“What are we doing back here?” Sienna smiled, and looked around the Serpent and Rose. “Well, I never got a chance to sit down and enjoy the food. Or Lord Canterwright’s company. So I thought another day would mean another go.” Pietr and Sophie shuffled around. Ivan was back with Lord Smyth, looking over the estate. Sienna had taken charge of the two remaining Koskovs, and after their lessons in town, suggested this new diversion. […]

Viola nodded. “Yes.” Gregor started to cry. Viola surmised much of what must have happened. He had heard the rumors from a staff member, or one of the guards. Her execution of Petrovich was so public, it would have been a wonder if Gregor didn’t eventually hear about it. But what he said next stunned her. “Are you going to try and kill me too?” “What?” Viola paled, sickened. “Sweet boy, no! No, I couldn’t […]

Viola turned towards the door, eyes alight. Then her gaze softened, and the magic dissipated. “Gregor.” Gregor Petrovich, all of four, stood in the door. He clutched at a small blanket, rubbing his eyes. He looked in the door, up at the grownups. “Viola?” He blinked a few times. “M’had a bad dream.” “The countess…” Viola rushed past the protesting Nalus. She had the blanket of her own off in an instant, and wrapped around […]

Viola’s eyebrow rose. “Excuse me?” “Let’s just pay the guards.” Nalus mimicked her voice. “And then we pay everyone a fair wage. And open trade, and squash any who oppose us. In short, we are going to make the world a better place, and everyone is going to accept it…because!” He pointed his finger at her. “You have done some great things. Stopped a coup, and flushed out the true traitors from the innocent bystanders. […]

“So after talking with the guard, I just found out that some of them even have to work farming jobs to supplement their income!” Viola dug into her dessert with vigor. After taking a bite, she looked at Nalus incredulously. “I mean, if we are supposed to have guards, they should at least have enough money to make guarding our lives their top priority, right?” Nalus shrugged. “Vlad may have agreed, but there were never […]

Sienna waited for Smyth to explain. But he returned to the fire. And let his anger wash out in waves. Sienna walked over, and stood next to him. Roland Smyth’s rages were legendary. Where other nobles cajoled the previous Konstantin lord, Smyth had held his own fiefdom. He meted out justice and taxation as he saw fit, in an iron fist that now reminded his daughter of the countess. Had trained his own guards, placed […]