Citadels of Fire by K.L. Conger

Author:K.L. Conger
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Russia, Ivan the Terrible, History, Historical Fiction, Histfic, Romance, Inga, Taras
Publisher: Liesel Hill
Published: 2017-03-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

Taras did not see Inga for three days. Each day, he made his way to the servants’ quarters to find out how she fared. Each day a different maid met him. Firmly, with many repetitions of “my lord” and “Master Taras,” they showed him out, claiming to have no knowledge of Inga’s health.

He would have cornered Yehvah, but could not find her. He suspected she kept a vigil at Inga’s side. Besides, Taras he had little time to wander the palace looking for people.

On the fourth day, he still had no idea how she was doing. His afternoon was free and he resolved to find Yehvah if it took him until supper. Walking swiftly toward the servants’ quarters, buried in the heart of the palace, he resolved not to take no for an answer.

Glancing down each corridor to the left and right as he passed them, his eye fell on someone working not far from the maids’ apartments. Skidding to a stop, he backed up to get a better look.

“Inga?” he asked, quickly changing direction.

One look at her face told him she wasn’t well yet. Her skin looked paler than usual, dark circles lined her eyes, and, though it had only been three days, she looked thinner.

She stopped working when she heard his voice and stood perfectly still, watching him approach. As he neared, he thought perhaps it was not as bad as he'd feared. She looked steady on her feet and held the duster with a firm hand. She smiled as he came close.

He missed her smile.

“Inga, I came to see . . . are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“How long have you been up and around?”

She smiled sheepishly. “A few days.” When he lifted a disbelieving eyebrow, she hurried on. “I haven’t been outside the maid’s rooms much. Yesterday morning, early, I walked around in the courtyard for the exercise. Other than that, I’ve been confined to my rooms. This is the first day I’ve returned to my duties.”

“I see. I’ve been by to see how you were, but couldn’t get a straight answer.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You came to see me?”

“Yes.” He chuckled. “Your friends let me know plainly that I wasn't welcome.”

“Oh.” Inga leaned over a long, thin table to straighten an embroidered runner underneath a colorful vase. “I’m sorry, Taras. If I’d known, I'd have sent word. I thought you would be busy, and I didn’t want to bother you.”

“It would have been no bother. The last I saw of you, I didn't know if you would survive.”

She put her duster down to straighten a tapestry that didn’t look askew. Then she turned to him. “I don’t think I was ever in much danger," she said with soft reassurance.

“You weren’t?”

She shrugged. “You got me back to Yehvah in plenty of time. I suppose I ought to thank you.”

“For what?”

“If you hadn’t come with me to market, I would have fallen into the river. I certainly wouldn't have made it back to the palace, and no one would have known to look for me.

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