Page 86 of A War Apart

My gut rolled. I could imagine what I’d do if someone had threatened the same against Mila. Or Yakov, or Anna. Any of my family. “But after you were caught, why didn’t you tell the tsar?”

He shrugged, the movement somewhat hampered by his shackles. “Who would care? I betrayed him. I put everyone’s lives at risk.” He looked at me, considering. “But I think you care. Thank you for that.”

“I’ll talk to the tsar.” If I could convince Borislav, somehow, there had to be something we could do. The tsar could commute the sentence, release him, save the boys.

“I can’t stop you, I know, but there’s really no use. I’m to be drawn and quartered at dawn.” His expression was nonchalant, but fear lay behind his eyes.

A chill ran through me. Beheading, I had expected. Hanging wouldn’t have been a surprise. But the brutal death of drawing and quartering…

“I don’t want you to interfere on my behalf, but if you could find it in yourself to help my sons—”

“I’ll talk to the tsar,” I said again. “Is there anything else I can do for you? Anything you need?” If I couldn’t convince the tsar to stay the execution.

He shook his head. “My sons are all I have left. I don’t know what Miroslav will do to them when I’m gone. I just need to know they’ll be safe.”

I knew better than to promise anything. “I’ll do my best.”

*****

I found the tsar’s rooms with ease. Borislav. Prince Radomir, and Lada sat alone around the giant table.

“Lada was telling the details of our arrangement with the Drakra,” the tsar said as I entered. “Well done, Han.”

The prince scowled at his cousin. “The land was one thing. The trade, the economic compensation. Butslaves?‘Men came from the loins of Otets himself, birthed into this world and bearing His Blood. Therefore over all the earth-dwellers men will have dominion.’”

“Sending traitors to serve the Drakra for eight years as punishment is not sacrificing the human dominion over the earth-dwellers, cousin. Traitors must be dealt with firmly and fiercely.”

I tapped my fingers on my leg. I didn’t disagree with the tsar, but Borislav’s definition of treason was excessive. The executed deserters had joined of their own free will, out of a desire to see the rightful tsar on the throne, but they had deserted out of a desire to protect their families. Had they really deserved death for that, their bodies left exposed to the elements, food for the crows?

Were the thousands of men fighting for Miroslav traitors as well? They were fighting for what they believed in. They were willing to die for their cause. Did that mean that they deserved to be sold off as slaves for years? It was too late to change things now; the agreement had been made, but the thought of possibly hundreds of men being forced away from their homes and loved ones for the crime of fighting for their tsar… It curdled my stomach.

And Matvey Il’ich, was he a traitor? His actions were treasonous and merited punishment, no doubt, but his motives were pure.Traitordidn’t seem to be the right word for him. Certainly he didn’t merit the gruesome death the tsar had ordered for him.

Was Borislav’s treatment of those who opposed him any better than Miroslav’s?

“Something on your mind, Han?” the tsar asked.

I jolted from my reverie to find the other three occupants of the room looking at me. If I’d been hoping to speak with the tsar about my concerns, now would be the time.

“There is, in fact, your majesty. Matvey Il’ich.”

His eyes narrowed. “As I said, traitors must be dealt with firmly and fiercely.”

“He told me why he did it. It doesn’t excuse his actions, of course, but I thought you would like to know his explanation.”

His brow cocked, Borislav gestured for me to continue.

“His sons were taken prisoner by your brother’s men, your majesty. They’ve been held hostage, threatened, to ensure his cooperation.”

Lada made a sound of disgust in her throat.

“That’s a truly despicable action by Miroslav,” Radomir said. “If it’s true.”

“I believe him,” I said. “He’s prepared to die. I saw it in his eyes; this wasn’t an attempt to avoid his fate. But if we could look into it, maybe find his sons for him. If heistelling the truth, doesn’t he deserve mercy?”

The tsar opened his mouth, but Radomir spoke first. “He put thousands of lives at risk for the sake of a few. Regardless of his motives, his life is forfeit.”

“I understand that he has to be punished—” I began.

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