DPOV

The rest of us stared at her with our mouths agape. I couldn't understand why they were falling behind schedule this year out of all years. The Ivashkovs and Sages always attended my family's ball…

"Do you think…do you think they're dead?" Rose squeaked, her chestnut-brown eyes watering and body tensing in anticipation of terrible news. I swallowed deep and hard, resting my hand on her back out of comfort.

Svetlana sighed and shook her head. "I don't know, Miss Mazur, but if they took the North Sea to get here, they could've died from the chilling temperatures and volatile waves this time of year. A lot of travelers suffer from hypothermia and—"

"Go to Admiral Mikhail Tanner and tell him that he needs to send a naval fleet of rescuers. Be sure to explain the purpose of this. If he defies me in any way, tell him that I'll relieve him of his duties and make him a peasant," my mother ordered, her voice low and cold, her dark brown eyes void of any exaggeration.

"It isn't certain that Prince Adrian and Princess Sydney are in the North Sea, Czarina Olena."

Rose was quick to support my mother. "I know it sounds uncontrollable, and above all, insane. However, there's still a chance that they're alive. My friends are out there, lost and frightened. They deserve to be found, and they deserve to come here and attend the ball just like everyone else. You have to save them," she pleaded with so much emotion, it seemed as if she'd cry.

Svetlana countered, "Miss Mazur—"

"My mother died from a gruesome accident caused by horrible weather conditions the same time of year. I will not lose more loved ones that way ever again, and you are going to keep that from happening," she delivered her final blow, tears streaming down her beautiful face as her body shivered.

I formidably gazed at Svetlana and growled, "Inform Admiral Tanner this instant."

I pulled Rose to me and held her while she sobbed away her grief and pain. My mother fell sorrowful and sympathetic, muttering a Russian prayer. Svetlana was struck by surprise before shame and regret claimed her. "Of course, my prince. I am immensely sorry for your loss, Miss Mazur. Don't worry, I'll see to it that your friends are safe," she apologized then agreed.

Rose separated from me, nodding and sniffling. "Thank you, madam. Thank you."

RPOV

"Rosemarie, aren't you going to eat dinner?" Father questioned from the wooden, polished, kitchen table in our lodge room. He was seated in a velvet chair, chewing on scrumptious lamb and cabbage and bread, alongside my stepsisters.

His voice was soft, chiding. It annoyed me.

"Why don't you stop pacing for a few minutes and have a meal with us?"

I threw my hands up in the air and tangled them into my dark locks. "How can I eat and act like nothing's wrong when Prince Adrian and Princess Sydney are stuck in the middle of the ocean and might not make it out alive?!" I spat, feeling my blood boil in my veins. I knew I shouldn't be cross with him; however, this uncertainty was consuming me alive.

I had a difficult time handling situations like this since Mother had died.

Lissa pierced me with her all-knowing, jade-green eyes. "When you came back, Rose, you told us that Czarina Olena and Cesarevich Dimitri ordered the Russian navy to send a search party. Prince Adrian and Princess Sydney most likely won't make it to the annual ball. However, I'm sure they'll remain alive. Quit worrying," she reassured, sounding irritated.

"This isn't something to simply forget, Lissa," I growled.

"Settle down, girls," Father commanded.

Jill swiftly defended her sister. "She wasn't undermining the situation. She was only trying to say that you should have faith and keep calm." I supposed her words were right. Lissa really did have everyone's best interests at heart, yet she sometimes struggled expressing it the proper way.

Father waved me over. "Come and sit with us, Rosemarie. Your food is getting cold," he half-suggested, half-ordered. I obliged and seated myself in the empty chair, picking up a silver spoon and scooping some cabbage. When I put it into my mouth, it was lukewarm.

"Have you heard from Madam Rhea?" I asked Father after I swallowed. I doubted there'd ever be a time when I'd call that woman my mother.

He paused mid-chew and was as frozen as a statue. Lissa and Jill stirred in their seats, as restless as ghosts. The entire lodge room fell into a pit of uncomfortable silence, and I was tempted to change the subject, yet we all needed to speak about this. She had been gone for a few days now, and with the annual ball approaching, it seemed as if she wasn't going to attend anymore.

"How have your training sessions been going?" Father stalled, his chestnut-brown eyes sparkling with fake interest. Lissa and Jill immediately mimicked him, putting on the widest smiles I'd ever seen.

I gave them all a stern look. "I expect an answer."

They sighed and killed their façade. My stepsisters intently focused on their plates—they were mostly empty excluding the food they had played over—so Father would be forced to respond. He sent them a powerful glare before following up with me.

"I haven't talked to your stepmother, Rosemarie," he solemnly said. Out of my periphery, I noticed Lissa and Jill's gaze flick upward.

I cocked my head. "Have either of you made any attempts?"

Father sighed, twirling his fork in his hand. "Believe me, I've definitely thought about contacting her on multiple occasions; however, I feel that Rhea needs some time figuring matters out. And, she hasn't contacted me."

This was just splendid! My stepmother was still nowhere to be found, and for all I knew, she could've somehow joined forces with deranged Tasha.

My heart instantaneously halted. What if that was exactly what Rhea was doing? It made sense—the woman hated me with a passion, and it was the perfect opportunity to seek revenge on Father for him causing her heartbreak and embarrassment.

Oh my goodness, this could be true. This could—

"Rose, are you all right?" asked Jill, her innocent, jade-green eyes swimming with worry. "You look awfully pale, and you've been staring blindly for several moments." I robotically faced her, but the troubled look remained plastered on my face. Father and Lissa watched me closely, unsure about whether to press for an explanation or leave me alone.

I shook my head and gulped, recovering. While I looked at ease, my heart still hammered against my ribcage. "I'm fine, everyone. I was just thinking the worst about what could happen to Prince Adrian and Princess Sydney," I convincingly lied.

I probably should've told them what was on my mind; however, I didn't want to hurt my stepsisters' feelings or even Father's. They believed Rhea was a good person at heart, and I needed to respect that.

Besides, would she really commit something so terrible?

Father reached over the table to grab my hand. He gave it a comforting squeeze. "I understand that their situation is extremely dire and even fatal, yet all we can do is hope for the best. Don't let all of this misfortune interfere with the good in your life, Rosemarie. The Russian annual ball's on its way"—he began including Lissa and Jill—"and you girls should be excited. You've been dreaming about this event since you were children. Don't let that dream die."

My stepsisters and I looked between each other and smiled. Father was right. We couldn't keep letting others' unhappiness dampen our own. It would make us miserable, and life was too short for such negativity.

I squeezed Father's hand back, and Lissa and Jill connected theirs between the both of them, me and Father. "We won't let any of our dreams die," I promised.

He smiled knowingly. "And why is that, my dear?"

"Because they're too precious to give up."

DPOV

"How's the search going?" I interrogated my mother, my body as rigid as stone. We were in her bedchamber, the intricate walls decorated with Russian designs and a medium shade of violet; there was also an elaborate, small chandelier hanging above our heads. Fragrant candlelight flickered in the dark, a crisp yet soothing scent wafting in the air. Old portraits of our family—emotionless and disconnected—hung directly across from the entrance.

A royal family wasn't supposed to look like that. We were supposed to look happy and proud. I was supposed to be a carefree, easygoing prince. I was supposed to believe that life was fair and wonderful.

Thanks a lot, Father.

"Admiral Tanner and his rescuing fleet are progressing at a satisfying pace," my mother answered from her soft, silk covered bed. "They should be getting out of the Baltic Sea." I nodded but continued feeling stressed. She eyed me from her location as I paced like a wild animal. "Dimka, will you please stop worrying? This is out of our control."

"I know, мать, but I can't help thinking that I'd be letting Rose down if Prince Adrian and Princess Sydney aren't found," I told her. She had become so important to me, it was as if my heart fed off of her thoughts, words, and actions. I almost wished I had never fallen for her like this, yet I was grateful because it had been a long time since I'd ever felt this happy with someone.

My mother looked at me with her warm, chocolate-brown eyes. Her heartfelt smile bled admiration and pride and love. "I am so thankful that you're my son. You always strived to do the right thing and what was best for those around you. You were always brave and strong and protective. You were always wise. And, you always tried to rid pain from everyone's lives." She sniffled, and her voice became a tremble. "You're such a beautiful person, and I know that you're going to be the greatest czar the world has ever seen."

Hearing those words made my heart throb. It meant everything knowing that my mother had tremendous faith in me, after all that we'd been through. It had helped inspire me to save Russia from its destitution and redeem the monarchy. I could just imagine what my reign would be like in the near future: a golden age.

I walked over to my mother and sat down next to her. I pulled her into a loving embrace and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm a beautiful person because of you," I credited her. "You've done so much for me, and soon, it'll be my turn to return the favor."

"I can't wait," she softly said. My mother then yawned and rubbed her eyes. "I believe it's getting late. We should go to bed—we need all of our energy for the annual ball.

Nodding, I kissed her forehead and embraced her once more. "Agreed. Goodnight, мать. I love you."

She buried herself under the covers and closed her eyes. "Goodnight, Dimka. I love you too."

January 8th, 1686

When I woke up the next morning, I was startled to find my grandmother, Yeva Belikova, standing beside my bed. She was an old and feeble and clairvoyant woman, only leaving her bedchamber if something she sensed or envisioned deeply alarmed her. Her accuracy was frighteningly undeniable, but people usually wrote her off as insane and delusional.

Rose and her family hadn't met her when they came to the palace, yet they would at the annual ball tomorrow; I never told them about her because of that.

I bolted upright, alert. "What are you doing here, Бабушка?"

"Dimka, you need to cancel the annual ball," my grandmother whispered in her raspy voice.

Shocked, I stared at her as if she lost her mind. "Бабушка, I can't just cancel an event that's going to be taking place tomorrow evening, in our palace! There's no chance I could inform a change in plans to all of the guests within a day. Moreover, all of the time and effort and money we spent on it would be a complete waste."

Her obsidian gaze was bottomless, and her leathery, wrinkled skin seemed to jump out at me. "A tragedy is going to happen, Dimka. I'm trying to save you from the fear and sadness that will strike. If you don't do as I command, lives will be at stake," she said slightly louder.

A sigh escaped my mouth. My head shook. "You're confused, Бабушка. A tragedy already happened when Prince Adrian and Princess Sydney's royal ship sank, and the ball wasn't canceled because of it," I told her.

"This is entirely different, my grandson. There's an evil force you can't afford to turn your back on." I hated to admit it, yet her words chilled me to my very core—it was never simple ignoring my grandmother. "The one you love most will be vanquished if you're too late, Dimka, and the rest of your life will fall into a pit of mourning and despair."

My heart pounded in my chest. "Nothing's going to happen to her," I countered, trying to sound strong. "No one's after her." Surely, Бабушка's claims were an exaggeration. They had to be.

Tasha wasn't going to do something horrendous—she wasn't like her brother. Rose was always safe with me; there was no doubt she wasn't.

Right?

Suddenly, her words echoed in my mind: There's a small part of me that doesn't believe I'm safe…

I clenched my hands, avoiding Бабушка's unnerving gaze. That's a lie. That's a lie. That's. A. Lie.

"Heed my warning," she whispered next. "Or someone's going to get hurt."

Author's Note

Has Rhea secretly joined forces with Tasha?

Does Dimitri believe Yeva? And, should he?

Thanks for the follows, favs, and reviews! Feel free to tell me your thoughts on this chapter.

Until next time...