bound prince and rested both hands on his cane. "But the princess."
The ravkans turned to Aneela in shock but she gave them an apologetic shrug. "We had to do something."
