Page 105 of A War Apart

Silence fell in the tent. I stared at the tsar, mouth slack. I would have expected something like this from Miroslav, but not from Borislav. Not from my tsar.

The Drakra priestess was the first to speak. “You would destroy your own capital?”

Radomir shook his head. “Even if we had the manpower to raze it, what would be the purpose?”

“The purpose,” the tsar said through clenched teeth, “would be to set an example. Those who refuse to follow the Heir will suffer the consequences.”

“And what of the innocents?” I demanded. Why would Borislav, of all people, propose destroying his own people? “You’d have us kill everyone in the city?”

His response was cool, emotionless. “They will have three days to leave. We won’t stop anyone from leaving the city. My brother is too proud to flee in secret.”

I couldn’t be the only one thinking this was madness. No, I saw, looking around. Even the Drakra stared wide-eyed at the tsar.

“It could take weeks to break Idesk’s walls, even with all our cannons,” Yakovlevich said. “We don’t have enough cannonballs. We don’t have enough powder. We don’t have enough men. Your majesty, I understand you’re frustrated, but—”

The tsar cut him off. “We have all the men we need.” He looked pointedly at Radomir.

I frowned in confusion. Glancing around, I saw similar expressions in the faces of others at the table. The prince must have understood, though, because he said vehemently, “No.”

“This isn’t a request, cousin.”

“You would turn the Blood Gifts on the unSanctioned. No.” The prince stood, facing the tsar with blazing fury in his eyes.“That has been an abomination since the Gifts first appeared. They are not to be wielded against the unSanctioned.”

Comprehension dawned. The tsar wanted to destroy the city by magic. Dread settled in my stomach, low and heavy. This couldn’t happen.

“The people will turn on my brother.” Borislav sounded so confident, his face fixed in determination. I wanted to believe him. “There will be no need to destroy the city. I’m sure of it.”

“And if they don’t?” Radomir’s fists were clenched, his knuckles white.

“We destroy it, and we take my brother out by force.” The tsar’s face softened. “It won’t come to that, though.”

Looking around at the others in the tent, I knew I wasn’t the only one who doubted the tsar’s assurance.

“Enough of this discussion,” Borislav said. “I’ve made up my mind. In the morning, we leave for Idesk, and by the week’s end, this Disinheritance will be complete, one way or another.”

***

In the morning, the tsar left, taking half the army to march on the capital. I stood with Prince Radomir and the remaining commanders, watching them leave.

When the tsar was out of sight, Radomir turned away. “I would speak with you privately, Han Antonovich.”

I followed the prince back to his tent. He took a seat, gesturing for me to do the same. His small eyes scanned my face. “You are a man of honor, are you not, Han Antonovich?”

What was this about? “I strive to be, your highness.”

“You hold your vows highly?”

“Yes.”

“And if you made a vow in error? What would you do about it?”

I swallowed hard. The same question I’d been pondering for weeks. “That would depend on the error in question.”

The prince steepled his fingers. “Suppose you gave an oath of loyalty, only to discover the subject of your oath was undeserving.”

My heart raced. This was a dangerous conversation. I’d already been labeled a traitor by one tsar; was I willing to risk betraying another? “Undeserving how?”

Radomir narrowed his eyes. “Cruel. Dangerous. Caring more for his victory than for those he has sworn to protect.”

---