The Gathering Storm
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

I slipped into the balroom and saw my mother speaking with Queen Milena. Merde. I looked around for my father instead. He needed to know about Konstantin Pavlovich as well if he was not already aware. My brother and the rest of the living members of the Order of St. John were still in danger.
"There you are." Danilo's voice was low in my ear as he came from behind and grabbed me around the waist. "I was beginning to get concerned."
"What did your mother do to the grand duchess Miechen?"
"She has done nothing." He smiled. "My sisters, on the other hand, consider the grand duchess a friend of Cantacuzene, and therefore an enemy of the tsar."
"She was no friend of the princess!" I hissed. "Let me go!" He led me out of the ball room, and into a deserted corridor. "I am afraid I cannot do that."
"She could die!"
Princess Elena sneered behind us. "And what can you do to help her?
Pretend to be a doctor?"
If there was ever a moment I wanted to embrace my darkest powers and destroy someone, it was then. But Danilo pushed me into a small sitting room. I heard the door lock behind me.
"What are you doing?" I screamed.
"You must not interfere, beloved. When Konstantin is defeated, we shal be married. There will be no more meddling from the Dark Court."
"What do you plan to do? How will you protect the tsar?" There was no answer.
"Danilo, you cannot leave me in here!"
But the crown prince and his sister had already left. The hallway fell silent.
There were no windows in this room, decorated in an Oriental style, and only the one door, which was locked. I was trapped. No one would be able to hear me above the noise of the ball.
Except George Alexandrovich, if luck was with me.
"Your Imperial Highness?" I spoke aloud. "Please, Your Imperial Highness. If you can hear me, the tsar is in danger. Konstantin Pavlovich has returned and is here at Peterhof. Princess Cantacuzene was raising the undead army for him."
I tried to stay calm.
"Your Imperial Highness? Georgi?" I whispered desperately.
There was a sudden commotion in the hall. I could hear Elena shrieking.
The door opened, and instead of the Vladiki prince, I saw the grand duke. I wanted to cry. "George," I whispered, forgetting all imperial protocols.
He stared at me for a moment. "Katerina, I-"
"Who dares disturb my bride?" Prince Danilo said as he rushed into the room.
The grand duke turned to face him, his hand going to the saber at his hip. "I dare. And by the order of the tsar, Katerina Alexandrovna must come with me at once."
"What nonsense is this? This is a Dark Court gathering and you have no right to be here."
"I have no intentions of staying. But the necromancer must come with me."
Danilo tried his best to look menacing. "But the duchess and I are about to be married."
"I do not believe the duchess wishes to be married," George Alexandrovich said, glancing at me. I shook my head slightly. There was no reason for me to pretend anymore.
"This is none of your concern, Imperial Highness," the crown prince said.
"Perhaps not, but by order of the tsar, I am required to take the Duchess of Oldenburg to the Peterhof chapel immediately."
"For what purpose?" Danilo said through gritted teeth.
"Urgent matters of state." George turned to me and offered his arm, which I took, gladly.
"This is an insult to my family. I will not allow this." Danilo grabbed for me, his fangs visible.
But the grand duke was faster. He took my arm and swung me out of the crown prince's reach. He threw a punch at Danilo's jaw. The crown prince stepped out of the way just in time.
I was too scared to scream.
I looked around the room wildly as the two princes scuffled. George had managed to land a blow somehow, as I noticed Danilo's lip bleeding. I saw the Oriental vase in the curio cabinet wobble as Danilo shoved George into the wall. I ran to catch the vase before it tumbled off the shelf, and turned around to hit it over Danilo's head.
Something sharp poked me in the back. "Don't even think about it." Elena's voice behind me was menacing. "Tell the grand duke to leave, or I will kill you, Katerina Alexandrovna."
I tried to twist away from her, but she held me by the hair. I let out an unladylike yelp.
Just then, Danilo punched the grand duke in the stomach and he staggered back into the wall. George slid to the floor, dazed.
"No!" I cried, trying to break free. Elena pulled me back, pressing the blade a little deeper.
Danilo turned toward me, his eyes darkening and his fangs growing longer. I couldn't let him have my blood. He would have the power to kill the grand duke. Or worse.
"Your Imperial Highness!" I pleaded. "Get up!" He was still conscious and trying to regain his bearings.
We had to get out of there. I kicked backward at Elena's shins and she let me go. "Bitch!" she screamed. I pulled away before she could reach me again.
"He cannot help you now," Danilo said. He laughed as he grabbed me by the arm and pulled me close. His breath was warm on my neck. "You belong to me, Katerina."
"No, she does not," George Alexandrovich said grimly, throwing a punch that struck Danilo in the jaw. He let go of me and fell back.
Elena screamed and jumped at the grand duke with her dagger, but I
snatched the back of her dress, causing her to stumble. She dropped her blade. I kicked it across the floor and the grand duke picked it up.
"Now," he said, wiping the blood from his lip with the back of his hand. "I am taking the Duchess of Oldenburg to the tsar. And there will be hell to pay if anyone makes another attempt to stop me." He offered his arm to me. "Your Highness."
I felt a little giddy. He had come to my rescue. Even if it was only because the tsar needed me. We stepped over the Montenegrin siblings and ran out the door.
Right into my father.
"Katiya! Where have you been? Your mother has been frantic since you disappeared with the crown prince."
"She is safe, Your Highness," the grand duke said. "We have no time to explain, but the tsar is waiting for her."
"The tsar?" Papa asked. "Whatever for?"
"The bogatyr must be summoned."
"The bogatyr?" Papa asked. "But what does this have to do with Katiya?"
"She is the only one who can perform the necessary ritual." The grand duke turned to me. "We must hurry."
I saw fleeting bewilderment on my father's face. But he was a clever man. He knew what the grand duke meant. "Go, quickly, Katiya," he said.
"We will have much to talk about when this is over."
"Please take Maman to the grand duchess Miechen at once, Papa. She is in danger of losing the twins."
"Mon Dieu. I will see that your mother attends her immediately. And that the doctor has been sent for."
The grand duke helped me into the carriage. He scowled silently as we rode off across the park. The chapel was only a short ride from the main palace.
"Were you hurt badly?" I asked him.
"I'm fine, Duchess."
More scowling silence.
I sank back into my seat, folding my arms. "I'm fine too, thank you ever so kindly for asking."
He grunted. "Were you really planning to marry that creature?"
"They said they would hurt my family! My brother." I risked a glance at him. "Even you."
The grand duke seemed to relax slightly. He reached over and touched my cheek. I felt dizzy as my world tilted a little bit. "Katiya, they cannot harm your family. Or me. Please believe that. You need never fear them again." He turned his attention back to the road ahead. "Once Konstantin and his army are defeated, the tsar will have nothing more to do with the Montenegrin king."
But how could he be right? There was a horrible bond now between me and the crown prince. I was afraid I'd never be safe from the Montenegrins.