Page 126 of A War Apart

His face twisted into a grimace. “Rumors. I can’t believe it.”

“All true,” I said. “Every bit as bad as Miroslav, if not worse.”

“Fuck. What have we done?”

“We messed up,” Mila said. “Badly. We have to fix it.”

“Radomir.” Yakov caught on quickly. “Will he do it?”

“He’s already suggested it.” I told them about my conversation with the prince after Borislav had left for the capital.

We were all silent when I finished speaking. Were we really considering this? If I was wrong, if I failed, or if I’d somehow misunderstood Radomir’s intentions, we’d be executed. Borislav would show no mercy. He wouldn’t spare Mila just because she was a woman. My stomach twisted at the thought of her on the gallows, slaughtered like Matvey Il’ich.

“We’ve got to move fast. Find out who’ll support us, get them on board. I’ll go to Prince Radomir right away. Yasha, the commanders know I trust you. Go feel them out, see who we can count on. Mila…” I looked at my wife. She’d been through so much. Could I drag her into the rebellion against Borislav, too?

No. No, I wasn’t risking her. No matter what she wanted, I had to keep her safe. “Just stay here,” I said finally.

Her mouth dropped open. “Stay here? I just spent six months risking my life. You’re not casting me aside now. You need me.”

I did need her. I needed her protected, here for me to come home to. “Not for long. Just until things settle down.” I stood, backing toward the door. We needed to get out of here, put plans into motion before Borislav caught on.

“You’re not going anywhere without me.” She rose from the bed, stepping toward me. “We’ve had this discussion before. I have just as much right as you to see justice done.”

“I won’t put you at risk. Not again.” I grabbed the key to the room from the desk and jerked my head at Yakov, indicating that he should follow me. “I’ll be back soon.”

Her face contorted in anger, and she lunged toward me, but too late. We were already at the door. I slammed it shut and locked it.

“I’ll be back soon,” I said again, putting a hand on the wood.

“Han Antonovich, come back here!” she shrieked, but I turned away.

Yakov grabbed me by the shoulder, brow furrowed with concern. “You sure about this?”

“She’ll be fine.” I shrugged him off. “I need to make sure she’s safe. And since she won’t stay where I tell her…”

“She’s never going to forgive you for this.”

“If I want your opinion on how to handle my wife, I’ll ask,” I bit out. “Just go.”

He opened his mouth, but with a guilty glance at the door, he closed it again without speaking. He let out a long breath and left me alone.

The door shuddered as Mila threw something heavy at it—a chair, probably—but it held. She wouldn’t get out of that room. Not until this was all over. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. Sorry for hurting her. Not sorry for keeping her safe.

I found the prince—Grand Duke? Tsar? His title would depend on the events of the next few hours—with his daughter and a couple of the commanders in Radomir’s new rooms in the palace, deep in conversation. At my entrance, he looked up. From the steely look on the prince’s face, I knew he was already set on his course of action.

“I need to speak to you, your grace.”

“He has to be taken down.” His eyes flashed. I’d never seen him so full of righteous anger. “My cousin’s reign ends today,before it begins in truth. He’s broken every edict Otets gave the Sanctioned.”

I glanced at the others in the room, but he waved a hand. “They will join us.”

I nodded. “Yakov is gathering the other commanders.”

“Thank you. We have perhaps an hour until Borislav returns. I would prefer not to do this in the presence of the Drakra. They are an…unnecessary complication.”

“Yes, your grace. Your majesty,” I corrected, but he shook his head.

“‘Your grace’ until my cousin’s Disinheritance is complete. I am not Borislav. I will not use a title until it is mine in truth.”

---