Contents

CoverAbouttheBookTitlePageDedicationMap

Chapter1Chapter2Chapter3Chapter4Chapter5Chapter6Chapter7Chapter8Chapter9Chapter10Chapter11Chapter12Chapter13Chapter14Chapter15Chapter16Chapter17Chapter18Chapter19Chapter20Chapter21Chapter22Chapter23Chapter24Chapter25Chapter26Chapter27Chapter28

Chapter29Chapter30Chapter31Chapter32Chapter33Chapter34Chapter35Chapter36Chapter37Chapter38Chapter39Chapter40Chapter41Chapter42Chapter43Chapter44Chapter45Chapter46Chapter47Chapter48Chapter49Chapter50

EpilogueDramatisPersonaeGlossaryAuthor’sNoteAcknowledgmentsAbouttheAuthorCopyright

ABOUTTHEBOOK

Inthisthrillingfinale,Ladarealisesthatitisonlybydestroyingeverythingthatcamebefore–includingherrelationships–canshetrulybuildthecountryshewants.

Claimthethrone.Demandthecrown.Ruletheworld.

ToWendyLoggia,darlingsunshineinhumanform,whosawwhatthesebookswouldbefromtheverybeginning

andhelpedmeeverystepoftheway

1

1454,Wallachia

LADADRACULHADcutthroughbloodandbonestogetthecastle.Thatdidnotmeanshewantedtospendtimeinit.Itwasarelieftoescapethe

capital.Sheunderstood theneed fora seatofpower,but shehated that itwasTirgoviste.Shecouldnotsleepinthosestonerooms,emptyandyetstillcrowdedwiththeghostsofalltheprinceswhohadcomebeforeher.With too far to go before reaching Nicolae, Lada planned to camp for the

night. Solitude was increasingly precious—and yet another resource she wassorely lacking.Buta tinyvillage tuckedaway from the frosted roadbeckonedher. During one of the last summers before she and Radu were traded to theOttomans,theyhadtraveledthissamepathwiththeirfather.Ithadbeenoneofthe happiest seasons of her life. Though it was winter now, nostalgia andmelancholyslowedheruntilshedecidedtostay.Outsidethevillage,shespentafewfrigidminuteschangingintoclothesmore

standard than her usual selection of black trousers and tunics. They werenoteworthy enough that she risked being recognized. She put on skirts and ablouse—butwithmailunderneath.Alwaysthat.Totheuntrainedeye,therewasnothingtomarkherasprince.Shefoundlodginginastonecottage.Becausetherewasnotenoughplanting

landforboyarstobotherwithhere,thepeasantscouldownsmallpatchesofit.Notenoughtoprosper,butenoughtosurvive.AnolderwomanseatedLadabythefirewithbreadandstewassoonascoinshadexchangedhands.Thewomanhadadaughter,asmallthingwearingmuch-patchedandtoo-largeclothes.Theyalsohadacat,who,inspiteofLada’sutterindifferencetothecreature,

insistedonrubbingagainstherlegandpurring.Thelittlegirlsatalmostasclose.

“HernameisPrince,”thegirlsaid,reachingdowntoscratchthecat’sears.Ladaraisedaneyebrow.“Thatisanoddnameforafemalecat.”The girl grinned, showing all the childhood gaps among her teeth. “But

princescanbegirlsnow,too.”“Ah,yes.”Lada triednot to smile. “Tellme,whatdoyou thinkofournew

prince?”“I have never seen her.But Iwant to! I think shemust be the prettiest girl

alive.”Ladasnortedatthesametimeasthegirl’smother.Thewomansatdownina

chair across from Lada. “I have heard she is nothing to look at. A blessing.Perhapsitcankeepheroutofamarriage.”“Oh?”Ladastirredherstew.“Youdonotthinksheshouldgetmarried?”Thewomanleanedforwardintently.“Youcameherebyyourself.Awoman?

Travelingalone?Ayearagosuchathingwouldhavebeenimpossible.ThislastharvestwewereabletotakeourcropstoTirgovistewithoutpayingrobbers’feesevery leaguealong the road.Wemade two timesagainasmuchmoneyasweeverhave.Andmysisternolongerhastoteachherboystopretendtobestupidtoavoidbeingtakenforthesultan’saccursedJanissarytroops.”Lada nodded as though hesitant to agree. “But the prince killed all those

boyars.Ihearsheisdepraved.”Thewomanhuffed,wavingahand.“Whatdidtheboyarseverdoforus?She

had her reasons. I heard—” She leaned forward so quickly and with suchanimationhalfherstewspilled,unnoticed.“Iheardsheisgivinglandtoanyone.Can you imagine?No family name, no boyar line. She gives it to thosewhodeserveit.SoIhopeshenevermarries.Ihopeshelivestobeahundredyearsold,breathingfireanddrinkingthebloodofourenemies.”Thelittlegirlgrabbedthecat,settlingitonherlap.“Didyouhearthestoryof

thegoldengoblet?”sheasked,eyesbrightandshining.Ladasmiled.“Tellme.”AndsoLadaheardnewstoriesaboutherself,fromherownpeople.Theywere

exaggeratedandstretched,buttheywerebasedonthingsshehadactuallydone.Thewaysshehadimprovedhercountryforherpeople.Ladasleptwellthatnight.

“Didyouknow,”Ladasaid,scanningtheparchmentinherhand,“thattosettleadisputebetweentwowomenwhowerefightingoveraninfant,Icuttheinfantinhalfandgavethembothapiece?”

“Thatwasverypragmaticofyou.”Nicolaehadriddenouttotheroadtomeether.Nowtheyweresidebyside,theirhorsesmeanderingthroughtheice-glazedtrees.Thiswinterwaspreferabletolast,though,oddly,shefoundherselfmissingthe camaraderie of camping as a fugitive alongside her men. Now they werescattered.All doing importantwork forWallachia, but any chance she had toreunite with them, she took. She had been looking forward to this time withNicolae.Heguidedthemtowardtheestatethathadformerlybelongedtoheradvisor,

Toma Basarab. Before Lada’s rule, Toma had been alive and well, and theseroadshadbeennearlyimpassablewithoutanarmedguardforprotection.Now,Tomawas dead and the roadswere safe. Both of those—death of boyars andsafetyforeveryoneelse—werepatternsofLada’srulesofar.Thefrigidairstunghernostrilsinawayshefoundbracingandpleasant.The

sunshoneclear,but itwasnomatchfor theblanketof icethatWallachiasleptunder.Perhapsthatalsocontributedtothesafetyoftheroads.Noonewantedtobeoutinthis.Ladapreferredittothecastlewithafiercenessthatwasassharpandpointed

astheiciclesshepassedbeneath.Shewaved the parchmentwith the story of her unusualmethods of solving

family disputes. “The most offensive part,” she said, “is that the story isunoriginal.TheTransylvaniansgotthatonefromtheBible.Theleasttheycoulddo ismakeupnew stories aboutme, rather than stealing fromSolomon.”Sheshouldprintthestoriesthewomanandherdaughterhadtoldlastnight.Spreadthoserumorsinstead.Nicolaegesturedtothebundleofreportshehadgivenher.“Didyouseethe

newwoodcut?Veryskilledartist.Itisthenextpage.”Shewassortingthroughasbestshecouldwhileriding,droppingeachpageto

theroadasshefinished.Nonehadbeenanythingbutslander.Nothingimportant.Nothingtrue.Her thickgloveswerenotsuitedtomanipulatingthinsheets,butsheshuffleduntilshefoundtheillustration.“Iamdiningonhumanfleshamidaforestofimpaledbodies.”“Youare!MealsinTirgovistehavechangedsinceyousentmeouthere.”Ladaadjustedherredsatinhat,ajeweledstarinthemiddlerepresentingthe

fallingstar thathadaccompaniedherascension to the throne.“Hegotmyhairwrong.”Nicolaereachedoutandtuggedoneofherlong,curlinglocks.“Itisdifficult

tocapturesuchmajestywithsimpletools.”“Ihavemissedyou,Nicolae.”Hertonewasacidicbuthersentimentsincere.

Sheneededhimwherehewas,butshemissedhimatherside.

Hegesturedtothestarinthecenterofherhat,beaming.“Ofcourseyouhave.I dare say I am one of the brightest—nay, the very brightest—point of yourexistence.Howhaveyouscrambled in thedark these longsixmonthswithoutme?”“Peacefully,nowthatyoumentionit.Suchblessedquiet.”“Well, Bogdan’s strength never has been conversation.” Nicolae’s smile

twisted,puckeringhislongscar.“Butyoudonotkeephimaroundfortalking.”Ladagrittedherteeth.“Icankillyou.Veryquickly.Orvery,veryslowly.”“Aslongas theSaxonsmakeawoodcutofmydemise, Iwillaccept itwith

grace.”Hestrokedhischin.“Pleaseaskthemtogetmyfaceright.Afacesuchasthisshouldneverbepoorlyrepresented.”Nicolae was not wrong about Bogdan, though. Bogdan, her childhood

companionandnowmoststalwartsoldierandsupporter,didnotspeakoften.Butlately even that had been too much. A break from him had been one of hermotivations inmaking this trip alone.Shewasmeetinghim inArges, but shehaddeliberatelygivenhimataskthattookhimfromherbeforethen.Bogdan was like sleep. Necessary, sometimes enjoyable. She needed him.

Andwhenhewas unobtainable, shemissed him.But she liked that she couldtakehimforgrantedmostofthetime.Mehmed would never have tolerated such treatment. She scowled, pushing

himfromhermind.Mehmeddeservednoplaceamongherthoughts.Hewasausurperthere,justashewaseverywhere.Theypassedafrozenpond,patternsoffrosttellingastoryshecouldnotread.

The trees opened up ahead to rolling farmland softenedwith snow. “Why didStefannotstayafterdeliveringtheseletters?HeknewIwasdueheresoon.”“Hewanted to get back toDaciana and the children.And hewas probably

worriedifhesawyoubeforethat,youwouldsendhimawayagainandhewouldnotgetachancetostopinTirgoviste.”Ladagrunted.Thatwas true.Shewantedhim inBulgaria,ormaybeSerbia.

Bothwereactivevassalstatesof theOttomanEmpire,andlikelystagingareasforanyattacks.Shedidnotexpectanattack.Butshewouldbeprepared,andforthat, she needed Stefan. He had spent the last couple of months scouting inTransylvaniaandHungarytogetafeelfortheirpoliticalclimates,whethertherewere any active threats toward Lada’s rule. Shewanted to speakwith him inperson.Dacianashouldnottakepriorityoverthat.Nothingshould.Daciana ran the day-to-day business at the castle, all the details and

mundanity thatLada could not begin to care about.Ladawas grateful for herwork. It had been a stroke of luck, finding her during their campaigning last

year.ButtherewasnothingatthecastlethatrequiredStefan’sattention.Dacianawassafeandbusy.Heshouldknowbetterthantowastealltheirtime.Lada scanned the neatly ordered reports impatiently. Stefan hadwritten his

own observations and coupled them with the woodcut printings. In Hungary,Matthiaswasking.HedidnotgobyHunyadi,ashisfatherdid,buthadstyledhimselfMatthiasCorvinus.Ladawasnotsurprised.Matthias’srelationshipwithhissoldierfatherhadbeenfraught.Ofcoursehewouldnothonorthemanwhohadcutthepathtothecrownforhim.AndLadahadhelped,intheend.ShehadbetrayedHunyadi’slegacyandcommittedmurderforMatthias.Andthenshehadhadtodoeverythingbyherselfanyway,becausetheaidof

menwasneverwhattheypromised.Italwayscamewithhooks,invisiblebarbstotugherbackwhenshegotclosetohergoals.Matthiaswas not having an easy time of being king, at least.According to

Stefan’s report,hespentallhis timeandmoneyflatteringnoblesand trying tobuybackhiscrownfromPoland.ThePolishkinghad taken it forsafekeepingyears before when the previous king had been killed in battle. It was animportantsymbol,andMatthiaswasdesperatefor thelegitimacyitwouldgivehisquestionableclaimtothethrone.Ladaskimmedthatinformation.Matthiaswasafoolifhethoughtapieceof

metalwouldgivehimwhathewanted,andshedidnotparticularlycareaboutanyofhismachinationsaslongastheyweredirectedtowardothercountries.Italsoservedthebenefitofkeepinghimdistracted.AsfarasStefancouldtell,hehadnodesignsonLadadespiteherrefusaltodefertohisauthority.Thewoodcut printings demonstratedTransylvania’s continued opposition to

herrule,butasidefromtheartisticflair,theyhadnoorganizedopposition.Theredidnotseemtobeanyattempttodestabilizehermilitarily.Stefanmentionedthedownside to losing them as allies—they had long served as a buffer betweenWallachia andHungary—but therewasnothing to bedone.Shehad, after all,spentmuchofthepreviousyearburningtheircities.Butiftheyhadnotwantedhertodothat,theyshouldhavealliedwithhersooner.Allthingsconsidered,itwasasgoodofnewsasshecouldhavehopedfor.But

shehadquestionsforStefan.Andconcerns,now.Dacianawashers.Stefanwashers.Shedidnotlikethembeingeachother’sbeforethat.Shetuckedthepapersintohersaddlebag.“Andhowhaveyoumanaged?”“Isleepwellatnight,andmyappetiteremainsconsistent.SomedaysIfeela

touch ofmelancholy, but I combat it through longwalks and deep barrels ofwine.”HegrinnedatLada’sexasperatedlook.“Oh,wereyounotaskingaboutme,personally?Iwasborntobealord.Thismuchauthoritysuitsmenicely.Mycropsflourished,thefieldsarereadyforthethaw,andthepeopleonmylandare

happy.Revenues shouldbe robust thisyear.Goodnews for the royal treasury,whichis—”“Still empty.And themen?”Alongwith the farmland, they had set aside a

portionofTomaBasarab’sestatefortrainingLada’ssoldiers.Princeshadneverbeenallowedtohaveastandingarmy.Theywereexpectedtodependentirelyontheboyarsandtheirindividualforces.Itwasadisorganized,messysystem.Andasystemthatsawprinceafterprincedeadbeforetheirtime.ButLadawaslikenoprincebefore.Nicolaetuggeddownhishat.Inthecold,hisnosehadgonebrightred,andhis

scaralmostpurple.“Youwererighttosendusouthere.Itiseasiertocontrolthemenandinstilldisciplinewhentherearenocitytemptations.AndeverythingIlearnedfromtheJanissariesisbeingputtouse.ThiswillbethegreatestgroupoffightingmenWallachiahaseverhad.”Lada was not surprised, but she was pleased. She knew her methods were

better thanwhathadalwaysbeendone.Powerwasnot split amongmeddling,selfishboyars.Itflowedinadirectlineofcommandtoher.Sherewardedmerit,and she punished disloyalty and crime.Bothwith very public efficiency.Andsheknew fromher stay the night before thatwordwas spreading.Her peopleweremotivated.Theypassedtwofrozenbodieshangingfromatree.Onehadasignthatsaid

DESERTER.Theother,THIEF.Nicolaegrimacedandlookedaway.Ladareachedupandstraightenedoneofthesigns.Shehadbeenfocusingonmakingtheroadssafeandpreparingforthespring

planting.Shehadalsobeenpruningtheboyars.ButNicolae’sworkwasjustasimportantforthefutureofWallachia,andshewouldinvestwhatevershehadto.Itwasadifferenttypeofseedtonurture.Nicolaestretched,holdinghislongarmsabovehisheadandyawning.“How

are things in the capital?Any problemswith the boyars? I heard rumors thatLucianBasarabwasangry.”Nicolae’scasualtonewasasartfullyconstructedasa Transylvanian woodcut. Lada knew he had not forgotten nor forgiven herchoicesatthebloodybanquet.Though she had mostly killed Danesti boyars, the family most directly

responsibleforthedeathofherfatherandolderbrother,TomaBasarabhadalsobeeneliminated. Itdidnotgooverwellwith theBasarabfamily, includinghiswealthy and influential brother, Lucian. She was not sorry. The fewer boyarsalivetobetrayher,thebetter.Theyhadoutlivedfartoomanyprinces.Thishadmadethemcomfortableandlazy,assuredoftheirownimportance.Ifboyarsnowlivedinconstantfearfortheirlives?Shedidnotthinkthatwasaproblem.They

neededtoknowtheywerethesameasallLada’scitizens:theyservedWallachia,ortheydied.But Nicolae always wanted more delicacy.More mercy. It was part of the

reasonshehadsenthimouthere,eventhoughhewasoneofherbest.Shehadnouseforhiscounselonmoderationandplacation.Neitherofthosewereskillsshehadanyinterestincultivating.Ifboyarsservedapurpose,theycouldremain.Buttheysoveryrarelydid.MercywasaluxuryLada’srulewasnotyetstableenoughtoafford.Perhaps

someday. Until then, she knew what she was doing was both necessary andworking.Shebreathedinthesharp,coldair, thescentofwoodsmokebeckoningthem

towardwarmthandfood.Theyrodeacrossthefields,throughtheWallachiashehad carved free from the failure of the past. “I addressed Lucian Basarab’sconcerns.Itisalltakencareof.Iamaverygoodprince.”Nicolaelaughed.“Whenyouarenotbusycuttingbabiesinhalf.”“Oh,thattakesalmostnotime.Theyaresuchsmallthings,afterall.”

Afewdayslater,satisfiedthatNicolaehadhertroopswellundercontrol,Ladarodealongthesamebanksshehadtraveledtwicebefore.Once,asagirlwithherfatherdiscoveringhercountry.Andthenwithhermeninanattempttotakethatcountryback.This time she rodealone.Shepausedat abend in the riverwhereahidden

cavecontainedasecretpassagedownfromtheruinsofthemountainfortress.Buttheywereruinsnolonger.Therewasnosolitudetobefoundheretoday.

Lada listened to the chisels, the shouts of men, the clinking of metal chains.Here,atlast,apromisefulfilled:shehadcomebacktorebuildherfortress.She rode slowly along the narrow switchbacks leading up the steep

mountainside.Thismorning,shehaddressedinherfulluniform,completewithher red satin hat marking her as the prince. Where she passed, her soldiersbowed.Andthemenandwomenworkingcowered,duckingoutoftheway.Nearthetop,asthenewwallsofherfortressloomedgrayandgloriousfrom

the peak, Bogdan came out tomeet her. She let him help her down from herhorse,hishandslingeringatherwaist.“Howisit?”Shedevouredthewallswithhereyes.Hersilverlocket,givento

herbyRaduandfilledwiththeflowerandtreeclippingshehadkeptwithheralltheirlongyearsaway,feltheavyaroundherneck,asthoughrelievedtobehome,too.“Nearlyfinished.”

Amaninchainsstaggeredpast,pushingacartfilledwithstones.Hisclotheswereraggedandstained,onlyahintoftheirformerfineryshowingthrough.Shemuch preferred Lucian Basarab this way. Behind him, his wife and their twochildren pushed more carts. The children were dead-eyed, trudging numblyalong.LucianBasarablookedup,butdidnotseemtoseeher.Hecollapsedonthesideofthepath.Oneofher soldiershurried forward, a club inhis hand.Ladadidnot know

whetherLucianBasarabwasdead.Itdidnotmatter.Thereweremoretotakehisplace. Just like the rest of her Wallachia, the fortress was being remade atremarkablespeedthankstotheunwillingeffortsofthosewhoopposedher.Atlastshehadfoundsomethingthatboyarsweregoodfor.“Showmemyfortress,”Ladasaid,stridingpastherfoesandintohertriumph.

2

Constantinople

SOMEDAY RADU WOULD not long for a time when he was certain things wereterriblebuthadnoideajusthowmuchworsetheywereabouttoget.Thisday,however,hewasplaguedwithmemoriesofridingthissameroadto

ConstantinoplewithNaziraandCyprianathisside.Hehadbeensonervous,sofrightened,sodeterminedtomakesomethingofhistimethere.ToprovehimselftoMehmed.Hepitiedthemanhehadbeenonthatride.Andhemissedhim.Ridingtoward

thecitytoday,allhefeltwastheabsenceofNaziraandCyprian.Theabsenceofhis assurance that he was doing the right thing. The absence of his faith inMehmed.Theabsenceofhisfaithinfaithitself.Itwasaverylonelyroad.HehadnotplannedtoreturntoConstantinople.Thecitywashauntedforhim,

andforeverwouldbe.AfterMehmedtookit,RaduhadreturnedtoEdirneatthefirst possibleopportunity.Both to escape, and tobewithFatima.Theguilt hecarriedwasnothingcomparedtothedebtheowedherforlosingherwife,andso, toeasesomeofFatima’ssuffering,heenduredhisanguishatbeingaroundher.TherewasnothingelsehecoulddoforNazira.Allhis letters—joinedbyKumal’sandevenMehmed’sefforts—hadyielded

nonews.Nazira,Cyprian,andtheservantboyValentinhaddisappeared.Hehadwatched them sail away from the burning city, swallowed up by smoke anddistance.Hehadsentthemawaysotheycouldlive,buthefearedhehadsimplyfound anotherway for them to die. Every dayRadu prayed that they had notjoinedthethousandssenttoanonymousgraves.Hecouldnotbeartheideathatthepeoplehelongedformightnotexistanymore.

And so he sentmore letters, andwaited at their home in Edirne,where hewouldbeeasytofind.ButthenMehmedhadwritten.Arequestfromthesultanwasneverarequest

—itwasacommand.ThoughRaduconsideredrejectingMehmed’sinvitationtojoinhiminConstantinople,intheendhedidwhathealwaysdid:hereturnedtoMehmed.Fatimahadenoughfaithforbothofthemthatallwouldbewell.Shewaitedat

thewindowoftheirhouseinEdirneeveryday.Raduimaginedhertherenow,inthesameplaceshehadbeenwhenhe left.Wouldshewait there fruitlessly fortherestofherlife?A passing cart startled him from his gloomy reverie. The road to

Constantinoplehadbeenemptylasttime,clearedbythespecterofwarhangingoverthecountryside.Nowtrafficflowedtoandfromthecitylikebloodthrougha vein.Carrying life in and out in a constant pulse.The citywas no longer adyingthing.Likearms reachingout towelcome—ordrag—him in, thegateswereopen.

Radutampeddownthepanicthataroseatseeingthemthatway.Hehadspentsolongbothdefending themandpraying theywould fall,hisbodydidnotknowhowtorespondtoseeingthemfunctionascitygatesshould.Muchhadbeendonetorepairthewallshehadfoughton.Shinynewrocksre-

formedsectionsthathadfallenduringthelongsiege.Itwasasthoughtheeventsof last spring had never occurred. The city healed, the past erased. Rebuilt.Buried.Radulookedatthelandinfrontofthewallandwonderedwhathadbeendone

withthebodies.Somanybodies.“…RaduBey!”Raducrawledoutofhismemoriesofdarkness,thrustbackintobrilliantday.

“Yes?”IttookafewconfusedmomentsforRadutorealizethattheyoungmanwho

hadaddressedhimhadbeenonlyaboyafewmonthsago.Amalhadgrownsomuchhewasnearlyunrecognizable.“Iwastoldyouwouldbearrivingsometimetoday.Iamtoescortyoutothepalace.”Radu reached out his hands to clasp Amal’s. His heart swelled to see the

youngmanhere,alive,healthy.HewasoneofthreeboysRaduhadbeenabletosavefromthehorrorsofthesiege.“Come,”Amal said, grinning. “They arewaiting.Wewill ride between the

wallsandgostraightthere.”

Radudid not knowwhether to be relieved or disappointed.Hehad thoughtaboutridingthroughthecity,butheknewwherehisheartwouldtakehim.Anemptyhousewherenoonewaitedforhim.BettertogostraighttoMehmed.“Thank you,”Radu said.Amal took the reins ofRadu’s horse and led him

throughthespacebetweenthecity’stwodefensivewalls.Radudidnotwanttobehere.Hewouldhavepreferredtovisitghoststhatwere,ifmelancholy,atleasttingedwithsweetness.Hereatthewallstherewereonlytheghostsofsteelandbone,bloodandbetrayal.Radu shuddered, dragginghis eyes from the topof thewall and toward the

gatetheywereheadingfor.ThegateRaduhadunlockedinthemidstofthefinalbattle,sealingConstantine’sfateandbringingthecitydownaroundhimself.Amal gestured to the walls on either side. “They finished repairs only last

month.”Radu glanced up at the nearest Janissaries. He wondered if thesemen had

beenpartof the siege. If theyhad flooded thewall, spillingover it.Whathadtheydonewhentheygotintothecityaftersomanyendlessdaysofanticipationfueledwithfrustrationandhatred?Raduswallowedabitter,acidictaste,unabletolookatthewallsanylonger.“I

wouldliketogotherestofthewayalone.”Radutookthereinsback.“ButIamto—”“Iknowthepath.”RaduignoredAmal’spanickedexpressionandturnedhis

horsearound.Heenteredatthemaingateamidthepressofhumans,thecrushoflife.Itwassomething,atleast.Onceinside,helethishorsemeander,guidedbythecrowds.Hewasdesperate

nottobealone.Therewasmuchtobedistractedby.Thisportionofthecityhadbeen nearly abandoned before. Now windows were thrown open, wallsrepainted,earlyflowersplantedintinypots.Awomanbeatarug,hummingtoherself,asachildtoddledonunsteadylegsafteradog.Where thespringhadbeenunseasonablycold, thewinterwasmoderateand

pleasant. It did not feel like the same desperate, starving, suspicious city.EverywhereRadu looked, thingswere being built and repaired.Therewas noevidenceof fire,nohint thatany tragedyother thanagehadeverbefallen thiscity.Raduwassodistractedthathemissedtheroadhewassupposedtofollowand

endedup in the Jewishsector.Hehadnot spentany time therebefore. It, too,washummingwithactivity.Hepausedinfrontofabuildingunderconstruction.“Whatisthis?”Raduaskedamancarryingseverallargewoodenbeams.“Newsynagogue,”themansaid.Heworeaturbanandrobes.Hepassedthe

beamstoamanwearingakippahonhisheadandringletsathisears.

Radu rode through the sector, then found himself in a more familiar area.Boyssurroundedagiantbuildingthathadbeenaderelictlibrary.Theyloungedon the steps, talking or playing. A bell clanged, and the boys jumped up andrushedinside.Raduwonderedwhattheirliveswerelike.Wheretheyhadcomefrom.Whattheyknewofwhathadhappenedtocreateacitywheretheycouldplayonthestepsoftheirschool,safe.Atpeace.Radustareddownthestreet. Ifhewentfarther thisway,hewouldreachthe

HagiaSophia.He turned and headed for the palace instead. The ride had been enough to

clearhisheadabit.Hehadanticipatedhowdifficultitwouldbetoseethewallsagain.Butseeingthevitalityofthecitywasabalmtohissenses.HewouldnotriskthatbyrevisitingtheHagiaSophiasosoon.Amal was waiting near the palace entrance, nervously wringing his hands.

DoubtlessRaduhadcomplicatedhisdaybytakingadetour.ItwasnotAmal’sfaultRadufeltthewayhedid,andRadureallywasgladtoseeAmalaliveandwell.Hedismountedandpassedhisreinstohisformeraide.“Forgiveme,”Radusaid.“Comingbackhasbeen…emotional.”“I understand.” Amal smiled, and suddenly he looked even older than the

youngmanhehadgrowninto.RaduhadshieldedConstantine’stwoyoungheirsfrom thehorrorsof thecity’s fall, butAmalhadbeen in the thickof it beforeRadupulledhimfree.“Iwillseetoyourhorse.And,ifyoudonotmind,Ihaveaskedtobeassignedasyourpersonalservantwhileyouarehere.”“I would like nothing more.” Radu watched as Amal led the horse away,

puttingoffhisownentranceintothepalace.A small bundle ofmotion rushed toward him.Radubarely had a chance to

holdouthisarmsbeforeaboythrewhimselfintothem.“Radu!Hesaidyouwerehere!”Radupulledback,lookingintothesaintlyfaceofManuel,oneofthetwoheirs

to the fallen emperor Constantine. Radu had stayed behind when Nazira,Cyprian,andValentinleftsothathecouldsaveConstantine’schildheirs.Theywerehisattemptatredemptionforallhehaddoneduringthesiegeandeveryonehehadbetrayed.Hehad fallen far shortof redemption,butholdingManuel—alive, healthy, happyManuel—in his arms, Radu felt joy for the first time inmonths.Laughing,Radupulledhimclose,pressingakisstothetopofhishead.Ofallthelifehehadseenreturntothecity,thislittlelifewasthebesthecould

possiblyhavehopedfor.“Whereisyourbrother?”Manuelsquirmedfree,adjustinghisclothes.Heworesilkrobesinthestyleof

theOttomans.ItwasafarcryfromthestiffandstructuredByzantineclotheshehadwornbefore.“Muradisinside,waiting.Heistoooldnowtorun,hesays.”

“Murad?”Raduasked,puzzled.IthadbeenMehmed’sfather’sname.Manuelbeamed.“Yes.AndIamMesih.Thesultanletmechooseitmyself.”“Youhavenewnames.”Radufrowned.“We thought it was best. It is a new empire! A new start. A rebirth, we

decided.”“We?”Raduasked.“Yes,Muradandme.Andthesultan.”Mehmedhadmeantwhathesaid,then—thathewouldmaketheboyspartof

his court. Radu was glad to hear that this promise had been kept. And hesupposedrenamingthemmadesense.Hehimselfhadfinallybeenabletoadjustandaccepthisnewlifewhenhefeltlikehetrulybelonged.Itwasprobablybestfortheboystoremovethemselvesfromwhotheyhadbeen,toforgetthetraumaandlossofthepast.Manuel—Mesih—certainlyseemedhappyenough.IfonlyRaduBey’snewnamehadhadthesameeffect.MesihtookRadu’shandandpulledhimdeeperintothepalace.Hekeptupa

steady stream of chatter, telling Radu what they could expect for dinner andaskingwhetherRaduwouldjointhemforeveningprayerattheHagiaSophiaorifhewouldbeprayingsomewhereelse.Thenhewentontospeakofhislessons,whichtutorshelikedbest,howhiswritingwasmuchbetter thanhisbrother’s.“AndyouhavenoticedhowgoodmyTurkishis,Iamsure.”Radu laughed. “I have. I could listen to it all day.” And he suspected he

would,untiltheywereseparated.SomethingnaggedatRadu,though,asMesihcontinueddescribinghislessons.Herealizedwithapainbothhappyandsadwhatwasdifferent:Thisboywas

receiving a true education with no cruelty. There were no visits to the headgardener,noinstructionaltripstotheprisonsandtorturechambers,nobeatings.ThiswasnotthesamechildhoodRaduandLadahadexperiencedunderasultan.Mehmedwasnothisfather.Hehadtakenthecityandmadesomethingbetter.

Hehadtakentheheirsofhisenemyandmadethemhisfamily.ThedreadRaduhadfeltaboutseeinghisoldestfrienddissipated.Therewasstillmuchdistancebetween them, but at least Radu had not beenwrong to believe inMehmed’sabilitytodogreatthings.“Areyouwell,RaduBey?”Mesihasked.Radu sniffed, clearinghis throat. “Yes, I amwell.Or at least, I think Iwill

be.”

3

Tirgoviste

IFLADAHADknownthesheervolumeofparchmentshewouldbeburiedunder,shemighthavetakenatitleotherthanprince.Shehadreturnedrevitalizedfromhervisittoherfortress,onlytofindmoundsofletterswaitingforher.Lada groaned, leaning her head forward. The brush Oana was working

throughherhaircaughtonasnarl.“Situpstraight,”Oanasnapped.“I do notwant to do this.” Lada gesturedweakly toward the table covered

withdemandsforhertimeandattention.“Well,Iwouldhelp,butIcannotread.”“Countyourselffortunate.”Ladasatonthefloornexttothetable,sweepinga

pileofmissivesontoherlap.“GofindStefan.Iwanttospeakwithhimifanyoftheseproveinteresting.”Ladabegansorting.Boyaraskingforredressforthelossoflifeofarelative—tossedinapilein

thecorner.BoyaraskingforameetingtoaddresstheconscriptionoflandforLada’sown

purposes—samepile.LetterfromhercousinSteven,thekingofMoldavia.This,shereadcarefully.

Shehadnevermethim,buthehadafiercereputation.Hewrotetocongratulateherontakingthethrone,andtocommendheronthereportsoforderandpeacein her country. He said nothing of her mother. It gave Lada a dark thrill ofvindictive pleasure. Her mother had talked almost obsessively of his yearlyvisits.HewasoneofthehighlightsofVasilissa’ssad,solitarylife,andshedidnotsomuchasregisterinhisown.

Butthentheendofthelettersouredsomeofherpleasure.Pleasetakecaretoavoidantagonizingourneighbors.Letmeknowwhenyouhavenewtermswiththesultan.Iammostcurioustohearthem.Glowering,shethrewhisletterinwiththeboyardemands.“FromMatthiasCorvinus,”Stefansaid,passingheraslenderletter.Ladadidnotknowwhenhehadenteredtheroom,butwouldnotgivehimthe

pleasureofreactingtohisstealth.ShewasstillcrosswithhimforfailingtomeetheratNicolae’sestate.“Readit.Idonotcareto.”Shepickedupanotherletter,morenonsensefromawheedlingboyar.“Matthiaswantstomeet.Hesaysyouhavemuchtodiscuss.”“Ihavenothingtosaytohim.Webothgotwhatwebargainedfor.AsfarasI

amconcerned,ourrelationshipisover.”Stefanheldoutthelettertoher.“Wewanthimasanally.”“‘We’?Idonotwanthimasanything.”Stefandidnotlowerhishandorchangehisimpassiveexpression.Growlingin

frustration,Ladasnatchedtheletterandsetitnexttoherself,butnotinthepileforburning.“Verywell.”Stefanpickedupanotherletter.“ThisoneisfromMaraBrankovic.Sheis—”

Hepaused,eyesscanningtheairasheretrievedoneofthethousandsofbitsofstored information he carried at all times. “The daughter of the Serbian king.WidowofSultanMurad.”Ladaopenedthisletterwithmorecuriositythanshehadfeltaboutanysofar.

Mara’shandwritingwasperfectandelegant.Therewasnot somuchasan inkspotoutofplace.Ladaread the letter twice tomakecertainsheunderstood it.“Mara has gone to Constantinople and joined Mehmed’s court as one of hisadvisors. Have you ever heard of such a thing? She was so eager to escapeEdirne,andnowshegoesbacktotheempireofherownfreewill?”“Ihaveneverheardofaforeignwomanadvisingasultan.”Lada frowned, looking over the words. “It is smart of him, though. She is

brilliant. And, as Serbian royalty, she has connections and can deal withEuropeansbetter thanhecould.Sheisaperfectchoiceforsoothingrelations.”Lada leaned back, tapping the letter against her leg. Mehmed obviouslybenefited,butMarawasnotthetypetogetintoanysituationshedidnotwantto.HermarriagetoMuradhadbeenforced,butshehadmadeofitwhatshecould.Andshehadgottenout,toreturntoherfamily.Ah.Therewashermotivation.Shewasstillyoungenoughtobeenticingfora

politicalmarriage. Thismove and position put her entirely out of her father’spower.Shewas,forallintentsandpurposes,freeforevernow.Cleverwoman!“Whatdoesshewantfromyou?”Stefanasked.

“Hmm?” Lada looked up, stirred from her memories of meals with Mara,during which the older woman advised her how to use society’s demands tocreateapositionofstability.Ladadidnotcareforhermethods,butshecouldnotdeny that Mara knew what she was doing. “Oh, she asks me to visitConstantinople. She makes it sound like a social call. ‘Come and visit thepalace!Wewilleat,takeawalkaroundthegardens,discussthewaysinwhichyoushouldletMehmedandhishorribleempirecontinuetodictateyourlife!’Iwonder if she thought of this on her own, or ifMehmed asked her to write,thinking our past connectionwould swayme.” Lada did not knowwhich shepreferred to believe: thatMara was trying to manipulate her—she would notdoubtit,orbebotheredbyit—orthatMehmedwastryingtogettoherthroughanymeanspossible.But if that were the case, surely Radu would have been sent. Or at least

written. She had not heard from him since his letter telling her of the fall ofConstantinopleandhisnewtitleofRaduBey.Maybe his absence meant that Radu was finally out of Mehmed’s control.

BecauseMehmedwouldneverneglectanadvantagelikeRadu—notifhehadachoice.“Weshouldwritemybrother,”Ladasaid,pickingupanotherletter.“Toaskhimtocomebackandhelp?”“No.”Shethrewtheletterasidewithoutlookingatit.“Ihavelearnedhowto

handletheboyarsonmyown.Idonotneedhimforanything.Buthemaybeauseful source of information about Mehmed.” Lada could accept that as thereason.Theother,smallerreasonwasthatshemissedhim.Shehadfearedforhislife inConstantinople,andwonderedwhathadhappenedtohimthere.Shedidnotlikefeelingthisway.Raduwastheonewhomissed,whomourned.“From the pope,” Stefan said, passing her another letter. “He curses the

infidels and calls downdestruction fromheavenon their empire.And thenheurgespeace.”“Heshouldmakeuphismind.”Ladatossedthepope’sletterintothepilefor

burning. “Would that I had a country without borders. Would that I had anisland.”She stoodand lookedat the restof the letters.Demandsand requests,alliances and enemies, the subtleties of politics of a dozen countries and anencroachingempirescreamingforherattention.Shegatheredthemallandthrewtheminthefire.Theremainsofparchment

dustandsealingwaxwereeasilywipedawayonherbreeches.“Iamgoingtothestables.Itisalovelyafternoonforaride.”

Two weeks later, the Turkish ambassadors showed up unannounced anduninvited,completewithaJanissaryescort.Ladahadherownmenlinetheroomforashowofpower.TheyoutnumberedtheJanissaries threetoone.Hermen,severalofthemformerJanissaries,lookedoncoldly.Ladaloungedonherthrone,onelegdrapedoveritsarm.Shetappedherfoot

impatiently,bouncingitthroughtheair.Shecouldseeinthepuzzledlooksandshuffling posture of the ambassadors that her lack of decorum made themnervous.Shesmiled.“ThisisWallachia.Removeyourhatsoutofrespect.”NeithertheJanissaries

in theircylindricalcapswithwhiteflaps,nor theambassadors in their turbans,madeanymovetofollowherorder.The lead ambassador, an older man with a silver beard and shrewd eyes,

raised an eyebrow dismissively. “We bring terms of your vassalage from oursultan,theHandofGodonEarth,CaesarofRome,MehmedtheConqueror.”Lada tappedher chin thoughtfully. “What a burden, tobe thehandofGod!

Whichhandisit,Iwonder?God’srighthand,orGod’sleft?IfMehmedcleanedhisasswiththehandthatisthehandofGodinsteadofhisownhand,wouldhebestruckdownforblasphemy?”Many of her men in the room laughed raucously, and Lada flushed with

pleasure.ButBogdanhadhiseyesaverted.HehateditwhenshespokethiswayaboutGod. Itwas a good reminder. She had no use forGod, butmost of herpeopledid,andanything thatheld faithandbeliefwasasourceofpower.ShehadseenwhatMehmedhadaccomplishedbecauseofhissteadfastfaith.Shehadseenthatsamefaithstealherownbrotherfromher.Faithwaspower.Sheknewshe should not dismiss anything that gave her power over others. She sat upstraight.“Ourgod,thetrueGodofChristianity,iswithoutformandthuswithouthands.Werejectyoursultan’stitleandhisauthority.Youhavenopurposehere.Leave.”“There is something else.” The Janissary captain stepped forward. He was

compact and broad, years of training evident in every move. She had almostforgottenhowperfecttheJanissarieswere.Itmadeheruneasy,thinkingbackonthemenshelednow.Theywerenothingcomparedtothesesoldiers,whoweretrainedfromchildhoodtobeweaponsofthesultan.Thecaptaincontinued,“Onour journeyherewepassed throughBulgaria. Itappears therehavebeensomeconflictsalongyourborder.SeveralWallachianvillageswereburned.”Ladacouldnotbelieveshewashearingaboutthisnow,fromanenemyinstead

ofherownpeople.Shehatedthathewasshowingherhehadmoreinformationthanshedid.“Ihavenothadreportsofthisyet.”

Hedidnotchangehisexpression,whichwasassharpandunyieldingassteel.“All the Wallachians were dead. It is unfortunate. Most likely due to amisunderstanding.Butonceyourtermsofvassalagearesecure,Bulgariawillbeapowerfulallyandsuchconflictswillcease.Thesultanprotectshisvassals.”Thisman,thisOttoman,thoughthecouldcomehereandtellheraboutattacks

onherowncountry—slaughterofherownpeople—asamethodofforcinghertoagreetoOttomanrule?AsthoughdeadWallachianssomehowarguedinfavorofallyingwiththosewhokilledthem?Anditdidnotmakesensethathewouldhavenewsofthisbeforeher.Unlesshehadcomedirectlyfromdoingithimself.Ladaleanedforward,her

voicecold.“Youkilledmypeople.”The Janissary captain flashed a smile that did not touch his eyes. “No.

Bulgarians killed your people along a chaotic border. The sultan’s termseliminate such chaos. A solid treaty, respectfully followed, will protect yourpeople.”Ladabaredhersmallwhiteteeth.Itwasnotasmile.“Iprotectmypeople.I

avenge them, too.Andyou have nothing to teachme about respect.After all,noneofyou showedme the respectof removingyourhats.”She stood. “Bindthem.”Hermen sprang into action.The Janissary captain andhis soldiersputup a

fight, but they had not been allowed to bring weapons into the throne room.Everyonewassubdued,thoughnotwithoutastruggleandseveralbrokennoses.TheleadambassadorglaredmurderouslyatLada.“Youcannotharmus.You

donotwanttoriskwhatitwillbring.”“Youdidnotworryaboutwhatriskkillingmyownpeoplewouldbring.”Lada

seethedwithrage.Theyhadcomeintoherland.SlaughteredWallachiansunderherprotection.Unlikeletters,suchathingasthiscouldnotgounanswered.ShewouldsendamessagethelikesofwhichwouldechothroughMehmed’sempireandallofEurope.Sheprowled inacirclearound theambassador, then tuggedon theedgesof

histurban.“Iamgoingtohelpyou.Ifitwassoimportanttoyoutoleaveyourheads covered inmy presence, so important that it wasworth disrespecting aprince, then Iwillmakecertainyouneverhave touncoveryourheadsagain.”LadaturnedtoBogdan.“Bringmenailsandahammer.”Finally, the lead ambassador trembled. Finally, he saw howLada answered

disrespectandthedeathsofherownpeople.Ladastood in thecornerof the throneroomashermendrovenails into the

headsoftheOttomans.Asalways,shemadeherselfwatch.Itwouldhavebeeneasiertodoinprivate.Insomehiddendungeon.Butno.Shewouldbearwitness

tothethingsthathadtobedoneforWallachiatobesecure.Thiswasherburden,herresponsibility.Theirscreamswereloud.Inabright,bloodyflash,sherememberedoneofher

manychildhood trips towatch the sultan’s torturers’brutalwork.Thepriceofstabilitywasalwayspaidwithbloodandfleshandpain.Shewatched,butasthoughfromagreatdistance.Theywerenotmen.Theyweregoalsaccomplished.Theywerenotmen.AsuddenwaveofreliefthatRaduwasnotherewashedoverher.Shedidnot

liketoimaginethelookonhisfaceifhewere.Shehadalwaystriedtoprotecthimbecausehewasherresponsibility.NowallofWallachiawas.Shewoulddowhateverittooktoprotectherpeople.Thescreamsstopped.Whichwasgood.Shehadotherthingstodo.“Send themback to theirHandofGod,”shesaid,glancingover thebodies.

Somewerestillalive.Itwasunfortunateforthembutwouldnotlastlong.“TellhimIwillhavehisrespect.”SheturnedtoBogdan,whosehandswereslickwithblood.Hismother,Oana,

wouldbetheonetocleanitup.Somethingsneverchanged.“SendforNicolaeandourforces.WehavebusinesstoattendtoinBulgaria.”

4

Constantinople

RADUWASNOT sittingasfar fromMehmedashehad inEdirne,whentheyhadpretended Radu was out of favor. But no one sat next to Mehmed here. Heloungedatatableonadais,attheheadoftheroomandseparatefromeveryone.Radu was grateful he had not spent much time in the palace under

Constantine,sothisroomwasnewtohim.Dazzlingblueandgoldtilecoveredthewallsinfloralpatternsgrowinguptotheceiling,whichwasringedwithgoldleaf.Aheavychandelierhungoverhead. It, at least, lookedoriginal.ButRadususpected that beneath the tile were the more Byzantine-favored religiousmurals.Mehmedwasclaimingeveryinchofthecity,onemosaicatatime.Radu had come in late—his detour into the city had made him miss the

beginningof themeal—soafterwashing,he tookaspotnext tohisold friendUrbanaandawomanhevaguelyrecognizedfromMurad’scourt.Itwasunusualfor this many women to be at a formal dinner. Murad had excluded thementirely.ButRaduwascomfortedandpleasedtositbyUrbana.Shehadnotbeenchangedbythesiege,otherthantheshinyburnscarthatdisfiguredhalfherface.Shesmelledfaintlyofgunpowderandhadblackscorchmarksonallherfingers.UnchangedalsowasUrbana’sdistasteforOttomanfood.Shekeptupasteady

stream of complaints in Hungarian to the other woman. Radu stareddeterminedly at his plates, avoiding looking at Mehmed. Why had Mehmedcalledhimbacktothecity?Whatwoulditfeelliketotalktohimagain?WhenRaduhadleftsixmonthsbefore,Mehmedhadbeensobusywithplanningandrebuildingthattheyhadscarcelyseeneachother.HadMehmedmissedhim?HadRadumissedMehmed?

Glancingup,hisstomachclenchedandhispulseracedtoseetheotherman.Yes, he had missed him. But it was not the same easy longing he hadexperiencedbefore.Mehmed was swathed in purple. His turban, gold and fastened with an

elaborategold-and-rubypin,haloedhishead.Hewas twenty-onenow,andhisfeatures had settled into adulthood.His eyeswere sharpwith intelligence, hiseyebrowsfinelyshaped,hisfull lipsstaticandexpressionless.Radulongedforthemtocurveinasmile,forMehmed’ssolemneyestowrinkleindelight.ButMehmedhisfriendhadbecomeMehmedthesultan.Itwaslikelookingat

a drawing of someone beloved. He both recognized Mehmed and felt thatsomethingwasdisturbinglyalteredandlostintheprocessofbeingcapturedonpaper.AservantkneltbesideRadu.“Allowmetodeliverthesultan’swelcome.After

the meal, I will show you to his reception room, where you can await youraudience.” The servant bowed, then backed away. Raduwas startled. He hadneverhadaudienceswithMehmed.Particularlyonesscheduledbyservants.This was nothing like howMurad had run his court. Favorites had always

beenallowedtoswirlaroundhim,tositnexttohim.Hehadbeenatthecenterofeverything, reveling inparties and close relationships.But even thismealwasevidencethatMehmedruledinamuchmoreformalcapacity.Noabscondingtothe countryside to dream with philosophers. No allowing advisors like HalilPasha—publiclyexecutedmonthsagoinademonstrationRaduhadnotattended—andhisilktogainfavorandthereforepower.Raduwonderedwhether the distanceMehmed had created in publicwould

continueeveninprivate.OrwouldhesimplycommunicatewithRaduthroughmessengers,remainingforeverseparate?“Howisyoursister,RaduBey?”Radulookedup,surprised.ThewomanwhohadbeenpartofMurad’scourt

had spoken. She was a paradox of harsh elegance. Everything about her waspreciselyfashionablebyEuropeanstandards,herelaboratedressandhairactingas a barrier between herself and the world. She sat up straight, her skirtsawkwardlypooledaroundher,ratherthanleaningonanelbowlikemanyoftheotherdiners.“Iamsorry,Idonotrememberyourname.”Radusmiledinapology.“MaraBrankovic.IwasoneofMurad’swives.”“Ah, yes!Younegotiated thenew termsofSerbia’s vassalage.” It hadbeen

herpartingmove,usinganofferofmarriagefromConstantinetonegotiateherownfreedomandbetterrightsforhercountry.Mehmedhadadmiredherforit.

Withoutconsciousthought,RadufoundhimselfstaringagainatMehmed.HedraggedhiseyesbacktoMara.“Whatbringsyoutotheempire?”She turned her gaze towardMehmed.Her lookwas affectionate. “A leader

who recognizesmyvalue. I amhere as an advisor onEuropean issues. I helpwithhandling theVenetians.TheSerbians,obviously.Anda troublesome littlecountryyouarequite familiarwith.Andfamilialwith.”She laughed lightlyatherownjoke.“Soyouarenotaskingaftermysisterasasocialcourtesy.”“Oh, I am! Social courtesy is the heart of my role here.” Her tone was

pleasantlywry.“It isamazingwhatonecanaccomplish throughpolite inquiry.Besides,IquitelikedLada.ThoughshewasfoolishtopassupamaritalalliancewithMehmed.Shewouldhavedonequitewell.”Radulookedathisplate,nowfilledwithtinypiecesofflatbreadhehadtorn

apart.“Quitewellwouldneverhavebeenenoughforher.”Mara laughed. Urbana snagged her attention to point out howmuchworse

unleavenedbreadwas,andRaduwasagainlefttohisownthoughts.Which,tohissurprise,didnotlingeronthepersononthedais.“Mara,”heinterrupted.“DoyouhaveanycontactsinCyprus?”Shefrownedthoughtfully.“Notpersonally,butIamcertainIknowsomeone

whowill.Why?”“Iamlookingfornewsofmywifeandmy…friends.Theyfledduring the

fallofthecity,andIhavehadnowordofthemsince.”Maraputahandonhis.Herdarkeyesweresympatheticandserious.“Write

downtheirnamesandanydetailsthatmatter.Iwillsetallmyresourcesonit.”“Thank you,” Radu said. “I have been searching, alongwithKumal Pasha,

and—”“He is very handsome.”Urbana said it in the same tone shewould use for

talking about the quality of metal for casting cannons, or remarking on theweather. “Hedoesnot seem likehewouldeverbeviolent.Andhehasbeenawidowerforsometime.”Raducouldnotquitefollowthechangeinconversation.“Areyou…courting

him?”Urbanagavehimthesameglareofdisgustshedirectedatthespicedmeat.“I

meantforMara.Ihaveneitherusenortimeforahusband.”Mara shared a long-suffering look with Radu. “Urbana worries that my

childbearing years are dwindling quickly. She speaks of it often.” She sighedheavily.“Veryoften.”Radu nearly laughed but was hit with a pang, rememberingUrbana prying

into his own private life—and lack of babies—withNazira. Nazira should be

here,athisside.No.SheshouldbeatFatima’sside.Itwashisfaultshewasnot.“YoucouldmarryRadu,”Urbanasaid,thoughtful.“Heisquiteyoungforyou.

Eighteen,now?Buthemarriedhisfirstwifeveryyoung,sohedoesnotmind.Heisverykindanddoesnothaveatemper.Iusedtoheargirlsgossipingabouthow handsome he is, with his large dark eyes and his prominent jaw.” Shepeered atRadu in away thatmadehim intenselyuncomfortable. “I suppose Iunderstandwhat theymeant.Heis tallandhealthy,at least.Andwithhiswifemissing,heislackingforcompany.”Raduchokedonthepieceofbreadinhismouth.Hestood,unabletositfora

meal in this place that had taken somuch from him. IfMehmedwanted himhere, hewould be here. But he could not pretend everythingwas normal.Hecouldnothaveconversationsabouthisfutureasthoughhispastwerenotloopedaroundhisnecklikeanoose,chokinghimwithregretandsorrow.Just then, the banquet hall doors opened. A procession of unarmed men,

roughly dressed under fine black cloaks, entered, dragging and pushing largewooden boxes. Mehmed’s Janissaries stood at the ready, eyes narrowed inobservation.A servant hurried past them and bowed at the base ofMehmed’sdais.“Theywouldnotwait,”hesaid,trembling.Theleaderofthemenbowedaswell,sweepingonearmoutinexaggeration.

Hisbootswerefilthyandhisclothesdusty.Theymusthave justarrived.Radulookedcloser,andrealizedallthemenworecloakswiththeDraculfamilysealonthem.Itwasadragonandacross,takenfromtheOrderoftheDragon.Itfeltwrong,seeingithere.Radu’salreadyfragileemotionsrecoiledatthesymbolofhisfamily.Ofhispast.ThemanspokeWallachian,notTurkish,aswouldhavebeenappropriate.“We

bringagiftfromLadaDracul,vaivodeofWallachia,tohishonorthesultan.Shesendsherrespects,andasksthat,inthefuture,youmakecertainyourmenofferherthelevelofrespectshedeservesasprince.”Withthat,themanturnedonhisheelandlefttheroom.TheotherWallachians

followedhimout.Theywalkedquickly.RadulookedupatMehmed,whomethisgaze,raisinganeyebrow.MehmeddidnotspeakmuchWallachian.“Hesaiditisagift.FromLada.Shesendsherrespectsandasksthatyourmen

respectherasaprinceinthefuture.”“Whatisit?”Mehmedasked.Radushookhisheadinasmallmotion.“Hedidnotsay.”Mehmedhadgottenevenbetteratkeepinghisexpressionsguarded.Radudid

notknowhowMehmedfeltaboutthesurprise,orhowhefeltaboutLada.Thesultangaveawaynothing.Hegestured,andaservantranforwardwithaleverto

pryopenthelidofthefirstbox.Assoonasitwaslifted,hecriedoutinshockanddismay.Hecoveredhisnoseandmouthwithonearmandbackedaway.Mehmedmovedtogetoffthedais,butRaduheldupahandinwarning.“Let

me.”He stopped a fewpaces from the boxes.The smell releasedwith the lidgonewasenoughtotellhimhedidnotwanttoseewhathissisterhadsent.Heleanedovertopeerinsideanyway.Acorpsestaredupathim,driedbloodinlinesofagonydownitssunkenface.

AsfarasRaducouldseefromhisvantagepoint,ametalspikehadbeendriventhroughtheturban,rightintothehead.Radu leanedaway tohide thehorror fromhis sightoncemore.Keepinghis

eyesonthefarwall,hereplacedthelid.“Cleartheroom,”hesaid.Noonemoved.Mehmed stood, gesturing sharply. The room emptied rapidly, only his

Janissaryguardsandonepersonalservantremaining.Hesteppeddownfromthedais and joined Radu next to the first box. There were ten more. Mehmedreachedout.“No,”Radusaid.“Youdonotneedtoseeit.”“Myambassadors?”Mehmedasked.“Yes.”Mehmedstareddownat thebox, then swepthis eyesover the restof them.

“Andthereisnoletterwiththem.”“No.”Mehmedpointedtooneofhisguards.“Catchthemenwhodeliveredthese.I

wantafullaccountofwhathappened.”Theguardsprintedfromtheroom.Mehmed turned,hispurple silk robes swishing through the air. “Comewith

me.”Heglidedthroughaseparate,privatedoor.Radufollowed.Theyenteredasittingroomwithhighceilings.Tinyjeweledwindowsletinlightbutweretoosmall for anyone to break in through. As soon as Radu was inside,Mehmedboltedthedoorbehindthem.Therewerenootherexits.RadufacedawallbearingMehmed’selaborate,beautifultughra,thesultan’s

own seal and signature.Around it in goldArabic scriptwere verses from theKoran.Without turning around,Radu said, “This iswhy you calledme back,then.Becauseofher.”Mehmed hesitated. Radu could feel the other man just behind him, close

enoughtotouch.ThenMehmedsatwithasighononeofthelowsofas.“Ididnotknowthiswascoming.”“Youshouldnotbesurprised.”“Shealwayssurprisesme.”

Raduclenchedhisteethsohardhisjawached.“Icannothelpyouwithher.Icannot—I will not—go between you and my sister. You will have to findsomeoneelse.”Raduturnedtoleave.Mehmedstoodandgrabbedhisarm.Radulookeddown

at Mehmed’s hand, each finger weighted with a jeweled ring. Mehmed washeavywithprivilegeandpower.Radurememberedthelightnessoftheirsharedchildhood.IfthetwoboyswhohadmetatafountaininEdirne,whohadclungtoeachotheragainstthecrueltyoftheworld,sawthemselvesnow,theywouldseestrangers.Alltheyearshadbuiltawallofsilkandgoldandpowerandpainbetweenthem.MehmeddroppedhishandfromRadu’sarm.“Ididnotaskyouheretohelp

mewithLada!”“Thenwhydidyou?”Raduturnedtofacehim.“Because!” Mehmed wrapped his own arms around himself, shrinking.

“Because I am building an empire, and turning this city into the jewel of theworld,andbecomingthesultanmypeopleneed.Anditissolonely.”Hisvoicebrokeonthelastword.Gonewasthecoldassuranceofthesultan,thecalculatingintelligencethatlast

yearhadsentRaduawayasaspy.TheuntouchableHandofGodwasreplacedby theboy at the fountain.The friendofRadu’s youth.The foundationof hisheart. Radu opened his arms, andMehmed fell into him, burying his face inRadu’sshoulder.Raduheldhimclose,takinghisowndeep,shudderingbreaths.“Ineedyou,”Mehmedwhispered.“Iamhere,”Raduanswered.

“Halil amassed too much power.” Mehmed was on the floor of his privatechamber,lyingonhisbackandstaringupattheceiling.Radulaynexttohim,shouldertoshoulder.Nosultanandbey.JustMehmedandRadu.“Myfatherwastoo permissive, too willing to let others take over much of the business ofrunning the empire. It led to corruption and waste and weakness. So I keepmyself separate, let noone think theyhave agreater portionofmyear ormyconfidence.Soon Iwill have a palace complexmade, all the rooms andwallscircling out in rings from the center. I will be there, and everyone else willrevolvearoundme.JustasIamat thecenterof theempire,andeveryoneelseexiststoservetheempirethroughme.”“Itdoessoundlonely,”Radusaidsoftly.

“Itis.Anditwillbe.ButIcannotputmyownneedsaheadoftheneedsofmypeople.Theyneedastrongsultan.TheyneedmetobetheHandofGod,notamereman.AndsoImustsetasidethethingsthatIwant,myowncomfortsandrelationships,tobewhatmypeopledeserve.”Raduthoughtofhisownlife,ofthethingshehadsacrificedtobetheperson

othersneededhimtobe.MostoftentobethepersonMehmedneededhimtobe.CouldhedothesameasMehmed?Setasidethethingshewanted—thethingsofhisheart—forthegoodoftheempire?Heclosedhiseyes.Hedidnotknowwherehisheartwasanymore.Hecould

notsetasidesomethinghecouldnotfind.“I want you to stay here with me,”Mehmed said, his voice tugging Radu

back.“Bemyfriendinthemidstofthemadness.”Raduknewheshouldsayyes.Heshouldnotruinthiscloseness.Buthehad

spentsomuchofhislifepretending.Hedidnotwishtoanylonger.“Youknowwhat people will say. What they already thought. If I am back at your side,Halil’sold rumorswill resurface.”Radu feltMehmed’shead turn towardhim,feltMehmed’sdarkgazeheavyonhis cheek.Swallowing against the emotionpoundinginhischest,RaduturnedhisownheadtowardMehmed’s,theirlipsabreathapart.Mehmedwaswatchinghim,hisdarkeyescarefulandsearching.“Letthemsaywhattheywill.Theycannotharmme,andIwillnotlet them

harmyou.”“And Lada?”Radu asked, dragging his sister into the space between them,

whereshealwayswas.Mehmedfrowned.Helookedbackupat theceiling,but linkedhisarmwith

Radu’s.Themove felt very deliberate, like a step in a dance. “We threewerealwaysmeanttobetogether.Ihaveyou.Shewillcomebacktous.”“Youwantherto?Evenafterthat?”Mehmed’s silencewasanswerenough.Hewould forgiveher thismurderof

hisenvoy.Radushouldhavebeensurprised.Hewasnot.“Andifshedoesnotcomebacktous?”“Well.”Mehmed let thewordhangheavy in theairabove them.“At least I

willalwayshaveyou.”“Iamtheprettierone,afterall.”Mehmed’slaughfilledtheroom.ItusedtofillRadu,too,untilhecouldfeelit

inhisveins.Butthefeelingshehadnowwereechoesoftheoneshehadbefore.Hedidnotknowiftheywouldgrowagain.Mehmed laced his fingers through Radu’s and Radu lay still beside him,

thinkingofhowoftenhehadimaginedwhatthatwouldfeellike.

He had been wrong. Time had taken even this from him, because withMehmed’s fingers tangled in his own, he remembered another finger tracingwoundsonhishands.Grayeyes inplaceofdarkones.The lovehehadfoundwhenhisfirstlovehadbeenlost.NowCyprianwaslost.WouldhisfeelingsforMehmedreturn?Didhewantthemto?

5

Bulgaria

THEASHESOFthevillagewereascoldasthedawnaroundthem.Everywherethegroundwasdustedblackinsteadofwhite,likesomehellishsnowhadfallen.Lada,wrapped in furs, croucheddown.She tookoffherglovesand ranher

hand through the ashes that remained of the village. Her village.Wallachia’svillage.Herhandcameawaystainedwithdullblack.“How many people were killed?” she asked. They had ridden here

immediatelyafterseeingMehmed’senvoyoff.Shehadcomestraightdownthebordertomakecertainnoothervillageshadbeenattacked.Alongtheway,shehadpickedupwitnesses.A peasant from the next village scratched his head, eyes wandering as he

mentallycalculated.“Threehundred?”“Who is theboyar inchargeof this region?”Sheshouldknow.But shehad

neverbeenabletocareabouttheboyarsunlesstheyweregivinghertrouble.Heshrugged.“Nevermethim.”Lada looked at Stefan. He nodded, slipping away.Hewould find out. And

therewouldbeconsequencesfortheboyar,bothforfailingtoprotectthepeopleinhiscareandforfailingtoreportthisattacktoLada.Sheshouldnothaveheardabout it fromMehmed’s people. She closed her eyes, letting herself imagineMehmed’s reaction tohermessage. It filledherwithsomethingsharpandhot,likeanticipation.“Whatareyousmilingabout?”Bogdanasked.Hereyessnappedopen.“Nothing.”Standing,shebrushedherhandsoffonher

trousers, theash thathad lookedblackagainst thesnownowshowingupgray

against theblackcloth.Ashift inperspectivechangedeverything. “WhenwillNicolaebehere?”“Withinthehour.”Nicolaehadbeengatheringallhersoldiers.Whenhearrived,itwouldbewith

overthreethousandmen.Andthespecialsuppliesshehadbeenstockpiling.Lada squinted at the rising sun, let its brightness warm her face. “Three

hundred.Verywell.Wewillkillthreethousandofthem.EveryWallachiandeathwillbeansweredtenfold.”“WewillhavetogodeepintoBulgariatokillthatmany,”Bogdansaid.“Then we will go deep.” No one would be able to doubt her ferocity, her

commitmenttoherpeople.AndnoonewouldattackWallachiawithoutthinkingverycarefullyabouttheconsequencesfromnowon.Itwouldbealotofbodies,butshelookedatthemasaninvestment.Killthousandstosavethousands.

Twodayslater,theboyarwhohadfailedhispeopleclutchedhischestwithhistorn and bleeding hands. The hole he had dug—one of hundreds since Stefanbroughthimtotheircamp—wasready.Twomentookthestakeandleverageditinto the hole, tipping it up. The body slumped at the top, a gruesome coat ofarmsforLada’spushintoBulgaria.Ladalookeddowntheroadlinedwithaforestofbloodyreminders.“Howmanyisthat?”sheaskedBogdan,whorodenexttoher.“Fifteen,sixteenhundred.”They had broken through the border villages as swiftly as a river smashing

throughadam.Everyonewassweptupintheirwake,noonespared.Butitwasnotquiteright.Sofewofthemhadbeenheractualenemies.ShesparednoloveforBulgars—theyweretooweaktobreakfromOttomanrule,andwerethusasculpableasanyone—but theywerenotTurks.Herpoint thatherborderswereinviolablehadbeenmade.But…shewonderedifshecouldmakeanotherpoint,too.ApointthattheprotectionoftheOttomanswasnoprotectionatall.Apointthatherwaywasbetter.Nicolae eyed the stakes with weary distaste. “Only a handful of casualties

amongourmen.”“Good.Anddoeswordspread?”Heshookhishead.“Nooneislefttosendoutwarnings.Myscoutsreportno

mobilizationoftheTurkishforcesatanyofthenearbyfortresses.”Ladarubbedhereyes.Theywereirritatedfromthesmokeofburningcottages

andfields.“Thisisalltheprotectiontheirloyaltytothesultanbuysthem.How

cantheynotseeit?HowcantheynotseethatalltheirbowingandscrapingtoMehmedbenefitsthemnothing?”“Ontothenextvillage?”Bogdanasked.Ladashookherhead.“WherearetheTurkishtroops?”“Thereisastrongholdtwohours’ridefromhere.Perhapsathousandmenare

stationed there for easydeployment around the region.Anotherone,with fivehundredmen,ishalfaday’sridefromthere.”Ladanodded,turningherhorsefromthecorpse-linedroad.“NomoreBulgar

deaths.IwanttherestofmystakesbaptizedinthebloodofMehmed’smen.”

Taking their first fortress was easier than Lada had expected. The Ottomantroops here were lazy, unused to resistance or fighting. She had sent herJanissary-trainedmenonahead.Bythetimetheyreachedthefortress,theguardsat the gate had been slaughtered and everything was wide open, waiting forthem.She lost one hundred and twenty-sevenmen, and added their deaths to the

countrequiredinvengeance.BeforetheyimpaledtheOttomantroops,theystrippedthem.Theguardsatthe

nextfortressopenedtheirgateswithoutquestionwhentheysawtheuniformsoftheirfellowOttomansoldierscomingtowardtheminthenight.Ladarodeatthefrontandkilledbothgateguardsherself.Mostof theOttomansweresleeping,slaughtered in the chaos and tangle of their sheets. Those who were awakefoughtwell.Hermenfoughtbetter.Thenextdaytheyreachedasmallcity.Itwasmadealmostentirelyofwooden

structures,withahighfenceencirclingthem.Twogates,oneatthefrontandoneattheback,letpeopleinandout.Word had preceded them.Hundreds ofBulgarswere outside the city gates,

prostrate. “Please,” a man said as Lada rode up. He did not look up at her.“Please,donotkillus.”“Who protects you?” she asked, looking from side to side with her arms

extended, palms up. “I thought this country was under the protection of thesultan.”Themantrembled.“Nooneprotectsus.”Ladadismounted.Shegesturedimpatientlyforhimtostand.Hedid,shoulders

stooped,baldingheadrespectfullylowered.“AreyouChristians?”Henodded.“Wouldyoulikeprotection?”

He nodded again, shivering though the day was warm enough to hint atspring.Ladaliftedhervoice.“AnyChristiansthisclosetoWallachiaarecloseenough

tobemypeople.Ihavefarmsandlandandsafetyforanywhogobackwithme.Whichismorethanthesultancanofferyou.”“Butourcity…ourhomes.”“Yourcityandhomesweresoldbyyourprincetothesultan.Justasyourlives

were.” Again Lada looked around. “I see neither your prince nor your sultanhere.Thereisonlyme.”Themannoddedrapidly.“Yes.Yes.Comeinwithme,forfoodandwine,and

Iwill—”A woman nearby stood up. She was gaunt but had a strong face, and a

stronger spirit than theman, indicated by the lift of her chin and unflinchinggaze.“Donotgointothecity,”shesaid.“Infidelsoldiersarewaitingtoambushyou.Isawthemonmywayout.”Thebaldmanletoutalowmoanofdespair.Theairsuddenlysmelledofpiss.Ladasmiledat thestrongwoman.“Thankyou.Iwillseetoit thatyouhave

home,land,andanimalstostartyournewlifeasaWallachian.”Thewomansmiledgrimly,bobbingherheadinabow.Ladaexaminedthewall.Therewasnoonewatchingthatshecouldsee.They

were probably all hiding. The city did not have a tower where she could beobserved.“Nicolae,securethebackgate.Quietly.”He rode awaywith several hundredmen to circle the city. Lada raised her

voice.“Theofferremainsforthosewhowishtotakeit.”The Bulgars pushed themselves up off the ground. Many carried children.

Eyeing Lada’s men warily, they walked past them and onto the road towardWallachia.Shecouldbegenerous, too, andwordof thatwould spread.Notasquicklyaswordofherviolence,butbothhadmerit.Ladaturnedbacktotheman.“Goinside.”“I—Iamsorry,I—”“Gobacktoyourcity.”Heletoutaquick,terrifiedsob,thenturnedandwalkedslowlybackthrough

thegate.“Closeitbehindyou,”Ladacalled.Hedidashewasasked,aflashofhiseyes,widewithterror,thelastthingshe

saw before the gate shut. Lada gestured toward it. “Let us help them keep itsecure.”A dozen of hermen hurried forwardwith hammers, nails, and a fewsolidplanks.Nicolaewouldbedoingthesameattheothergate.“Sendthemawarmgreeting.”

As the burning arrows arced overhead into thewooden city,Lada turned towatch the peasantsmaking their longwalk toward a new home.One she hadgiventhem.

“How many dead?” Lada asked Bogdan five nights later, after hitting everymajorTurkishstrongholdalongtheWallachianborder.AroundhercampfiresatNicolae, Stefan, Bogdan, Iskra—the woman from the wooden city who hadwarnedthemandbeentakenonasaregionaladvisor—andsomeofherhigher-rankedmen.Bogdan shrugged. “Two thousand Bulgars. A thousand Ottomans from the

firstfortress.Fivehundredatthesecond.Anyone’sguesshowmanywereinthecityweburned.Weshotat leasta thousandas they tried toclimb thewalls toescape.”Iskra grunted. “They came from all the garrisons around the city. Probably

twothousand,twothousandfivehundred.”Bogdannodded, tickingcitiesoffonhis fingers. “So inaddition to that,we

have hit Oblucitza and Novoselo, Rahova, Samovit, and Ghighen. The entireregionaroundChilia.Alltold,twenty-fivethousanddead?MostlyTurks,thoughmanyBulgarsaswell.”Lada laughed in surprise. Such a number was unfathomable. At least to

leaders likeMatthias ofHungary,whowanted to play politics, to rule behindwalls, to fight with letters instead of weapons. But she had known what shecouldaccomplishwithafewthousandmen.TheOttomanforceswerescatteredandlazy.Toousedtobeingunchallenged.

IftheOttomanshadbeenprepared,Lada’sforceswouldhavebeenslaughtered.But ithadbeeneasyenough toquicklycut theirwayupanddown theborderbetweenWallachiaandBulgaria.Shehadbeenlucky.No.Shehadbeensmart.Sheknewshewouldnotfacesucheasyoddsagain,

butshewouldbesmarterthanherenemy.Dotheunexpectedateveryturn.Thishadworkedonce;itwouldnotworkagain.“Isitenough?”Bogdanasked,fingersstillextendedincalculatingthevolume

ofterrortheyhadaccomplished.Itwouldneverbeenough.Itwasenoughfornow.“Yes.”SheheardNicolaesighinrelief.He dropped his head from shoulder to shoulder, rubbing his neck. “Do you

wantmetoleavemenbehind?”heasked.“Areweexpanding?”

“No,wearedeterring.Ihavenointerestinconquering.Onlyinlettingothersknow the borders ofWallachia are inviolable.No onewill attackmy villagesagain.Notunlesstheywantwar.”Nicolaegrinnedwearily.“Ithinkthatmessagehasbeensent.”“Good.Ihavenewmessagestosendnow.”Ladastaredintothefire,watching

itdevourthedarknessaroundit.

6

Constantinople

RADU STILL FOUND peace in prayer.During the siege, he hadmissedmosques,missed praying in unison with his brothers all around him. It was a comfortreturningtothatroutine.HecouldnotbringhimselftogototheHagiaSophia,though,evennowthatit

wasamosque.Hehadtoomanymemoriestheretotrulylosehimselftopraying.Instead,hevisitedothermosquesthroughthecity.TheyweremostlyconvertedOrthodoxchurches,thoughafewnewmosqueswerebeingbuilt.Hisbrother-in-law,Kumal, joined him formost prayers, and, as promised, Radu also joinedlittleMuradandMesihinprayer.Comingbackwith themfromafternoonprayer,Raduwas surprised tomeet

Mehmed. The sultan was so rarely in the streets. Radu bowed low.Mehmedgesturedforhimtojointhem.OneofhisJanissaryguardsdismounted,offeringRaduthehorse.“Wherearewegoing?”Raduasked,careful tokeephishorsea stepbehind

Mehmed’sforappearance’ssake.HehadbeeninConstantinopleforaweek,andwhileinprivatetheywereascloseasever—whenMehmedhadtimetoseehim—inpublicRaduknewtheimportanceofmaintainingdistance.Mehmedneededtobeapart,neededtostandabove.Raduwouldnotdisruptthat.“Urbana has some new hand cannon designs shewishes to showme. I am

certainshewouldbehappytoseeyou,too.”Radusnortedalaugh.“Youdonotknowherverywell,doyou?”Mehmedturnedhishead,smilingatRaduoverhisshoulder.“Icannotimagine

anyonewouldeverbeunhappytoseeyou.”HisgazelingeredonRadu’sface.It

feltalmostasthoughhewaswatchingforRadu’sreactionmorethanwishingtocontinuetolookatRadu.Mehmeddidthatmoreandmoreoftenlately.Hewouldsaysomelittleshining

thing, or touch Radu on the shoulder or the hand or even the cheek, alwayswatching,studying.Catalogingwhatactionsorwordstriggeredwhichreactions.Radudidnotknowwhattomakeofit.HeofferedMehmedasmilenow,whichseemedtosatisfyhim.Overtheirpastweektogether,though,MehmedhadnotspokenagainofLada.

Whether he had discussed her “message” in privatewith other advisors,Radudidnotknow.Butitseemedasthough,forthetimebeing,MehmedwascontenttolettheissuebeburiedalongsidethebodiesofthemenLadahadsentback.Envoyswereoftencasualtiesofaggressionbetweencountries—Mehmedhad

killedEmperorConstantine’senvoyayearago,CypriansparedonlybecausehehadtakenRaduandNaziraoutofEdirne—butMehmedhadtobebotheredbythelossandtheintentbehindit.MaybehewasplanningsomethingandthoughtRaduwouldobject.Ormaybe,withConstantinoplesorecentlysettled,MehmeddidnotwanttoantagonizeLadauntilheabsolutelyhadto.Eitherway, thememoryofwhatRaduhadseen in theboxstayedwithhim,

wrigglingbeneaththesurfaceofhisskin.Thespike.Thefacefrozeninagonizeddeath.Hissisterhaddonethat.Andshewouldhavetobeanswered.Whenshewas,Radudidnotknowhowhewouldfeel,orwhathewouldwanttohappen.HehadchosenMehmed’ssidetheyearbeforewhenLadaaskedforhishelp.

Hewould,itseemed,havetomakethatchoiceoverandoveragainfortherestoftheir lives.Hehadchangedhis faith,his life, evenhisname,buthecouldnotchangeorescapehissister.RaduwasstillthinkingabouttheproblemofLadawhentheyarrivedattheir

destination.Theworldswirledaroundhim.Frozenatophishorse,hestaredatthe foundrywhereheandCyprianhadspenta longnightmeltingdownsilverandmakingcoins.“Radu?”Startled,RadublinkedrapidlyandturnedtowardMehmed.Theothermanstaredexpectantlyathim.“Youlookasthoughyouhavejust

wokenup.”Mehmedgesturedtothefoundry.“Doyouknowthisplace?”Radunoddedsilently,hopingMehmedwouldnotinquirefurther.“What did you do here?”Mehmed leaned eagerly towardRadu. “You have

toldmesolittleofwhatyoudidinthecityduringthesiege!Youwereastrangertomethosemonths.Iwanttohearallofit.Didyousabotagetheirattemptsatbuildinganarsenal?”

Radurubbedhiseyes,leavinghisfingerscoveringthemforafewsecondstoolongforthegesturetoappearcasual.“No.Theyneverhadahopeofamassingenoughcannonstomeetyouthatway.”“Thenwhatdidyoudohere?”Radustraightenedhisshoulders,staringatthedoorbehindwhichhehadspent

adeliriouslyhotandconfusingnightwithCyprian.Herememberedtheshapeoftheotherman’sshoulders,thelineswherehistorsodippeddowntohistrousers.The feelings inRadu’sownbody thathehadhiddenbehind the tablebetweenthem. But before that, the laughter, the pure devious fun of it all, sneakingaroundwithhisbelovedfalsewifeandthefriendtheywerealreadybetraying.“Westolesilverfromthechurchesandmelteditdowntomakecoins.”“YouandNazira?”“AndCyprian.”Mehmedabruptlystraightenedinhissaddle,nolongerleaningtowardRadu.

The eagerness in his voice had shifted, just like his posture. “Whatwere youmakingcoinsfor?”Radu sighed, letting the memory slip away. “To buy food. People were

starving.”“Howdidthathelpourcause?”Radudismountedandpaused, strokinghishorse’s flank.Hedidnot look to

seeifMehmedwasstudyinghim.“Itdidnothelp.Notyou,andintheend,notthem.Butitfeltrightatthetime.”Raduwalkedinsidethefoundry,blinkingatthesuddendimness.Hisconflictedpast,confusingpresent,andunknownfuturewere all harsher and more difficult to breathe through than the blistering airinside.Justlikesilvermelteddown,itsimpuritiesburnedaway,Radufelthimselfas

molten and unformed. He could pour himself into any shape. He could fill amoldasMehmed’sdearestfriendandconfidant.HecouldfilloneasRaduBey,powerfulforce in theOttomanEmpire.Hecouldprobablyevenreturn toLadaandfilloneasthelesserDraculonceagain.Butthemoldhefoundhimselflongingfor,theshapethatfelttruest,couldnot

be formed.Because the people hewanted to form it aroundwere lost to him.Maybeforever.Ladahadalwaysknownexactlywhatshapeshewouldtake.Shehadneverlet

itbedeterminedbythepeoplearoundher.ButRaducouldnotescapetheneedfor love, the need for people in his life to help him seewhat he should—andcould—be. Lada shaped herself in spite of her environment. Radu shapedhimselfbecauseofit.

HewouldstayinthecitybecauseMehmedstillshapedsomepartofhim.Buthe could not become what Mehmed wanted or even needed him to. And hefearedthatarefiningfirewouldrevealhehadneverbeensilvertobeginwith;hewassimplydirtand impurities,burnedaway toashwhiledesperate tobecomesomethingworthvaluing.

7

Tirgoviste

LADAENTEREDHER receptionroomwithBogdanatherbackandNicolaeatherside.Twomenwerewaitingforher.One,thekingsheknew.Andtheother,hercousin.MatthiasCorvinus stoodand threwa sheafofparchmenton the stone floor.

“Youmonstrouslittlefool,”hesnarled.Ladasmiled.“Now, now,” said the other man, Stephen, King of Moldavia. He leaned

casually in his chair, one leg stretched in front of him, and eyed Lada withcuriosity.“Cousin.”Ladaacknowledgedhimwithadipofherhead.“Cousin.”Shedidnotknow

muchabouthim,other thanhispenchant forpicking fightsandwinning them.ShealreadylikedhimbetterthanMatthias.Butasmuchasshewouldhavepreferred tomeetonlywithStephen, itwas

goodthatthetwokingshadarrivedatthesametime.Itmadethingsquicker.Stephensatupstraight.“Itisgoodtofinallymeetyou.Yourmotheris—”“Icarenothingformymother.”Shedidnotwanttobringthatwoman—and

herweakness—intothisdiscussion.Stephenneededtoseeshewasnothinglikethewomanwho had given birth to her. Lada took the chair opposite the twomen.Shesatasamandid,backstraight,legsapart,armscrossedoverherchest.Matthiassatbackdown,angerinhisstiffposture.Hehadprobablyhopedfor

more of a reaction fromher. Shewas determined to give himnothing that hehopedfor.Whentheyhadlastbeentogether,hehadbeenalmostaking,andshe,fightingforthechancetobeprince.Nowshewasprince.Shewouldnotlethimforgetit.

“IassumeyougotthesameletterIdid,”MatthiassaidtoStephen.Raising an eyebrow, Stephen pulled out his own sheaf of parchment. He

clearedhisthroat,thenreadaloud.“‘Ihavekilledpeasants,menandwomen,oldandyoung,wholivedatOblucitzaandNovoselo,wheretheDanubeflowsintothesea,uptoRahova,whichislocatednearChilia….’”Hepaused,lookingup.“HowisChiliathistimeofyear?”“Quitepleasant,”Ladasaid,notfailingtonoticeStephen’spointedquestion.

Nor had she forgotten thatMoldavia had a vested interest in Chilia. She hadmentioned it specifically for that exact reason. Over the years it had shiftedbetweenBulgaria,Wallachia,andMoldavia.Nowitwashers,becauseshehadtakenit.Stephenliftedaneyebrowinamusement.“Iamhappytohearit.Continuing,

morelocations,followingtheDanube,ahyes,thisismyfavoritepart:‘Wekilledtwenty-three thousand, eight hundred and eighty-four Turks without countingthosewhomweburnedinhomesortheTurkswhoseheadswerecutoffbyoursoldiers. Thus, your highness, you must know I have broken the peace withMehmed.’”Stephenloweredtheletter,laughing.“Ishouldsayyouhave.”“Whywouldyoudothis?”Matthiasdemanded.“Wecannotaffordawarwith

theOttomans!”Ladamethis intensitywithacoolgaze. “Wecannotaffordnot tohavewar

with them.They takeour fortresses, they takeourvillages, they takeour land,theytakeourchildren.I,forone,cannotbearthecostoftheirstewardshipanylonger.IwillhaveWallachiafreeofthem.AndIhaveproveditispossible.Theyrulebecauseweallowit.Nomore.”Stephentappedtheletteronhisknee.“Yournumbersareimpressive.”“Ididitallwithonlythreethousandmenofmyown.”Matthiasgruntedindisbelief.“Youexaggerateononeendortheother.”Ladapulledoutadaggerandcleanedherfingernailswiththetip.“Wemoved

fast and surprised them, fortress by fortress. We never faced more than athousandmenatatime.So,no,Idonotexaggerate,andyouknowitisthetruth.Do not pretend you are not aware of precisely howmanymen I have at mydisposal,Matthias.Anddonotdomethedishonorof implyingIwouldfalsifymy accomplishments. Those of us who actually do things have no need offalsehoods.”Matthiasroselikeastormonceagain.Stephenstood,too,holdingoutahand.

“Calm yourself. Think it through. She has handed a devastating loss to theTurks. And, as she pointed out, she has proved that such a thing, howeversurprising,ispossible.Sotellme,Cousin:Whyarewehere?Whatelsedoyouhaveplanned?”

“Wearegoingtocrusade,”Ladasaid.Matthias sat yet again.His chair groaned in protest of somuchmovement.

“Constantinoplehasalreadyfallen.Evenyoucannotbesodelusionalastothinkyoucantakeitback.”“IcarenothingforthewoesofGreeksandItalians.LetMehmedhavewhathe

hastakenfromthem.Butlethimneveragaintakeanythingfromus.Wecrusadefor Europe. We crusade to prove our borders are our own, immovable,inviolable,thatneveragainwillhetakeChristianlandfromus.”Matthias was listening, his eyes narrowed. “I will not fight forWallachian

land.”“I am not asking you to fight forWallachian land. Iwill fight formy own

land.Iamsimplyaskingyoutofightyourownbattlesforonceinyourpatheticlife.”Matthias’sswordwashalfdrawnbeforeBogdanwasathissidewithaknife

pressedagainsttheking’sneck.Lada let the knife stay there for the time being. “This is what we do.

AntagonizeMehmed.Harasshim. IfStephendoes thesame,wegiveMehmedthreefronts,threebattleshedoesnotwant.Hisempiredependsonstability.Hewillnotriskeverythingforbordershedoesnotneed.Weforcehimtowithdrawfromourlands.”Ladawavedonehand,andBogdanmovedtheknifebutdidnotbackawayfromloomingoverMatthias.“Soyouwanttoworktogether?Coordinate?”Stephenasked.“No.Ifwegivehimasinglefront,itisthatmucheasierforhimtodefeatus.I

want us to do everything separately. No clear target, no attainable path fordefeatingus.Iusedasmall,unexpectedforcetoslaughterhismenupanddowntheborder.Ourbestplanistodefyplans.”Matthias rubbed his throat, his glare as sharp as Bogdan’s blade. “But

MehmedisnotinHungary.Iamnotgoingtoattackothercountries.WhatgoodwillIdoyou?”“DealwiththeTransylvanians.Convincethemtoworkwithme.Ineedtheir

numbers.”Stephenlaughed,idlyspinninganemptywinegobletonthearmofhischair.

“Ihavereadsomeoftheirworkonyou,LadaDracul.Verycreative.”“Didyouseetheoneaboutthepicnic?”Nicolaeasked.Stephennodded.“Oh,yes.Charming.KingMatthiaswillhavehisworkcut

outforhim.”“Iamcertainheisuptothetask,”Ladasaid.Shewascertainofnosuchthing.

“Andyourotherroleisfarmoreimportant,Matthias.Weneedmoney.Theonlypersonwhocangiveusthefundsweseekisthepope.”

“The pope?”His threatened throat forgotten,Matthias leaned forward, eyesnarrowedshrewdlyastheconversationturnedtosomethinghewasinterestedin.“Whatmakesyouthinkthepopewillgiveusmoney?”“HefearsIslaminvadingEurope.IwrotehimaboutmyvictoriesinBulgaria,

andhelikesmeverymuch.”Matthiaslaughedmeanly.“Thatisbecausehedoesnotknowyou.”“Exactly. I have neither the time nor the temperament to pursue that

advantage.Willyou?”The Hungarian king steepled his fingers. “You will have to convert to

Catholicism.”“No.”“HewillnotsupportyouifyouarestillOrthodox.”Whyweremenalways trying to claimdifferent parts of her?Herbody, her

name,her soul.Why should they carewhere its allegiances lay?Shewaved ahandcrossly.“ThenIhaveconverted.Youcaninformhim.”“Ithinkitisrathermorecomplicatedthanthat,”Nicolaesaid.“IfthekingofHungarywritestothepopethatIamCatholic,IamCatholic.”

Ladahadconverted to Islaminmuch thesameway, thanks toRadu’spoliticalmaneuverings.Thathadbeentosavetheirlives.Thiswastofinancewar.Besides,theycouldnottouchhersoulintheend,despitealldemandsonits

loyalties.“Your people will not like your conversion.” Stephen raised his eyebrows

meaningfully.Lada followedhis gaze to findBogdan aghast.BogdanheldhisOrthodoxfaithalmostasdearlyasheheldLada.“Mypeople,”Ladasaid,glaringatBogdan,“will likeitbecauseIchooseit,

andeverythingIchooseisforthegoodofWallachia.”Bogdanlookeddownatthefloor,chastised.Matthias’seagerhungerhadnotquitelefthisface,thoughhetriedtosmooth

itaway.Ladawasstruckwithasudden,powerfullongingforMatthias’sfather,Hunyadi.Anhonestman.Atrueman.Amanwhowouldhavebeeninvaluableonthebattlefieldstocome.ButallshehadwasHunyadi’sson,soshewouldusehimifshecould.Hesmiled tightly. “Itmaywork.With the lossofConstantinople so fresh, I

thinkIcanconvinceRometosendusgold.Perhapsalotofit.”“Good.Weallknowwhatourdutiesare,then.”Stephengrinnedrakishly,holdinghisgobletout toLada ina toast.“Disrupt

stability.Petitionforgold.Provokethegreatestempireonthefaceoftheearth.”Hepaused.“Thisisgoingtobefun.”

8

Constantinople

OVERTHENEXTtwoweeks,Radukepttothepalace—theleasthauntedpartofthecityforhim.HespenthistimewritinglettersandconsultingwithMaraonwheretheycouldlookforNazira.Mara’ssmilingpatiencenaggedathim;thecalmandsoothingwayshespoketerrifiedhimthattherewas,infact,nohope.Hewouldnotgiveuphope.NotforNazira.Notever.Radu was invited to sit in on all the meetings that involved Europe. He

wondered if it was to give some legitimacy to his place in Mehmed’s court,thoughhefeltuseless.UnlikeMara,hehadnotkeptupanyofhistieswithhishome country aside from Aron and Andrei Danesti, whom he met withoccasionally. Theirswas a relationship destined for discomfort. His sister hadmurdered their father; their father had murdered Radu’s father. And now hissistersatonthethronetheyhadequalclaimto.Heavoidedthem,andeveryoneelse,asmuchaswaspolite.TheonlypeaceRadufoundwasinprayer,butevenhisstudiesofIslamcould

notdistracthisitching,strainingheart.EverytimeRaduthoughthehadfoundaplace in theworld, theworldchangedaroundhim,andhewasonceagain leftalone.Today,Mehmedwasattheheadoftheroomonanelevatedplatform.Along

withseveralotherofMehmed’sadvisors,Radusatnearest tohim.Butnoonewas allowed on the platform. Not even Radu, despite how close they werebehindcloseddoors.Somethingsneverchanged.Herubbedhiseyeswearily.Hedidnotknowhowmuchlongerhecouldstand

playacting. It had kept him alive through his cruel childhood, navigating theSultanMurad’scapriciouscourt,andbehindthewallsofConstantinopleduring

the siege. ButwhenNazira andCyprian left, he had lost the one personwhotrulyknewhim.Andhehadlosttheotherpersonwhomhewouldhavelikedtolettry.Hetriedtopayattentiontothecouncilgoingonaroundhim,buthehadahard

timefocusing.MarawasdetailingsomenuanceofdiplomacytogiveMehmedmoretradingadvantageswiththeVenetians.Itfeltdeeplyunimportant.“WhataboutNazira?”Raduaskedwhentherewasalullinthediscussion.“Whatabouther?”Mehmedasked.“Hastherebeenanyword?Canwesendoutmorementosearch?Weknow

theyleftthecityinaboat.Perhapsifwelookedupanddownthecoastline…”Mehmedshookhishead. “Itwouldbeawasteof resources.She leftwitha

nephewof theemperor.HeknowswhatvalueNazirahas. Ifwego searching,theywill only see our desperation and increase the eventual ransom demand.Our best course of action is to wait and see what they ask for.” He noticedRadu’shorrifiedexpressionandhelduphishandsinplacation.“Wewillpayit,ofcourse!Whatevertheyask.Butwehavetobesmartabouthowweportrayhervalue.”“Cyprianwouldneverdothat.”Mehmed’s facewas carefully neutral. “Cyprian.Ahyes. I had forgotten his

name.”Radudidnotbelievehim.Andhecouldnotaccept that thiswasMehmed’s

solution. To simplywait and see what happened. Radu had been waiting formonths.“IfwehavehadnowordofNazira,theymusthaverunintotrouble.Ifyouwouldgivemethemen,Ican—”The door burst open, and Kumal Pasha, Radu’s beloved brother-in-law,

hurriedin.Raduwonderedifhehadsomehowbeendrawnbydiscussionofhissister. Radu stood, grateful. Kumal would support his petition for moreresources.Kumalbowed.“Iapologizefor interrupting,butwehave just receivedword

fromBulgaria.”Heheld out a sheaf of paper.A servant took it, then shuffledtowardMehmed,bowingandholdingitout.RaduitchedtokeeppressingaboutNazira,butKumalwashereonotherbusiness.RaduwouldspeakwithMehmedlater.Andhewouldbringitupagainwhennexttheywerealone.Mehmedhadbeensoevasiveaboutexpanding thesearch thatRaduwonderednowif itwasbecauseofCyprian.Couldhebejealous?Mehmed lookedover thepapers,hisnormallycomposedexpressionshifting

as his eyeswidened themore he read.When he looked up, itwas directly atRadu.“Lada.ShehasattackedBulgariaandkilledtensofthousands.”

Radu’s heart raced as though he were the one attacked. “Why?” She hadmurderedtheenvoy,andbeforetheyhadevensentaresponseshehaddonethis?Mehmed stood. “Kumal Pasha,Mara Brankovic, Radu Bey, stay. Everyone

else,getout.”Therewasarushandflutterofrobes,andsoonthefourofthemwerealone,

saveMehmed’sguards.“Come.”Heretreatedintohisprivateroom.Radufollowed,thespacefeelingoddlylargerwithmorepeopleinit.Perhaps

becauseMehmed alonewas somuchmore overwhelming thanMehmedwithotherpeoplepresent.RaduleanedagainstawallasMehmedpaced.KumalandMarabothsatonalong,lowbench.“Youcannotletthisstand,”Marasaid,breakingthesilence.Mehmedlookedas thoughhewantedtothrowsomething.Buteverythingin

the room was expensive, exquisite, his own property. His fists clenched andunclenchedathissides.“Idonotunderstandthis.Igaveherthethrone.”Radushifteduncomfortably.“Butyoudidnot.Notreally.Youneversenther

menoraid.Shetookitonherown.Youcanseehowshefeelsthatsheisnotavassal.”“Wallachiaisavassalstate!Sheknowsthis.”“Youdidnotrespondtohermurderoftheenvoy,either.”MehmedgaveRaduapointedandwarylook.“YouthinkIinvitedthis?”“Ofcoursenot!”Marashookherhead.“Itdoesnotmatter.Shehastobeheldaccountable.”Radu ran his fingers along the edge of his turban. Normally the cloth felt

soothing,buthefoundnocomfortnow.Tensofthousands.Bulgarians,noless.Itmadenosense.Whatwasshetryingtoaccomplish?“Didshetakeanyland?”Kumalhadbeenwhispering toMara, fillingher inondetails.He lookedup

and shook his head. “Just a fortress at Chilia that has traditionally beenWallachian.”“Sosheisnotexpanding.ButwhywouldsheattackBulgaria?Itdestabilizes

theentireregion.”Mara snappeda fanopenandwaved it in frontofher faceeven though the

roomwascool.“ShesweptthroughandattackedalltheOttomanfortresses.Ourforcestheremustbeinutterchaos.IdonotthinktheBulgarianswilluseitasanopportunitytoriseupagainstus—Serbianswouldnot,wewouldfightalongsideyou—butitwillmakeeveryoneintheregionbolder.Moldavia,especially.DoesshehavearelationshipwithKingStephen?Heisyourcousin,ishenot?”Radushookhishead,feelingworthless.“Idonotknow.Ihavenotbeenhome

—”He stopped on theword,wondering how it had slipped out in relation toWallachia. “I have not been there since I was a child. The relation is onmy

mother’sside,andsheleftwhenwewereveryyoung.IfLadahascontactedhim,itisrecent.”“Howdidsheevenaccomplishthismuchdamage?”Kumalasked.“Itshould

nothavebeenpossible.”“Youneverreallyknewher.Theimpossibleiswheremysisterexcels,”Radu

said.“That,andneverbackingdown.”Marawas still toyingwith her fan, opening and closing it. “What does she

want?Canwebuyher?”Mehmed laughed darkly. “If being empress could not tempt Lada from

Wallachia,nothingcan.”Raduinhaledsharply.Empress?WhenhadMehmedofferedthat?Hehadnot

mentioned having seen or communicated directly with Lada since she left.Mehmedalwayskepthersecret,keptherinaportionofhisheartRaduhadnoaccess to. Radu lowered his head. All their hours in here alone. All theconfidenceandcloseness.AlltheworkRaduhaddoneforhimwhileLadawasfar away and actively working against Mehmed. And still she held him. Shealwayswould.Kumalstood,walkingtoamapdisplayedonthewall.“IfshegetsHungary,

Moldavia, and Transylvania on her side, theymay be able to shift the wholeregion out of our control. We would lose the Danube as well. We can fightWallachiawithoutanyrealloss,butIdonotlikespreadingsothinbetweenmoreregions.”“Wallachiaisnotwellliked.ItwilltakehertimetogettractionwithinEurope.

Youshouldattackher,”Marasaid.“Immediately.”Raduopenedhismouth todisagree, but thenhepaused.Hisownhesitation

hadcostsomanylivesinConstantinople,onbothsidesofthewall.Hehadnotactedaggressively, andwashauntedbywhatmighthavebeen ifhehad. Ifhehad assassinatedConstantinewhen he had the chance, perhaps he could havesaved tens of thousands.Hehadnot because he cared about the emperor, andbecausehecaredaboutCyprian.Hestilldidnotknowwhetherhehadmadetherightdecision.Hesuspectedhehadnot.Couldhestandidlybywhilemoreinnocentsdied?It

wasnothisfaultthistime,but—Orwasit?Ladahadaskedhimtojoinher.Withouthimbyherside,therewas

noonetotemperher,noonetoguideherfromherfirstimpulses.WithoutRadutogentlypushherinnewdirections,shewasturningintothemostbrutalversionpossibleofherself.He had chosen Mehmed over Lada, and this was the result. More death.

Alwaysdeath.

TherehadbeennoresponsetoMara’ssuggestionofattack.Radulookedup.Everyonewaswatchinghim.Kumalwith compassion,Marawith expectation,andMehmedwith agitated turmoil.Finally, his fists relaxed andhis shouldersslumped.“I do notwant to,”Mehmed said, his voice soft. “I do notwant to destroy

her.”Radunodded,hisheadleaden.“Iwillgospeakwithher,then.”Mara jumped in, still aspoisedandelegant asapainting, thougha linehad

formedbetweenherbrows.“Whatgoodwillspeakingwithherdo?YoucannotreleaseWallachiafromvassalage.Itsetsaterribleprecedent.Ifwecanthinkofnothingshortoftotalindependencethatshemightbewillingtobargainfor,wehavenothingtooffer.”“Ifshecontinuestopushonthis,shewillbekilled.”Kumalliftedhishandsas

thoughweighingtwochoices.“Idonotmeanthatasathreat.Imeanitastruth.You have said yourself that she will never back down. Her actions threateneveryoneinourempire.Instabilitycreatescracksthroughwhichdeathseepsin.Ourresponsibilityistokeepourpeoplesafe,andtoaddressthreatstotheirwell-being. Radu, I know she is your sister, but if she will not compromise, thisnecessarilyendsinherdeath.”Radu felt apressurebehindhis eyes like tearshewouldnot release.Kumal

wasright.Ladawascourtingdeath,andwoulddraguntoldnumbersdownwithheronherbloodyjourney.Hehadfailedherbefore.Hewouldnotfailherthistime. But to protect her, he would have to betray her. Betrayal was quicklybecomingtheonlyskillhehadtoofferanyone.Radunodded. “Shewill not compromise.When she comes tomeetme—as

shemust,becauseIamherbrotheranditaggravatesherthatIhavebelongedtosomeoneelsetheselastyears—Iwillbringherbackhere.”“Shewillnevercomeback,”Marasaid.“Notwillingly.”Raduwaitedashismeaningsankin.“No,”Mehmedsaid.“Icannotmakeheraprisoner.Notlikemyfatherdid.It

would…”Hisvoicebrokeashetrailedoff.“Itwould killwhatever love she has left for both of us.”Radu crossed the

room and took Mehmed by the shoulders. He saw his own sadness andexhaustionreflectedinhisfriend’seyes.Hehatedthisdecision,evenashefeltitwastherightone.Theonlyone.“Maybe,someday,wecanfixit.Butrightnow,peoplearedyingbecauseofher.Yourpeople.Ourpeople.Canweletthemdiebecauseofourhistorywithher?”Mehmed’s eyes tracked back and forth, as though tracing potential futures.

DoubtlesshesearchedforoneinwhichhemighthaveLadathewayhewanted

her.The futurehewas seeingdidnot revolvearoundRadu. “Bringherback,”Mehmedsaid.“Bringherhome.”Whatevertheyhadhere,whatevertheymightpossiblymovetoward,itwould

endifLadawasback,nomatterhowunwillingshewas.Shealwayscamefirst.But it didnotmatter.Raduhadnotknownwhat tohope for, but all hopehaddisappearedwhenMehmeddidnothesitatetosendhimawayagainifitmeantgettingLadaback.Itwasthedoor,swingingshut.Raduknewthemomentumhadstartedtheday

he ran away fromEdirnewith Cyprian and discovered that some hearts weremore worth breaking for. And very soon, he sensed, the door would closeforever.HecouldstillacknowledgehisfeelingsforMehmedwhileknowingtheywerenearlydone.Radu dropped his hands fromMehmed’s shoulders, smiling because he did

notknowwhatelsetodo.HehadheldontohisloveforMehmedforsolong.Ithadbeenhis first,andhecouldnot imagineanythingever taking itsplace.Hehadbeenwrong.Hewouldletthisimpossibleloveslowlyend,then.Forever.

9

Tirgoviste

LADAWASHIDING.Shepreferredtothinkofitasastrategicretreat,butthetruthwassheneededa

fewminutes surrounded by thewarm scent of baking bread and nothing else.Shestuckher finger ina jarof fruitpreserves, takingoutagloband licking itoff.“Have some manners,” Oana chided, but her words had no sting. She

hummed, bustling around the cavernous kitchen. Ladawas transformed into achildagain,andforonce inhernineteenyears,shedidnotmind.Shecrawledunderatableandhuddledclosetothewarmovens,closedhereyes,andfinishedoffthejarofpreserves.“HaveyouseenLada?”Nicolaeasked.HehadstayedwithherafterBulgaria,

hispresenceneededmoreatthecastlethanatthetraininggrounds.Ladafroze.Shecouldnotseehim,but thatdidnotmeanhecouldnotseeher.“There isadisputebetweentwolandowners,andtheyareheredemandingshesettleit.Wealsohaveseveralpetitionersaskingtobegrantedlandbeforetheplantingseasonstarts, anda fewdozen recruits forher forces tobe approved, andweneed todiscusshowwewillcollecttaxesfromtheregionswithoutboyars.Andwehavehadmoreletters.”OanashiftedsothatherskirtswereblockingLada’snest.“Maybesheisout

riding.”“Inthiscold?”Oana harrumphed. “I am not her nurse anymore, as she is so fond of

remindingme.Idonotknowwheresheis.Nowgetoutofmykitchenorstarthelping.Damncastlecannotfeeditself.”

Nicolaebeatahastyretreat.Oana’shandappearedbeneaththetable,holdinganotherjarofpreservesandhalfaloafofstill-steamingbread.Ladawouldbeprinceagaininanhour.Butfornow,sheallowedherselfthe

luxuryoflettingherformernursetakecareofher.“Thankyou,”shemurmured.Oana’shappyhummingindicatedLada’spresencewasallthethanksshedesired.Perhaps they never really grew out of their roles. Oana would always be anursemaid.Lada,hercharge.Bogdan,theloyalplaymate.Radu…Shepressedthewarmbreadagainsthercheekanddecidednottothinkabout

anythingatall.

Herolderbrother,Mircea,hadbeenburiedaliveindirt.SometimesLadafearedshewouldbeburiedaliveinparchment.Sheshuffledthroughanewmound,squintingagainstaheadache,missingthe

warmth of the kitchens. Spring kept promising itwas coming, only to bemetwithafrosticingthestonesofthecastle.“ThefortressatBucharest isalmostdone,”shesaid.Nicolaewrote itdown,

waiting for further information. “Poenari Fortress on the Arges is almostcompleteaswell. Iwish Iwere there rightnow.”Ladarubbed thebackofherneck, dreaming of the cold stone of the peak, the deep green of the trees, thesparkling ribbon of the river far below. Of anywhere in Wallachia, hermountaintop fortress felt the most like home. But Tirgoviste demanded herpresencewiththenagginginsistenceofahundreddailypetitionersanddozensofurgentletters.“Doweneed tofocusonanyotherfortifications?”Nicolaeasked.“Thecity

wallsherecouldusesomeattention.”“Wewillnotwinanythingbybarricadingourselvesin.”“Defendingawell-fortifiedlocationiseasierthanmeetingintheopen.”Ladaputher feetupon the table. “Tell that toConstantinople.No.Wewill

fightinwaysnoonehaseverseen.Thatishowwewillholdourland.”“Ifthesultancomesafterus.”“Hewillcome,”Ladasaid,hervoicedarkwithmemoriesofthelasttimeshe

hadseenMehmedinperson.ThegentlenessinNicolae’svoicewasasfalseasawarmdayinFebruary.“Do

youthinkmaybeyouareprovokinghimbecauseyouwanthimtocome?”Ladasnarled,“Saywhatyoumean,Nicolae.”“I mean you are going out of your way to antagonize him. Bulgaria was

unnecessary.”Ladadroppedherfeettothefloor.“Theykilledmypeople!”

“Inonevillage.Youkilledhisenvoyinresponse.Ithinkthatwasmorethanenoughofamessage,butyoukeepstabbingdeeperandharder. Iam trying tounderstandwhy.”“IdowhatIdoforWallachia.”Nicolae smiled ruefully, his face twisting around its old scar. “Do you?

Mehmedcaresaboutyou.Youcouldleveragethat,gethimtoagreetodifferenttermsof vassalage.Lowerpayments.Noboys for his armies.Hewoulddo it.Youcouldcreatethebest,mostpowerful,moststablepositionforWallachiaingenerations.”“AsavassalstatetotheTurks!”“Thensobeit!”Ladaburstoutofherchair,throwingNicolaefromhisownandpinninghimto

the floorwith one forearmpressed against his throat. Shebaredher teeth, herheavybreathsminglingwithhisincreasinglylaboredones.Hedidnotmove,didnotattempttopushheroff.“Iwillnotbeanyone’svassal,”shehissed.“Wallachiaismine.Mine.Doyou

understand?”Nicolaeblinked,hisdarklashesmovingoverhisbrowneyes.Somethingthat

had been there longer than his scar, as long as Lada had known him, haddisappearedfromhisgaze.Shedidnotknowwhatitwas,hadnevernoticeditspresence,onlyregistereditnowthatitwasgone.“Iunderstand,”Nicolaesaid,hisvoicestrained.“Lada?”Dacianaasked.Lada stood and turned her back onNicolae.Daciana stood in the doorway,

hesitantlyregardingthescene.Sheheldseveralbundlesinherarms.“Yes?”Ladademanded.“Your new clothes. We were going to make certain I cut everything

correctly?”“Verywell.Youmaygo,Nicolae.SpeaktoBogdanbeforeyouleave.Hehas

beenscouringtheprisonsforlikelynewsoldiers.”SheexpectedNicolaetoargue—healwaysargued—buthebowedandexited.Daciana took his place, wordlessly helping Lada disrobe. She was a better

seamstressthanOana,whoseeyeswerenotgoodanymore.SoOanahadtakenoverthekitchens,andDacianatheclothingofLada.WhenshehadLadastuckinplace while she measured, Daciana finally spoke. “Is there a problem withNicolae?”“No.”“Good.Ilikehim.”“Ididnotaskyouropinion.”

Dacianamadeasmallnoise,lookingupatLadafromwhereshewasmarkingclothwithchalk.Thenewcoatwouldhavea furcollarandcuffs. ItwasdyeddeepredtomatchLada’shat.“Thenperhapsyoudonotwant tohearmynextopinion,whichisthatyoushouldbecarefulnottoletBogdangetyoualoneanytimesoon.”“Whatdoyoumean?”“Heisgoingtoaskyoutomarryhim.”Lada jerkedaway insurprise, leavinga long trailofchalkalong thehemof

herwould-betunic.“What?”“Hetalkstomesometimes,afterchurch.Thislasttimehelookedaroundand

mentionedhowniceitwouldbetobemarriedthere.AskedwhetherIthoughtagirlwouldprefertobemarriedinthatone,orthemonasteryonSnagovIsland.And since I know he was not coyly trying to getmy attention, I can safelyassumehewasthinkingoftheonlywomanherealizesexists.”Ladasat,ruiningtheshapeoftheunsewntunic.“Whycannoneofthemenin

mylifesimplydowhatIaskthemto?”Daciana gathered up the fallen cloth, then gently unwrapped the rest from

aroundLada. “HaveyouaskedBogdannot tobe in lovewithyou?”Her tonewasteasing.“Icannotunderstandwhatpossesseshimtobe in thefirstplace.Orwhyhe

wouldimagineIamevergoingtomarryhim.”“Heisalittleboy.”Dacianasettheclothtotheside,thenpulledoutacomb

andbeganworkingonLada’shair.Shewasmuchgentler thanOanahad everbeen.LadadidnotminditsomuchwhenDacianagroomedher.“Heseesinyouwhathewantstosee.Bekindwhenheasksyou.”LadalookedupthroughherheavylashesatDacianaandraisedaneyebrow.Daciana laughed. “Well, not kind, then.But do try not to be cruel.He is a

fragilesoul.”“Heistwiceyoursize.Ihaveseenhimbreakneckswithhisbarehands.”“Ah,butyouwillbreakhisheartwithyours.”“Ineveraskedforhisheart.”Daciana finished, stroking her hand through Lada’s hair. “That is the thing

withgivingyourheart.Youneverwaitforsomeonetoask.Youholditoutandhopetheywantit.”Thedoorburstopenandtwosmallchildrentoddledinside.Stefanfollowed,a

briefflashofsurprisedisruptinghisplainfaceuponseeingLada.“Iamsorry,Ithought youwere gone.” He leaned down to scoop up the children, but theysquirmedaway.

“Theywanttheirmother,”Dacianasaid,laughing.Sheheldoutherarmsandbothrantoher,collapsingagainsther.Ladawasconfused.Givenhowoftenshewasawayfromthecastle,shedid

notseeDacianamuch.AndshehadnotseenDaciana’sbaby—namedforLadaherself—sinceshewasaninfant.ButLadawasabsolutelycertaintherehadbeenonlyoneofthem.“Whoisthat?”sheasked,pointingtotheotherchild.A furtive look passed between Daciana and Stefan. Lada only caught it

because shewas so used to Stefan being expressionless. That shared look cutstraightthroughherconfusion.Suspicionbledoutinstead.“Our son.”Daciana smiled pleasantly, as though such a thingwentwithout

saying.“Andwheredidhecomefrom?”Daciana pulled her hair free from the little boy’s dimpled fist. “Where all

babiescomefrom,ofcourse.”Ladawouldnotplayalong.Shestood.“Whosechildisthat?”Stefan picked up the boy, holding him close. “Mine,” he said.He took the

littlegirlinhisotherarmandwalkedoutoftheroom.Dacianagatheredherthings,keepinghereyesanywherebutonLada.“There

arealotoforphans,”shesaid,shrugging.“WethoughtourlittleLadawouldlikeabrother.”“Hmm.”LadawatchedasDacianafumbledthecomb,droppingitonthefloor.

Shepickeditup,thendippedherheadandhurriedfromtheroom.Shehadnotfinishedherwork,whichwasunlikeher.Dacianahadbeenawetnursetoaboyarfamilyaftershehadherownbaby.A

Danestiboyarfamily.Ladahadkilled all theDanesti boyars.Andordered all their heirs killed as

well.ShefoundNicolae’ssheetofcarefullytakennotesandaddedtwoofherown

attheend.WatchNicolae.WatchStefan.

10

Constantinople

RADU AND HIS men rode out to the gates of Constantinople, accompanied byMehmed.Mehmedrodeinthecenterofaringofguards.Histurbangleamedandsparkled in the sun,woven throughwith pure gold threads.His horse steppedhigh, a head taller than the rest of the horses,white and gleaming.Mehmed’spurplecloakcascadedbehindthem.Raduimaginedhewasacitizenonthesideoftheroad,watching,dazzled.Thesultanwascertainlyeverythingheshouldbe.Powerandglorypersonified.They stopped just outside the city, andMehmed allowedRadu to approach

him. “Bring her home.”The quiet urgency in his voicewas in contrast to hisconfidentposture.Radunodded,buthecouldnotpretendatconfidence.Ladawasalreadyhome.

AndRadudidnotfeelathomeinConstantinople.ButhewouldgetLada,andhewouldbringherback.Andthen…Hedidnotknowwherehewouldgo.ButhisdutiestobothMehmedandLada

wouldbedischarged,andheknewwhathewoulddo:spendtherestofhisdayslookingforNazira.Withahollowpain inhisbody thatwas familiar anddull around the edges

now,Raduspurredhishorseforward.AwayfromMehmed.Kumal drew close to him a few miles outside the city. “Thank you for

coming,”RadusaidwithamoregenuinesmilethanhehadbeenabletomusterforMehmed.“Ofcourse.Itwillbegoodtogetoutofthecity.”“Doyoudislikeit?”RaduhadneverheardawordofcomplaintfromKumal.

But he had also never heard aword of remonstration for losingKumal’s only

sister.RaduwonderedifKumalwascapableofcruelty.Hehopedso,actually.ItgavehimhopetothinkthatmenlikeKumalwerethesameaseveryoneelse—theysimplychosetobebetter.Kumal looked surprised, then shook his head. “No. I am happy with my

positionclosetothesultan.Heisagoodman,andIrespecthim.Itisanhonortoserveourpeople.But it isdifficultnot to feel likewearedoingnothingwhilewaitingforwordofNazira.”Radu hunched his shoulders reflexively. He knew Kumal did not bring up

Nazira to chastise him, but he could not escape his guilt over her continuedabsence.Kumalnoticedhisdiscomfortanddrewhishorseevencloser.“Youmadethe

bestdecisionyoucouldhaveatanimpossibletime.Iknowyoudideverythinginyourpowertoprotecther.Imeantthatstayinginoneplacewaitingwilldriveamaninsane.It isgoodtobegoingout,beingactive,defendingtheempire.WewillcontinuetohopeandprayforwordofNazira’ssafety.Butthatcanbedonejustaswellfromtheroad.”Radu nodded, feeling slightly less burdened. “Thank you.You have always

beenafriendtome.”“Youaremybrother.”Radu laughed. “You are certainly the brother I chose.My own brotherwas

neverafriend.”“Speakingofyour siblings,what is theplan foryour sister?Willyou try to

negotiatefirst?”“Iamsendingwordaheadforher tomeetusatouroutpost inGiurgiu.She

willcometoseeme,Ithink,evenwithoutspecificpromises.Whenshearrives,weseparateherfromhermenandbringherbacktoConstantinople.”“Howmuchforceareyoupreparedtouse?”Radu shifted uneasily in his saddle, hunching deeper into his furs. It had

seemedlikeagoodplanwhendiscussingitwithMehmedandMara.ButRaduhadnotthoughtthroughthespecifics.Ladawouldnotwanttocome.Thatmuchwas obvious.Would he have to kill hermen?What if Bogdanwaswith her?Radu had never liked Bogdan; he encouraged the worst in Lada through hisdoggedloyalty.ButRadudidnotwant tokillhim.OrNicolae.HehadalwaysthoughtNicolaesuperiortotherestofLada’smen.Funnyandsmart,evenkindsometimes.And then therewasLadaherself.Radu imagined tyingherup, bringingher

back in one of their supply wagons. She would fight them the whole way,otherwise.Andoncetheygotherback,whatthen?Aprisoncell?

Radusighed,rubbinghiseyes.“Asmuchforceasittakes.”Hecouldnotseeahappy resolution to this plan, but he could not leave Lada to her continuedaggressions.“Isthattherightthingtodo?Bringherinunderfalsepretensesofpeace,and

thenkidnapher?”Kumaldidnotsoundangry,buttherewasdisapprovalinhissofttone.Hehadnotcontributedmuchduringtheirplanning.HestilldeferredtoMehmed and would not disagree with him, but with Radu, he was morecomfortable.“Itwill save lives in the long run.”Radu held out his hands, then dropped

themhelplesslytohissides.“Anditwillsaveherlife,too.Marawasright.Shecannot go on like this. Someone will kill her. I would rather her safe inConstantinople in prison than in an unmarked grave next to our father andbrother.”Kumalnodded.“Verywell,then.Ifyouthinkthisisthebestcourseofaction,

Iwilldoeverything inmypower tosupportyou.Sometimeswemustwork insubterfuge.ThoughImustadmit,itfitsmelikeatoo-smalltunic.Ihavenoskillortasteforit.”“Thatisbecauseyouareagood,honestman.”Raducouldnotsmilethistime.

Heslipped intosubterfugeaseasilyassliding intoawarmbath. Ithadalwaysbeenhisgreatestskill,sayinganddoingwhateverittooktosurvive.Nowhewouldsayanddowhatever it tooktomakesurehissistersurvived.

Evenifsheneverforgavehimforit.

TwodaysintotheirjourneynorthtowardthefortressatGiurgiuthatmarkedtheedgeofOttoman-controlledland,amessengercaughtupwiththem.“IwassentbyMaraBrankovic,”hesaid,covered industandholdingouta

letter.Radu took it, puzzled.WhatwouldMaraneed to communicatewithhimso

desperately?Hebrokethesealandopenedit.OneofthesheetswasanotefromMara. The elegant lines of her writing cut him apart. He could not catch hisbreath,couldnotmanagetolookatthenextletter.“Whatisit?”Kumalasked.“Mara.ShefoundwordofNazira.Icannot—Kumal,Icannotreadit.”Radu

trembled, tooterrifiedtolearnwhathadhappenedtoNazira.Notknowinghadbeenawful,butholdingherfateinhishandswasworse.Hecouldnotbearitifshewasdead.Kumal gently took the letters from Radu. Radu kept his eyes fixed on the

ground.WatchingKumal for a reactionwas the sameas reading the letter.He

wantedtopausetimehere,forever,wherehedidnothavetoknowifhistruestfriendwasdeadanditwashisfault.Kumal let out a sharp, relieved breath and praised God. Radu was pierced

throughwithhopeanddared to lookup.Tears shone inKumal’s eyes, andhesmiled.“Sheisalive.”AgasptorefreefromRadu’schest,loosingallthemonthsoftormentandfear.

“Sheisalive?”“She is.” Kumal scanned the letter again. “They were shipwrecked on an

island in the Sea ofMarmara.Nazirawas unharmed.Cyprian and the servantboywerebadlyinjured.Shehadtostaytocareforthemanddidnothaveawaytosendworduntilshecouldtraveltoamorepopulatedarea.”Nazirawasalive.CyprianandValentinwerehurt.“Arethey…?DidCyprian

andValentinrecover?”“Itdoesnotsay.ThisisnotwrittenbyNaziraherself.ItisfromoneofMara’s

contacts.ThewritersayshecanescortNaziraasfarastheportcityofBursa,butthatshewillneedsomeonetomeetherthere.”Raduwasalready turninghishorse.He tookadeepbreath,closedhiseyes,

andliftedhisfacetowardtheheavens.Breathingingratitude,breathingoutfear.Breathing inhope,breathingoutworry.Nazirawasaliveandwell.Hehadnotkilledhistruest,dearestfriend.HewouldbringFatima’swifehometoher.AndCyprian.IfCyprianandValentinweredead,theletterwouldhavenotedit.Surelythey

werewell,whichwasallhecouldaskfor.Anythingmorewastooselfishonhispartaftereverythinghehaddone.“Youshouldgotoher.”RadusmiledatKumal.Kumal’swarmeyeswerefilledwithtears.Heshookhishead,asmilelighting

his face. The same kind, gentle smile that had been a lifeline to Radu as aterrifiedandlostyoungboyinaforeignland.“Youareherhusband.Goandgether.”“ButLada…”“Iwillseetoeverything.IpromiseIwilltreatherwithrespectandasmuch

gentleness as I can.Letme take careof your sisterwhileyougo take careofmine.”Radu laughed, reaching out and clasping Kumal’s hand. “Thank you, my

brother. I will bring her home.” Radu turned his horse toward the route thatwould take him to Bursa andNazira. He paused. “Please be careful withmysister.”“IpromiseIwillbekind.”“No,Imean,becautious.Foryourself.”

Kumal’s expression turned colder and decidedly grimmer. “I have read thereports.Iwillnotunderestimateher.”Withanothersharednod,RaduandKumalpartedwaystoretrievesisterswho

neededtoreturntotheempire.Oneasarescue,theotherasaprisoner.

11

Tirgoviste

“WHATDIDTHISonedo?”Ladaasked,sharpeningdaggerswhileamotleygroupofprisonerswaitedinfrontofherthrone,surroundedbyherownsoldiers.“Rape,”answeredBogdan.“Killhim.”Ladadidnotlookupasthemanwasdraggedawayandthenext

wasbroughtup.“Andthisone?”“Theft.”She feltBogdan staringather,willingher to lookathim.Shehad

avoidedhimsinceDaciana’swarning.Shedidnothavetimetobecarefulwithhisfeelingsandresentedhavingtoaccommodatetheminanyway.“Why?”sheasked.“Myfamilywasstarving,”theprisonergrowled.“Iwoulddoitagain.”Ladapaused,consideringhim.Hewaslankyandthin,butwiththepotentialto

bestrongifwellfed.“Youmayjoinmyarmy.Youwillbeonthefrontlinesofany conflict and will most likely be killed. If you survive and distinguishyourself,yourcrimeswillbeforgivenandyouwillhavetheopportunitytogetlandforyourselfandyourfamily.Ifyoustealagain,oryoudisappointmeinanyway,youwillbekilled.Otherwiseyouwillgobacktoacell.Doyouagree?”Themanhesitated,hisbrowfurrowedinthought.Ladaappreciatedthat.The

men who agreed without taking time to weigh the offer were lying either tothemselvesor,morelikely,toher.Shealwayshadthemputbackinprisonorhadthemkilled,dependingontheircrimes.Finally, the man bowed his head and dropped to one knee. “I agree, my

prince.”“Verygood.”Ladawavedhimaway.Thesoldiersdirectedhimtotheopposite

exit, where he would join the ever-swelling ranks of her forces. She was

approachingfivethousandandhopefulforevenmorefromTransylvania.“Dowe reallywant criminals forour army?”Nicolae asked.He sat nearby,

thoughshehadnotaskedhimtojointoday’ssession.“Wehavehadcriminalsforournobilityforcenturies.Whynot letcriminals

actuallyaccomplishsomethingforus?”Nicolaesighed.“Butwillyoureallygivethemlandafter?”“I give land to whomever I see fit. If it comes from me, they owe me

everything.IfIfall, theyloseall theyhavegained.Doyouseeabetterwaytoencourageloyaltyamongmypeople?”Nicolaeshrugged,grinning.Butthegrinfeltoff,fadedandwornlikehisscar.

Thingshadnotbeenthesamesincehehadquestionedher.Shefeltthedistancebetween them like theedgeof a serratedblade.Movea fingeralong it slowlyanditwasmerelyuncomfortable.Butmovetoofastandtherewouldbeblood.“Whyareyouhere,Nicolae?Youshouldbetrainingournewrecruits.”“Therehasbeenaletter.”“Oh, a letter. That is new. Is it a proposal of marriage? Perhaps a careful

admonishment tokeeptomyownbordersandstopantagonizingourenemies?Or would someone like to congratulate me on my actions but do nothing toactuallyhelpus?Idosolovetheseletters.”Ladasheathedarazor-sharpdaggeratherwristandpulledoutthenextonetobesharpened.“Itisfromyourbrother.”Ladasatup.“Cleartheroom.”The soldiers pushed the remaining prisoners out, leaving only Bogdan and

Nicolae.“WhereisStefan?”Ladaasked,holdingoutherhand.“I do not know.” Nicolae passed her the letter. Radu had a new seal,

something in swirlingandstylizedArabic script.Shecrumbled the redwax topiecesbeforeopeningtheletter.

BelovedSister,Iwriteonbehalfofhismagnificence,theHandofGodonEarth,theemperorofRome,thesultanofthegloriousOttomanEmpire,MehmedtheConqueror.

LadamarveledatthesheerweightoftitlesMehmedhadattachedtohimself.Howdidhewalkwithallthosewordstrailingfromhisshoulders?

RecenteventsrequirearenewingoftermsofWallachia’svassalagetotheOttomanEmpire.Toavoidaconflictyoucannothopetowin,pleaseattendtomeatGiurgiu,wherewecancometoanagreementforhow togo forwardwith friendshipandpeace.Preferablya friendship that includes significantlyfewerimpaledbodies.

Ladasnortedalaugh,surprisedbytheflareofdelight.Therewasherbrother.TherewastheRaduhidingbehindanewtitle,behindanempirethatwasnothisown.Shewashitwithapangofbothmelancholyandanger.Shemissedhim.Shehadaskedforhispresencesolongago,buthewasonlycomingnowattheinsistenceofMehmed,whocorrectlyguessedthatRaduwastheonlyenvoynotatriskofbeingsentbackinawoodenbox.Itwascleverofhim.

Iwillbeawaitingyourarrival.Ithasbeentoolong,Sister.Wehavemuchtodiscuss,andIhavemissedyou.Untilwemeetagainsoon,

RaduBey

His handwriting, always elegant and meticulous, wobbled a bit around thewords I have missed you. Was it because he was lying? Or because he wasadmittingadifficulttruth?LadapassedthelettertoNicolaeandbeganpacing.“Interesting,” he saidupon finishing. “Farmore civil than I expected, to be

honest.Perhapsthelittlezealotstillholdssomeaffectionforyou,evennow.”Ladadidnotreact,suspectingNicolaewasbaitingheragain.“Whatareyougoingtodo?”heasked.“Iwillmeetmybrother.”“Andwill you accept new terms?Betweenyourbrother’s influenceand the

sultan’s leniency, I thinkwe can secure the greatest termsWallachia has everhad.”Nicolaesoundedexcited,hiswordsrushingtogether.Hehadsuggestedthesame thing in her rooms. This letter was proof that his ideas were correct.“Everything you haveworked forwill be rewarded.And all your peoplewillbenefit.”Ladasmiled,twistingherdaggertocatchthelight.“IwillmeetRadu.AndI

willbringhimhome.”Nicolae sounded significantly less excited and far warier. “He said nothing

aboutcomingbacktoTirgoviste.”“No, he will not wish to.” Her grin spread. “We are going to kidnap my

brother.”“What?”Bogdanasked.“Why?”Becauseheshouldhavebeenhersregardless.Becauseshemissedhim,andshehatedhimforthat.Because Bogdan wanted more than she could ever give him. Because she

mistrustedStefan.BecauseNicolae’squestionsfesteredunderherskin.BecausePetru,youngandthickheadedbuthers,wasdead,killedbytheboyarsshehad

theneliminatedinthediningroomofthisverycastle.Becauseevenafterallthis,sheknewinthebloodthatflowedthroughherveinsthatshecouldtrustRadu.Andbecause…Nicolaehadbeenright.Ladawastryingtopickafightwith

Mehmed, even if she had not realized it before. She was not doing it forWallachia.Shediditforherself.Foreverythinghehadbeentoher.Forall theways he had failed her. She hadWallachia, and shewould do everything shecouldtoprotectit,butshewantedtopunishMehmed.KidnappingRadu—takingbackthefirst,andthelast,thingMehmedhadtakenfromher—mightbeenoughtomakehimcometoherwhentensofthousandsofbodieshadnot.Justthreebodiesmattered.Thesamethreethathadalwaysmattered.Radu’s.Lada’s.AndMehmed’s.

12

Bursa

RADUCOULDNOTgetofftheboatfastenough.Foronceitwasnotbecausehewassick,butbecauseofwhowaswaitingforhim.Hehadbeenatthebow,searchingthehorizonsincedawn.AssoonashesawBursa in thedistance, itwasallhecoulddonot to jumpoutandswim.Knowinghewouldbefarslower than theboatkepthimonboard.Theydrewcloser,alongsidethecity—onehehadvisitedwithNazira,before

Constantinople—and the wind whipped at Radu’s face, as frenzied as hisanticipation.Finally,theyapproachedthedock.Radusawafamiliarfigure,asbrightandwelcomeasspring.Hejumpedoverthesideoftheboat,landinghardonthedock.Naziramethim

halfway.Hethrewhisarmsaroundher, liftingheroff thegroundandspinningherinacircle.Hedidnotknowwhetherhewaslaughingorcrying.Afterafewminutesofembracing,Radureleasedher.Hecuppedherfaceinhishandsandstudied it.Shewasbrowner than shehadbeen—evidenceofmore time in thesunthanusual—andherclotheswereincolorsshewouldneverhavepickedoutforherself,butshelookedhealthy.Therewerenohauntedhollowsbeneathhereyes,nosuppressedterrorsinthefullsweetcircleofherlips.“Nazira,I—”Sheputonehandoverhismouth.“Pleasedonotapologize.Iknowyou.You

haveprobablycarriednothingbutguiltallthesemonths,tearingyourselfapart.Butyoudidit.Yougotusoutsafely.Wesurvived,whichmeanswearealivetohealandgrow.”Radusighed,hanginghisheadandshiftingherhandsoitrestedonhischeek.

“ThewholetimewewereinConstantinopletogether,thatwasmyonlyprayer.

Thatwhateverelsehappened,youwouldbesafe.”“Godisgood,”Nazirasaid,smiling.RaduhadnotlookedforanyoneelsebutNazira.Now,however,withhisheart

filledtoburstingatthesightofherhealthyandwellandalive,hehadroomtowonder.“ValentinandCyprian,didthey—”“Theyarenothere.Buttheyarealive,too.”A shudder passed through Radu. The release of the guilt and terror was a

physical sensation, and he felt close to collapse. Nazira took his hand, asunwilling to letgoofhimashewasofher,and ledhimtoa jumbleofstonesnearthewaterwheretheycouldsit.TheyhadlastbeenheretogetherwatchingMehmed’s armada. Back when Radu thought he knew what the future held,whenConstantinoplewassimplyagoal.Notablood-soakedreality.Touchinghisturban,Nazirasearchedhisface.“Itisgoodtoseeyoubackin

this.Itisgoodtoleavebehindpretending.”Shelookeddownatherownclothes.“SometimeswhenIdream,IamstillwearingthestylesofConstantinople.WhenIwakeup,Icannotbreathe.”Sheshookherheadasthoughwaking.“HowisFatima?”Raduput an armaroundher, drawingher close.Hedidnot thinkhewould

everlethergoagain.ExcepttogivehertoFatima.“Sheiswell,”hesaid,gently.“IsentwordtoherthatIwasbringingyouback,butIdidnothavetimetogoandgether.”Nazirawipedbeneathhereyes.“Ihavemissedhersomuch.ButIknewthat

you would take care of her. It has made the missing bearable. It was simplysadness,notsadnessandfear.”“Sheneverlosthope.Sheismadefromit,Ithink.”Naziralaughedandnodded,herheadbobbingagainstRadu’sshoulder.“She

is.She ismylight thatnevergoesout.Andyouare theglass thatprotectsourflame.”Nazirakissedhimonthecheek.“IhavebeeninBursaforthreedays.Iwaited here at the docks for each of them, knowing you would come.WhenMaraBrankovic’smanarrivedtobringmehere,IpartedwayswithCyprianandValentin. I donot knowwhere they are now. Iwas sorry to leave them.Theyhavebecomefamily.”RaduknewtheyshouldgofindhorsestoreturntoFatimaasfastaspossible,

buthewas stillunsteadyandneededa fewminutes forhisbody toaccept thetruth of Nazira’s safety. “Tell me everything that happened since you left.Please.”“First,tellme:Didyousavethem?Constantine’snephews?”Radunodded,gazingatthecloud-strewnskyabove.HehadleftNazirawith

Cypriantogobackintothecityandsavethetwoboys.Ithadbeenagamblefor

allofthem.Raduriskedhislifeforwhatcouldhavebeenafutilemission,andhe risked Nazira’s by trusting Cyprian with her care even after Radu hadrevealedtheirtreachery.Butthathadneverfeltlikearisk.HehadknownthenashedidnowthatCyprianwouldneverdoanythingtohurtthem.Itwasperhapsmorethantheydeserved,anditmademissingCyprianhurtall

themore.“Idid.Andtheyweresparedthegreaterpartofthecarnageandterror.They are part ofMehmed’s court now, renamedMurad andMesih. They arehappy.”Nazirasqueezedhishand.Shedidnotaskfordetails,andhewouldnotoffer

them.Shehadseenenoughduringtheirflighttoknowbetterthantowantmoreimages from that nightmare. “Iwould say you did the right thing, but I thinkunderthosecircumstances‘right’ceasedtoexist.Youdidagoodthing,though.Howisthecity?”“Flourishing.AsweknewitwouldunderMehmed’scarefulcare.”“Andhowisthesultan?”Radu gently nudged her. “You do not have to speak as though you are a

surgeon exploring awound. I have had no one to talk to, no onewho knowseverythingIam.Pleaseletusdropallpretenses.”Naziranudgedhimbackwithherelbow.“Verywell.Howhasitbeen,being

reunitedwithhim?”“Doyourememberwhenyoutoldmebeingasgreatasheismakeshimboth

more and less than aman? I have thought of that often.He is so isolated, bynecessity.Herefusestofallintothesameerrorshisfatherdid.Andhedependsonme,andlovesmeeven,inhisownway.Butthis—whatIhavewithyou—hasfedmemoreinthepastfewminutesthanmonthsatMehmed’ssidehave.”“Iamsorry,then.”“Toberight?”Nazira laughed. “It is a heavy burden, always being right. But some of us

mustbearit.”“I amgrateful youbear it forme, as I amnotqualified to carry itmyself.”

Radustood,holdingouthishand.“Nowcome.Wewillgethorsesandsupplies.AndyoustillhavetoldmenothingofwhathastranspiredsinceIleftyouattheGoldenHorn.”“Brace yourself,” Nazira said. “It is a very good story. At least now that I

knowIhaveahappyending,itis.”They navigated the windy streets of Bursa, purchasing what they needed.

Havingthepurseofthesultanhelpedspeedtheprocessremarkably.Naziratoldhertalebetweentheirerrands.

“We swamout to one of the abandoned small galleys.Cyprianwas able toturnthesailstocatchthewind,andweslippedoutunnoticedamidthechaos.WedecidedtoheadforCyprus.Cyprianwantedtodockearlier,butIrefused.Iwasafraid that if we were caught by Ottoman forces, Cyprian would be killed. Iknewyouwouldwantustogofartherratherthanriskhislife.”Radunodded,strokingthehorsehehadchosenastheywaitedforsaddlesand

packs.Nazira continued. “Our second day on the boat, things took a turn for the

worse.Wehadnosupplies,andinourexhaustedstate,weallfellasleepatthesametime.Astormawakenedus,andbeforewecoulddirecttheboattoshore,wecapsized.“Cyprianwashithard.Hewentunder.InthetempestIcouldnotfindhimor

Valentin. Then I saw the boy, clinging to themast, his arms around Cyprian.Betweenthetwoofus,wemanagedtohangonlongenoughtodrifttoanislandshore.ButValentin’sleghadbeenbadlybroken,andIcouldnottelltheextentofCyprian’sinjuries.”Evenknowingallthreehadsurvived,Radufoundhimselfholdinghisbreath.“IdraggedCyprianontodryground,andthenwentbacktohelpValentin.We

waitedoutthestormundertheshelterofsometrees.Whenitfinallypassed,withCyprianstillunconscious,Iventuredouttofindhelp.“Therewasnone.Noone.Wemanagedtolandontheloneliestislandinallof

Europe,Ithink.”Shelaughedlightly,butRaduknewitcosthertopretendithadnotbeenterrifying.Astheystrappedthepacksontothehorses,Nazirafilledindetails.Thenext fewmonthsshehad takencareofCyprian—hehadwoundednot only his head but also an ankle and a shoulder—and Valentin, whilestruggling to provide enough food and also cobble together a boat from theremnantsoftheiroldone.“Younever cease to astonishme,”Radu said, halfway throughbucklinghis

pack.HecouldnottakehiseyesfromNazira.Sheblushed,smilingcoyly.“I hope I can cease immediately, as I never wish to do anything quite so

astonishingagain.Wefinallymadeitfromtheislandtothemainlandandfoundalonelyfarmstead.Buttheymistrustedusandwantedmoney,andwehadnone.They put us towork.When they decidedwe had earned enough to pay themback for feeding and sheltering us, I was allowed towalk to the next closesttown—a full day away—where I could ask for help and information. Imaginemysurpriseatfindingthatsomeonehadleftwordandwasalreadylookingforus!AtfirstIfeareditwasbecauseofCyprian,thattherewasapriceonhishead,so I did not write you. I am sorry. I could not risk him being found. Aftereverythingwehavebeenthrough,heisfamily.Itakecareofmyfamily.”

“I know you do.” Radu finished cinching up his pack and helped Naziramountherhorse,thenmountedhisown.“SoIsetupameetingwiththemanwhohadleftword,andwaited.Whenhe

told me that Mara Brankovic was the one looking so intently, I assumed wewouldbesafe.HeragentgaveusarideasfarasaportwhereIcouldgetpassagetoBursa.ThatwaswhereCyprianandValentinpartedwayswithme.Itriedtogetthemtocome,but…”Radudidnotforcehertotellthehardtruth.“Afterallmydeceptionandmy

role in the fall ofConstantinople, I cannot imagine theywere eager to seemeagain.WeusedCyprianterribly.Idonotblamehimforanything.”“ItoldCyprianeverything.”“Whatdoyoumeanbyeverything?”“I mean everything. He deserved nothing less than total honesty. He was

angry.Butmore than that, hewas hurt.Hewanted to understandwhywedidwhatwedid.Howwecouldhave lied tohimfor that long. I toldhimofyourchildhood,howwemet,whatyoudidforme.ItoldhimofLadaandyourfather.I told himwhat the empire offered you—safety, home, faith. Things you hadnever had. I told himwhywewere in the city as spies,whatwe actually didwhile we were there. I told him of Fatima and my own reasons for wantingsecurityforbothourempireandourfaith.ItoldhimwhatIthoughtthesultanwoulddowiththecity.AndItoldhimofyourrelationshipwithMehmed,bothwhatitisandwhatitisnot.”Raduflinched,closinghiseyes.HehadalreadytoldCyprianthehardesttruth,

ofcourse:thetruthofhisduplicity.ButknowingthatCypriankneweverythingfeltmoreintimate,morehumiliating.HowCyprianmusthatehim!Finally,Radunodded.“Youmadetherightchoice.Hesavedyouinspiteofeverything.”“He did not save me in spite of everything. He saved me because of

everything.WemayhaveenteredConstantinoplewith false intentions,butourfriendshipwastrue.Wesavedhislifeseveraltimesover.Andwediditbecausewelovedhim.Ithinkheknowsthat.”Radu sighed. “It does notmatter. It is in the past. I hope he can forgive us

someday,butthatisaselfishhope.Itisformyself,notforhim.SoinsteadIwillhopehefindshappinesssomehow.”“Wecanhopefornothingmoreandnothingless.”Radufeltbothheavierandlighterfor the information.At leasthehadgiven

Cypriananotherchanceatlife.WithoutRadu,Cypriansurelywouldhavediedathis uncle’s side. Radu was glad knowing he was out there, somewhere. Hetuggedon the reins. “Come.There is a girl inEdirnewhohasbeenwaiting averylongtime.”

“Iamgoingtoholdherforweeks.Youwillhavetofeedusboth,becauseIwillnotlethergoforanything.”Radulaughed.“Itwouldbeanhonor.”“Andmybrother?”“Hewouldhavecome,butwewereonourway toWallachia tobringLada

back.Byforce,ifnecessary.KumalvolunteeredtoseeitthroughsoIcouldgetyou.”“Youtradedsisters.”Radulaughed,butmorefromguiltthanhappiness.“Hesaidthesamething.I

gotbyfarthebetterendofthetrade.”RaduwasenormouslyinKumal’sdebt.“And what will you do after we get back?Will you go to Constantinople

again?”Raduguidedtheirhorsespast theoutskirtsofBursa, totheroadsthatwould

takethemtoFatima.“Idonotknow.AndIdonotcare.Ihaveyou,andyouhaveFatima.Ihavefulfilledallmypromises.Iamtired.AndIamhappy.”Thecloudshadcleared,andtheskywasbrilliantlyblue,promisingagentlejourney.Itwasnot as cold as it had been heading towardWallachia. Everything felt warmerwithNaziraathisside,though.Thefuturewasblank,andRadudidnotmind.HehadNaziraback,andsoon

Kumal would return and be reunited with them. Cyprian was safe. MehmedwouldhaveLadaagain,andforonceRadudidnot feelanythingabout that. Ifshe was imprisoned, she would be less likely to be killed. And she wouldcertainlybedoing lesskilling.As farasMehmed’s feelings forher,Raduwasnumb. This last horrible chapter of his time in Constantinople was closed.Everyonehelovedwassafe.Raduwasgoinghomeforgood.

13

NearGiurgiu

“WHEREHAVEYOUbeen?”TheJanissaryscoutgloweredatLada’smen,whowereallwearingJanissaryuniforms.TheonesinfrontspokeTurkish.Theonesinthebackweresilent.“Weexpectedyouyesterday.”“We had some complications,” Bogdan growled. In fact, they were the

complications. The previous day they had ambushed a group of Janissaryreinforcements heading toward the Giurgiu fortress. Today, they had becomethose Janissaries. Lada stood, anonymous, in the middle of her men. TheWallachianswhohadnotgrownupasJanissarieswerebehindhersotheycouldfollowhercues.TheydidnotknowhowtobehaveasJanissaries,buttheyknewhowtomimic.Nicolae rode in frontas their leader.HestoppedbesideBogdan to talkwith

thescout.Theywerestillafewhoursfromthefortress,sothescoutmusthavebeensenttolookforthem.Ladaworkedherwayclosersoshecouldeavesdrop.Insectsjustbeginningtoreemergefromthedeepfreezeofwinterflittedthroughthecrispair,landingontreesspeckledwithgreenhintsofbuds.Gettingherehadbeenamuddy,roundabouttrek,buttheyhadtomakecertaintheyhadJanissaryuniformsandarrivedafterRadu.“Whatistheplanatthefortress?”Nicolaeasked.“Youdonotknow?”Nicolae shrugged, indifferent. “We go where they tell us.We were told to

comehere.ThatisallIknow.”“Youfrontierforcesareasbadasspahissometimes.”Nicolaemovedcloser,toyingwiththehiltofhisweapon.Hispleasantvoice

took on a dangerous tone appropriate to that level of a Janissary insult. The

spahis were the elite, landed men, not the lifetime soldiers Janissaries were.Therewasnosmallamountofrivalrybetweenthetwo.Spahishadtheprivilege,but Janissaries had the prestige and often the preference of the sultan. “Youshouldtakethatback,”Nicolaesaid.Themanwavedhishands.“Sorry.Itcanbefrustrating,beingstationedatan

outpost.We get all the news but none of the action.We are here with somepasha.ThebitchwhodeclaredherselfprinceofWallachiaisonherwaytosignnewtermsofvassalage.”Nicolae picked idly at his teeth. “Whydoyouneed somany extramen for

that?”The scout shrugged, scratching under his signaturewhite-flapped cap. “You

heardhowmanyshekilledinBulgaria?”Nicolaegrunted.“WewereinSerbia.Beenmarchingeversince.Istillcannot

believethenumbers.”“Well”—the soldier leaned closer conspiratorially—“they gave me no

specifics,butIhaveafeelingwearenotreallyheretomakeadeal.Toomanymen,andawagonwithbarsandshackles.I thinkweareheretotakeherbackforpunishment.”Lada bit back a smile. It was gratifying that Radu still knew not to

underestimateher.Hehad laida trap toaccomplishhersamegoal.Shealmostlaughedattheironyofgoingtokidnapherbrother,whowasheretokidnapher.Nicolae actually laughed. “Easy enough to take one woman. I still do not

understandwhyyou requested somanyextramen. Ihate travelingduring thistimeofyear.Snowstormsjustwhenyougetcomfortable.Rainotherwise.Mudeverywhere.Ittakesforevertocleanmyuniform.”“AfterBulgaria,Ithinkthepashaisspooked.Wantsextraprotection.”“Howmanymenalreadyinthefortress?”“Athousand.”“Hmm.” Nicolae sounded mildly impressed. Lada was flattered. It was a

significantinvestmentofmenforwhattheyanticipatedtobeeasytrickery.TheJanissary troop they had ambushed and killed on theway here had been twohundredstrong.Soshehadtwohundredofhermenwithher,andanotherfivehundredfollowingatadistance.“Howmanymendoweexpecthertobring?”Nicolaeasked.“Nomore thanapersonalguard. I likeourchances.”TheJanissary laughed

brightly.“Youshouldbegladyougotsuchaneasyassignment.”Nicolaegrunted.“Goodthingitwillbeeasy,sincewewilldoallthework,as

usual. ImetRaduBey once years ago, at the siege ofKruje.He had towearbrownpantstocoverconstantlyshittinghimselfinfear.Hestillthatway?”

“Iwouldnotknow.Heisnothere.”Ladahissedinsurprise.Bogdancoughedtocoverthenoise.Nicolaerushedanotherquestion.“ButIthoughtRaduBeywasthelure?Heis

herbrother,ishenot?Whowouldcomebuthim?”The scout paused, eyeing Nicolae with sudden scrutiny and doubtless

regrettinghisloosetongue.“Ithoughtyoudidnotknowmuchaboutthis.”Nicolaegrinned.“Iamfullofsurprises.”Ladadrewherknife, jumping in frontof thescoutandknockinghim to the

ground.Shestraddledhim,herknifeagainsthisthroat.“Whoareyou?”hegasped.“I am the bitch who butchered thousands. Tell me: How do you like your

chancesnow?”Hisfacewentwhite.“WhereisRadu?”“Idonotknow,”thescoutsaid,rapid,shallowbreathsbetrayinghispanic.But

hedidnotyet realizehewasdead.He spoke fast, as thoughhecould talkhisway free.“Radubrokeaway from thegroupbefore theygothere. Inevermethim.”“Whoisinhisplace?”“KumalPasha.”Lada’s muscles clenched instinctively, recoiling from that name.

Unfortunately for the scout, her twitch sliced through his jugular vein. Ladastoodashebledoutontotheforestfloor.“Hemighthavehadmoreinformation,”Nicolaesaid,frowning.“Accident.”Ladapickedupthedyingscout’scapandusedthewhiteflapsto

cleanherblade.Kumal,notRadu,waswaitingforher.All her old resentment flared to life, burning hot and hungry. Once again,

Kumal Pasha had taken her brother from her. He was the reason Radu hadwillingly accepted their captivity among the Ottomans. Certainly, Radu hadlovedMehmed.ButLadahadlovedhim,too,andstillbeenabletowalkaway.Radu,however, hadbeenpoisoned fromhis childhoodby thegod thatKumalgave to him. ItwasRadu’s false faith that separated him fromLada, his falsefaiththatjoinedhimforevertotheirenemies.Kumalhadevenclaimedhimasabrother through marriage, further cutting Radu off from his true family andheritage.NowKumalhadagain takenherbrother fromher. Insteadof ridingback to

thecitywithRaduatherside—willingornot—shewasonceagainleftbereft.Grittingherteeth,shesheathedherblade.“Whatnow?”Nicolaeasked.“WedonotknowwhereRaduis.”

“I will not go back to Tirgoviste empty-handed.” Lada started marchingtowardthefortress.“Theplanisthesame.Infiltrate.Bringsomeoneback.”ButunliketheOttomanplanforher,hewouldnotbealive.

Theywaiteduntildarknessobscuredtheirranks.“Hey!”Nicolaecalledastheymarcheduptothegate.“Isshehereyet?”Amanshoutedbackdown,“Youknowwomen.Theyarealwayslate.”“Wearetiredandhungry.Openthegate.”Nicolaekickeditforgoodmeasure.The gates opened, andLada and her two hundred Janissary-uniformedmen

filedin.Therestwerehiddenandcirclingthefortress.“Whereiseveryone?”Nicolaegesturedattheemptycourtyard.Afewsolitary

torches threwmore shadow than light. A handful ofmenwere visible on thewalls,blacksilhouettesagainstthenightsky.Buttheyalllookedoutward,notin,wherethethreatalreadywas.“Inbed.Youaretoolateforacot.Itisthefloorforyouaspunishment.”“Icurseeverymileofthisforsakencountryforit.”Nicolaeputanarmaround

theguard.Thentheguardslumpedtotheside.“The barracks first,” Lada said, keeping her voice low. “Kill them quietly.

Thenspreadoutandtakethewalls.IwillfindKumal.”She stalked forward, trusting hermen to followNicolae,Bogdan, and their

otherleaders.Afterenteringthefortress,shekilledtheguardsinthehallways,assilentasashadow,untilshecametoalivingarea.Shetookatorchfromseveralliningthewall.Thefirstbedroomwasempty.Thesecondheldhertarget.Shekickedthebed.“Wakeup.”KumalPashasatup,eyeswideandblinking in the flickering light.Shehad

never seenhimwithout a turban.Hewasmostlybald,his scalppaler thanhisface.“Lada Dragwlya,” he said, recognition of the situation settling his features

fromsurprisetosadness.“LadaDracul,”shecorrected.“Prince.”Hehadtheaudacitytotiphisheadrespectfully,asthoughhewasnothereto

kidnapher.AsthoughhehadnotstolenhertreasuredchancetogetherbrotherandhurtMehmedinoneeasystep.“WhereisRadu?”“HewenttogetNazira.Shehadbeenlostsincethecityfell,and—”Ladawavedthetorchthroughtheair,cuttinghimoff.“Idonotcarewhatyour

sister was doing. Always the two of you have worked together to take mybrotherfromme.”

“Hewantedtobehere,”Kumalsaidsoftly.“Wasthishisidea?Kidnappingme?”“Yes.Wedidnotlikethedeceit,buthesaiditwasnecessary.”Lada laughed, and it flickeredwarmly in her chest. “Well, Iwas coming to

kidnaphim,soitappearswehavemoreincommonthanwethought.”“Comebackwithme.Thesultancaresforyou.Hewilldealfairly.Youcannot

continueonthispath.”“What path do you think I am on?” Lada wanted to strike him. His calm

demeanorwasinfuriating.“Youhavewhatyouwanted,butyouarenothappy.You lashoutandmake

otherssuffer.Thosearenottheactionsofapersonatpeacewiththeirpastandfuture.”Ladasnarled.“Youknownothingaboutmeormypast.”“Iknowyourbrother’spast.AndIknowthathecanstillfindhappinesseven

in the darkest of circumstances, because his faith sustains him.What sustainsyou?”“Thebloodofmyenemies,”shesaid.

14

Edirne

NAZIRA HAD NOT exaggerated her intentions. She let go of Fatima only whenabsolutely necessary. Radu leaned back on his cushion, smiling to himself asNaziratriedtonavigateeatingdinnerwhilekeepingholdofFatima’shandatalltimes.“Whenwillyoureturntothecountryhome?”Raduasked.Heknewthatwas

wherethetwowomenwerehappiest.TheyhadbeeninEdirnetohelphim,andsince the siege was over and everyonewas finally safe, he no longer neededhelp. But he would miss them. Living without Nazira these past terrifyingmonthshadbeentorture.Itwouldbedifferent,knowingshewascontent,buthestillanticipatedherabsencewithtremendoussadness.“Wearenotgoingback,”Fatimasaid.“What?”NaziraletgoofFatima’shand,butonlytotwistalockofFatima’shairaround

her fingersandstroke it. “We talkedabout it lastnight.Fatimaand Iwill staywhereveryouare.”“ButFatimahatestobeawayfromhome!”Fatima’ssmilewassweetandshy.“Ourfamilyismyhome.”Nazira’s smilewas as firmanddeterminedas anything she sethermind to.

“Wearesettledonthis.Weareneverbeingseparatedagain.”Raducouldnotdenythewashofreliefhefelt.Hedidnotwanttoaskthisof

them. But he had not asked—they had offered. And, having lived so longwithouthonestyandwithoutlove,hewouldnotrejectit.“Thank you.”He hoped they felt howmuch those twowords conveyed. “I

will ask Mehmed to give me a position in the countryside, somewhere with

fewermemories.”“Wewillmakenewones.”FatimarestedherheadonNazira’sshoulder.“Also,” Nazira said, teasingly popping a grape into her wife’s mouth, “we

wouldliketohaveababy.”Raduchokedonhisbread.Hischokingwasinterruptedbyafirmknock.Hestoodsofasthetrippedover

hiscushion.“Iwillseewhoitis.”HecouldhearNaziralaughingashehurriedoutoftheroomandthroughthe

hall.AtthefrontdoorhefoundamessengerwearingMehmed’sseal.“Thesultan,hismagnificenceMehmedtheSecond,CaesarofRomeandthe

HandofGodonEarth,requestsyourpresenceimmediatelyinConstantinople.”HegesturedtodirectRadu’sattentiontoateamofhorseswaitinginthestreet.Lada,Raduthought.Ithadworked,then.HewonderedwhatMehmedthought

Radu could accomplish. Shewould never accept captivity, just as she had notbefore.AndRaducoulddonothingtohelpthat.Still,hewouldgo.HewoulddowhatMehmedasked,becausehedidnotknowhowtodoanythingelse.TheideaofseeingLadaterrifiedhim.Hewasnotthesamepersonshehadleft

behind.He couldnot imagineher, though, as anyonebutwho shehad alwaysbeen.Andhedidnotwanttoseehowshewouldjudgehimandfindhimlacking.But having Nazira and Fatima with him would give him the strength to

rememberthingscould—andshould—bedifferent.HewouldaskMehmedforanewpositionimmediately.Thesewerenolongerhisproblemstohandle.Itwasnot a betrayal of his friend or his sister to be honest about that. Lada andMehmedhadchosenpower.Neitherhadchosenhim.Raducouldwalkaway.Themessengerclearedhisthroat.Raduhadbeenstandingthere,silent,lostin

hisownhistory.“Givemeafewminutestogathermythings.”Raduclosedthedoorgently.He

turnedtofindNaziraandFatimastandinginthehallway.Hissmilefeltlikethefirstlayeroficeonariverinwinter.Coldandfragile.“IhavebeensummonedtoConstantinople.Yourresolveistestedsoonerthanwethought.”Fatimasurprisedhimbyspeakingfirst.“Wehavealreadypackedforjustsuch

ascenario.”Shedisappearedupstairs.Nazira fixed a wry smile on Radu. “You cannot get away from this

conversationbyanurgentsummonstothecity.Andthinkofallthattimeontheroadwewillhavetotalkaboutaddingtoourfamily!”Itturnedouttherewas,infact,somethingevenmoreterrifyingthanLada.

RaduhadbeensavedonthelongridetoConstantinoplebytheadditiontotheirpartyofaminorbey,summonedonamatteroftaxrevenue.ThoughRaduhadnevermethimbefore,hequicklybecametheman’sbestfriendbyencouraginghimtotellthemeverydetailofhisentirelife.Nazira watched and waited, an amused twinkle in her eyes. Radu had not

gottenoutof theconversationabout…their family.Hewasonlydelaying theinevitable.Buthewouldtakeeverydelayhecouldget.As they passed through the walls and into Constantinople, Fatima gazed

around in wonder. They had traveled all night—an urgency that had beendemandedbyMehmed,apparently—andsoenteredConstantinopleasawarm,golden dawn bathed it in softest light. Radu tried to see it as Fatima would:withoutghosts,withoutblood,withouttheweightofmemoriesheavierthanthestonesofthewalls.Nazirareachedacrossthespacebetweenthemandsqueezedhishand.“Hehasmadeitbeautiful.”Butshekepthereyesfirmlyonherownhands.Thoughmorninghadbarelybroken,thesoundsofhammersandconstruction

alreadyranglikemusicthroughtheairastheyreachedthepalace.Aservantmetthem, directing the tax-busied bey elsewhere and bidding Radu’s company tofollow.“Wewill help your sister,”Naziramurmured at Radu’s side. “Howeverwe

can.Wewillseeyouthroughthis.”Radu tried tosmilehisgratitude,buthis jawwasclenched too tightly.Lada

hadneverwantedhishelpgrowingup,andwhenshehadfinallyaskedforit,hehadrefused.Andnowhehadtrappedher.Apitofdreadopenedinhisstomachas the servant gestured to a door and bowed.Raduwas not familiarwith thisroom,butthepalacehadnumerousreceivingareas.Takingadeepbreath,Radustrodeforward,followedbyNaziraandFatima.Mehmedstoodfromthesofahehadbeensittingon.Raduswepthiseyesover

theroom.Mehmedwasalone.WasLadasoferalwithrage, then, thatshewasalreadyinacell?MehmedlookedbehindRaduatNaziraandFatima,whobothbowedprettily.

Radu remembered to do the same. When he straightened, Mehmed was stillstaring at Nazira. His imperious features would have revealed nothing to onewhodidnotknowhim.ButRaduknewhim.Mehmeddidnotwanttoutterwhateverhehadtosaynext.“What is it?”Radu asked, the pit of dread growing ever deeper. “Where is

Lada?”Mehmedshookhishead.“Sheisnothere.”

Radu’s chest tightened.He closedhis eyes, reassuringhimself.Shewasnotdead.Shecouldnotbedead.ThatwasnotwhatMehmedmeant!Hemeantshewas in another building. Radu would get her nicer accommodations than thedank prison cells he had seen when interrogating a prisoner on behalf ofConstantine.Itwastheabsoluteleasthecoulddo.“Whereareyoukeepingher?”“Imean,sheisnothereatall.”Radufrowned.“IsKumalnotbackyet?Whathappened?”Mehmedshookhisheadagain,andtheshiftinhiseyesfromhorrortosadness

made Radu’s heart race. He wanted to run away from whatever was comingnext.Radu glanced at Nazira, a pleasant and respectful look on her face as she

waited for newsof her belovedbrother.Radu’s stomach contracted, a shudderrunningthroughhiswholebody.“Whatdidshedo?”hewhispered,plantinghiseyes on the floral patterns of the thick carpet. He could not bear to look atanyone.“Iamsosorry,”Mehmedsaid.“Apparentlyshewentintothefortresswiththe

intent of kidnapping you. But she found Kumal.” He paused, as thoughsearchingforthenextwords.“Shewasnotmerciful.”Raduchoked,somewherebetweenalaughandasob.Shewasnotmerciful.Whenhadsheeverbeen?Radudroppedtohisknees,hanginghishead.“This

ismyfault.Ishouldhavebeenthere.Ishouldhavegonetoher,andsentKumalto…IfIhad,then—”A light, trembling hand settled on his shoulder. Nazira spoke in a whisper.

“Whatdoeshemean?Tellmewhathemeans,Radu.”Radushookhishead.“Ishouldhaveknown.Sheismysister.Iofallpeople

knowthatmercyisnotinhernature.Itshouldhavebeenme.”BeingaDraculhadcosthimsomuch.Hehadthoughthewasdonepayingforthebloodthatranthroughhisveins.Buthewouldneverbedone.Thepriceofbeinginhisfamilywaseverythinghehelddear,takenfromhimoverandoveragain.Theywerethedragons.Thedevils.Therewasnomercyinthemorforthem.Nazirakneltnexttohim.“Tellme.Tellmeexactlywhathemeans.”Radu’spunishmentwashavingtosaythewords.HavingtodothistoNazira.

“Shekilledhim.”Anunearthlywailstarted,solowatfirstthatRadudidnotknowwhatitwas

until itbuilt toa scream.Nazira,whohadalwaysbeensostrong,wasbroken.Fatimadroppeddownnexttoher,takingherinherarms.Nazirascreamedandsobbed,clawingatFatima’sarmsasthoughshecouldburrowinthereandhideherselffromsorrow.

Radudidnotknowwhattodo.Couldnotdoanything.“Iam—Nazira,Iamsosorry,I—”“Please,”Fatimasaid.Sheshookherheadinwarning.“Pleasestoptalking.”

SheheldoutonearmandRaducrawledtothetwowomen.Fatimaheldthembothup.RadupicturedKumalashehadlastseenhim.Smiling.Waving.Anunbidden

image of his brother, his teacher, his friend sliced like a blade through hismemory.LadakillingKumal.Howhadshedoneit?Withaknife?Asword?HadKumalfoughtback?Radudidnotwanttoimagineit,didnotwanttopictureit.Couldnotstop.Hedidnot realize theguttural sobswere coming fromhimself until Fatima

strokedhisback,makingasoftshhsound.Naziragrabbedhisarm,herfingersdigging in painfully as she dragged him closer and buried her face in hisshoulder.She shook, silent now,her breath coming in shudderinggasps.Theywereallthreeatangle,amessofdevastation.Itwasnotappropriatetobehavethiswaywithaservant,butRadunolonger

cared to maintain that charade of Fatima’s role. Not now. Not in front ofMehmed,whohadnotmoved tocomfortoreven touchhim.LetMehmedseeandknowwhathewantedto.Raducriedwithhisfamily,foralltheyhadlost.Forallhehadcostthem.

15

Tirgoviste

LADASURVEYEDTHEbridgemournfully.“Arewecertainwedonothaveenoughgunpowdertojustblowitup?”Nicolaeputahandonhershoulderandgaveagrimnod.“Iamafraidwehave

todismantleittheold-fashionedway:byforcingotherpeopletodoit.”Lada and Nicolae stood on a hill overlooking the work. Below, her men

supervised a groupof criminals in tearingdown thebridge. Itwas the first ofseveral they had to visit that day. Shewanted to oversee everything, tomakecertainthetasksweredone.Itwasalsoachancetotakestockofthecountryside.“Allthatworktomaketheroadssafe,”shesaid,scuffingonebootthroughthe

dirt,“andnowourjobistomakethecountryimpassable.”“We do not have to do this, you know.” Nicolae was using that soft voice

again, theone that slipped likeabladebetweenher ribs.Theyhadnotspokenprivatelysincethefightinherrooms.Shehadnotwantedto.Shedidnotwanttonow.Shedeliveredherwordslikeangryblows.“Andwhatshouldwedoinstead?”Beneath the scar that bisectedhis face,Nicolae’s expressionwaswistful. “I

rather likedbeingbandits.Wecoulddo that again.Slip away in thenight andneverlookback.”Ladaleanedbackinsurprise.Shehadexpectedhimtopushforanewtreaty

again.“Whywouldwedothat?”“Becauseitwouldbeeasy.Becausewecan.Wedonothavetochoosethis.”“Areyouafraid?”Nicolae laughed. “Of course I am afraid. You are demanding the greatest

militaryintheworldcomefightyou.Ihavebeen inthatmilitary.Iknowwhat

theycando.Idreamaboutiteverynight.IamsoscaredIhavehadtocutbackdrinking simply to avoidpissingmypants as frequently.”Hepaused, and thathorriblesofttonecameback.Hestaredatherasthoughcommittingherfacetomemory.“Iamafraidtodie,andIamafraidtowatchyoudie,powerlesstostopit.Everystepwetakeinthisdirectionfeelslikeonestepclosertoyourgrave.Idonotwanttoseethat.”Heclearedhisthroat,lookingawaywithanautomaticsmile.“Thoughwewillnothavegraves,Isuspect.Pikesforourheads,ifweareverylucky.”Lada lifted her eyes to the sky. She had left Bogdan in Tirgoviste to avoid

having conversations filled with emotions she did not want to address.Apparentlysheshouldhave leftNicolaeaswell.Buthewasoneofheroldestfriends,herfirstsupporter,theonewhohadgottenherintotheJanissaryranks.Herfatherhadgivenheraknife;Nicolaehadgivenherasword.“Youdid it,”hepressed. “Youbecameprince.Nooneever saidyouhad to

stayprince.Wehavesomanyotheroptions.”“Icannotleave.”“Why?”Like amelody she could not stop from ringing through her head,Mehmed

arose in her memories. He knew why. He alone understood this drive, thisambition, this need to have her country. She could not abandon it, becauseWallachiawasher.IfshecouldwalkawayfromWallachia,ifshecouldleaveittoothers,shewouldnotbe.Itwasassimpleasthat.“Willyoustaywithme?”Thistimeshedidnothaveanelbowtohisthroat.

Sheheldout ahand instead, staringathishazel eyes, still trying to figureouthowtheyhadchanged.Asheputhishandonhers,sherealizedwhatitwasthathadbeenmissingsincethedaysheattackedhim.Nicolaenolongerhoped.Hisoptimism,cloakedindarkandbloodyhumor,hadbeenaconstantinher

life.Hewasamanwhowasstaringathisowndeath.Shehadseenmenlookather thatwaybefore, but alwayswhen shewasholding ablade.Notwhen shewasholdingtheirhand.“Nicolae,I—”The bridge fell with a tremendous cracking splash into the river below.

NicolaeandLadashiftedtolook.“Oh,”Nicolaesaid,stumblingintoLada’sside.Shestaggeredunderhisweight.“Whatareyou—”Nicolae glanced over his shoulder, then shoved Lada to the ground. He

flinched,droppingtohisknees.“Whatisthematterwithyou?”Ladademanded,sittingup.

Nicolaefellforward.Two crossbow bolts were embedded in his back. Dark circles of blood

bloomed outward along his tunic. Lada scanned the tree line, where a manfumbled a third bolt. She leapt over Nicolae and sprinted, screaming. Theassassinloadedthebolt.Herknifefoundhisneckbeforehisfingerfoundthetrigger.She slashedhis throat, then followedhim to theground, stabbingagainand

againandagain.Onlywhenhisglassyeyesstaredupatthesky,lifeless,andherhanddrippedwithhisblooddidshestop.Partofherwantedtorunback.TohelpNicolaeup.Theotherpartofherknewexactlywhatitmeantwhenbloodspreadthatfast,

whenboltshitthoseparts.Thoseboltshadbeenmeantforher.Thefirsthehadtakenbyaccidentastheyturnedtowardthefallingbridge.Buthehadtakenthesecondonpurpose.Maybetherewasstilltimetosaythankyou.Toberatehimforbeing so stupid.To say shewas sorry.But shedidnotwant to say anyofthosethings.Notwhentheywerethesameassayinggoodbye.Sherantowardhimanyway,eachfootstepabreath,eachfootstepaheartbeat,

eachfootstepaneternity.Droppingtohisside,sheliftedhisheadontoherlap.Hegazedupather,his

ugly, beloved face pale. She pushed his hair back, stroking his forehead. Thebloodfromherhandssmearedacrosshisskinandshepanickedatthesight.Sheneeded to clean him up, to get that blood off him. There was a tremendouspressurebehindhereyes,atighteningofherthroatthatmadeithardtospeak.“Youwouldfollowmetotheendsoftheearth,yousaid.”Sheheldhisgaze,

thoughhiseyesweregoingunfocused.“Iamholdingyouto that.Weareveryfarfromtheendsoftheearth.”Nicolae’sgrinspreadslowerthanthebloodpoolingbeneathhim.“No,Lada.I

amalreadythere.Ibeatyou,isall.”“Becareful,orIreallywilldisplayyourheadonapike.”Nicolaelaughed.Andthenhedied.

“Butwhowastheassassinworkingfor?”Bogdanasked.HesatatatableinthecornerofthekitchenalongwithDaciana,Oana,andStefan.Thescentoffreshlyturneddirtclungtothem,asdidthememoryofloweringNicolae’sbodyintothegroundonlyanhourbefore.

Ladakickedachair. Itskitteredacross theunevenstonefloorbefore tippingandclatteringtotheground.“Itdoesnotmatterwhohewasworkingfor!”“Itmight have been better to take him alive and get information,”Daciana

said.“Thenwewouldknowwhowantedyoudead.”“Who doesnot want me dead? That would be a shorter list.” Lada paced,

prowlingthelengthoftheroom,angryanddevastated,wantingtodosomething,anything,tostopfeelingthisway.Sherubbedatherarmstokeepfromtearingatherhair.Thelasttimeshehadlostoneofhermen,ithadbeenPetru,killedinthisvery

castle.Thatstillhurt.ButNicolae.Nicolaeshehaddependedon,hadneededinaway she needed very few people. And even though she had doubted him, heremainedloyaltoheruntiltheend.Hehadfoundhisendbecauseofhisloyaltytoher.“Ifwe—”Bogdanstarted,butLadacuthimoff.“Itdoesnotmatter.Theassassinfailed.”Hehadnotfailedentirely.Apartof

herhadgoneintothegroundwithNicolae.Shedidnotknowhowlargeapart.Itwasstill tooraw,toonewtoseehowthescarwouldform.Shewisheditwerewritten across her face the way Nicolae’s scar had been. She wanted visualevidenceofwhatshehadlost.Lada righted her chair, dragged it back to the table, and sat. “We have too

much to do toworry aboutwho sent an assassin.And nowwe are down onetrustedally,sothereismoreworkforeveryone.Thefirstproblemisthatwedonot have enough men. Even if we conscript convicts and vagrants, we aremassivelyoutnumbered. IamexpectingMehmed tocomewithat least twentythousand,probablythirtyorforty.Rightnow,atmost,wehavefive.”“Lada.” Daciana leaned across the table with a hand outstretched. “Letme

help.Takesometime.”Lada stared at Daciana’s hand, then looked up into her face. Daciana was

strong. All Wallachian women were—they could not be otherwise and stillsurvive. Lada smiled. Theywould help. “The women can fight. This is theircountryasmuchasthemen’s.”Bogdanscoffed.“Thewomen?”Hismotherslappedhisshoulder.“Wearenodelicate flowers.Webreakour

backswiththewashingandthetillingofsoilandthebearingofchildren.Wecanbeatanenemyashandilyaswebeatarug.”Lada nodded. “Anyone strong enough will fight.Men, women, it does not

matter.Wehave a lot ofwork todobefore the actual fightingbegins, andweonly have untilmid-spring.Mehmedwill not comeuntil then.”Logistically itwasimpossible.Hewouldwaituntiltherewasnoriskoffreezingtodeath,until

therewasscavengingofthelandavailabletohelpfeedhismen.“Wewillstartgatheringandtrainingwomenimmediately.Childrenandtheelderlywillbesentintothemountains.”“Whataboutthesick?”Dacianaasked,hertonewry.“Oh,Ihaveotherplansforthem.”Ladasmiledatthewoman’sconfusedlook.Stefan sat motionless, always the last to attract attention. “We will still be

outmannedandout-trained.Whatelsedowehave?”“Matthias.”“Youtrusthim?”“Notatall.ButIhavewordthathereceivedmoneyfromthepopetofightthe

infidels.Andhedoesnotwant to faceanentireOttomanarmycampedonhisborders.ItisinhisbestinteresttokeepWallachiafree.Hewillhelp.”Stefanlookedtroubled.“What?”Ladasaid.“Idonottrusthimtousethemoneyforwhatitisintended.Hehasbeentrying

toraisemoneyforotherpurposesforalongtime.”Stefanwaited, placid and patient.He already had a conclusion, Lada could

sense it. Frustrated, she sorted through what she knew of Matthias.What hewouldneedmoneyfor.Thenshethrewherheadbackandglaredattheceiling.“ThecrowntakenbyPoland.Thecrownhecouldnotaffordtogetback.”Sheswore,grindingherteeth.“Thatstupid,pointlesscrown.Heisstillfixatedonit,doubtless. But he took the money with the promise of fighting infidels. Hecannotbringtheireof theentireCatholicChurchonhishead.Hewillhave tocome.”Stefandidnotrespond.Ladashruggedagainstthecoldpricklingoffearonthebackofherneck.“He

willcome,orhewillpayforit,onewayoranother.”“Ithinkhewillcome,”Bogdansaid,smilingencouraginglyather.“IthinkyouknownothingofMatthias,andthereforeshouldnotvolunteeran

opiniononthissubject,”Ladasnapped.Bogdanflinchedasthoughstruck.Oanashiftedinherseat,butLadaavoidedlookingateitherofthem.Shewasnotfairtohim.Butshewasprince;shedidnothavetobefair.“Dowehaveanymoney?”Oanaasked,neatlychangingthesubject.“No.”Sheshouldhavewaitedanotheryearor two, let thecountrysettle, let

taxrevenuecomein.Buttheideaofsittinginthiscastle,slowlygatheringcoins,eyeingafuturewhereWallachiawouldbefreewhenitwasalreadyagonizinglyclose…Sheshouldhavewaited,butshenevercouldhave.“Weapons?”Dacianaasked.

“MycousinStephencannotsendustroops,buthehassentsomegunpowderand hand cannons.Wewill have to use them strategically.We have plenty ofbowsandcrossbows.”“What are all those carpenters doing?” Bogdan asked. Lada had invited

everyone with knowledge of carpentry and experience clearing forests to thecapital. She had several of hermen supervising the enormous task. It did notrequirea tremendousamountofskill,simplya tremendousamountofsuppliesandmanpower.Ladasmiledagain.“Theyareattendingtoadifferentproject.”“Sowehavemenandwomen.Andsickpeople,apparently.”Dacianawatched

as Stefan made notes, calculating roughly how many additional troops theywould have if a significant portion of the country’swomenwere conscripted.“Somegunpowder.Somehandcannons.Dowefortifythecities?”“No,” Lada said. “In any siege situation, we lose.We never let it come to

that.”Stefannoddedinsilentagreement.Dacianawatchedhim,fearformingnewlinesaroundhereyes.“Willwhatwe

havebeenough?”“No.”Lada leaned forward, lookingatStefan’scalculations.Theywouldbe

outnumberedatleastfourtoone.Probablymore,dependingonjusthowbiganexampleMehmedwantedtomakeofher.Andshewasmissingsomanythingssheneeded.People,too.Nicolae.Petru.AndRadu.Butshewoulddothisinspiteofwhatshelacked.Shewasstrongenough.Her

country was strong enough. She would showMehmed exactly why he couldneverownWallachia,whyhecouldneverownher.“Wehavesomethingelse:ourland.Iwilluseeverysingleleagueofitagainst

the Ottomans.” Out of habit, Lada’s fingers touched the knives at her wrists.“Theempireiscomingforus,andIintendtowin.”

16

Constantinople

MEHMEDRESTEDAtentativehandonRadu’sback.“AtleastKumaldiedknowinghissisterwassafe.”Raduwasleaningforward,headcradledinhishands.HehadleftNaziraand

Fatima—finallyasleep,thankfully,curledaroundeachotherwithfacespaleandhollowedoutbygrief—aftera long,restlessnight.Raduhadnotslept.Hehadnoteaten.Hehadnodesiretodoeither.“Wecouldnothaveknown—”Radusighed tostopMehmedfromtalking.Mehmedmoved thehandonhis

backbutdidnotshiftaway.Theysat,shouldertoshoulder,inMehmed’sprivatechamber.Radu’svoicewasfilledwiththetinyfissuresthatranthroughhiswholesoul

now.“Wecouldhaveknown.Weshouldhaveknown.Ofeveryoneintheworld,weshouldhavebeenthelasttounderestimateher.AndIknewshehatedKumal.Shehasalwayshatedhim.Iwassoeager toseeNaziraandtofindout—”Hestopped,holdingbackthenextwords.TofindoutCyprian’sfateaswell.“Andtofindoutwhathadhappened toher that Ididnot think.Kumalpaid theprice Ishouldhave.”“Ifyouhadgone,wewouldhavelostyou.”“Shewouldnotkillme.”Radupaused.Infact,Ladahadpromisedtodojust

thatoneday.“Regardless,Iwashertarget.Kumaltookmyplace.Itismyfaultheisdead.”“ItisLada’sfault.”“Well,thenitisourfault.Wearetheoneswhoputherinthatposition.”

Mehmedstood.TherewasacoldprideinhisexpressionthatRaduhadneverfelt directed at himself when they were alone. It was a sultan look, not aMehmedlook.“Shemadeherowndecisions.IdidnotaskhertoattackBulgaria.Ihavedone

everythingIcouldtohelpher.”Radu lifted an eyebrow, too exhausted with grief and guilt to defer to

Mehmed’sneeds.“Haveyou?Really?”A flicker of guilt shifted behind Mehmed’s eyes. Then he turned away,

clasping his hands as he paced. “We cannot let this stand. Shemurderedmyambassadors,attackedoneofmyvassals,andmurderedapashaonadiplomaticmission.”“Akidnappingmission.”Mehmed stopped, startled by the correction. “Radu,” he said, his voice a

reprimand.Radushrugged.“Whymustwepretendwhenitisonlythetwoofus?”Mehmed’seyebrowsdrewclose,hismouthtighteningintoalinesomewhere

betweenachallengeanda smile. “Oh,areyoudonepretending? Is it time forhonesty?”Radu looked at the floor. His face burned brighter than the room’s coal

brazier.Mehmedcrouchedbeforehim,forcingRadutomeethiseyes.“Iamsorry,my

friend. But I cannot let this stand. It threatens everything I have built—everythingwehavebuilt.Itistoodangerousaprecedent.Ihavetogoafterher.”“Iunderstand.AndIamnotagainstit.”Raduhatedthatthedeathofoneman

feltworsethanthedeathofthousandsinBulgaria.Butthiswaspersonal.Ladahadmade certain of that.He suspected shewanted them to attack, though hecouldnotfathomwhy.“Willyouhelpme?”“YouknowIalwayswill.”Mehmed caressedRadu’s cheekwith the back of his fingers.They lingered

there fora fewbreathless seconds, thenMehmedsmiled. Itwas the smile thathadbeenRadu’sprotectionandtormentforsomanyyears.Raduwas coldwith sadness at everythinghis desire for that smilehad cost

himandwouldcontinuetocosthim.“Wecannotunderestimateher,”hesaid.“Wewillnot.Notthistime.”

MaraBrankovic sat straight-backed inher tightly structureddress.Raducouldnot sympathizewithher reluctance toembrace the farmorecomfortable—and

beautiful—flowingrobesandlayersoftheOttomans.EvenUrbana,seatednexttoMaraatthetable,hadfinallyconvertedtoentarisandslippers.JoiningthemwereAronandAndreiDanesti,whowerestilllivinginConstantinopleasguestsof Mehmed; Ishak Pasha and Mahmoud Pasha, older pashas who haddistinguishedthemselvesatthewallsofConstantinople;andtheJanissaryleaderAli Bey. They all regarded Mara’s and Urbana’s presences with curiousdisapproval.“ItisWallachia,”AliBeysaid.ThoughaJanissary,hewasalsoabey,andhad

acarefullytrimmedandstyledbeardappropriatetohisstatus.Hewasyoungerthanthepashas,inhismid-thirties.SometimesRaduforgothehimselfwasnotyetnineteen,Mehmedonlytwenty-one.Hadtheyreally livedsomanylives insofewyears?AliBeycrossedhisarmsandcontinued.“Ihardlythinkweneedworry.”“It is notWallachiawe areworried about,”Radu said. “It ismy sister. She

trainedwithIlyasBey,andthenwithHunyadi.”“Ilyas?”AliBeyscoffed.“Thetraitor?”“She killed him.”Radu pushed away thememory of that night,when Ilyas

Bey—theirfriend—hadtriedtoassassinateMehmed.LadahadkilledIlyas,butRaduhadkilledthecoconspirator,Lazar.Hisownfriend.Ithadfeltunavoidableat the time, but how many unavoidable choices of his had resulted inunforgivableconsequences?Ali Bey appeared slightly cowed. “Very well. The Janissaries will lead the

assault, taking theDanube and securing the river passage.After that, wewillscoutandclear the roads.Weshould takeBucharesteasily,aswellasSnagov.That is lessstrategicandmoretosendapoint.Myscouts tellmeshehaspaidpatronage to the monastery on the island. We should make certain to takeeverythingthatmatters.”IshakPasha leaned forward, tappinghis notes.Radumistrustedmost of the

pashaswhohadservedunderMurad,but IshakPashahadalwaysbeendevoutandcommitted toMehmed’splans.Kumalhad trustedhim, too.Radu listenedwithasharpstabofmourning,wishingKumalwerehereinstead.“Myspahiswillbeinchargeoffindingsupplies,”IshakPashasaid.“Itisstill

early, but there is a good amount of farmland between the Danube andTirgoviste, so the logistics of the campaign should not be too taxing on ourresources.Iwouldpreferlatesummerorearlyfall,butwecanmanage.Wewillplanforashortsiege.”Mehmednodded.Hewasseatedinanelevatedchairattheheadoftheroom,

separated from their table. “Radu Bey will be in charge of four thousandmountedtroops.Heknowshissisterandtheland.”

Radusupposedheshouldbegrateful forsuchashowofconfidence.Hedidhisbestatfakingitwithasomberbow.Thisconflictfeltsopersonal—likeitwasreallybetweenMehmed,Lada,andRadu.Itfeltwrongtobeplanningitoutonfieldswithtensofthousandsofmen.Howhadthishappened?“GetmeadetailedschematicofTirgoviste.”Urbanaranherfingersidlyalong

the smooth, shiny scar that covered half her face, a token of her time at thegreatestsiegeinhistory.“Icanhavethewallsdowninaday.”Aron Danesti turned to Urbana. “We do not have a schematic, but we can

drawoneandfillyouinonanydetails.”Andreipulledoverapieceofparchmentand started drawing, with Aron watching over his shoulder and whisperingguidance.Mara Brankovic was writing a list in an elegant hand. “Obviously we can

countonthesupportof theBulgars.LadaisknownastheLadyImpaler there,andtheyareagitatingforvengeance.Serbiawillcontributemen.IwillwritemyItaliancontactswithadvicethattheystayoutofit,butIdoubteventhatwillbenecessary.”“TheSaxons?”Mehmedasked.“Oh,theyloatheLada.Haveyouseenanyoftheirwoodcuts?Justhorrible.”

Marabitbackanamusedsmile.“Shewillhavenohelpfromthem.Butneitherwillwe.TheonlypersontheyhatemorethantheLadyImpalerisYourGrace.”“WhataboutHungary?”AliBeyasked.“IfshetrainedwithHunyadi,surely

theyareallied.”Marapursedherlips,tappingherquillagainstthesheetandleavingaseriesof

dots. “Perhaps. But Matthias Corvinus is nothing like his father. He is astatesman,notawarrior.Iamcertaintherearecracksthatcouldbewidenedwiththerightamountofappliedpressure.”Shepausedinthoughtanddrewacircle.“HerecentlyreceivedalargesumfromtheCatholicChurchforcrusading.”“I thought we were finished with the damn crusades,” Mahmoud Pasha

grumbled.Hewas theoldest in the room,blackhairgonealmostallgray.He,too,bore scars from the siegeanddecadesof siegesbefore. “WealreadyhavetheirpreciousChristiancapital.Whatwilltheycrusadefornow?”“Ladahas the supportof theCatholics, then?”AliBey interrupted. “Should

weworryabouttheItalians?”Marashookherhead.“Herconversionisviewedwithanappropriateamount

ofskepticism.TheCatholicconnectiongoesthroughMatthias.Ifwecangettohiminanyway,weshould.Butwecannotcounthimoutofthefightyet.Iwillthinkofsomething.”“WhataboutMoldavia?”Mehmedasked.

Mara consulted her list. Radu wondered if there was a single country inEuropeshedidnothaveconnectionsto.“Theiryoungking,Stephen,isaforcetobereckonedwith.Andallegedlyverycharmingandattractive,orsomysisterreceiving proposal offers is told.”Mara paused, smiling benignly atMehmed.“She will, of course, reject him as recommended by her most trusted oldersister.”Radu stifled a laugh. Even sitting in a war council, Mara found ways to

remindMehmed howvaluable shewas and how important itwas to keep herhappy and close. Themore Radu knew the women around him, the more hewonderedifanyofthemwerenotsecretlyterrifying.Maracontinued.“Iwouldrecommendagainsttryingtostageanyattacksfrom

Moldavia.Weshouldaimtoleavethemoutentirely.”AliBeypointedtothelargemapinthecenterofthetable.“KingStephenwill

secure the borders. But if we send forces close, along here, it will keep himcontainedandunderpressure toprotecthisowncountryrather thancoming toWallachia’said.”“So she will have no help besides Hungary, and even that is in question.”

Mehmedsoundedpleased.“Tenthousandmenshouldbemorethanenough,”MahmoudPashasaid.Mehmedraisedaneyebrow.“Wegoinwithsixtythousand.”Ishak Pasha coughed, sputtering.He opened hismouth in outrage to argue,

then rememberedhisplace.He loweredhis eyes to the table. “WhateverYourGracethinksisbest.Itwillbedone.”The two pashas did not look pleased. Because they kept their own armies,

theywerenotfundedbythesultanliketheJanissarieswere.Goingtowarwasan expensive endeavor. In contrast, Ali Bey smiled as though anticipating anafternoon of sport. He was in charge of the best-trained fighting units in theworld.DoubtlesshesawthisasagoodtimetoremindMehmedoftheirvalue.The empire was settled on a course of action. But there were still three

Wallachians present. And Radu wanted to make his intentions clear when itcametotheirthrone.“WhenwetakeTirgoviste,Aronwillbecrownedprince.”Aroninclinedhishead,andAndreinodded.Raduknew,astheydid,thathis

claimtothethronewasasstrongastheirs.TheDraculestiandDanestilineshadviolently traded the throne between them for decades, and neither family hadmorerighttoitthantheother.Infact,Radu’sclaimwasstronger,sincehehadthefavorofthesultan.Buthewantedtheirsupportandconfidence.Thatwouldhappenonlyiftheydidnotviewhimasathreat.Perhapsthatwaswhytheyhadbeen cruel to him as a child. He had not yet understood the nature of their

rivalry,buttheyhadgraspeditearlyon.Thefightsintheforestwereareflectionofreality,playedoutonachild-sizedscale.Raduhadnotwonthosefights,butneitherhadAronandAndrei.Ladahad.Still,theDanestibrothershadgrownintointelligentadults.Hehadnoqualms

aboutgivingthemthecountry.Hecertainlydidnotwantit.“Youshouldknow,”Marasaid,hervoicesoft,“myreportsindicatethatLada

haskillednearlyeveryDanesti left inWallachia.Thosestill alivehave fled tosurroundingcountries.”“Weknow.”Arondidnot soundangryorvengeful, just tired and sad and a

littlefrightened.Radumethiseyesandtheysharedamomentofunderstanding.Theywerenotmendrivenbyrage.Aronworehisfamilynameasamantleofresponsibility,notacloakofentitlement.Mehmed stood. “We go in hard and we move fast. We give her no

opportunities. We take the capital, secure the country, and show the rest ofEurope we tolerate no offense or aggression toward—or from—our vassalstates.”“Andwhataboutthegirlprince?”AliBeyasked.“Iwantheralive,”Mehmedsaidwithoutexplanation.“Atallcosts.”

RadutoldNaziraandFatimatheplanswithaheavyheart.HewasrelievedthatLadawouldnotbekilled—evennow—buthedidnotexpectNaziratofeelthesame.Regardless,hedidnot thinkhewouldbeable to seehis sisteror speakwithheragain.HewouldleavethattoMehmed.Raduglossedoverthespecificsofthecampaign,focusingonthetimeline.“I

donotwanttoleaveyouagainsosoon,butthisismyresponsibility.”“We will come with you,” Fatima said, already standing to pack their

belongings.Radusmiledaffectionately.“YoudorealizeIamgoingtowar.”Nazira stood, too. She looked dazed, unable to focus. Fatima guided her

gentlybacktositting.“Thenwewillmeetyouthere,”Fatimasaid.“MehmedhasaskedmetostayforawhileafterwehavesetAronuponthe

throne.”“WhyAron?”Nazirasnapped.“Iknowanotherheirmuchmoredeserving.”RadureachedforthebundleofclothingthatNaziraheld.Nazirawasstaringat

it as though she couldnot account for itsbeing inherhands.Shepassed it tohim.Rather thanputting it inher trunk,heput itbackdownon thebed.“Youknow I donotwant that.But itmeans Iwill stay inTirgoviste for some time

aftertheconflictisover.YoutwoshouldgobacktoEdirneortothecountrysidetowaitforme.Unlessyouwouldratherstayhere.”“Icannotwaittogetoutofthisaccursedcity.”Nazira’swordswereclouded

withthememoriestheyshared.Andnowthiscityhadbroughthernewsofthedeathofherbrother.FatimatooktheclothesRaduhadsetdownonthebedandmovedthemtothe

trunk.“WewillmeetyouinTirgovistewhenthefightingisover.Itwillbenicetoseewhereyoucamefrom.”ShesaiditsoconvincinglyRadualmostbelievedshedidnotmindthatmuchtravel.Heraisedaneyebrowandshelookedaway,blushingatherlie.“Youdonothaveto,”Radusaid.Nazira stood to join Fatima but then hovered next to the bed, swaying and

directionless.Raduknewhowhard shewas trying to be brave.Howhard shewastryingtofunctionthroughtheoverwhelminggrief.Itwouldbegoodforherto get out of this city.Raduwould try to persuade them to go home, instead.Regardless,NaziraneededtobetakenfromConstantinople.Fatimaspokeforthemboth.“ButwewanttojoinyouinWallachia.”“Youwouldnotwanttoifyouhadeverbeenbefore.”“Wewillcomeanddiscoverhowmuchwewouldrathernothavecome,then.

Willyoursister…willshestaythere,inTirgoviste,whenyouaredone?”Fatimaasked.Nazirawent stiff at themention of Lada. Radu hated that his place inNazira’slifehadalsointroducedLadaintoit,andalltheaccompanyinglossandbloodshed.Helovedhissister,but…Butdidhe?Knowingthatshehadfinallybecometheworstofwhatshehad

alwayshadthepotentialtobe?“No,” Radu said. “They will bring her back here. She will never be free

again.”ItwasthecruelestfateforLada.Heknewshewouldratherdiefighting.But shewould not be allowed to.Radu felt something sharp andmean insidehardeningasheanticipatedhowitwoulddestroyhissistertobepowerlessandcaptiveoncemore.Good.Letit.

17

TheDanube,OttomanTerritory

LADALAYONherstomach,peeringoverthecoverofrocksatthewideexpanseoftheDanube.Shecouldmakeoutaflurryofactivityontheotherside,thoughshewas too far toseespecifics.Butshewascloseenough.Closeenough toknowtheywerethere.Closeenoughtoknowhewasthere.Mehmed.AndprobablyRaduaswell.Lada scooted back, standing when she reached the trees that hid Stefan,

Bogdan,andthemenshehadhandpickedtoleadhersoldiers.“Theyareoutinthe open. Which means they do not expect trouble until they are within thebordersofWallachia.IftheycannotcrosstheDanube,allthemenintheworldwillnotbeenoughforthemtoinvade.”“Eventuallytheywillmakeitacross.”Doruscratchedthesideofhisnosewith

oneblunt, dirty finger.Hewas smart andbrutal andgoodat leadingmen,butevery timeLada lookedathim,shesawwhowasnot there:Nicolae.She triednottohateDoruforit.Shedidnotalwayssucceed.“Notifitcoststhemtoomuch.Mehmedvaluesstabilityoverallelse.Hewill

notriskupsettingthatjusttopunishus.Ifwehitthemhardenoughhere,hewillretreat.”Dorusquinteddoubtfully.“Howdoyouknow—”“Do not question her.” Bogdan’s tone was flat. His eyes, however, were

dangerous.Dorubowedhisheadcontritely.“Wewillsetupalinealongthisbank.”Ladahadfourhundredmenhere.The

restofherforcesweredeeperinthecountry,forminglineafterlineofdefense.

But four hundred men well used on a river crossing could hold back thirtythousandmenontheotherside.“Alertthearcherstobereadytopickthemoffastheytrytofloatacross.And

keephiddenatallcosts.Wewouldnotwanttoruinthesurprise.”LadasmiledinthedirectionoftheDanube.Itwasthefirstofanynumberofsurprisesshehadplanned,but,ifitworked,itwouldbetheonlyonesheneeded.

Thatnight,eventhoughLadawaswellhiddenamongthereedsonthebank,amanslippedinandgotdownnexttoher.“Howdidyoufindme?”sheasked.Stefanshrugged.“Well?”Shewaited for his report.He had crossed the river several leagues

downtoscouttheenemycamp.Ladahadnotexpectedhimbackthissoon.“Sixtythousand.”Lada chokedonher breath,mufflingher coughwith thedark-greenhooded

cloak she wore to blend in with the shadows. “Sixty thousand? How manyfightingmen?”Mehmednormallytraveledwithonepersoninsupportofeveryman actually fighting. So thatmeant thirty thousand. She had expected fewerthanthat,but—“Sixtythousandfightingmen.”“God’swounds,”sheexhaled,lettingthenumberwashoverherlikethewaves

lappingattheshoreinfrontofher.“Sixtythousand?Areyoucertain?”“Anothertwentythousandinsupport,butjudgingfromthesupplytrains,they

donotexpectthistobealongcampaign.”“Sixty thousand.”Lada lowered her head.And then she started laughing. It

was snorts and exhalations, her shoulders shaking with the effort of keepingsilent.“Areyou…well?”Lada shookher head.Sixty thousand!Noone could haveguessedMehmed

wouldbringthatmany.Notevenshehadguessed.Sheknewitwaswrong,butsomething warm and pleasant licked to life deep inside her. It really was atremendousshowofrespectonhispart.Andadeeplyinconvenientone.Thiswasafinetimeforsomeonetotakeher

seriouslyatlast.“Well,sixtythousandorsixhundredthousand,ifhecannotferrythemacross

the water, he will either have to tack weeks onto the plans to find anotherpassageorgiveup.Andgivenhowmuchhelovesfrugalityforeverythingotherthanhiswardrobeandpersonaltent,Iamcountingonthelatteroption.”

Stefannodded.“Wheredoyouwantme?”“Backnearthecapital.Whenweknowtheoutcomehere,wewillbeableto

determine our next bestmove. Iwant you out of harm’sway, and as close toHungaryaspossible.”Withoutanotherword,Stefanslippedintothedarknesswherehewasmostat

home.“Sixtythousand,”Ladawhisperedtoherself,giggling.Mehmedmightaswell

havesentheranotherloveletter.

ItwastwonightsuntiltheOttomancrossingwasattempted.Abroad,flatskifflaunched,maneuveredwithpolesacrossthenarrowestpart

oftheriver.Athickropetrailedbehindit.Ladaandhermenwatchedastheskiffhit their side of the river. They waited as the Janissaries disembarked, thentrudged through themudand reedsup to thepointdirectlyacross fromwherethey had launched. The Ottomans had built a dock on their side, and severalmuchlargerskiffswerewaitingtoferrymenandwagonsacross.Metalonmetalrangthroughthenightashugespikesweredrivenintothesoft

groundandtheropewastiedofffortheskiffstobepulledbackandforthacrosstheriver.Still, Lada and hermenwatched. Theywaited until theworkwas finished.

Theywaitedwhile thefirst threeskiffs—packedshoulder toshoulderwithtwohundredmeneach,allJanissarieswith theirstupidwhite-flappedcapsglowinglikesurrenderinthemoonlight—werefilledtocapacityandbegantheslowpullacrosstheriver.When at long last they were halfway, Lada stood, stretching her agonized

muscles.Then she firedher crossbow.All the crossbowsaroundherwentoff,the bolts singing dark through the night.Men fell, the river accepting Lada’sofferingswithhungrysplashes.Theskiffinbackreverseddirection,headingforthedock.Themeninthefirst

skiff pulled faster, evidently thinking reaching the closer shore was the bestcourseofaction.Andthemiddleskiffsimplyletgo,driftingaimlesslydowntheriverasLada’smendecorateditwithdeath.Ladawhistledsharply.Hercannonsfired.Threeof theshotswentwide,but

twofoundtheirmarkontheskiffclosesttoMehmed’sshore.Theskiffcapsized,dumpingallthemenstillonboardintotheswift,unforgivingwater.Theirarmorwouldbetheirend.Theskiffheading forLada’sbankslowed,and thenstopped.Therewereno

longer enoughmen to pull it. It drifted, one last Janissary heroically keeping

holdof theropeuntilLadaplantedabolt inhisback.Thentheskiff joineditsbrotheronascenictripdowntheDanubeandawayfromLada’slandforever.Mehmed’s men had finally recovered their senses. Cannons wheeled into

placetoanswerLada’s.Butafewpartingshotsfromhersmadequickworkofthe temporary dock, and then Lada and her men slipped back down to theground,givingMehmednothingtoaimfor.Lada,elated,knewexactlywhatshewasaimingfor.Shewouldnotmiss.

“Ifonlywehadmorecannons,”Ladasaidwithasigh,patting theheavy,coldmetalsideofone,“wecouldhavebombardedhiswholecamp.”Nicolae’s voicewhispered in her ear:Stop calling it his camp. You are not

fightingMehmed,youarefightingtheOttomans.Ladarestedhercheekagainstthecannon.Herheartsqueezedpainfully.What

shewouldnotgive forNicolae toactuallybehere,makingherangrywithhisalways-too-insightful observations. Or Petru, eager and excited for whatevercamenext.Shewouldneverhearthetwoofthemagain,neverlistentoNicolaemockPetru,andPetruthreatentokillhimfordoingso.Shewantedthemback.Shewanted everything she had ever lost back.Her childhood.Her brother.

Evenherloveandrespectforherfather.TheOttomanshadtakenthemall.Agentlehandcamedownonhershoulder.“Areyouwell?”Bogdanasked.“Why does everyone askme that? I am alwayswell!” Lada stood straight,

shakingoffherfeelingsand,inadvertently,Bogdan’shand.Heflinched,hisfacefalling.Lada reachedoutand tookhishand.Shehadnot losthim.Shehadnot lost

Wallachia.Shewouldyetregainsomeofwhatshehadlost,butshewouldgivenothingelsewithoutafight.Bogdan’sfacelitupwithquietjoy.Heheldperfectlystill,asthoughafraidof

spookingher.“Whatnext?”“Weneedtomovethecannons.Firethemandthenmovethemagain.Wewill

keep doing that, keep them guessing and pinned down and unable to attemptanothercrossing.Tell—”Abolt bounced off the cannon, spinning in the air before coming to rest at

Lada’sfeet.Shefrowneddownatit.Bogdantackledher,hisbodyontopofhersasmoreboltsflewaroundthem.“Janissaries!”someonescreamed.Lada rolled out from under Bogdan—he was unhurt, she noticed with

tremblingrelief,aflashofNicolae’sbloodiedbackrisingunbidden—anddrew

her sword. Because they had chosen deep tree cover, itmeant they could notformaline.Theywerenotexpectinghand-to-handcombat,notnow.“Wheredidtheycomefrom?”Bogdanwhisperedastheycrawledawayfrom

thecannonandmetupwithareserveofmenthathadbeenresting.Theywerenotrestingnow.“Thesecondboat.Theonethatfloateddownstream.Theymusthavemadeit

tothisshoreandworkedtheirwaybackuptous.Damn.Damn,damn,damn.”Thatmeant therewereat leastonehundredJanissaries,assuminghalfof themhad been killed before their escape. Lada knew better than to question theirskills. They were far deadlier than the bulk of her newly trained forces. Onehundred Janissaries on the attack could easily wipe out her four hundredscatteredmen.“Weshouldpullbacktothesecondline,”Bogdansaid.“Wewilllosethecannons.Wecannotaffordthat.”Ladawhistledsharply.“To

theguns!”sheshouted.“Protectthecannons!”“She’soverhere!”amanshoutedinTurkish.“Takeheralive!”Themenaroundherhesitated.“Theyarehereforyou,”Bogdansaid.“Butthecannons!”“Better the cannons than you.” He drew his sword, then shouted the next

commands.“Protecttheprince!Formaroundusandspreadworddownthelinetoholdoffpursuit.Wegettheprincetothesecondline!Abandonthecannons!”Ladastoodrootedtotheground,staringatthetauntingriver.Theyhadcome

soclosetovictory,soclosetowinningwithouteverhavingtofight.SoclosetohumiliatingMehmedashehadhumiliatedher.Itwasnotfair.IfshehadhalftheresourcesMehmed did—a quarter, a tenth, even—shewould have beaten himhere.All shehadwasWallachia.Andasmuchasshe loved it, shewasseizedwithasuddenfearthatitwouldnotbeenough.Itneverhadbeen.Whowassheto defy all of history, which taught her that her country had never and couldneverbefree?“Wecanlosetodayandstillwin,”Bogdansaid,buzzingwithurgency.“Butif

weloseyou,weloseeverything.”Whowasshe?Shewasthedragon.Hercountryhadteethandclawsandfire,

and shewould use every last bit of them.Lada drewher own sword. “To thesecondline!”sheshouted,eachwordcausinghermorepainthanthecrossbowboltwouldhave.AstheycuttheirwaythroughtheJanissariesappearinginthedark to bar their path, all Lada’s thoughts were on what they were leavingbehind.Mehmed.Radu.AndaclearcrossingfortheirjourneyintoWallachia.

Shehadfailedatherfirst task.Butshewouldmakecertaintosendastrongwelcomemessage.

18

SouthernBorderofWallachia

RADU STOOD OUTSIDE with the other leaders, watching as their men set up amassive,neatlyorganizedcampforthenight.Withthismanymen,theyhadtostop marching for the day by midafternoon to have everything settled beforenightfall.Itwasatremendousundertaking,andonetheyhadtodoeverysingleday.“We lost over three hundred Janissaries,” Ali Bey said with a concerned

frown.“Andasfarasweknow,theylostonlyafewdozenmenintheretreat.Idonotlikethosenumbers.Iftheycontinue…”MahmoudPashasquintedattheforbiddingcloudsinthedistance.Itwasnot

monsoonseason,butspringbroughtheavyrainsthatwouldswelltheriversandmuddy the roads,making their jobsmoredifficult.Therewasa reasonattackstookplaceattheendofspringinsteadofatthebeginning.Ladahadpushedthemtoo soon. “The numbers will not continue.We took all their cannons. She isrunningscared.”“Mysisterdoesnotdoanythingscared.”RadulookedaheadtowardWallachia

withaheavyheartandheavierworries.Hewasfairlycertaintheywouldfacenoattack here. Lada knew what her strengths were, and direct combat with thestronger Ottoman forces was not something she would risk. But she was outthere,somewhere.Waiting.Wavingofffurtherdiscussion,RaduenteredMehmed’stent.Hishadgoneup

first, in an easily defensible position, while the rest of the camp was staged.Raduexpected tofindhisfriendangry. Instead,hefoundMehmedsittingonapillow,staringupattheceilingofthetentwithabemusedsmile.“Ithinkshemissedus,”hesaid.

Radu lowered himself to the carpeted floor, biting back a bitter reply.Mehmed’samusementneglectedtotakeintoaccountthatmenhaddiedbetweenthem.ButMehmedprobablyneededafewmomentstobeapersoninsteadofthesultan.AllrecentconversationsaboutLadahadrevolvedaroundtactics,viewingherasaprinceandamilitaryleader.ShewasjustLadainthistent.RaduignoredtheghostsofthedeadtospeakwithMehmedonthelevelMehmedwanted.“Sheis angrywith us.And as fearsome as thatwaswhen shewasyoung, facing itnowthatsheisgrown,armed,andsurroundedbysoldiers?Ifindmyselflongingforastabletohideinuntilshefindsanotherobjecttodirectheriretoward.”Mehmed laughed. “Do you remember when we used to have footraces

throughthehillsinAmasya?”Raducringed.HedidhisbestimitationofLada’svoice,addingaslightgrowl

tohisownevenasheprojectedithigher.“Areyouproudofyourselfforbeingabletorunfasterthanme?Itdoesnotmatter,becauseIwillalwayscatchyouintheend.Youmayrunfaster,butIstillhitharder.”Radurubbedhisshoulderatthephantompain.MostofhismemoriesofLadaincludedthatsensation.Mehmed laughed even harder, laying back on the floor cushions. “Do you

remember when she memorized more verses of the Koran than I did, just toproveshewasbetterthanIwasateverything?”“Irememberall this.Andit ismakingmequestionour judgment inchasing

her.Dowereallywanttocatchher?Andwhatwillwedooncewehaveher?”The easy happiness in Mehmed’s face was replaced with familiar tension.

“YouknowwhyIhaveto.Youhavenotchangedyourmind.”“No. I agree that we cannot let her actions stand without a response. She

threatens the stabilityofallourEuropeanborders.But I cannothelpworryingwherethisends.Howitends.”“Iworryaboutthataswell.Ijustwantherbackhome,withus.”Raduspokeasgentlyashecould.“Sheishome,Mehmed.”Mehmedscowled,wavingRadu’swordsaway.“Shecannotsustain this.We

bothknow it. If shekeeps fighting thewholeworld,eventually shewill lose.”Hesatup,earnestandintense.“Sheneedstolosetous,Radu.NotbecauseIhateher,orbecauseIamangrywithher.Sheneedstolosetousbecauseweloveher.Becauseweunderstandher.”“ButlosingWallachiamightbreakher.”“Betterbrokenthandead.”RaduwasnotcertainthatheagreedwithMehmed.Notafterwhathehadbeen

throughandseenhimself.Hewasstillhealing,andwasuncertainhewouldeverfully heal. And the things that meant the most to him—Nazira, his faith,

protectingthosemostinnocent—hadnotevenbeentakenfromhim.Iftheyhad…Hewasalsouncomfortablyuncertainwhethertheclaimthattheybothloved

Ladawastrue.Certainlytheiractionsoverthepastyearsaidotherwise.“IknowwhatWallachiaistoher,”Mehmedcontinued.“Iamnotblindtoher

devotiontoit.Shehasmadeitclearshewillalwayschooseitoverme.”Therewasapause,thenbitterlonginginMehmed’stone.“Butwewilltakethatchoiceawayfromherbeforeitdestroysher.”Radulookedupattheelegantsilkceilingofthetent.Agoldchandelierhung

from it, lit even though itwasday.OnlyMehmedcouldmake takinganarmyagainsthissistersoundlikeanactofloveandfriendship.

“Todaywewill reach theArges,” AronDanesti said, riding beside Radu andMehmed.Aronwasshorterthanbothofthem—MehmedandRaduweretallandlean, though Mehmed was growing broader now that he had finally stoppedgrowingtaller—anditdidnothelpthatAron’shorsewassmallerthantheirs.Heconstantly adjusted in his saddle, trying to sit up straighter, but he still had tocranehisnecktolookupatthem.“Thereisagoodbridgewecanuse.Andthelandacross is a fertile area.Weshould findearlycropsand livestock.Wecanrestthere.”Mehmeddidnotrespond.Moreandmoreoftenhechosenottospeaktothose

aroundhimunlesshewascorrectingthem.Aronclearedhisthroatself-consciously,thencontinued.“Weshouldnotleave

Bucharestopenbehindus.Itwillcostseveraldays,butitisworthittotakethefortressratherthanleavingusexposedtoapotentialattackfromtherear.”AliBey,ontheothersideofRaduandMehmed,grunted.“Idonotlikeit.We

hadtosendmentoretakeGiurgiuaswell.Butitisanecessity.WewillcrosstheArges,andthensendaforcetotakeBucharest.”Radu wanted it all to be over with. He wanted Tirgoviste taken, Lada in

custody,thisentirecountryandhishistorywithitbehindhim.ButheknewevenaftertheytookTirgovisteitwouldnotbesimple.Theycrestedahillandfoundthescoutswaiting,allfacingthesamedirection.Wheretheyhadanticipatedabridgeborderedbyalargetown,completewith

livestock, supplies, and crops—not tomention people—lay only a smolderingruin.Raduhadasuddenflashbacktohis timeinAlbaniafightingtheOttomanrebelSkanderberg.RaduhadbeenatMurad’s side then in an endless siege. Itwashisfirsttasteofwar,andhehadnevermanagedtocleansehispalateoftheburning rot ithad leftbehind.Skanderberg’smenhadwaged thesame typeof

campaign,destroying theirowncrops toprevent theOttomans fromgetting tothem.HadRadu toldLadaabout that strategy?Hecouldnot remember.Theyhad

notbeencloseanymore,notat thatpoint.Shehad takenMehmed,andhehadjoined Murad in an effort to prove himself the more useful sibling throughpoliticalmaneuvering.Surelyhehadnottoldheraboutit.Thiswasnothisfault.Shecouldhave learned it fromher timewithHunyadi, though itdidnotseemliketheoldHungarianmilitaryleader’sstyle.Itwasprobablyhis sister’snatural inclinationscomingout. If shecouldnot

haveit,noonecould.“Somuchforourbridge,”Radusaid. Itwouldmeanadelay,andonespent

withoutextraprovisionsatthat.Raduwatchedasafewmountedscoutsexploredthe area around the bridge.One of them just…disappeared. There, and thengone.Theothersquicklyturnedtheirhorses,shoutingaboutpitsandtraps.AliBeybeganissuinginstructionstoavoidtheentirearea.“RaduBey?”amaninterrupted,drawingRadu’sattention.Severalofhisown

scoutshadapproached.ThoughAliBeyhadthebulkoftheforces,Radu’sfourthousandmountedmenwereindependentofthemainJanissarytroops.Raduhadsentthemscoutingthesurroundingarearatherthanthepathdirectlyahead.Thescoutshadtwopeoplewiththem,peasantsbythelookoftheirclothing.

ThemanandthewomanregardedRaduwithbalefulexpressions.The lead scout bowed. “We caught them a few miles up, dumping rotten

animal carcasses in the river.They have been doing it forweeks. Itwill havetaintedthewaterthisfardownforatleastafewdays.”Thewomangrinned.“Thirsty?IhopeyoubroughttheDanubewithyou.”Radumassagedhisforehead.“Whereisthenearestsourceofcleanwater?”Themansnickered.Hehadfacialhair,whichwaspuzzling.Onlyboyarswere

allowedtohavefacialhairinWallachia,justasJanissarieswererequiredtobeclean-shaven. Itwasamatterof status. “Youarewelcome to tryanywellyoufind.Pleasedo.”“Whatfamilyareyoufrom?”Raduasked.Themanhadneitherthespeechnor

thecarriageofaboyartoaccountforthefacialhair.“Nofamilyyouwouldknow.”Herubbedhisjaw,eyesnarrowingwithasly

smile.“Didyouthinkyouwouldreturnandfindthingshowyouleftthem?Wehaveanewprince.Newrules.Newfreedom.”AronDanestihadjoinedRadu.“Thisdoesnotlooklikefreedomtome.You

havenocrops.Nopeople.”“Theyare in themountains.”Thewomanshrugged,grinning to revealmore

gaps than teeth inhermouth.“Ican tellyou that,becauseyouwillnever find

them.Youwouldallstarvefirst,orlooksolongthatwinterwillreturnandclaimyoublueandfrozenas itsown.Thenourpeoplewill stepoveryourbodies toreclaimourland.Lookaslongandashardasyouwant,youwillfindonlydeathhere.”“Wearecomingtohelpyou,”Aronsaid,genuinelypuzzledbytheirdefiance.

“Yourfalseprinceisprovokingothercountries.Shehasmadeyouunsafe.”“Sheiseverything.”ThewomanspatatAron.Oneofthescoutsgrabbedher

arm,butshejerkedtowardthem,eyesfeverish.“Everythingwehave,weowetoher.Thebastardboyarshavebeengiventheplacetheyalwayswanted:theyareaboveeverything,lookingdownonusfromtheirloftystakes.”Shejuttedoutherchin.“Iknowyou,Danestison.Youwilljoinyourfather.”Anothergroupofscoutscameridingfromthedirectionoftheroadleadingto

Bucharest.“Takethesetwoaway,”Radusaid,waving.Hedidnotwanttoordertheirdeaths—theyhadnotkilledanyofhismenthatheknewof—buthedidnotknowwhattodowiththem.Hewouldworryaboutitlater.Radu recognizeda short, stockyJanissarynamedSimionwhomhehadsent

out as soon as they crossed theDanube. “What is it?”Raduasked, seeing thescouts’white faces and furrowed brows. “Is someone coming?You hadmoremenwhenyouleft.Didyouencounterresistance?”“No,” Simion said, dismounting and bowing. “Just traps.We lost three.No

oneiscomingtofightusbecausetheydonotneedto.Everythingasfaraswerode looks like this.Thewells arepoisoned.Therearenoanimalsor cropsorevenpeople.IfwesendmentoBucharest,wehadbettertakethecity,orwewillstarve.”Radu thankedSimion, then rodeslowlyback towardMehmed,withAronat

hisside.“What has happened in our country?”Aron asked, horrified. Radu realized

thatasidefromConstantinople,whereAronhadonlybeenoutsidethewalls,theDanestihadneverseencombat.“Ladaknowswhatittakestolaysiege.ShewantsittocostMehmedasmuch

aspossible.Lossesofmenandgoldandmorale.”“No,not that. Imean, yes, that is awful.But theway thatman andwoman

spoke to us. I have never been thus addressed in my entire life. He wears abeard!Shespeaksasthoughsheisourequal—orourbetter!”Mara had not bothered getting reports out of Wallachia itself. They had

focused onwhoLada’s outside allieswould be. But itwas obvious now theyshould have focused more on whom she would have on her side within thecountry.LadahadalwaysbelievedWallachiawasthegreatestplaceintheworld.

Apparentlyherprideinherhomelandhadextendedtoherpeople.Theyhadnotfactoredthismuchsheerdevotionintotheirplans.Radu watched as the twoWallachians were hauled toward the camp. How

manymorelikethemwerelyinginwait?Raduneededtofindsupportinsidethecountry.“Wewillsendoutriderstosearchinsecretforboyars.Icannotimaginemanyofthemsupporther,notaftertheDanestideaths.”Radustoppedhishorseatadistance,amomentarythrillofpleasurecoursing

through him as he saw Mehmed shift with impatience on his own horse.Watchinghim.Waitingforhim.Butstill inpursuitofhissister.Radusmiledathimself,knowinghowmuch

this campaign would have bothered him even a year ago. Instead, he missedNazira.HemissedCyprian.Thatonehurtmore,becauseitwasamissingwithnopurpose.Asmanytimes

as he told himself hewould think nomore onCyprian now that he knew theothermanwasaliveandsafe,thosegrayeyesandthatsoul-searingsmilewereneverfarfromRadu’sthoughts.“Everythinghaschanged,”Aronsaid.“Nothingeverchanges,”Raduanswered, finallyurginghishorse towardhis

friendsotheycouldworryabouthissistertogether.

19

OutsideBucharest

LADASAT,THEtepidspringsunstilltoohotforhertaste.Ithadbeenanarduousclimb,gettingallher soldiers and their remainingcannonsup the steep, rockyhillsides.Shestareddownintothecanyonbeneaththem.ItwastheonlylogicalpathforanarmytotaketoreachBucharest.She had already tested this particular canyon strategy once before.Hunyadi

continuedtohelpherfrombeyondthegrave.Shehad,theyearbefore,rescuedhimduringanill-fatedfightinacanyonbyunexpectedlyattackingfromaboveandblockingtheexits.Itwouldbeonalargerscalehere,butshewasconfident.She had to be creative in avoiding direct combat with Mehmed’s massivelysuperiornumbers;thiswasperfect.And,asshekeptremindingherselfaftertheirlossattheDanube,theydidnot

need towin.Notoutright.Theysimplyneeded tomake thisattemptcostmorethanMehmedwaswilling to spend in everyway possible.Men.Gold. Time.Pride.Shelikedchippingawayatthatlastone,especially.“Arewecertain theywill come forBucharest?”Bogdan asked, clearing the

topofarockforLadatositon.Aftergivinginstructions,shehadlefttherestofthesoldierstosetupattheirvariouspositions.Theywereallloyalandgoodatwhattheydid,butincreasinglytheyaggravatedher.Shecouldonlyseewhotheywerenot.Sheclutchedthelocketsheworearoundherneck,asmuchapartofhernow

asherdaggers.Iflost,sheknewshewouldconstantlyreachforthem,andeverytimebesurprised that theyweregone.Just likementallyshekeptreachingforPetruandNicolae,onlytoremembertheywereforeveroutofhergrasp.

Howmanymorewouldshelose?Howmanycouldsheaffordto?Shedroppedthelocketbeneathhertunic.“TheyhavetocomeforBucharest.

Itistooimportanttoleavebehindtheirlines.AnditisthefirstmajorcitypasttheArges,withnomorerivercrossingstobartheirwaytoTirgoviste.Theywillneedtouseitasastagingpoint.”“Andiftheytakethecity?”Ladashrugged.“Thentheytakeit.Butwemakethempaydearly.Itwilltake

timeandsuppliesandgivethemnothinginreturn.Wewillnotcomebackforit,sothementheyleaveherewillbeidleandwasted,fewerthatwehavetofightelsewhere.”Bogdannodded,satisfied.Hewasplayingwithsomething, too.Ladapeered

closer.Prayerbeads.Shebitbackherinstincttobelittlehim.Shewouldtakeallthehelp she couldget, and ifBogdan’s godwas interested in aiding them,hewaswelcometohelp.TherewasnothingtodonowexceptwaitfortheOttomanstoarrive.Itwasboring.Ladahatedit.Far too late, asusual,LadanoticedStefanapproaching them.Shewouldbe

deadifhehadbeentheretokillher.Buthebroughtonlyinformation,notdeath.He sat, folding his long legs beneath him. He was so dusty and dim he

blendedinwiththerocks.“TheTurkswillbeherewithintwohours.Hesenttenthousand.”Thatwasunfortunate.LadahadhopedMehmedwoulddetourhiswholeforce

here.HewasmakingcertainBucharestdidnot threatenhimwithattacks fromtherearwithoutcommittingtoomanymen.Butthatonlyalteredthingsslightly.ShecouldmovethroughthecountrymuchfasterthanMehmed’shugecampandsupply trains could.Hewould staywith hismain force, butLada could—andwould—beeverywhere.“Good,”shesaid.“Wewillbogthemdowninthispasssotheycangoneither

forwardnorbackward.WedonotevenhavetokillthemallforMehmedtohavelostasixthofhisforces.”“Andafter?”Stefanasked.“I go to Tirgoviste to make certain everything there is prepared. Daciana

should have overseen the evacuations into the mountains by now.” Ladafrowned.“Icouldhaveusedherelsewhere,though.”Stefan frowned. Itwas incrediblydemonstrativeofhim.Hemusthavebeen

truly upset. “She iswith child,Lada.And shewould not trust our children tosomeoneelse.”“She is with child? Another one?” This was a terrible time to be having

children.And selfish, too.Ladadid notwant her followers’ attentions divided

anyfurtherthantheyalreadywere.“Well,atleastthisonewillbeyours.”Stefanstraightened,hisfacesocarefullyanddeliberatelyblankthatLadagot

achill.“Theyareallmine.”Something in his posture made Lada want to draw her knives defensively.

Instead, she looked away in a showof confidence.Shedidnot need towatchhimforattack.Hebelongedtoher,andhewoulddowelltorememberit.“Iwantyou to go to Hungary. Make certain they are mobilizing their forces aspromised.”“Andiftheyarenot?”“KillMatthias.”“Thatwillnotbeeasy.Andhowwillithelpyou?”“IfMatthiascannotkeephisword,Iwanthimdead.That ishowitwillhelp

me.”Stefan stood, brushing off his hands. “Iwill check onDaciana onmyway,

makecertaintheyhaveeverythingtheyneed.Wherearethey?”Lada lookeddown into thecanyon, tracingan imaginary trajectorywithher

eyes.Menwould die here very soon. Itwas odd, looking at the peaceful andquietandcleanplace,knowingwhatitwouldholdbeforetheday’send.“OnlyIknowtheirlocation.Itissaferthatway.Ifcaught,noonecanbetraythem.”LadaturnedtoStefantogaugehisreaction.Shehadputspecialweightonthewordbetray.Hisfacewasasunknowableandunremarkableasever.Ifheunderstoodthat

Ladawasthreateninghim,hedidnotacknowledgeorrespondtoit.Heinclinedhishead,thenwalkedsilentlyaway.“Lada.”Bogdan’stentativetonewasutterlyincongruouswithhowphysically

intimidatinghewas.Hewasabullofaman,madekittenaroundher.“Iwantedtospeakwithyou,butwehavenothadanytimealone.”“Iwillnotmarry.”Ladadidnottrytosoftenhertoneorherwords,butneither

didshewishtowoundhim.NotwiththelossofNicolaestillsofresh.Hisdeathhadgivenher,perhaps,anewperspectiveonthemenshedidhave.ShehadlostBogdanwhentheywerechildren.HehadbeentakenbytheOttomans.Shehadfoundhimandreclaimedhim,andshewouldnotrelinquishthatclaim.Bogdannodded,hiseyesontherockygroundbeneaththem.“Mymothersaid

asmuch.Andifyoudidmarry,itwouldnotmakesensetomarryme.Iwouldbringyounoadvantage.”Ladatuggedratherviciouslyononeofhisstupidjug-handleears.Thoseears

had listened to her all her life without question. She had taken those earsbetweenherteeth,too.Heservedmanypurposes.“Ineverwantyouapartfrom

me,”shesaid.Itwasthetruth.Itdidnotmeanasmuchashewanteditto,butitwasallshecouldofferhim.His facebloomedwith joy likea fieldofnewspringflowers,all tenderand

brilliant.“Iwillneverleaveyou.”Lada nodded. Her work here was done. She owed him nothing else

emotionally,whichwas good because even thismuch had exhausted her. Shewanted to fight someone, tohave that clarityof action andgoal aligned.HowconsiderateofMehmedtoprovideheranentirearmytodojustthat.Bogdan twisted his foot through the pebbles beneath itwith an aggravating

scraping noise. “But if you were to decide to marry someone, and it did notmatterwhetherornottheybroughtyouanypoliticaladvantage,would—”“Ifyoueverbringitupagain,Iwill throwyouoff thiscanyonwall.ThenI

will find your body, drag it back up here, and do it a second time just to becertainthatanyspiritofyouhangingaboutgetsthemessage.”Bogdan ducked his head, rubbing the back of his neck, where a blush had

formed.“Right.Well,wehaveanhourstill.Doyouwant to…?”Hegesturedinelegantlyathertrousers.Ithadbeenalongtime,withallheravoidanceofhim.Shewasnotgentle.He

didnotcomplain.Allwasbackinplacebetweenthemasithadeverbeen.

“Keepthempinneddown!”LadapointedatagroupofJanissariesattemptingtoskirt the edge of the line and climbup the canyonwall. Itwas not as good ascenarioasthecanyonwiththeBulgarshadbeen.Thereweretoomanybouldershere, toomanydefensible areas for the troops to hide and return fire.But hermen couldkeep thempinned for a long time.Days, perhaps.Thatwas all thevictorytheyneeded.Satisfied, Lada turned to the mean-spirited, brutal man she was leaving in

charge.Shehad foundGrigore inprison,wherehewasawaitingexecution forbeatingthesonofaboyar.Hewasperfectlysuitedtoherneeds.“Makethempayforeverystepofprogresswithtenbodies.Onceyoufinish

offthegunpowder,nomoreiscoming.Destroythecannonssotheydonottakethem.ThenruntoBucharestandmanthewalls.”Grigoresmiled,breathingdeeplyofthescentofburningfleshandblood.“It

willbemypleasure.”Bogdanwaswaitingwith theirhorses.Whileanarmycouldnotget through

the landwithout tremendousplanning anddifficulty, twopeople onhorsebackcould cover the distancewith ease. Lada knewMehmed’smain force had notadvancedfartowardTirgovisteyet.Theywouldeasilybeathimtotheirtarget.

“IwillgoontoTirgovistealone,”Ladasaid.“IneedtomakesureOanaisoutsafely,andthatthereisnothingforthemtotake.Also,Ineedtocheckthefinallogisticsfortheirwelcome.Iwantyoutogotothehillcampsandorganizethesoldiers.Someofthemarebeingledbyboyars”—Ladagrimacedatthethought—“andIexpecttheywillneedalotofhelp.”Itaggravatedherthatshehadtouseanyoftheboyars,butsomehadremainedloyaltoherandshesimplydidnothave enoughmen trained to lead.After thiswas over, shewould change that.Neveragainwouldshedependonanyoneelse.Theyallinevitablydisappointedher,orleft.Orchosesomeoneoverher.Bogdan leaned close as if hewould try to kiss her. She kicked her horse’s

flanks,quicklyoutpacinghim.Sherodealone.Itfeltright.

20

WallachianCountryside

RADU FINISHED PRAYING and remained on his rug. The loss ofKumalweighedheavilyonhimatalltimes,buthefeltitmoststronglyduringprayer.Kumalwasthemanwhohad invitedhim in,whohadgivenhimIslamasa refuge forhissoulwhenallelsewasinturmoil.Allelsewasinturmoilonceagain,andRaduhadcostKumalhislife.RaducouldnothelpbutwonderwhathisrelationshiptohisGodwas.Ithad

been sorely tested and tried during his time in Constantinople. But it had notbroken.SometimesRaduhadfeareditwould,buthestillfoundthesamepeaceandsolaceinprayerhealwayshad.RaduwishedhehadbeenopenwithKumalaboutwhatwasinhisownheart.

Hehadworried thatKumalmightsaysomething thatwouldseparate them,or,worse, separate Radu from God. Molla Gurani, the scholar who had taughtMehmedandRaduandhadwitnessedhisconversion,doubtlesscouldhavetoldRadu everything written about whether the love in his heart for other mencondemnedhim.Raduhaddonesomestudyonthesubject,butitbroughthimnopeace.PerhapsKumalcouldhavetalkedabouttheheartoffaith,andwhetherRadu

couldhaveaheartfilledwithGodandstillloveasheneededto.ButKumalwasgone.MollaGurani, too.AllRaduhadwashimselfandhis

God, the movement of prayer and the ritual of worship connecting them. Hewouldnotseverthatconnection.HefeltNazirawasright:whereGodandlovewereconcerned,hewashappytoleaveitunreconciled.Wishinghecouldlinger,Radurolleduphisrugandpackedhistent.Hemade

hiswaytoMehmed’stent.Bythelookofthings,packingthesultanfortheday’s

travelhadnotyetbegun.Radudidnotrelishtheideaofstandingaboutidly.Theprogressofthecampwasplodding,andRadudidnotthinkhecouldhandletheboredomtoday.Itlefttoomuchroomforthought.Hesawagroupofhisscoutsandmountedtojointhem.Thedayhaddawnedbrightandclear,theairwarmandhumid.“Doyouknow

the land well?” one of the scouts asked. He was a quiet, thoughtful man, aJanissarynamedKiril.Raduhadriddenwithhimbeforeandlikedhim.“Irememberit,”Radusaid,“thoughIhavenotbeenthroughheresinceIwas

aboy.Wefollowedaroadalongtheriver,fromTirgovistetoEdirne.”“Whatbroughtyoutotheempire?”Radusmiledwryly,remembering.“Politics.Iwasahostage,actually.”“Ididnotknow,RaduBey.”Radulaughedtoeasetheotherman’sdiscomfort.Kirilwasolderthanhimby

onlyayearortwo.RadulikedtheyoungerJanissaries.Itwaseasiertobeintheircompany.Hefelthehadlesstoprovetothemthanhedidtotheolderones.“Itwasthebestthingthateverhappenedtome.”“AsbeingsenttotrainasaJanissarywasforme.Thismustbeanoddsortof

homecomingforyou,then.”“Itisnotmyhome.Itneverwas,really.”A scout appeared from a bend between two tree-dense hills farther up the

road.He rode to them, frowning, his freckled features twistedwith confusion.“Isthereanotherroad?Ithinkwehavetakenawrongturn.”“No,”Raduanswered.Accordingtobothhismemoryandhismaps,theywere

exactlywheretheyweresupposedtobe.“Thisistheonlyroadwideenoughforthewagonstogetthrough.Therearenoothermajorroads.ItisallfarmlanduntiloutsideTirgoviste.”“Thereisnofarmlandupthere.”RadusharedanalarmedlookwithKiril.Hehadnotbeenheresincehewasa

child,butthingscouldnothavechangedthatmuch.Withagrowingpitofdreadin his stomach, Radu spurred his horse forward. He stopped abruptly as theycrestedalowhill.Insteadofrollingacresofbuddinggreenfieldsliningtheriver,therewere…marshes.Leaguesandleaguesofmarshes.Theriver,nowlowandsluggish,hadsoaked

thelandallaroundit.Raduknewthatonoccasiontheriverfloodedandcausedthistypeofdamage,buttheyhadhadnosuchrainyseasonlately.Thiswasman-made.No.ThiswasLada-made.“See,there,”Kirilsaid,pointing.“Trenches.Divertingtheriverintothefields.

Itmusthavetakenforevertodigthem.”

“Find away through, then return and report how far themarsh continues,”Radusaidtothefreckledscout.Hecouldnothidehisowndespairashelookedat yet more land for feeding both the Wallachians and the Ottoman troopscompletelydestroyed.HeturnedtoKiril.“Goaroundandseehowfarwehavetogo to skirt it. Itmaybebetter to clear our own roads than todrag cannon-ladenwagonsthroughthismire.”Radustaredattheruinoftheland.Ladahadhurtthem,yes.Butshehadalsohurtherownpeopleinthelongrun.Howcouldshenotseewhatshewasdoing?Howcouldshejustifythiscost?“Your sister did all this?” Kiril asked, surveying the damage as a group

gatheredtoscoutwithhim.Radu took a deep breath, closing his eyes against the anger flaring toward

Lada and her ever-growing damage to the world they both had to live in. “Icannotimaginethisistheworstofwhatawaitsus,either.”Raduhadbeenwrongall this time.Hehad feltguilty for thewayhisheart

yearned for other men. But it was not his own love that was poisonous anddestructive. His love destroyed nothing, hurt no one. Lada loved Wallachiaaboveallelse,andthiswastheresult.WhatMehmedandLadadid—becauseofwhat they set their hearts onwith both people and land—was farworse thananythingRadu’slovecouldeverleadhimtodo.Itwasanoddsortofthingtotakecomfortin,butheacceptedit.Nazirawas

right.Hislovehadnoevilinit.Hecouldnotsaythesameforhissister’s.

21

Tirgoviste

LADA HAD NOT been able to take a deep breath since she hit the outskirts ofTirgoviste.Closingthecastledoorbehindher,shepulledofftheclothoverhermouthandnoseandgaspedforair.“Yes, it isunpleasantout there,”Oanaremarked,eyeingherwithsomething

likehumor,thoughfardarker.“TheyhavenotcompletedasmuchasIhadhoped.”Ladaleanedagainstthe

doorasthoughherweightwouldhelpkeeptheairoutsidefromcomingin.Thesmellhadfollowedher,butitwasmerelyoverwhelming,notunbearable.“Theycanonlyworkinshortshifts.Wehavetotradeworkersinandoutmore

oftenthanwehadplannedfor.”“Theycandomore.”Oana laughedgruffly. “Not unconscious, they cannot.Youwill have to buy

themalittlemoretime.”“Fortunatelythatcostsonlyeffortandlives,notmoney.Icanalwaysgiveup

moreofthefirsttwo,butthethirdIamentirelylacking.”Ladarubbedthesmallofherback. It hadbeen a long, hard ride, and shedidnot have the luxuryofresting.Not that she thought she could sleephere. “Why are you still here? Iwantyouinthemountains.GotomyfortressatPoenari.”Oana patted the top of Lada’s head in a way that made Lada wonder if it

wouldbe inappropriate topunchheroldnurse in thestomach.“Child,areyouworriedaboutmysafety?”“The entire city could burn down and youwould be standing in the center,

entirelyunharmed,holdingacombandtellingmeitwas timetodealwithmyhair.”

Oanasquinted.“Itislookingrathertheworseforwear.”“Oh,gohideinthemountains,youmonster.”BeforeLadacoulddodge,Oana

wrappedherinahug.“Becareful.Weneedyou.”Oanasqueezedtootightly,thenreleasedherand

openedthedoor.ThestenchwassopowerfulthatLadastaggeredbackasthoughstruck.OanadidnotevencoverherfaceasshescuttledtowardLada’shorse.Ladaslammedthedoorshutagain.Sheneededtodoonelastsweeptomake

certainMehmedwouldfindnothingtohisadvantagehere,shouldhemanagetomakeittothecenterofthecity.In the throne room she found tiles still stained with the blood of her

predecessor. The faded outline of the sword that once hung over her father’shead—now worn at her side—remained on the wall. In the halls she foundghostlywhispersandmemoriesoffearandrage.Andinherchambersthathadoncebelongedtoherfather,shefoundnomemoriesatallworthtaking.“Lada,”amansaidbehindher.Sheshoutedinsurprise,turningaroundwithonedaggeralreadydrawn.Stefan

wasstandinginashadowedcorneroftheroom.Howlonghehadbeenthere,shehadnoidea.Eithershewasslipping,orhewasbetterthanever.Shehopeditwasthelatter.“I amglad it is you.”Herheart still racedas she replacedherdagger in its

wristsheath.He remained as unmoving and still as his expression. His was such a

forgettable face that when he was away, Lada had a hard time rememberingwhat, exactly,he looked like.He tiltedhisheadever so slightly to the sideasthoughLadawereaproblemtobesolved.“Ihavebeenpaidatremendousamountofmoneytokillyou.”Hisvoicewas

soemotionlessittookLadaseveralsecondstoprocesswhathehadsaid.Herhand twitched towardherwrist,but shestopped.Sheknewhowdeadly

Stefanwas.Shehadtakengreatprideinit.Itwasratherlesspleasantknowingthat,ifhewantedherdead,shealreadywas.Atfirst,angerandsadnessbubbledtothesurface.Buttheywerereplacedwithableaksortofpleasure.HadshenothopedthatsomedaysomeonewouldrealizeshewasdeservingofanassassinofStefan’scaliber?Shewould have preferred that day never come.But itwas validating in its

ownmorbidway.“Howmuch?”sheasked.“More than you have left to fund this fight.”He reached into his vest—his

movements deliberate and slow—and pulled out a leather pouch.He tossed itontothebedbehindher.“Thatisnotallofit.Orevenmostofit.”Thistimea

hintofasmile,likeaquicklyfadingdream,brushedoverhisface.“Butyoucanuseithowyouseefit.”“Soyouarenotgoingtokillme.”“Iconsideredit.”Sheappreciatedhishonesty.Ifshehadtokillhim,shewouldbeverysorry.

“Why?”“Because if whoever wants you dead is willing to offer this much gold,

someonewilldothejobsoonerorlater.Icoulddoit inamannerbefittingourlonghistory.”“I think that is themost emotional sentiment Ihaveeverheardyouexpress

aboutus.”This timehissmilewasrealand lasting.Shehopedshewouldremember it,

even if she forgothis face.“Idonotknowwhopaidme tokillyou. I suspecteitherMatthiasCorvinus, because you aremaking him lookweak in the fightagainsttheinfidels,oryourMoldaviancousin,whoisusingyourdistractiontotakebackseveralborderfortresses.”“God’s wounds. I liked him!” Lada rubbed her forehead, then shrugged.

“ThoughIwoulddothesameinhisposition.Weareblood,afterall.”Shesatonthebed, tappingafootagainst theworncarpetbeneathit.“Youdonot thinkitwasMehmed?”“Hehasprovedseveraltimesoverhewantsyoualive.Ifyoudiebecauseof

him,itwillbeinbattleandagainsthiswishes.”Lada agreed. She felt the same way about sending an anonymous assassin

afterMehmed.Ifhedied,shewanteditbyherhand.Anythingelsewouldfeelunfinished.Shedidnotknowifshewantedhimdead.Allthismaneuvering,allthishorror

andfightinganddeathbetweenthem,andstillshedidnotthinkshepreferredtheworldwithouthim.Shelookedbackup,wishingmorethanevershehadtimetosleep.Andwhen

sheawoke,Stefanwouldstillbehers.SowouldNicolae.AndPetru.AndRaduandMehmedandeveryoneelseshewishedtohave.“Wheredoesthisleaveus?”“Icannot stayatyour sidewhen this isover.And…Idonotwish to.You

gave me something to fight for, and I am not ungrateful. But now I havesomethingtolivefor.Andlonglivesdonotseemlikelyinyourcompany.”Ladagrinnedathim.“IcanseewhyDacianafellforyou,withasweettongue

suchasthat.”Stefan cleared his throat, as though clearing away any emotion that had

managedtoworkitswaythrough.

Though his choicewas not unexpected, it still stung. She hated that Stefanwouldnotbehersformuchlonger.ItwasgoodthatDacianawasfarawayfromLada’sangerandresentment.Ladahadlikedher,too,butnowthatmeantlosingbothof them.Hersmileturneddarkerandsharper.“Ihavethefamilythatyoulivefor.Youseethisthroughtotheend,whateverthatmaybe,andIwillgivethembacktoyou.”Sheexpectedanger,butLadacouldswearsomethinglikeaffectiondisturbed

Stefan’scalm.Heinclinedhisheadrespectfully.“Istartedthisatyourside.Iwillfinishitthere.Andthenyouwillneverseemeagain.”“Fairenough.GogetmewordofthemenMatthiasissending,andwherewe

standwiththepope.”Stefanturnedtowardthedoor.“Stefan,”Ladasaid.Hepaused,hisbacktowardher.Shecouldputaknifein

itrightnow.Butshedidnotreachforherblades.Perhapsshewastired,orjusttiredofseeingherfriendsbleed.Orperhapsitwasbecausehehadtoknowshecoulddoit,andinspiteofeverything,hetrustedherenoughtoturnhisbackonheranyway.“Howwouldyouhavekilledme?”“Withallthegentlenessyouneverhadinlife.”Hewalkedout.Forafewbrief,meansecondsLadaconsideredsendingwordtohaveDaciana

andthechildrenkilled.Stefanwouldnotfindoutuntil itwastoolate.Butshedid not wish any of them dead. They had been her friends. That they wouldbetraythatfriendshipdidnotthreatenherlifeorhersuccess.Shehadbeentryingsohardnottoloseanythingoranyone.Butshehadbeen

wrongtofeelthatway.Theywouldallbegoneoneday,onewayoranother.Shestood, striding from the roomwithout bothering to look anywhere else in thecastle.Nothing—andnoone—wasleftinsidethatshecouldnotaffordtolose.And that was why she would win in the end. Because she would offer up

everythingonthealtarofsacrifice,solongasshekepthercountry.

22

ThreeDaysSouthofTirgoviste

“DOESITMAKEanyoneelsenervousthattheprincehasnotyetattackedus?”AliBeyasked,staringdownattheirmap—whichhadbeenalteredwithnotationsforthenewbogsandswampland.Alltheexistingwellsandcitieshadbeencrossedout.ThemapsatinthecenterofatablesetupinMehmed’stent.ArounditalsostoodAron,Andrei,Radu,and thepashas,bleaklyconsidering theiroptions ininkandparchment.Aron’s facewas asdour as themap. “Shedoesnotneed to. It has takenus

threeweekstogetthisfar.Wehadplannedforthreedays.”“Howarewewithsupplies?”Raduasked.“Betweenthedelaysandthelackofanythingtoscavengeorclaim,wearenot

doingwell.”AliBeyslammedhisfistdownonthetable.“Whywillshenotjustmeetusoutintheopen?”Mehmedlaughed,startlingthemanddrawingtheirattentiontotheotherend

ofhis sumptuous tent,wherehe sat, apparentlyengrossed inabookabout thelifeoftheProphet,peacebeuponhim.“Whywouldshe?Wehaveallthemenandforceonourside.Butonhersideshehastime.Shewillwielditagainstusinwhateverwaysshecan.”Ali Bey frowned, his bushy eyebrows drawing so low Radu wondered

whethertheytickledhiseyes.“Itsoundsasthoughyouadmireher.”“ShouldInotadmireexcellencewhereverIfindit?Iamcertainlynotfinding

anytoadmireinmycurrentcompany.”The othermen flinched. Radu felt the sting of thewords, but they did not

woundhimasdeeplyastheyoncemighthave.Therewassomethingtobesaid

for having his heart broken somany times. Broken things healed thicker andstrongerthantheywerebefore.Assumingonesurvivedlongenoughtoheal.“Thesultanisright,”Radusaid.“Ladaisusingeveryadvantageshehas.But

shedoesnot havemany at her disposal.Wehave to find theweakpoints andpressthemashardasshehaspressedours.”Hestaredattheannotatedmapandthestory it told. ItwasWallachia, turned intoaweapon.Ladawasusing theircountrythewayshehadalwaysworshippedit:completelyandviciously.Aron threwdownhispenwitha splatterof ink. “What areherweaknesses,

then?”“People.”Hamza Pasha, the oldest man in the tent and leader of ten thousand spahi

forces,snorted.“Wehavetakenprisoners,andtheyareallmindlesslydevotedtoher,tothepointoflunacy.Wewillfindnoweaknesstoexploitthere.”“Not those people.Ourpeople.”Radu turned toAronandAndrei. “Shehas

killedmanyboyars.Thosethatremainareloyaltoher,buttheycannottrulytrusther.Notafterwhatshehasdone.Sheisgivinglandandpowertowhomevershechooses.Theymustknowtheirtitles—theirlives—arenotsafesolongassheisprince.Shehastoolittleregardfortraditionandblood.”Andrei lifted an eyebrow. “It seems to me she has tremendous regard for

blood.Shesimplyprefersitspilledontheground.”Mehmedgaveasmall laughfromthecorner,butcontinuedtokeephiseyes

onhisbookasthoughhewerenotfollowingtheconversation.Raduresistedtheimpulsetodefendhissister.Shedidnotdeserveit,andshe

coulddefendherself.Shehadprovedasmuch.“Ihavesentoutmentofindtheremainingboyars.IwillofferthemanalternativetoLada’sreignofterror,andtheywillbetrayher.”“How can you be sure?”AliBey’s turban had come loose, revealing silver

streaks in his black hair. He had lived far past the average Janissary lifeexpectancy.Perhapsthatwaswhyhewasleader—becauseofhisexperience,andhisknackfornotdying.“They are boyars,” Aron said with a wry smile. “It is what they do. They

betrayedRadu’sfatherinfavorofmine.Theybetraythememoryofmyfatherinfavorofaprincetheyhate.Ifweofferthemsecurityandpower,theywillbetrayher.And,eventually,theywillbetrayme.”RaduplacedahandonAron’sshoulder.“Wewillseeyouonthethrone.We

willfixthis.”RaduhopedthatAroncouldrestoresomeofthebalanceLadahadupset.AlthoughthemoreRadusawofthecountry,themorehequestionedhowlongitwouldtaketoreturnthingstothewaytheyhadbeen.Ladahaddonesomuch in such a little time. Not only the destruction of the land—though that

wouldtaketimetorepair—shehadalsointroducedherrebelliousferocityintoapeople long accustomed to accepting what was offered them and neverdemandingmore.Thatinfectionofideaswouldbefarhardertorecoverfrom.And,perhaps, itshouldnotberecoveredfrom.Raduwouldsuggest toAron

that he should capitalize on the new social structures, rather than immediatelydismantlingthem.LadafocusedonlyoncommonWallachians,notthenobility.Itwasherweakness.Butthenobilityhadprovedtheirownweaknessinsolongignoring the potential of their own people. If anything, Lada had provedWallachianscoulddogreatthingsundertherightleader.“Radu?”Andreiprodded.“Sorry,yes?”Theconversationhadcontinued,leavinghimbehind.“Wehavehadoutbreaksofsickness,”HamzaPashasaid.Evennowhehung

back, fanninghis face though the tentwasnot overlywarm.At these strategymeetings he was often quiet. Not out of reticence, but because he apparentlythoughthimselfabovediscussingstrategywith threeoutsidersanda Janissary.The Janissary-spahi rivalry was maintained for a couple of reasons—so thatneithergroupgot toopowerful,andso that theyneverbanded togetheragainstthesultan—butitwasdeeplyinconvenientattimeslikethis.“And I should…” Radu trailed off, unsure what Hamza Pasha thought he

shoulddoaboutit.“Itisyourcountrymakingthemill.Perhapsyouknowsomethingaboutit.”Radurecognizedapowerplaywhenhesawit.HamzaPashaknewMehmed

waslistening,andwantedtoremindthemall thatRadu, thoughabey,wasnotandwould never be one of them.That itwasRadu’s country costing them somuch.Andthathewasintimatelytiedtothepersondoingitall.Radusmiledsweetly.Hishandsomefaceearnedhimnoadvantagehere,but

oldhabitsweredifficulttoshakeoff.“Itmademesickhavingtolivehere,too.IwasnotwholeuntilIfoundmyhomeatoursultan’sside.”Certainthathisownpointhadbeenmade—hehadmoreofthesultan’searthanthepashadid—Radustood.“ButIwillgoseewhatneedstobedone.Dotellmeifthismaprevealsanysecretswhileyoucontinuestaringatit.”Raduwalkedfromthetent,hisstepslightandconfident.Buthisshouldersfell

alongwiththeflapbehindhim.Whywashestillplayingthisgame?Whatdidhecareaboutastupidpashaquestioninghisvalueandhisplaceintheempire?Mehmed had said nothing when Hamza Pasha challenged Radu. Radu

understoodonanacademicleveltheneedforasultantoholdhimselfseparate.ButMehmedhadhadnoproblemcommentingwhenLadawasthetopic.Raduwastiredofhisplaceinallofthis.Hehadbeenmakingthesesamedesperatelycalculatedplaysforpowerallhislife.

Itcameeasilytohimnow,butthatdidnotmeanheenjoyedit.Hemadehiswaypast the borders of the camp,where theykept thosewho

were sick. There were a startling number of them. Mehmed’s insistence onsanitary methods of camp order usually kept sickness to a minimum.MaybetherewassomethingaboutWallachiathatmadepeopleill.Raducoveredhismouthwithhiscape,walkingslowly.Afeverishmanlayon

thegroundonawornbedroll,coveredinsweatandmumblingtohimself.Radupaused, listening. The man was mumbling to himself not in Turkish, but inWallachian.Radugrabbedoneoftheattendants.“Thisman.Wheredidhecomefrom?Is

heaJanissary?”The attendant shook his head. “No, just aworker.Most of the sick are not

soldiers.”“Thatisgood,”Radusaid.The attendantgavehimawitheringlydismissive look. “It is gooduntil you

needsupportforsixtythousandsoldiers.Andthenitisdevastating.”Embarrassed at the rebuke, Radu crouched closer to the sick man. The

languagehadgivenRaduaterriblesuspicionheneededtodisprove.“Whatdidtheprincepromiseyou?”heaskedinWallachian.Themanhadhiseyesclosed,buthismouthtwitchedinasmile.“Myfamily.

Landformyfamily.”Radustood,dizzy.Hehadnotexpected toberight.Hestrodeback tocamp

andfoundKiril, theJanissaryheusedmostamonghisgroupoffourthousand.“Get me your whole unit. We have to go through the camp and intervieweveryonewhoisnotasoldier.”“Why?”Kirilasked,butwithcuriosity,notjudgment.“Because my sister is full of surprises. None of them pleasant. Look for

Wallachians.Andlookforanyonewhois ill.”Therewasno tellinghowmanyWallachianshadslippedinamongthechaosofthemassivecamp.Theyhadtocheckthecooks,theservants,the—oh,God’swounds,thewomenwhofollowedthecamptoserviceanyneedsthemenhad.They had been dragging Lada’s weapons along with themselves the entire

time.Shereallywasclever.RaducouldnotblameMehmedforadmiringherstill.

Hecould,however,wishthatclevernessdidnotcreatesomuchextraworkforhimselfandsufferinganddeathforeveryoneelse.

23

OneDaySouthofTirgoviste

LADAADJUSTEDHERstolenJanissarycap.Shehadnotwornoneinyears.Itwaslikerevisitingafavoritestoryfromchildhoodandrealizingthatwhilethedetailswere thesame, theentiremeaninghadchanged.She lookedover thegroupoftwenty handpicked men, checking any last details. But they knew what theyweredoing.OtherthanBogdan,theywereherlastremainingJanissaries.Sherealizedwithanunexpectedpangthatsomedaysoonthesetwentywould

die,too,andshewouldbeleftwithoutanyWallachianstrainedbytheOttomans.An unexpected urge to leave thembehind and out of harm’swaywas pusheddownassheclearedherthroat.“Allweareaftertonightisinformation.Howthecampislaidout.Wherethe

packanimalsarekept.Wherethefoodandespeciallywheretheweaponstoresare. Howmanymen. Pay attention to everything, but do not be conspicuous.Tomorrownight,eachofyouwill leadmenbackintocamp.”Ladasmiled,herteethwhiteasbonesinthemoonlight.“Tomorrownightisthefun.Tonightistheworksoourfunwillbefruitful.”Bogdangrabbedherarmaseveryonescatteredtoenterthecampatdifferent

points.Hestoodtooclose,lettinginlittledarknessbetweenthem.“Iwanttobewithyou.”“AndI toldyou,”Ladasaid,pullingaway,“Ineedyououthere tosignal if

anything goes wrong. We can still send enough men down from the hills tocreate a distraction and get out. But only if you arewaiting to give them thesignal.Otherwisewewillallbedeadifanyofusarecaught.”Bogdanmovedinfrontofher,blockingherpath.“Areyougoingafterhim?”

Ladadidnothave toaskwhomBogdanwas referring to,butshewanted topunishhim for daring to demand an answer. “No.Radu can stay there for hisbetrayal.Ihavenouseforhim.”“ThatisnotwhoImeant.”LadapushedforwardandpastBogdan.“Iamgoingtofindwherethesultanis

sleeping.PerhapsIwillmurderhiminhisbed.PerhapsIwilldothesametoyoulater.”“Becareful,”Bogdansaid,puncturinghermeannesswithhisconstantcare.Shekeptwalking.Thebenefitofsuchamassiveforcewasthattherewereanynumberofentry

pointsintocamp,andnowayforanyonetoknowshedidnotbelongthere.Theywerepreparedtofendoffhundredsorthousands.Notone.Sheslippedinamongthe tents, thenwalkedwith purpose. Just another Janissarywho knew exactlywhere to go and had a job to do. The camp was well lit with torches andcampfires. There was less activity than she had counted on, though. All thesoldierswere,asfarasshecouldtell,confinedtotheirtentsunlessactivelyonpatrol.Andtheserviceportionofthecampsheskirtedwasevenquieter.PerhapstheyhaddiscoveredhercontributionstoMehmed’sforces.She had a sudden image of Radu falling ill. Mehmed joined him in her

imagination,bothwastingawaywithsickness.No.Itwasnothowanyofthemweresupposedtodie.Sotheycouldnot.She

physicallyshookawaytheimageandturnedsharplytogodeeperintothecamp.The lack of activitymade her job slightlymore difficult but also gave her

some advantages.With onlyminimalmen out and about, it would takemoretimeforthemtomusteraresponsetoanyattack.Soldiersintentsweresleepingsoldiers. On a campaign like this, a man never passed up an opportunity forsleep.Shekeptgoing,notinglocationsandpositionsofanyimportance.Thecamp

was set against the hills with broad open plains on three sides. They had cutdown any trees that might offer hiding places. No army could approach onhorseback without being seen from a great distance. And the hills were toobarrenandroughforanentirearmytoreachundershortnotice.Itwasasmart,defensibleposition.Aposition that all the devastation in the countryside—toomanypits in one

direction, toomarshy in another, rotting animal carcasses left all over anotheroption—hadsubtlybutsurelydirectedthemto.She smiled happily to herself. Itwould be impossible to set an army up in

thosehillsifthearmywerecomingnow.Butnotifthearmyhadalreadybeenthereforweeks.

ShenoddedcompanionablytoapassingJanissary,thenturnedacorneraroundaclusteroftentsandstoppedcold.Heneverlearned.Infrontofherwasaglorioustent, tallerandgranderthan

anyothersinthecamp.Mehmed’snamewasactuallywrittenonitintheformofhisflagsandbannershangingslackinthestillnightair.Lada walked around back, past the Janissaries standing guard at the tent’s

entrance.Withaspinningsenseofhistoryrepeatingitself,shepulledoutaknifeandslitthesilkenmaterialtocreateherowndoor.Thensheslippedinside.Mehmedwassittingatadeskwithhisbacktoher.Afewsteps.Herknife.The

end of the Ottoman campaign in Wallachia. Perhaps the end of Ottomandominanceentirelyastheywereplungedintoaquestionofsuccession.“Youneverlearn,”shesaid.“Ihavekilledyouagain.”Mehmedtensed.Thenheturnedwithasmile.Heheldadagger,too.“Youare

late.IhavebeenexpectingyoueverynightsinceIcrossedtheDanube.”For a fewmoments Lada stood, poised on the brink of violence. Then she

steppedpastMehmedandsankdownontooneofhisredsilkpillows,stretchingout her legs on the floor.Her boots gotmud on his rich carpet. “I have beenratherbusy.Thingstodo.Empirestofight.Summerholidaystoplan.”“AmIsuchalowpriority,then?Thathurtsmypride.”He finally stood, his movements slow and measured as though she would

spook—or attack—and sat across from her. He grabbed one of her boots andtuggeditoff.Hetappedtheknifesheworehiddenatherankle,thentuggedtheotherbootoff.Heshookhishead,tracingthatanklesheath,too.“Bothsides?”“Iliketobeprepared.”“I know.”Mehmed removed her wool socks, knitted for her by Oana, and

began kneading her feet. She could not imagine him doing this with—for—anyoneelse.Certainlynotanyofthewomeninhisharem.Theyexistedtoservehim.“Iwantyououtofmycountry,”Ladasaid,nottakinghereyesoffhim.He smiled, as dark and secret as the night. “Then why did you invite me

here?”“Ididnosuchthing.”“Lada.”Hemovedpastherfeet,rubbinghertightcalves.“Yousentmemen

in boxes and an entire vassal state in turmoil. From you, that is practicallycourtship.”Ladalaughed.Shedidnotwantto.Shehadnotcomeheretobewithhim.But

in spite of their history, in spite of his betrayals, he was … Mehmed. HerMehmed.Shehadknownassoonassheenteredthetentshewouldnotkillhim.Eventhoughshereallyshouldhave,ifshebelievedinwhatshehadsetouttodo.

Sheliftedafootandputitagainsthischest,shovinghimaway.“Youidiot.Ishouldkillyou.”Heleanedbackonhiselbows.“Probably.AndIshouldcallmymeninhere

andhaveyouarrested.But Idonotwant todo that.”Hisgazeonherwas farmoretenderandintimatethanhisfingershadeverbeen.Ladafeltitthroughherwholebody.“Iwantyoutocomebackwithme.”“Ineverwill.”Mehmedsighed.“Iknow.ButIkeeppretendingtomyselfthereisaway.To

getyouback.Tobetogether.Ihaveonlyeverwantedyou.”“Youhavewantedatremendousamountmorethanme.”Mehmed’s grin was sharp andwicked like her knives, and just as familiar.

“Thatistrue.ButIalsowantyou.”“Yes,nowthatyouhaveeverythingelseyousetouttogain.”Ladapulledher

legs beneath her, scooting closer to him. “Is it what you hoped?Constantinople?”“It is more.” Mehmed paused, his expression turning wistful and forlorn.

“Andless,atthesametime.”Lada touched a corner of Mehmed’s mouth. “I understand.” It was a hard

thing,settingaloftygoalandachievingit,onlytorealizeontheothersidethattheworkhadjustbegun.“Ithinkonlyyoucouldunderstandme.Andyou?Youhaveyourcountry.”“Saysthemanwithanarmycampedinreachofmycapital.”“YouknowIhadnootherchoice.”Lada traced one finger overMehmed’s bottom lip, then down his chin and

neck to his chest. She jabbed it there, hard enough to hurt. “You always haveotherchoices.Andyouneverchoosemyside.”Mehmedgrabbedherfinger,clutchingherhand.“BecauseIwantyoursideto

beatmyside.”“Thatwillneverhappen.”“Then we are at an impasse. I cannot let your aggression stand. It sets a

dangerousprecedentfortheothervassalstates.”“ThengiveupWallachiaasavassalstate.”“Icannot.”Ladawithdrewherhand,liftingasingleeyebrowandlettingdisdaindripfrom

hervoicelikegrapesonavine.“HereIthoughtyouwerethesultan.EmperorofRome.HandofGodonEarth,orsoallyourmissiveshaveinformedme.Werethetitlesliesalongwitheverythingelse?”“IfIgiveupgroundanywhere,Irisklosingiteverywhere.Youofallpeople

knowhowtenuouspoweris.Canwenotcompromise?”

Ladanarrowedhereyes.Nicolaehadtoldhershecouldandshouldnegotiate.Hewhisperedstill,ghostly, inherear.Foronce, she listened.“Howwouldwecompromise?”“Iwillagreetoforgivepastdebtsinexchangeforarenewedtreaty.”“Never.”Mehmed sighed, lifting his eyes to the ceiling of the tent. “I will agree to

forgivepastdebtsinreturnforBucharestandnewtermsofvassalage.”“Youcanhavenoland.”“Ah,butyoudidnotsaynooutright!”Hesmiledslylyather.“Yousignnew

terms of vassalage, I do not meddle in your country, you do not harass mybordersorthebordersofanyofmyvassalstates.”“IwillnevergiveyouboysforyourJanissariesagain.AndIhavenomoney

—andifIdid,Iwouldspenditfightingyou.”Mehmedlaughed.“Ididnoteversayyouhadtoactuallygivemeanything.

All I ask is that you sign the terms. Just sign them, allowme to leavewith atreatythatisrespectableandshowsEuropewehaveanunderstanding,andthatistheendofit.”“Really?”Ladaleanedevencloser,asthoughshecouldreadhimlikeabattle

plan.Raduwouldhaveknown if hewas sincere.Ladadidnot.But she foundherselfhoping.“Youwouldgiveupthetaxes, thesoldiers,everythingmylandhastooffer?”“Rightnowallyour land isofferingme is swamps,poisonedwells, and the

plague.”Hepaused.“Thankyouforthatone,bytheway.”Ladagrinned, elationcoursing throughher. “Iknowhowmuchyouvaluea

cleancamp.Iwantedtomakethingsinterestingforyou.”“Soyouagree?”Lada knew Mehmed would be a fool to follow through on such a

disadvantageousagreement.AndMehmedwasnofool.But ifhe left, itwouldgivehertimetoorganize.Tomustermoresupport.Torisetoenoughpowertotrulychallengehim.Maybehewouldnevercomeback.Maybetheiragreementwould stand, and shewould have saved her country fromdecades of conflict.She doubted it. But Nicolae pushed from the grave not to pass up thisopportunity.Ladaleanedclose,studyingMehmed’sdarkeyes,hisfulllips.Remembering

thetasteofhim.“Iwillcomebacktomorrownighttosignit.Andthenyouwilltakeyourmenandleavemycountry.”“Weareagreed.”MehmedtookoffherJanissarycap,sighingasherhairfell

free.“Youknow,thelasttimeIwashere,youtoldmeyouwouldkillmeifIsetfootonyoursoilagain.”

“Fortunatelyforyou,youhaveproveduseful.”Heloweredhisfacetoherneck,brushedhisteethalongtheskinthere.“Let

meshowyouhowusefulIcanbe.”Theiractionsheldall the tendernessofabattle,and twice thepassion.Lada

had pretendedwhat Bogdan offeredwas enough, but this,with someonewhowastrulyherequal,whounderstoodherasnooneelseevercould,litherbodyonfireinawayshecouldnotexperienceelsewhere.Mehmedputahandoverhermouthtokeepherfromcryingout.Shebithim,

andheshudderedbeforecollapsingbesideherontherug.“Marry me,” he whispered, an arm thrown over his eyes, his chest still

heaving.Lada yanked her clothes back on, replacing her boots and shoving her hair

under the Janissary cap. Then she leaned down and put her lips againstMehmed’sear.“Iwouldsoonerkillyou.”Sheleft thewayshehadentered.But this timeshewastheoneleavinghim

betrayed,nottheonebrokenbybetrayal.Becausetherewasanotherreasonshehadagreedtohisterms.ItmeanttheOttomanswouldstayinthiscamp,inthisposition,foronemorenight.AndshehadoptionsifMehmedrenegedontheiragreement.Shewalked through camp as though in a dream, happier andmore relaxed

thanshehadfeltinmonths.Perhapsyears.Nicolaewouldbeproudofher.Shehadmadethesmartdecision.Thedecisionthatboughthertimetobuild,togetstronger.TocontinuetocreatetheWallachiaherpeopledeserved.VoicesspeakinginWallachiancaughtherear.Shestopped.Oneofthevoices

pulled on her heart. It was a voice of her childhood, of hiding in barns, ofventuring onto thin ice. Of tears and then of cold distance. A voice she hadneededonherside.Shefoundthetentandpausedoutside,leaningclosetolisten.“TheBasarabs—thosewhoareleft—willsupportus,”saidamanshedidnot

know.“IsuspecttheHungariankingwillaswell,”Radusaid.“Perhapsnotoutright,

butwhenAronisonthethrone,Matthiaswillnotbeaproblem.”Lada’s handswent to herwrist daggers. But Radu’swords had already cut

deep.Afterallthistime,hewasbackinWallachia.Buthewashereaidingherenemies.Not onlyMehmed—that she had expected—but also the treacherousboyars. The ones who had killed their father. The ones who had let them betradedtotheOttomans.Hehadwillfullybecomeeverythingshestoodagainst.She staggered from thephysicalpainofhearinghimconspiringagainsther.

Thenshesteeledherself,listeningmorecarefully.

Aron.Aron.WhowasAron?Sheknewthename.Danesti.HewasthesonoftheDanestiprinceLadahadoverthrown.AndhewasinMehmed’scamp.EvenasMehmedwasofferingherpeace,he

hadareplacementreadytogo.See,Nicolae?shethought.Iamalwaysright.Ladawouldstillbecomingbackthefollowingnight.AndsheknewMehmed

would bewaiting in anticipation.This time, his hopeswould bemetwith herblade.

24

OneDaySouthofTirgoviste

RADUWISHEDTHE tentwere larger sohe couldpace.Anything tokeephimselfawakeduringthisendlessdiscussionofprobablefutureswithAronandAndreiDanesti.“Willyoustayandhelpus,afterweretakethethrone?”Aronasked.Raduwantedtoreturntohistentandsleep.Hedidnotwanttocontemplatea

longer tenure in this country. They had spoken of him staying to ease thetransition,buthehopeditwouldnotbenecessary.Nowthathewashere,allhewantedwastobeelsewhere.“Idonotknow,”hesaid.“Tobeperfectlyhonest, Idonot likeWallachia. I

havenowishtoremainbeyondwhatisnecessarytoaidthesultan.”Andreigrunted.“Likeitornot,itisyourheritage.”Radusmiledtightly.“Idecidedlongagonottoletmypastdictatemyfuture.”AronmetRadu’ssmilewithoneofhisown.“Thatisaveryniceluxury.”Raducouldnotbearthejudgmentintheotherman’stone.Heowednothingto

thiscountry,nothingtoitspeople.Theyhadtradedhimforafewyears’peace.ItwasnottheDanesti’splacetoimplythatRaduwasbeingselfish.Radunoddedand,withoutbiddingthemfarewell,leftthetent.AJanissarywasstandingnearby,posturestiff.Hewasshortandstocky.Radu

turnedtogobacktohisowntent,but…something…Something—He whipped around and watched the Janissary walk away. The gait was

aggressive, the movements predatory. Radu had never realized how well heknewhissister’swalk,butitwasunmistakable.“Lada,”hesaid.

Shedidnotstopwalking.Hewasnotsureshehadheardhim.Hecouldstillcatchuptoher.Grabherarmandforcehertostop.Sendupanalarmandhaveher captured, ending this entire campaign. Once again he was faced with anopportunity tobetraysomeonehecaredaboutandforceaquickend toviolentstruggle.Instead,hewatchedherleave.Whathadshebeendoinghere?Andwhere—Mehmed.Terrorcuttingapathbeforehim,RaduracedthroughthecamptoMehmed’s

tent.ThetwoJanissaryguardsmovedtobarhimuntiltheysawwhohewasandlethimpass.RaduburstintofindMehmedlyingunmovingonthefloor.Andthenhiseyestookinalltheextrainformation.Unmovingandcompletely

naked.Andverymuchalive.“Somysisterhasbeenhere.”Radustayedontheedgeoftherugandkepthis

eyesonthechandelieroverhead.Mehmedlaughedsleepily.“Donotlooksoscandalized,Radu.Wenegotiated

anewagreement.”“Negotiated.ThatisauseofthewordIhaveneverheardbefore.”ThistimeMehmed’slaughwasbrightandsharp.“Radu!Ididnotknowyou

couldspeakso.”Radusqueezedhiseyesshutandpinchedthebridgeofhisnose.“Shecould

havekilledyou.”“Andyet,hereIam.Ifiguredoutasolution.Wegiveherwhatshewants,for

now.Shecannotsustainherself.Thatmuch isobvious.Shehasa fewmonths,maybeayear,beforesheisdrivenoutbyHungaryorTransylvaniaorherownboyars.Butwe leaveherongood terms so thatwhen she loses it all, shewillcomebacktous.”“Isawheroutside.SheheardmetalkingwithAronandAndrei.”“Thatdoesnotmatter.”“Imagineyouwere inherplace.Wehaveprovedourselves repeatedly tobe

against her. We are sitting on her capital’s doorstep with an entire army. Ofcourseshewillagreetosomething.Andthenshewillfindthenextopportunitytoretainpower,andthenext,andthenext.Sheisnevercomingbacktous.”“Shealreadyhas.Iamnotdeadafterall.”“Fornow.”Raduopenedhiseyes.Thechandelierdazzledhis sight,making

brightwhitespotswheretheflamesimprintedonhisvision.“RaduBey,”oneof the Janissariesoutsidecalled.“There is someone to see

you.HeclaimsherepresentstheBasarabfamily.”

“Itcanwait,”MehmedtoldRadu.“Iamhappy.Ladaishappy.Youshouldbehappy. Radu.” His voice was low and insistent, demanding Radu’s attention.Radudraggedhiseyesawayfromthelight.Whitepointsofflamestilldanced,surroundingMehmed.Mehmednarrowedhiseyesthoughtfully,hissmiletentativebutdevious.Radu

remembered that smile well from their days in Amasya, sneaking out of thecastleinthemiddleofthenight.Stealingapples.Swimmingintheirsecretpool.Mehmedpattedtherugnexttohimself.“Come.Spendthenightwithme.”Itwasnotaquestion,but it soundedas thoughMehmedwere tryingon the

wordstoseehowtheyfit.Radudidnotknowwhatwouldhappenifhecrossedtheendless,impossiblespacebetweenthem.In thatmoment, his certaintywas proved: he did notwant this.He did not

want to accept whatever loveMehmed decided to gift to him. His time withCyprian—knowingthatiftheirlovehadbeenpossible,itwouldhavebeenoneof equals, hearts given completely andwithout reservation—hadeither brokenhimforeverorfinallyhealedhim.HelovedMehmed—hewouldalwaysloveandcareforhimasafriendandas

his childhood savior—but he no longer needed orwanted something betweenthemthatwouldneverbeenough.“Thank you,my friend.”Radu’s smilewas the release of years of yearning

andpainandthedesperationtobeloved.“ButIhaveworktodo.”Radubowedhishead,thenleftbeforehecouldseeMehmed’sreaction.Outside, the nightwas clear. The stars shone cold and constant above him.

Once, long ago, Mehmed had told them the story of two lovers, Ferhat andShirin.Ferhathadcarvedthroughtotheheartofamountaintobringwatertotheother side and win Shirin’s hand in marriage. Ferhat had died inside thatmountain,hisheartbroken.Atthetime,Raduhadthoughtitthemostromanticthinghehadeverheard.Whatanobleend,todieforlove.PerhapsRaduwouldneverknowcompleteloveinhislife.Butalltheseyears

ofdiggingdesperatelyhadopenedup thepath tohisown heart.Heno longerlivedinfearthatitwouldbreakifexposed.Aheartdidnothavetobestonetobestrong.“RaduDracul?”atentativevoiceasked.Radu turned. Radu Dracul. Radu the Handsome. Radu Bey. All names

bestowedonhimbythosewithpoweroverhim.“JustRadu,please,”hesaidwithasmile.“Now,tellmehowIcanhelpyou.”

25

OneDaySouthofTirgoviste

LADAHADTHIRTYminutestotoppleanempire.She doubted shewould need that long. Shewalked confidently through the

darkcampalongthesamepathshehadtakenthenightbefore.Shestillworetheuniformof a Janissary.Perhaps thatwas fitting.Shewoulduseeverything theOttomanshadgivenher,rightdowntotheirownclothes,todestroythem.OnlyoutsideMehmed’stentdidshepause.Theweightofhistory,everything

theyhadbeenanddonetogether,slowedhersteps.Shefeltit,acceptedit,letitsettle.Could shedowhat shehad setout to? Itwasone thing toplanmurder and

anothertofollowthrough.Andtonightshewouldnotactoutofrageorinstinct.Thishadtobeachoice.Shewouldwalk into that tent, and shewould stab her first friend, her first

lover,heronlytrueequalthroughtheheart.She did not want to, she found. But she would do it anyway. It was what

Wallachia needed, what it demanded, andWallachia came beforeMehmed. Italwayswould.Ithadto.Herheartbeateven,herbreathingcalm,Ladaused thecutshehadmade the

nightbeforeandenteredMehmed’stentforthelasttime.“Hello,Lada,”herbrothersaid.Ladascannedthetentquickly,herheartbeatfinallypickingup.“He is not here,” Radu said, leaning against Mehmed’s desk. “But I can

overseethesigningofthenewtreaty.”HespokeinTurkish.Lada’s lip curled in distaste around the language she, too, had spoken for

yearsofherlife.“Iamnotheretosignatreaty.”

Radusmiled.Truly lookingathimfor thefirst time,Ladasawin thatsmilehowmuchherbrotherhadagedsince theyhadbeenapart.Hewas taller.Stilllean, butwith a hollowness to his face that threwhis jawline and cheekbonesinto sharper relief. The too-large eyes were still just as striking. He wasbeautiful.Andhewasastranger.Theboyshehadknown,theboyshehadlovedandprotected,wasgone.“Whathappenedtoyou?”sheasked.“Toomany things.”Radu sat on one of the cushions, gesturing forLada to

joinhim.She remained standing. “I told him he should not have sent you to

Constantinople.Icannotbelieveheputyouinharm’sway.”“Youwouldhavedonethesame.”“Iwouldnothave!Youalwaysneededprotection,andIprotectedyou.”Radutiltedhishead,apuzzledlookonhisface.Shewasremindedagainhow

much he looked like theirmother.And,with theweary sadness pulling at hismouth, she saw how life and its cruelty would break him. She had seen aglimpseintohisfuturewhenshevisitedtheirownruinedmother.“Ithink,”hesaid,“youandIrememberourchildhoodmuchdifferently.You

protectedme fromMircea,butonlybecauseyou likedhimeven less thanyoulikedme.”Ladasnorted.“Thatiscertainlytrue.ButwhataboutinEdirne?”“I recall you refusing to do your studies evenwhen I was beaten for your

insolence.”“Areyouthatstupid?”WhenRadulookedhurtinsteadofunderstanding,Lada

satinahuffacrossfromhim.“Theyusedeverythingtheycouldagainstus.Andtheyusedusagainstourfather.IfIhadstoppedthattutor,ifIhadletthemseetheycoulduseyou tocontrolme,youneverwouldhavebeensafeagain. I letyoubebeatentokeepyoufrombeingusedasleverageagainstme.”AdozenemotionsflittedacrossRadu’sface,noneofwhichLadaunderstood.

He settled on amused and sad. “We do have very different definitions ofprotection,then.”Ladasearchedherbrother’seyes, trying to find the littleboyhehadalways

beentoher.Evenafterhisrefusalstohelpher,evenafterallthistime,hehadnotchanged in hermind.But reality presentedherwith the truth.Hewasnot herdelicate,weakbabybrotheranymore.“Youlookupset,”hesaid,hisvoicesoft.“I have lost something.” Even though Lada should have known it, she had

never let herself believe it. But now the truth was undeniable. She hadcompletelylostherbrothertotheOttomans.“WhereisMehmed?”

“Why?”“Hehasmuchtoanswerfor.”“Wealldo,Isuspect.”Radudrewhislegsup,wrappinghisarmsaroundthem

andrestinghischinatophisknees.There!Afleetingglimpse,butLadasawherRadu.“Tellmewhathashappenedtoyou.AndwhyareyouinMehmed’stent?Are

you—doyoustayherenow?”Ladakepthervoiceasevenasshecouldtoavoidbetraying anything. But Raduwas always better at emotion, better at readingpeoplethanshecouldeverbe.Helaughed.Shestood,bristling.Raduwavedonehand,gesturingforher to

sitbackdown.“No,Idonotstayherenow.IaminMehmed’stentbecauseyoucameheretonighttokillhim,didyounot?”“OfcourseIdid,”Ladasnapped.Radusighed,stretchinghislegsoutagain.“Hedidnotbelieveme.”“Heisafool.Surelyafteralltheseyearsofstudyinghimyouhavediscovered

that.”Ladafeltthepressureoftimepushingdownonher.Shehadspenttoolongherealready.Hertaskshouldhavebeenfinishedbynow.“Doyouthinkitwashimthatcamebetweenus?Orwerewedestinedtoend

uponoppositesides?”Lada felt an unfamiliar heaviness behind her eyes. “We had to survive.We

justfiguredoutdifferentwaystodoit.”Itstruckher,then,howtheyhadlivedtheexactsamechildhood.Howhadthesamecircumstancesshapedtheminsuchdivergentways?“SoyoudonotblameMehmed?”“OfcourseIdo!Iblamehimforagreatmanythings.”Shekickedapillowin

exasperation. “Why, tonight of all nights, do I finally find someone who hasbeatenmeatmygameof‘KilltheSultan’?Tellmewhereheisandthenfleethecamp.Iwillsendwordthatyouarenottobekilled.”“I had a chance, once,” Radu said, slowly standing. “In Constantinople.

EmperorConstantine trustedme.And Iwatchedasgoodpeopleonboth sideswere dying, smashed in blood and bone and terror against each other byimmovable forces.Mehmedonone sideof thewall,Constantineon theother.AndI liked themboth.”Radusmiledwryly.“Thoughofcoursewebothknowwheremyheartwas.Therewasonemoment,oneperfectchancetoenditall.Totakealifeandsparethousands,tensofthousands,bymakingthatchoice.”Ladadidnotknowwhatthisstoryhadtodowithher.“Well?”sheprompted,

impatient.“Imade no choice. And because of it, Constantine still died, but countless

othersdiedalongsidehimwhomighthavebeensparedhadImadeachoice.You

wouldhavemadethechoice.”Ladawouldhave.Itwasasimplescenario.Butshehadanaggingfeelingshe

did not like where this story was leading. “You could have killed Mehmedinstead,youknow.”“Donotpretendlikethatwaseveranoption.”But something tired and worn down in Radu’s face suggested otherwise.

Therewas potential there.An opportunity. To get him back—and to end this.Lada crossed the space to him and took his shoulders in her hands. “Tonight.Tonight,itisanoption.Wecankillhim.ForWallachia.Wecanfinallybefreeofthe cage our father crafted for us, once and for all. Make the right choicetonight.”Radu, so much taller, so much fairer, looked down on her. He stepped

forward,foldedherintoahug.Shestoodstiff,unsurehowtorespond.“IhopeIalreadyhave,”hesaid.Then,raisinghisvoice,“Comein.”He held Lada tighter, pinning her arms to her sides and smashing her face

againsthischestsoshecouldnotseewhatwashappening.“Idonotwanttoseeyouended,”hesaid.“Icouldnotbearit.Iamsorry.”Lada stomped on his foot and shoved her way free. Ten Janissaries had

entered,swordsdrawn.Andfrombehindaflapwherehehadheardeverything,Mehmedsteppedfreewithcoldmurderonhisface.

26

OneDaySouthofTirgoviste

“YOUCHOSEHIMagain,”Ladasaid.Raduexpectedfury,rage,theLadawhohadbeentheterrifyingcenterofhis

childhood, ruling everything with her temper and her fists. Instead, his sisterlooked resigned. Tired, even. She spoke in Wallachian, changing from theTurkishtheyhadbeenconversingin.Raduansweredback in the tongueof their sharedhistory.“Ididnotchoose

him.IchosewhatIfeltwouldcreatethebest,mostfertilegroundforlivesandfaith.Lookatyourcountry,Lada.Doyoureallythinkyouaregrowingafuturehere?”“Youknownothingaboutit!InthetimesinceIhavetakenthethrone,crime

hasdisappeared.Mypeopleneednotlocktheirdoors,neednotsleepbesidetheirlivestockfor fear theywillbegone in themorning.Theyno longer requireanarmedguardjusttotravelfromvillagetovillage.Mycountryisprosperinglikeneverbefore!”“You turned an entire plain into marshes. You poisoned wells and burned

bridges.Youhavecutaswathofdestructionacrossthecountryside.”“Because he was coming!” Lada gestured sharply in Mehmed’s direction.

RadudidnotlookatMehmed,certainMehmedwouldsignalhimtospeakinalanguagehecouldunderstand.TheJanissariesedgedcloser.Raduwassurprisedtofindhewishedhehadnotcalledthemsosoon.ThisconversationwithLadafeltlikeitmight—likeitwould—betheirlast.Andhedidnotwantittoend.Shemight have foundhim changed, but he foundhermore precisely,more

powerfully herself than she had ever been. He was … proud. In spite of

everything. And it made him devastatingly sad. She had worked so hard andfoughtsolongforthis.Theyweregoingtotakeitallaway.Thiswasthefirsttimethethreeofthem—onceinseparable—hadbeeninthe

sameroomsinceLadaleft.Everythinghadchanged.Andnothinghad.Shewasstill choosingWallachia over them. Radu was still supporting Mehmed. AndMehmedwasstilldemandingtheybothbehis.Thestakeshadjustgottenhigher.Radusighed.Itcouldhavebeensuchadifferentreunion.Well,no.Notwith

Lada.Butitshouldhavebeendifferent.“Wecamebecauseyouforcedusto.Wedidnotwantthis.”Ladashookherhead,buttherewassomethingevasiveinherexpressionthat

hinted toRadusheknewhewas right. “Ionly spedup the inevitable.Hewasnevergoingtoletmehavethis.”“Allyouhadtodowasmakeconcessions.Wewouldhavegivenyou—”“It is not his to give me!Wallachia ismine, and I owe nothing to him or

anyoneelse!”“That is why you will lose it!” Radu shouted. “Because of your refusal to

bend.Becauseofyourdamnablepride!Weofferedyoupeace.”“Andcamearmedwithusurperstobetrayandreplaceme!”Raduthrewuphishandsinexasperation.“Youcannotaccuseusofbetrayal.

NotwhenyouagreedtosignatreatyandcameheretoassassinateMehmed.”Ladaopenedhermouthtoargue,thenstopped.Ashockinggiggleescapedher

mouth.Itmadeheralmostgirlish.“Isupposethatistrue.”Caughtoffguard,Radufoundhimselfreturninghersmile.“Wealwayshave

contingencyplans,youandme.Thathasnotchanged.”Lada’ssmiledeepenedanddarkened.“Youhavenoideawhatiscoming.”“Areyoucertainaboutthat?”Uneasecrept intoLada’s face.Herdeep-set,hoodedeyesnarrowed,andher

fulllipspressedtogether.Raduhadashamefulthrillthatshenowrespectedhimenoughtoquestionherself.Hewouldhavegivenanythingforamomentlikethisas a child, evenmore for amomentwhere she looked on himwith pride forbestingher.Buthewouldnevergetthat.“Enough,”Mehmed said. “I am taking you prisoner.” His face was etched

withanger,somethingcoldandhardgrowingbeneaththesoftnessofhischeeks.“Ishouldkillyourighthereforthis.”Lada tiltedherhead,gazingupathim throughher thick lashes.“You really

should.”Shegavehimabanal,blanksmileasthoughshewerethewomansheshouldhavebeen,awomanliketheirmother.“MakeRadudoit.”Radubalked,steppingback.HeglancedatMehmed,seizedwithasuddenfear

thatMehmedmightbeangryenough todemand that.Buthis friendshookhis

head.“Iwouldneveraskthatofhim.”Lada’ssmileturnedcoy.Radusawahintofhimselfthere,asthoughshewere

imitating him. “You would, if you thought it was your best option. Do notpretendtoputhisfeelingsaheadofyourown.Youneverhave.Youcannot.”“Just as you cannot release your insane fixation on this country!”Mehmed

tookadeepbreath,tryingtogethisangerundercontrol.Themenaroundthemshifted uncomfortably.Thiswas not the aloof, self-possessed sultan theywereusedtoservingunder.“Iofferedyouthethrone.”“You offered me nothing I do not already have.” Her upper lip curled in

defiance, returning her to theLada thatRadu knew. “Andyou have givenmenothingIcannotfindelsewherewithfarlesshassleandfarmorepleasure.”Mehmed’seyeswidenedinshockandhurt.ThenheshiftedfromMehmedto

sultanwithaliftofhischinandafirmingofhisjaw.“Bindherandtakehertothewagons.WewillmakequickworkoftherestofthiscampaignwhilesheissentaheadtoConstantinople.”Lada smiled at Radu, showing all her sharp little teeth. “Tell the Danesti

boyarstheirkinddoesnotlivelonginmyWallachia.”Raduwanted this tobeover.Hewanted tosleep.Heknewhewouldnotbe

ableto,nottonight.HewouldchangehisplansandrequesttoescortLadabacktoConstantinople.Knowingher,shewouldgoadtheguardsintokillingher.Shewouldneveradmit itoreven realize it,but sheneededhisprotectionnow.Hewouldseeher toprison—safe,at last,onceandforall—and thenhewouldbefinished.“Lada,Iam—”“How longwould you say I have been in here?” she asked, her expression

thoughtful.RadugesturedfortheJanissariestotakeher.“Becareful.”“Wewillnothurther,”Kirilsaid,noddingrespectfully.Ladawidenedher stance andbent her knees. “That is notwhat he is afraid

of.”“I—”Adeafeningexplosionrockedthroughcamp,cuttingRaduoff.Thetent

shook, several panels detaching from their stakes and blowing inward. Raduducked,coveringhisheadasthechandeliercamecrashingtotheground.Bythetimehestraightened,thetwoJanissariesclosesttoLadawerealreadydead.“Protect the sultan!” he shouted, pushing Kiril toward Mehmed instead of

towardthefightwithLada.“Allofyou,aroundthesultan!”Radudrewhis sword.Ladapaused, twobloodydaggers inherhands, three

bodiesonthefloor.TheotherJanissarieshadrushedMehmedoutofthetent.“Will you really fightme?” she asked, pointingone redblade at his sword.

Thensheranrightforhim.Radutwistedtotheside,holdinghisswordtoblock

herblades,nottostrikeher.Shestoppedjustshortofhim,givingRadualookthatmadehimfeellikethe

childhehadbeen,cryinghimself tosleepatnightandnevermeasuringup.“Ithoughtnot,”shesaid.Thenshedartedoutofthetentandintothenight.Radudroppedtohisknees,hanginghishead.Hehadaswordtoherdaggers.

Hecouldhavewon.Again,hehadhadachancetoendthings.Again,hehadnotmade the choice Lada orMehmedwould have in his place. Howmany liveswouldpaythepricethistime?Strugglingtohisfeet,hefollowedLadaintotheburningnight.

27

OneDaySouthofTirgoviste

LADAKNEW ITwouldbe impossible to findMehmed in thedarkand thechaos.Thoughtherewassignificantlylesschaosthanshehadbeencountingon.NearlyallMehmed’smenwere staying in their tents rather than rushing out into thefight. Itmade thingsharder.She shouldhaveknownbetter than to countonalackofdiscipline inMehmed’smen, though.Healwayscontrolledeverything.Whywouldhismenbeanydifferent?The gunpowder stores had already been attacked—the explosion was good

timing,too,asitallowedhertoescape.Sheknewshewouldfindalargegroupof hermen attacking the pack animals andwagons.Therewere five thousandalreadyhereoron theirway,everysoulshecouldmusterstreamingoutof thehills and attacking from the darkness. She heard their shouts, their musicplaying, using the Janissary’s own tactics against them.As soon as therewasenoughchaosincamp,Ladawouldsendupthesignalfortherestofhertroopsinthehillstoattack.Fivethousandmore.Itwasonlytenthousandagainstfiftythousand,butitcouldwork.Ifeverythingfellintoplace,Wallachiacoulddefeatthemostpowerfularmyintheworld.ShecouldbeatMehmed.Of course, thingswere already off schedule. The biggest tipping point into

mayhemanddespairwassupposedtobethedeathoftheirsultanandleader.Shehadnotaccomplishedthat.Shegroundherteethinfrustration.Raduhadbeatenher.Thenagain…“The sultan is dead!”Ladagrabbed a torch and set the nearest tent on fire.

“The sultan has been murdered!” She continued thus, running through camp

screamingaboutthedeathofthesultanwhileensuringasmanymenaspossiblecouldnotstayintheirtents.There was more activity around her—more and more men entered the

mayhem.“Hey!”oneshouted,grabbingherarm.Shestabbedhiminthesideandkeptontowardtheanimalpens.Towardthebackofthecamp,thefightingwashappeninginearnest.Shehad

hoped to draw the bulk ofMehmed’smen herewith her initial five thousand,miretheminfighting,andthenhitthemfrombehindwiththereserve.Fromhervantage point, it looked like the Ottomans had several thousand engaged incombat. Not enough yet. Crossbow bolts, fired by her men in the hills, sangthroughtheair,claimingOttomansrunningaroundher.Sheriskedbeingclaimedbyoneherselfifshedidnothurry.Womenscreamedastheyranthroughthemainsectionoftents.Seeingthem,

Ladawanted to laugh. Theywere notOttoman campwomen, butWallachianwomen, armed to the teeth, pretending to flee while cutting down as manyJanissariesas theycould.When they reached the farendofcamp, theywouldcirclebackandmeetupwiththeforcescomingdownfromthehills.Everywherewasconfusion.Chaos.Bloodandfire.Foronceinherlife,Ladalongedtojointhewomen.Theyweredoingexactly

what she wanted to. But she was needed elsewhere. She was not here as asoldier,butasaprince.Sheskirtedthetents,thenranintothehills,whereshefoundherrendezvous

pointwithBogdanandherotherleaders.Theywerewaiting,anxiouslywatchingtheprogressoftheassault.Ladashoutedassheranup,“AnyonewithaJanissaryuniform,gointocamp

totakeupthecrythatthesultanhasbeenmurdered!”Severaldozenmentookoff.Bogdanraisedhiseyebrowshopefully.Ladahatedtoadmitdefeat.Sheshookherhead.“Theywerewaiting.”Helookedconcerned,buthenoddedandmovedon.“Areweready,then?”Ladabitherlip.ShewantedmoretimefororderinMehmed’stroopstobreak

down,but she alsoknew if theywaitedmuch longer they risked theopposite.TheOttomanscouldorganizeandformranks.Thefightinghadintensifiedonthesupplyendofcamp.Itwasafullbattlenow,onehermenwouldnotbeabletosustainforlong.“Doit,”shesaid.Bogdangesturedtothetrumpeters.Thenoteswerebrassyandclearoverthe

tumult of noise in the camp. Lada watched the hills, waiting. Runners stoodbesideher,readytotakecommandsatamoment’snotice.Fromhere,shewoulddirecteverything.Fromhere,shewouldwatchMehmed’sarmyfall.

Somethingwaswrong,though.“Doitagain,”shesaid.Again,thesignalsounded.Lada’sheartsankwithinher.Thecampburned,but

not bright or fast enough. Her men at the wagons fought, but not enoughOttomanshadbeencommittedthere.Wherewereherboyarswiththerestofhermen?WiththeHungariansMatthiashadsent?As the trumpets gave one final, trembling plea, Lada remembered Radu’s

responsewhenshesaidhehadnoideawhatshehadplanned.Hehad.Hehadknownallalong.Her eyes desperately combed the hills for some hint, some sign she was

wrong.Thattheywerecoming.Thattheycouldenditalltonight.Iftheyhadbuttrusted her, if they had followed her plan. The faithlessness of men, to takewhatever false advantageRaduoffered instead of choosing the valiant course.The course of blood and victory, the course of struggle and triumph forWallachia.NooneeverchoseWallachia.Ladadroppedtoherknees,throwingherheadbacktothesmoke-chokedstars.

Shescreamedher rageanddespair.Thenshestoodanddrewher sword. Ifnoonewouldhelpher,shewoulddoitherself.Shetooktwostepsforwardwhensomeonegrabbedheraroundthewaist.“Letmego!”sheshrieked.“Soundtheretreat,”Bogdansaid,hisvoicesoft.Ladatwisted,snarlinglikeaferalthing.Bogdanheldtight,talkinginaneven,

soothingvoice.“Theyareformingranks.Nohelpiscoming.ButIcountnearlyfifteen thousand of theirs dead, countless pack animals slaughtered, theirgunpowderstoresdestroyed.Nowwerun.”Hepaused,thenspokeagain.“Ifweescape,wewin.”“We did notwin!” Lada kicked oncemore, thenwent limp, onlyBogdan’s

armsholdingherup.“Wecouldhavedestroyeditall.Weshouldhave.”“Soundtheretreat!”Bogdanshoutedoverhisshoulder.HeliftedLadaontoa

horse and got on behind her, squeezing her leg in clumsy reassurance. “Yourwelcomeawaitsthematthecapital.Werunandfightagain.”Lada heard in those words her entire future stretching out before her. She

wouldneverbeabletostopfighting.Evenvictoriesthatshouldbeherswouldbetakenfromherbyfaithlessmen.Theywouldforeverchooseeachotherinsteadofher—choosetreatiesandtraditionoveragenuinechanceforchange.It would always be a fight. Hunyadi had told her as much. Her dreams of

decisivetriumphdrifteduplikesparks,onlytogodarkandcoldasash.

28

OutsideTirgoviste

HAMZAPASHASLAMMEDhisfistdownonthetable.“Iftheforcesinthehillshadfollowedherplan,wemighthavelost.Shehadwomenfighting!Women!Ilostspahisbecausetheyweretooshockedtoraiseablade!”Radu dreamed of lighting the table on fire, throwing it into the smoldering

mess of their supply train. He loathed this table, and the map on it, andincreasinglythepeoplearoundit.AliBey’ssmilewasaspointedasthetipofasword.“Thatisafailureontheir

part,then.MyJanissariesovercametheirshockquicklyenough.”“Do not pretend your men turned the tide. We only triumphed because of

Radu’sdealwithherallies,”saidIshakPasha,themostmeasuredofthethree.HamzaPashablewairoutbetweenhislipswithadismissivenoise,asthough

Radu’s efforts in persuading the Basarab boyars to hold back was more of aluckyaccident thanabattle-winningtriumph.“Hecannotuse thesametrickatTirgoviste. We cannot count on anyone else betraying her. The commonersworshipher.”Raduglancedatthetent’sdoorflap.Mehmedwasnothere.Raduhadnotseen

himsince theattack thenightbefore.Noonehad,other thanhisguards.Kirilhad reported back to Radu that Mehmed was unharmed and, apparently,perfectlycapableofgoingrighttosleep.Radu rubbed his forehead. It ached from exhaustion and toomuch inhaled

smoke.“Wehavetheadvantagewithasiege.”“Theadvantageisalwayswiththedefenders!AtKruje—”“IwasatKruje,”Radusaid,cuttingHamzaPashaoff.Hewastiredofbeing

dismissed by the old man. “Outside the walls. And I was at Constantinople,

inside thewalls. Iamnostranger tosieges.”Heofferednosmile tooffset theharshnessofhiswords.Heknewwhatsomanyofthesemenstillthoughtofhim—thatheonlyledhishorsemenbecauseofhisbeautifulfaceandfavorwiththesultan.But favorwith thesultanwashowanyof themled.AndRadurealizedthatdespitehiseighteenyears,hetrulydidhaveasmuchexperienceasanymancouldbeaskedfor.Hefeltitthickanddarkandchokinginhisdreams,aconstantheavinessinhis

mindbothawakeandasleep.Yes,hehadfarmoreexperiencethananymancouldbeaskedfor.Radutookadeepbreathandspokeinamoremeasuredtone.“Tirgovistehas

noneof thenatural advantagesofKruje, andcertainlynoneof thedefensesofConstantinople. It is smaller thanboth.Thewalls arehardly formidable.Theywill be able to see us coming, but that is no secret. And as was clearlydemonstrated lastnight,Ladadoesnothave the loyaltyofnoblesorEuropeansupportthatSkanderbergorConstantinedid.Noonewillcometoheraid.ShelosthalfherforceswhentheBasarabsabandonedher.Wekilledthreethousand,which as far as we can tell leaves her with only a couple of thousand tocommand.”Hamza Pasha scowled. “We have lost fifteen thousand! And supplies and

animals!”“We can afford fifteen thousand with greater ease than she can fifteen

hundred.” Radu cringed at the callousness of treating men’s lives as simplecalculations.Warmademonsters of themall. “Whenwe takeTirgoviste—andwewill,nomatterwhatshehasplanned—thatwillbetheendofit.Wewillhavethe capital.Wecan installAron andAndrei in their places andWallachiawillreturntoitsvassalstatus.”IshakPashatappedafingeragainst the table.“But theboyarsandtheirmen

are not entirely off themap. If theywere swayed to us so easily, they can beswayedback.Theymayalreadybebehindthewalls inTirgoviste.What ifshe—”“Her strength is notwalls. It neverhasbeen.Doubtless shewill have some

plans,butshecannotfightthewayshehasuptonow.Thisiswhereourtrainingandskillsmatter.Thisiswheresherealizesshecannotkeepthecityinthefaceof the might of the Ottoman army. No matter how many men she can pulltogether.”Thetentflapopened.RaduwasshockedtoseeMaraBrankovicenterwitha

swish of layered skirts. “I had thought,” she said, “to be catching up to atriumphant army already in control of the country.” She pursed her lips in

disapproval. “If I had known I would have to join the camp, I would havedelayedmytrip.”Radu pulled a chair over for her. She sat down primly, glancing over their

plans.“Hungarianforcesarehere?”“Yes,buttheyhavenotbeeninplay.Yet.”RaduhadtoadmitIshakPashawas

right. They could still decide to support Lada. In the end, theBasarab boyarswhohad led themwerenot incharge.TheHungariankingwas,and ifhesentword,theywoulddowhatheasked.“SendCorvinus a gift,”Mara said, opening her lace fanwith a snap of her

wrist.“What?”Raduasked.“MatthiasCorvinus.Sendhimsomething.Luxurious.Beautiful.Oh,Iknow!

Send him a jeweled velvet pillow for his crown. He will understand themeaning.”Ishak Pasha scowled, shifting his weight angrily from foot to foot. He had

several old wounds that made travel painful and difficult. But such was hisloyalty to theempire,he refused to letMehmedcampaignwithouthim.“Whywouldwetaketimefromwarplanningtosendanenemykingafancygift?”Mara leaned conspiratorially toward Radu. “I have just heard the most

wonderfulrumor.KingMatthiaswassentaratherlargeamountofgoldfromthepope to aid your sister in crusading. And, by a shocking coincidence, hesomehowcameintothefundstobuyhiscrownbackfromPoland.”Maragrewseriousonceagain.“Byusingthatgoldforhimself,hehasstolenfromthepope.ItwillnotgooverwellamonghisEuropeanallies.Weshouldmakecertainhisloyaltiesremainfirmlydivided.”Radutoyedwithaheavyring.“Anditwouldnothurttoincludeanoteabout

howmuchwelookforwardtoalongandpeacefulrelationshipwithHungary’srightfulking,whosecrownweacknowledgeandcelebrateandwhoseborderswerecognizeandrespect.”“With just the right amount of threat implied should he set foot over those

borders intoconflicts thatdonotconcernhim.”Marabeamed.“I loveplayingthis gamewith you,Radu.With one gift and one letter,we can takeMatthiasCorvinusoffthismap.”HamzaPashastood,stabbingafingertowardher.“Thisisnotsomegameto

playatlikecourtesans!”Marademurelycoveredherfacewithherfan.“Itseemstomethatwhatever

wayyouareplayingithasnotservedyouparticularlywelluptonow.”HamzaPashastormedfromthetent,followedbyalessangryIshakPasha.

“PayHamzanomind,”Marasaid.“HeisstillsorethatIrejectedhisofferofmarriage.”“Hewantedtomarryyou?”Raduasked,surprised.Theothermenaroundthe

table were leaving to begin the enormous task of repairing what could besalvaged and getting the camp on the road to Tirgoviste. Lada had done atremendousamountofdamage.Theywouldlimpalltherestoftheway,buttheywouldgetthere.“Ohyes.DearHamzawasmadly in lovewithme.”Mara paused. “Sorry. I

mean,hewasmadly in lovewithmypositionasa favoriteof thesultan.”Shesmiledwickedly,touchingherpowderedhairasthoughtherewereeverastrandoutofplace.“Itismymostattractivefeature.”Radu held out a hand to help her stand. “I am quite certain your most

attractivefeatureisyourremarkablemind.”“IfIeverfoundamanwhowantedtomarrymeforthat,Imightjustbreakmy

vowtoneverwedagain.”“Really?”She laughed. “No.But speakingofwives, I knowa very pretty onewho is

onlytwodaysbehindme.Youshouldsendwordtodelayher.Thisisnoplaceforwomen.”Radu put a hand to his forehead in exasperation. In the madness of the

campaignthusfar,hehadnoteventhoughttowarnNaziratodelayherjourney.TheyhadcountedonbeingwellsettledinTirgovistebynow.Radupulledoutasheetofparchmentandclearedaplaceatthetabletowrite

his letterbefore somethingelsedemandedhis attention. “Thankyou, Iwill. Ifthisisnoplaceforwomen,though…”“Never fear onmybehalf. I volunteer to takeMatthiasCorvinus his gift in

person.Thiscountryissimplyawful,Radu.Idonotunderstandhowitproducedyou.”Radufinishedhishastynote.“ItalsoproducedLada.”“Thatmakesfarmoresense.”AsRaduofferedhiselbowtowalkMaraoutofthetent,histhoughtsreturned

sickeninglytothecallouswayhehadreferredtohisbrotherswhohadlosttheirlives.Hetreatedthemasnumbers.Afterallhehadseen,afteralltheliveshehadwatcheddepartthisworld,hecouldnotaffordtothinklikethat.Becauseoncehestarted,howwouldhestop?

“Godabove.”Kiril liftedone arm to coverhismouth andnose. “What is thatsmell?”

Radu smelled it, too,buthecouldnot account for it.Hewaswithhismen,ridinginadvanceoftherestofthearmy.Theirforcewasbigenoughtofaceanydirectattack,andfastenoughtogetwordbackshouldsomethingarisetheywerenotpreparedfor.FacingLada,theycouldcountonbeingunprepared.InthedistanceRaducouldjustmakeoutthedarksmudgeofthecapitalwitha

tree-linedroadleadinguptoit.Asidefromtheskinnytreesalongtheroad,mostoftheforestaroundithadbeencleared.Itwassmart—Ladahadanunobstructedviewofthelandaroundthecity—butitalsomeantshecouldhidenothingfromthem,either.“Cautiously,” Radu said, gesturing for them to keepmoving forward. They

hadnotseenasoulyet,thoughtheskywassplatteredwithdarkbirdslikedropsof ink. The last time Radu had seen so many carrion birds had been inConstantinople.He could not quite catch his breath, their cries pulled straightfromhisworstmemories.They rode closer, everyone gradually slowing their pace. A sense of

wrongnessgrewassteadilyandstronglyasthestench.Behindhim,Raduheardmengagging.Kirilleanedoverandheaved.Stilltheyhadseennoone.Notasinglesoldier.Notonetraporambush.Radu

undidhisturbanandwrappeditaroundhisnoseandmouth,thoughhecouldstilltastetheputridrotthroughit.Thenatlast,likealandscapeofnightmares,Raduwascloseenoughtoseethe

odd,skinnytreesliningtheroad.Theywerenottrees.Evenly spaced and planted with all the care of an orchard, corpses were

impaledonstakes.Somewerenewer,somesofardecayedtheyhadtobeweeksdead.AndallofthemwereOttomans.“Go tell the sultan,”Radu said.Hewanted to turn away.He could not.He

rode forward into hell, the faces of the damned marking his progress withhollow,rottedeyes.Theywerespacedsoevenlyitwaseasytokeepcount.Tens.Thenhundreds.

Athousand.Atfivethousand,hehadreachedthehousesontheoutskirtsofthecity.Thebuildingswereallcold,abandoned.Everydoorwasopen.Heknewheshouldsendmenintocheckforsoldiershidinginside,waitingtoambushthem.He could not manage to do anything but keep moving forward. The sheer

overwhelmingwrongnessgaveeverythingadreamlikehaze.Hecouldnot feelhislimbs,couldonlysee.Couldonlysmell.Attenthousand,hewasfinallycloseenoughtomakeoutthegatestotheinner

city.Theywereopen.Thestakesthereweresoclosetogetherthathecouldnot

seebetweenthebodies.Itwasasolidwallofrottingfleshoneitherside,onlytheskyabovevisibleashepasseddirectlyintothecity.No sounds but the harsh cries of the birds, and the quieter but far more

piercingnoisesofbeakstearingfleshandsinewfrombone.Raduknewhishorsewasmakingnoise,buthecouldnothearit.Hedidnot

knowifanyofhismenwerestillwithhim.Hecouldnotstop,couldnotlooktoeither side. He was compelled forward as though, by making it through thistunnelofhorror,hecouldwakeupontheothersidebackinaworldthatmadesense.Aworldwherethegatewaslocked,thewallsweremanned,andtherewassomethingconcreteandunderstandableandhumantofightagainst.Hereachedthecastle.Twentythousandstakes,asnearashecouldtell.Hadit

been just this morning he resolved to never again view men in terms ofnumbers?There, infrontofthegapingcastlegatesanddoors,onastakeaboveall the

others,afinalcorpse.Raduknewthatcloak,knewthoseclothes.HewasstillsittingonhishorsewhenMehmedreachedhim.Therewerenew

noises now—retching and curses and a few quiet sobs. Of course there weremoremenhere.Mehmedwouldnothavecomealone.Radudidnotknowhowlonghehadbeenhere.“Isthat…?”Mehmeddidnotfinishhissentence.“Kumal,”Raduwhispered.ThemanwhohadgivenhimIslamasabalmand

protection for Radu’s terrified young soul. Themanwho had become Radu’sbrotherinspiritandinlaw.ThemanwhohadcomehereinRadu’splace.Kirilspoke.Raduhadnotseenhimjointhem.Hecouldnotlookawayfrom

where Kumal’s kind eyes had once been. Did they rot out, or had they beeneaten?Itseemedimportanttoknow,butRaduhadnowayoffindingout.“…allclear.Thereisnoonehere.”“Howcanwefightagainstthis?”Mehmedasked.“Howcanwetakeacountry

whenshesimplywalksawayfromthecapital?Howcanweeverdefeatsomeonewillingtodothis”—hisvoicebrokeasheswepthisarmoutward—“justtosendamessage?”“Howcould awomando this?”AliBey’s voicewas filledwith equal parts

wonderanddisgust.“Sheisnotawoman,”asoldiernearRadusaid,spitting.Normallyasoldier

wouldnotdarespeakinthepresenceofthesultan.Buttherewasnothingnormalhere.“Sheisademon.”“No.” Radu closed his eyes against the forest of corpses grown from the

indomitablewillofhissister.“Sheisadragon.”

29

OutsideTirgoviste

ITHADBEENallBogdancoulddotopersuadeLadanottodressasaJanissaryandenterthecitywithMehmed’smen.Shewantedtobethere.Shewantedtoseeit.Torevelintheirshockatanunguardedcapital.Toseethelooksontheirfaces

whentheyrealizedtheycouldnotfighther.Toseetheirdespairwhentheywereconfrontedwithhowfarshewouldgotoprotectwhatwashers.Theycouldhavethecitywithherblessing.Afterall,TirgovistewasnotWallachia.LadawasWallachia.Instead, she sat in the hills and watched from a distance, imagining it.

Relishing it. And looking on in astonishment and delight asMehmed’s armystopped,thenturnedaroundandheadedbacktowardtheDanube.FinallyMehmedknewthetruth.Shewouldneverbehis.Hercountrywould

neverbehis.Shehadwon.AllithadtakenwastwentythousanddeadOttomansonstakes.AndMehmedthoughtshedidnotunderstandthepowerofpoeticimagery.

30

OutsideTirgoviste

ITTOOKTWENTYthousandstakestomakeasinglepoint:Ladawasnotevergivingup.RadudidnotknowwhichhadshakenMehmedmoredeeply:seeingsomany

of his men impaled in horrific defiance of Muslim burial traditions, orunderstandingthatLadatrulyhadintendedtokillhimduringthenightattack.Theirretreatfromthecityhadbeennecessaryforbothmoraleandhealth.At

best, the tenorof the campwasoneof unease.Raduheard a lot of rumblingsaboutgoinghome.Theyhadtodecidewhattodobeforeopinionshiftedtoofarinonedirectionortheotherandmadethemenunruly.Mehmed had relocated to a far less ostentatious andmore anonymous tent.

Theywere there now, and had been for hours.Raduwaited in silence next toMehmed, who sat with his back straight, his eyes on the carpet. He pickedmercilesslyatthegoldstitchingonhisrobe.“HowcanIfight this?”Mehmedfinallyasked.Thiswasthefirst timesince

the night of Lada’s first visit that they had been alone. Mehmed seemed adifferentman. Radu, too, felt different. Far older, again. Howmany lifetimescouldheageoverthecourseofafewyears?“Howcan I fight this?”Mehmed repeated,butRadudidnot thinkMehmed

was asking him. Radu suspected that, until the double blow of Lada’s trueintentionsandherhorrificdisplay,Mehmedhadnot actually takenanyof thisseriously.Ithadbeenmorethanagametohim,butfarlessthanawar.Hehadfaced Constantinople with religious determination. This had been all aboutgettingLadaback.

And now Lada had made certain they could never forgive her. All hopeMehmed had held of reunion was as lifeless and rotten as the sentinels atTirgoviste.The camphadmoved far enough away from the city that the smellwas no

longer making men sick. Radu had his own men—four thousand skilled anddisciplined fighters—digging graves instead of riding into battle. But hismenwerenotalone.AliBey,IshakPasha,HamzaPasha,theyhadallsparedasmanyas they could for theworkof giving theOttomansproper burials. Shiftsweretakenwithsolemnsadness.Sometodig,sometoguard,andsometopray.“WehaveTirgoviste,butitdoesnotmatter.”Mehmed’svoicewasashaunted

ashiseyes.“Idonotknowhowtofightawarwheretacticsareuseless,wherenumbersgainmenoadvantage,wheregatesareleftopenandcitiesareguardedonly by the accusing dead of my people. Tell me how I can fight this.” Helookedup,pleading.“You cannot.” Radu knelt in front of Mehmed. His friend leaned forward,

restinghisheadonRadu’slegsandcurlinginaroundhimself.RaduputahandonMehmed’s turban.Radu’s fiercedesirewasgone,hispassiondulledby thelong,heavywearoftimeanddisappointment.Buthistenderaffectionanddeeprespectforhisfriend,forthesultan,wouldnotleavehimwithoutafight.“Ifwestay,”Radusaid,“wewillhavetochaseherintothemountains.Itwill

bemonths. Perhaps even years. Shewillwear down yourmenwith time andstarvation,sicknessandfrustration.Wecannotfightonhertermsandwin.”“WhatshouldIdo,then?”TheeyelessfaceofKumalroseunbiddeninRadu’smind.Heclosedhisown

eyes.Itdidnothelp.Ladacouldnotwinthis.Raduwouldnotlether.“GobacktoConstantinople.

Burn the cities you pass, takewhatever livestock is left, and, everywhere youcan,exaggeratethenumbers.HaveMaratellallhercontactswhatagreatvictorythiswas,howeasilyyourestoredWallachiatoitsvassalstatusandputArononthethrone.”“ButLadawon!”“Andwhowilltellthatstory?Herpeasants?Herhordesoflandless,nameless

people?Howwilltheytraveltothepope,totheItalians,totherestofEuropetotellofhervictory?Rumorswillspread,certainly,butallevidencewillbeinourfavor.Ourmanonthethroneinthecapital.Ourtriumphantmarchhome.”“Ifwego,weleaveLadafreetodoitallagain.”“No.” Radu let out a heavy breath and smoothed the edge of Mehmed’s

turban.“Isaidwecouldnotfightonherterms.Wefightonmine,instead.With

yourpermission, Iwill keepmymen and staybehind towork. I can steal thecountryfrommysisterthroughtheonethingshenevercouldbeatmeat.”“Archery?”Mehmedsaid,hisdarkattemptathumoracknowledgedbyboth

menwithwrysmilesthatfadedassoonastheyappeared.“Sheer likability. Iwilldefeather throughmanipulation.Politics.Saying the

rightthingattherighttimetotherightpeople.”“Shewillfightyou.”“She can try, but she will fail. She tried to dismantle the foundation of a

building she was still living in. She tried to be prince while taking apart theentiresystemthatsupportedtheprince.Iwillfindeveryenemy,everyboyarwhohaslostasonorcousinorbrother,everynoblewhorightlyfearsfortheirplaceinhernewworld.IwilluseTransylvaniaandHungaryandMoldavia.IwillstealeverystoneofsupportshehasuntilsheisstandingaloneintheruinsofthenewWallachiashetriedtobuild.”“And then?”Mehmedsatup, lockinghiseyesontoRadu’s.“Shewillnever

stop. She does not have it in her.Andwhat foolish hopes I nurtured that shecould return to us are gone.” Mehmed had been firmly against killing Lada.Radusawthathispositionhadchanged.Theyhadsomuchincommon,hissisterandhissultan.Andnowtheyhatedwithasmuchdeterminationasevertheyhadloved.Thebodieswerepilingupbecauseofit.Raduknewhehadfacedthisbefore,knewhehadbeentooweaktomakethe

right decision, knewhe couldnot afford to do so againwith somany lives atstake. It had been selfish of him, avoiding what had to be done.What Ladawoulddoinhisplace.Raducouldbestrongforthisoneterribletask.Itwoulddestroyhim,buthecouldnolongeraskthousandstopaythepriceofhistenderconscience.“ThenIwilldowhatmustbedone.Iwillfinishit.”

31

PoenariFortress

LADALEANEDOVER thestonewallwhereitjuttedpasttheedgeofthecliff.TheArges River curled distant and silver beneath her. Her fortress was finallycomplete. It would be her refuge, her sanctuary, her rallying point. Breathingdeeplyofthecoldairstillwetwithmorningmist,Ladafortifiedherselfwiththesameunassailablestrengthasherfortress.Therewasworktodo.Hermenandwomenwerescatteredthroughthesemountainsingroupsoftwo

hundred. Itwas easier thatway, both logisticallywith camps and strategicallywith remaining hidden from enemies. Even if one campwas discovered, theywouldnotdecimateLada’sreserves.Sheandherfollowerscouldhidehereformonths.Notthatshehadplanstodothat.She turned to Bogdan and Grigore. She had promoted Grigore after his

successindefendingBucharest, thoughheannoyedher.Everyoneannoyedherfornotbeingsomeoneelseshelovedbetter.“Havewordsenttothepopeofourvictory,” she said. “Make certain he knowswhat we did. Fifteen thousand oftheirmendead,andtheentirearmyturningtailandrunning.Perhapswiththesekindsofresults,hewillsendusmorethanpraise.Praiseneitherfeedsmennorkillsenemies.Iwantmoneyandsoldiers.”Grigoreshuffledhisfeetinobviousdiscomfort.“Icannotread.Orwrite.”“WhereisDoru?”Ladaaskedwithasigh.“Hecanwrite.”Bogdan’sblockyfeaturestwistedinawkwardconfusion.“Hedied.Duringthe

nightattack.”

Ladahadnotnoticed.Shewaved, irritatedwithherself fornotknowingandwithDoru for dying. “Thenyouwrite it, or find someonewho can.Thepopemusthelpus.IwantrealpowerbehinduswhenwereturntoTirgoviste.Wehavetoplan for taking itback.”Sheknew thebodieshadbeen removedand that asmall forcehadbeen leftbehind.Butsurely theydidnot thinkafewthousandOttomanscouldstopher.Notnow.Lada’sfingers tapped thesheathedswordatherside.“AndIwantallof the

Basarabboyars’men.”IthadbeentheBasarabs,ledbyamannamedGalesh—weak, faithless Galesh—who had held their forces back and cost her a truevictoryduringthenightattack.Theywerehidingsomewhereinthemountains,too,usinghersamestrategy.Thatwouldnotworkoutaswellforthem.Shehadbrieflyconsideredkillingthem,butitwasawasteofresources.Shewouldjustcutoff theheadandabsorb thebody.“Iwantallof theBasarabs’men.AlongwithGalesh’shead.Thatisourfirstpriority.”“Clean your own house before helping the neighbors,” Oana said with a

pleasantsmile,passingLadaasteamingbowlofmushandasideofdriedmeat.“Or,inourcase,cleanourownhousebeforeattackingtheneighborsfortrying

to steal our things. We also need to retake Chilia from my cousin to teachMoldaviathatourbordersareinviolable.”“Doyouwanttokillhim?”Bogdanasked.Ladafrowned.Shereallywasnotcertain.ShecouldnotblameKingStephen

for his actions. Shewould have taken advantage of the same opportunity hadtheir situations been reversed. There were several cities that passed betweenMoldaviaandWallachiaeveryfewdecadesthatshewouldbehappytoreclaim.And, in spite of his betrayal, she still liked her cousin. He reminded her ofNicolae.Shesetdownherbowl,herappetitegone.“Wewilldealwith thatwhenthe

timecomes.Now,closertohome,dowehaveanyalliesinTransylvania?”Grigoreshifted,obviouslyuncomfortablewithdeliveringbadnews.“Youare

…notverypopularthere.”“Still?EvenafterIsenttheTurksweepingbacktotheirownlands?”“Wecansendsomemenandsee.”Ladanodded, thenhesitated.“Perhapsdonotsendourbestmen.Picksome

whoaredispensabletogowithyou.”Herownrecordwithrespondingtoenvoyswaslessthanfriendly.Shedidnotwanttogambleanyonewhowouldbehardtoreplace.Grigore’seyeswerewideandterrified.Shecouldnotunderstandwhy.“Oh,”

Ladasaid,rememberingherwords.Shepickedherbowlbackupandshovedit

at him. “Not that you are dispensable. I am certain you will be fine. Eatsomething.”Shepacedbackandforthalongthelengthofthewalloverlookingthecliff’s

edge.“IsthereanychanceofgettingSkanderbergtojoinus?”Bogdanshrugged.“IdonothaveanyAlbaniancontacts.”Lada waved a hand dismissively. Of course he did not. She wanted Stefan

here.Wherewashe?Nicolaewould—She stopped pacing and rubbed the back of her neck. She needed her own

MaraBrankovic.SheevenfoundherselfmissingDaciana.IfDacianahadbeenraisedwithaneducation,shewouldbebetterthananyofthemenservingunderLada.Itfilledherwithpulsingangerknowinghowmuchpotentialwasignoredamongherpeoplesimplybecauseoftheirsex.Shetuggedherhairoffherneckandtieditbackwithastripofleather.“PicksomeonedependableandsendhimtoSkanderberg.It isunlikelyhecanhelp—heisstill fightingtheOttomansonhisownland—butwemayaswellpursueeverypotentialally.”“Speaking of allies, what ofMatthias Corvinus?”Oana reached up to redo

Lada’shair,butLadaslappedherhandsaway.“By his request, the men he sent were to be commanded only by Galesh

Basarab.SoIdonotknowwhosecowardiceandbetrayaldeniedusourcompletevictory,thatoftheBasarabboyarsalone,orMatthias’s,too?”“What doesMatthias have to gain fromyour loss?”Oana shovedGrigore’s

untouched bowl back into Lada’s hands. Lada wrinkled her nose and forceddownafewbites.Eatingandsleepingwerechores.ShewishedshecouldassignthemtosomeonestupidlikeGrigoresoshecouldcontinueherworkallhoursoftheday.Shefearedifshestoppedmoving,ifshestoppedplottingandplanning, then

…Shedidnotknow.Butthefearwasconstantandnagging,andtheonlywayto

outpaceitwastoneverstop.“What does Matthias gain? I do not know. A free Wallachia would only

benefithim.ItkeepshisbordersfurtherbufferedfromOttomanadvance.ButIcannot pretend to understand that man. If only his father were ruling.” LadaallowedherselfamomenttoimaginewhatitwouldhavebeenlikehadHunyadibeen waiting in the hills. How tremendous their victory, how complete thedestructionofMehmed’sarmies.Everyonewouldhaverememberedthatnight,andtheirnames,forever.But then again, hadHunyadi been fightingwithher, doubtless all credit for

winningwouldhavegonetohim.Onlyhewouldhavebeenremembered.

Theguardspresentedapantingboycoveredinalightsheenofsweat.Itwasnosmalltaskclimbingupthemountaintothefortress.Mostofherprisonershaddiedhaulingstonesup.Theboybowedlow,holdingoutaleathersatchel.“Letters,myprince.”Ladatookthem.One,fromMaraBrankovic,shetossedasideforlaterwitha

renewedsurgeofenvythatshedidnothaveherownMara.Radu.RaduwouldhavebeenherMara.Hergrip tightened, creasingvariousmissives frompeoplewhosenames she

didnotrecognize.Butatthebottomofthestackwasalettersealedwithacoatofarmsfeaturingaraven.Matthias.Shesliceditopenwithherdagger.Lada drew her eyebrows close, anticipating bad news. For once, she was

surprised.“Matthiaspraisesourvictory.HeclaimstohavebeenunawareoftheBasarabs’ cowardice, and gives us the last known location of themenGaleshwasleading!”Hadhemerelyclaimednottoknowofthebetrayal,Ladawouldhavecontinuedtosuspect.Butifthelocationprovedaccurate…Ladacouldkillthe remainingboyars and take both theirWallachians and theHungarians intoherown ranks. “He is surprisedbyhowquicklyMehmed ran.”Lada laughed.“ClearlyMatthiasdoesnotknowhowdeeplyMehmedcares about thecostofthings. But Matthias is emboldened! He is willing to commit more men andmoney.HethinkswecanretaketheDanube,anddenyMehmedthatpassagewayintoEurope!WithcontroloftheDanube,wecoulddamagehisentirevassalagesystem….”Ladaloweredtheletter,hermindspinningwithpossibilities.Shehadlonged

forHunyadiatherside,butperhapsMatthiaswouldprovethemoreusefulofthetwo after all. He brought European connections. She brought ferocity and theability to lead men against Mehmed. Together, they stood a real chance offreeing not just Wallachia but also the rest of the European countries thatMehmedheldunderhisthumb.WhatablowthatwouldstrikeagainstMehmed!Againsthistreasury,against

hisfaith,againsthispride.Ladacouldtasteit.ShewantedWallachiafree,yes,butifshecouldhaveevenmore?Shewouldtakeit.Gladly.Gleefully,even.“Matthiaswantsmetoridetohiscourtsowecanplan,andthenIwillreturn

withhismen.”Ifsheleftnow,shecouldbethereinacoupleofdays.Itwouldgive them time to comeupwith a strategy and track down allies. She had nodoubtMatthiaswithhisnoblefaceandgildedtonguecoulddobetter thanshe.And she would be back inWallachia before the remnants ofMehmed’s mencould setupagooddefense inTirgovisteunchallenged.Mehmedhad left, butshewasnotnaïveenoughtotrustthathewastrulygone.

Shetuckedtheletterintohertunic.“Iwillleaveimmediately.”Bogdannodded.“Iwillcome.”“No.IneedyoutogoafterGaleshandtheBasarabs.Thisinformationmight

beaweekold.Youneedtofindthemnow.Sendwordwhentheyaredeadandthemenareyours.”“Idonotlikeyougoingalone.IdonottrustMatthias.”“Neitherdo I,but fornowourgoals intersect. Iwillnot let thisopportunity

fall.”“GrigorecanhandlegoingafterGaleshsothat—”LadagrabbedBogdan’sarms,cuttinghimoff.“Itrustonlyyoutodothis.”It

wastrue.Somanyofhermenwerelosttoher.ButBogdanremained.Sheknewthat,ofeverymanintheworld,hewouldbetrue.“Iwill attend to her,”Oana saidwith a reassuring pat onBogdan’s arm. It

made Lada realize how little they touched. Oanawas farmore demonstrativewithLada.SowasBogdan, for thatmatter.Whether itwas becauseLadahadbeenOana’scharge,orbecauseBogdanhadbeentakenfromheratsuchayoungage,Ladawas the center of theirmother-son relationship. She pushed away apleasedsmileatthethought.Oanathrewhershawloverhershouldersandtieditinplace.“Aladyshould

notbealone,ever.Notinaforeigncastle.”Ladasnortedalaugh.“Ifsomeonethreatensmyhonor,willyoukillthemwith

yourknittingneedles?”Oanagrinned,warmwrinklesaroundhereyes.“DonotdoubtwhatIcando.”“Ineverwould.”BiddingfarewelltoBogdan,LadaandOanaclimbeddownthemountainwith

thirtyguards.Horsesawaitedthematthenearbyvillage,soremotethevillagershadnotbotheredevacuating.Ladasatstraightandeagerinhersaddle.Forthefirsttime,goingtoHungary

didnotfeellikeapunishment.Itfeltlikevictory.

32

Tirgoviste

RADU COULD NOT tell if the stench of death lingered in Tirgoviste, or if hismemoryofitwassostrongthathewouldneverbeabletowalkthroughthecityagainwithoutgagging.Theworkofclearingthebodies—takingthemdown,buryingthemwiththeir

headstowardMecca,andgivingthemtherespecttheydeserved—wasfinished.It had been a week of nonstop, wearying work. Because they had no gravemarkers, and could not identify most of the bodies anyway, Radu had themburied in thesectionsof forest thathadbeencleared tomake thestakes.Theyplantedseedsandsaplingsbetweeneachgrave.Someday,a forestwouldgrowandhidehissister’sabominationfromtheheavens.Untilthen,theyallcarrieditwiththem.Radupausedat thecastlegates,staringatwhereKumalhadbeendisplayed.

HewouldnevertellNazira.Hewouldcarrythememoryhimself;therewasnoreasontoburdenher.IfRaduwerestillChristian,hewoulddedicateachurchtohis brother-in-law. As it was, whenever he prayed, he dedicated himself toKumal’smemory.Itwasnotenough—itwouldneverbeenough—butitwasallhehadtooffer.“Sir,”Kirilsaid,inclininghisheadsmartly,thenwalkingatRadu’sside.Radu

hadpromotedhimtohissecond-in-command.“Wehavefinishedthelastofthecleanup.Whatnow?”“We need to find my sister. Until we know where she is and what she is

planning,wecannotaccomplishanythinghere.Noonewillreturntothecapitalif the threat of her wrath looms over it. But I cannot see anyway for her toretakeitwiththenumbersshehas.”Raduhadbeenalertandwaitingforattacks,

butnothinghadhappened.Ladahadvanishedandtakenwithhereveryoneandeverythingtheyneededtofight.“JustbecauseIcannotseeit, though,doesnotmeanshecannotfindaway.Morelikely,though,isthatshewilltrytodrawusintothemountainswhereshewillhavetheadvantage.Idonotparticularlywanttostumbleintoanymorewelcomesshehasdesigned.”Radu avoided the castle door. He had no wish to go inside. Instead, he

climbedaladdertothewallthatcircledthecastle.Heleanedoverthebulwarkandlookedoutatthecity.Itwasstillnearlyempty.Ithadbeeneasytohousehismen—they had an entire capital to choose from. “We should act less likeOttomansandmorelikeWallachians.”“How do Wallachians act?” Kiril was Bulgarian by birth, but did not

rememberanythingofhishomeland.Hehadbeenwith theOttomans sincehewas five. He often joined Radu for prayer and meals. They had the easyunderstanding of two people who had decided to claim the home that hadclaimedthem.Radu leaned on his elbows, looking back at the castle. In the center of the

courtyard,asachild,hehadoncewatchedAronandAndreibewhipped foracrime they did not commit. One he had framed them for. “Wallachians aredesperate.Sneaky.Vicious.Or at least, that ishowmy family linehas alwaysbehaved. Find a small group ofmen—thosewith frontier experience, not cityexperience. Send them into the mountains for scouting only. The smaller thegroups, themore luck theywill have indiscoveringwithoutbeingdiscovered.WeneedtoknowwhereLadais,andwheresheishidingthebulkofherforces.Once we have that information, we will be able to move forward. In themeantime,wecoronatethenewprinceofWallachia,AronDanesti.”“Soweactasthoughthecountryisours,whenourenemiesarestilloutthere

andeverythingisinturmoil?”“Ladawillbefurious.SheantagonizedMehmed—”Raducaughthimselfand

corrected. “Antagonized the sultan to get him tomeet her where she had theadvantage. We will do the same. I do not count on her storming out of themountains, but I alsowould not be surprised by it. She has a terrible temperwhenyoutakewhatshethinksishers.Andevenifitdoesnotbaither,itservesapurpose. Sometimes, the best way to achieve power is to pretend like youalreadyhaveit.Wecoronateanewprince,andwebeginruling.Thecountrywillfall in line. Lada changed too much, too fast. Change is hard. It requires atremendous amount of time andwillingness to endure discomfort.Goingwithwhatonehasalwaysknowniseasy.AddthattothesheerdestructionofLada’stacticsand thesuffering thatwillcause?Wallachiawillchooseus,becausewearethewaytosurvive.”

He hoped theywould gladly accept a return to what had always been if itcamewithpeaceandstability.Evenif,perhaps,theydeservedmore.MuchlikehehadreturnedtoMehmedagainandagain.Hehadfinallydecided

that the lonelyunknownwaspreferable to the lonelyknown.HewouldnotgobacktoMehmed.Notashehadbefore.HeprayedthatWallachiahadnotbeenpushedsofarthatitscitizens,too,wouldrealizetheydeservedbetterthanwhattheyhadalwayshad.Raduwoulddohisbesttoimprovethecountryforaslongashewashere.But

hecouldonlydothat if itwasstable.And,fornow, itcouldonlybestablebyresettlingintoitsoldshape.Kirilnodded.“Ithinkthatisagoodplan,sir.And—thismaybeoutofplace—

butIamglad toserveunderyou.Doubtlessyouknowtherumorsofwhyyouhavecommand.ButMehmeddoesnotgivepoweroutonwhimsoras favors.Youdeserveyourplacehere,andIamhonoredtofollowyou.Allyourmenare.”Radu laughed. “That compliment is a bit like a rose. It comeswith a lot of

barbsandthorns.”Kirilraisedhishands,aflushofembarrassmentcoveringhischeeks.Radu put a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “No, no, I understand. And

thankyou.Yourconfidenceinmemeansmorethanyoucanknow.Iwillalwaystrytodorightbymybrothers.”RaduexcusedKirilwithonelastwarmsmile.Itwasagoodplan.Hewould

putonashowofpower.Boyarswouldflocktohimastheonlysafeoption.And,if hewas lucky, Ladawould be so angry at being replaced as prince that shewouldcomedowntomeetthemwheretheyhadtheadvantage.Funnythataftersomanyyearsofdoingeverythinghecould toavoidher ire,hewasnow inapositionofusingallthathistoryagainsther.

RaduhadtorideoutofthecityquitesomedistancetoanswerAron’ssummons.HehadwrongfullyassumedtheDanestibrothershadtakentheirfamilymanor.Hehadbeentoobusytonoticethattheyhadnot,infact,settledinTirgoviste.AronandAndreihadafewhundredmenoftheirownthathadbeenwiththem

sincethesiegeatConstantinople.Themen’scampwasdisorderly,borderingonslovenly.Radurodethroughitwithacriticaleye.Hewouldnothavetoleratedsuchlackofdisciplineamonghismen.NooneintheOttomanEmpirewould.Aronwaswaitingforhim,pacingimpatientlyinsidehistent.Andreisatina

chair, leaningbackwithhisarmscrossedoverhischest.“Hereyouare,”Aronsaid.“Ittookyoulongenoughtogethere.”

Raduopenedhismouthtoapologize,butcutthewordsoffbeforetheycouldescape.Heowedthemnosuchthing.“IwasunawareyouhadnotrelocatedtoTirgoviste.Whenwillyou?”“Wecannot live there!”Aronstoppedpacing,horrified.“It isunhealthy.We

wouldcatchourdeaths.”Raduliftedaneyebrow.“Doyouthinkbeingimpalediscontagious?”Andreigavehimadarklywrylook.“Yoursisterisstillfree.”Hehadapoint.“Fairenough.Butitisimportantthatweconsolidate.Youare

vulnerableouthere.”Aron had begun moving again. “We are going to our family’s countryside

estate.Weneedyourmentogoaheadandmakecertainitissafe.”TheyhadnotinvitedRadutosit.Heclaspedhishandsbehindhisback.“Ido

notthinkthatiswise.”Aronstopped,frowning.“Why?”“I doubt the Danesti family estate is fortified. If Lada found out youwere

there,youwouldbeslaughtered.”“Wewillhaveyourmenaswell.”“No.”Raduspokeslowlyandcarefully.Hewasnotcertainhowsolittlehad

been communicated.Had it been neglect on his part, or negligence on theirs?“Mymenaresettinguptodefendthecapital.ItisvitalthatweholditasourseatofpowerasasignaltoallofEuropewhothetrueprinceis.”Aronlookeddeeplysuspicious.“Thetrueprince?”“You,”Raduprodded. “Of course.Youare tobe crownedprince.But tobe

prince,youneedtorulefromthecapital.”“Iwouldnotfeelsafethere.”“It isnotaboutfeelingsafe. It isaboutappearing tobestrong. Ifwecannot

foolothersthatweareconfidentinyourrule,whywouldtheytrustusenoughtostandatourside?Wepretendatstrengthuntilwehaveactualstrength.Itisaliethatwillbecometruth.”“Youseemanexpertinthesematters,”Andreisaiddrily.Raduwas.HehadpretendedhiswayintoMurad’sfavorites.Hehadpretended

hisway through enemy territory inConstantinople.And he had pretended hiswaythroughalifelongfriendshipthathehadwishedwaseversomuchmore.Andnow?Hewouldhavetopretendinordertorebuildthecountrythatnever

evensomuchaspretendedtocarewhetherhelivedordied.Aronshookhishead.“Iwouldstillprefertorunthingsfrommyestate.You

candivideyourmen.”“Iwillnot.”

Andreisatupabit straighter,andAronsteppedcloser.Hewassmaller thanRadu, though,andhisattempt to loomfell short, literally. “Iamherewith thesupport of the sultan, am I not?What did he leavemen for, if not to domybidding?”Radu smiled benignly. It was a good thing he had so much practice

pretending,becauseifheweretobehonest,hewouldlaughinAron’sface.“Thesultan lefthismenhere toprovidestability.He left themundermycommand,andIwillusethemasIthinkwisest.Which,rightnow,isprotectingTirgovisteandreestablishingitasyourcapital.”“Iamyourprince,”Aronsaid,liftinghischinproudly.“Actually,youareWallachia’sprince.IamabeyoftheOttomanEmpire,and

amonlyhereasapersonalfavortoyou.Ioweyounoallegiance.”AronandAndreisharedalookthatwasalarmonAron’spartandmenaceon

Andrei’s. “Wewantmoney,” Andrei said. “We know the sultan left youwithfunds.Asprince,mybrothershouldbeabletodictatewherethosefundsgo.”“Themoneyisforfightingmysister.”“And by becoming prince, is my brother not fighting her? Therefore, he

shouldbeabletodecidehowbesttoputittouse.”“Youcansee,”Aronsaid,holdingouthishandsinaplacatinggesture,“howit

isconcerningthat,whileIamprince,youseemtocontrolallthemenandallthegold.”Perhaps Radu had been wrong to assume these two had outgrown their

childishlyaggressivecompetitiveness.Theyhadalwaysbeenpolitetohimwhileamong theOttomans.ButRaduhadmore power than theydid there.Here, inWallachia, theywere determined to prove theymatteredmore. Itwas like theforestgamestheyhadbeenforcedtoplayaschildrenalloveragain.Onlythistime,LadawouldnotjumpoutofhidingtobeatthemforhittingRadu.Andthistime,hedidnotneedherto.“I canunderstand that,”Radu said. “The sultanhasdonatedmymen’s time

andresources.Ihaveneverseenhimsogenerouswithanothervaivodeprince.Our fathers certainly received no such level of support from SultanMurad. Ithinkthatprovidedyoufollowthesultan’swishesbysettingupinthecapitalandbeginning your rule with absolute confidence, you can look forward to abeneficiallifelongrelationshipwiththeOttomanEmpire.AndIcanaskhimtoforgivethedebtsthatWallachiaisseveralyearsbehindonpaying.”Radu did not voice what would happen should Aron decide he was not

satisfied with Mehmed’s generosity. But he could see in the shift fromaggressiontooverlydemonstrativesmilesthathedidnothaveto.

“Ofcourse,”Aronsaid.“Wewantthesamethingsthesultandoes.Iamsureyouwillcommunicatethat.”RaduhadnodesiretoplaypoliticswiththeDanestibrothers.Hewantedthem

tohavethecountry.Buthehadajobtodo,too.RegardlessofhowhefeltaboutWallachia,aboutLada,aboutMehmed,hewoulddischargehisdutiesheretothebestofhisability.Heowedthatmuch.Raduinclinedhishead.“Pleaseletmeknowifthereisanythingwecandoto

easeyour transition into thecastle. Ithasbeen thoroughlycleaned.Thewholecityisclearandreadyforlifetoresumeitsnaturalpace.Whileyouaresettlingin,Iwillfindtheremainingboyarsandbringthembackasyoursupportsystem,sothat,withtheirhelp,youcanbeginreestablishingorder.Iknow—asdoesthesultan—thatyouaretheprinceWallachianeeds.”AronnoddedasthougheverythingRaduproposedhadbeenhisplanallalong.

“Verygood. Iwillconsiderour returnandsendwordwhenweare ready.”Hepaused.“Ifwearegoingtopretend,though,Iwillneedtoputonabettershow.Ineednewclothesmorebefittingmythrone,asdoesmybrother.Weshouldalsohaveliveryforourservantswithourfamilycrest.Andnewhorses,aswell.”RaducouldpracticallyseeAronholdingouthishandforgold.AndifRadu

agreedtothis,hecouldonlyimaginethevitalneedsAronwouldgenerateinthefuture. But he had tomake some sort of concession, and it did play into theimagetheyweretryingtoproject.Aronwasclever.Raduwascleverer.“Itwouldbeanhonortoarrangethat.Iwillhaveitwaitinginyourcastlefor

yourreturn.”Radubowedtocover thesmile threatening tobreakfree.Hehadmissedplayingcourtgamesabit,afterall.

33

CarpathianMountains

THOUGH LADA WANTED to get her business with Matthias done as quickly aspossible,therewasonestopshehadtomakeontheway.“Wherearewegoing?”Oanaasked.“Detour.” Lada directed them up a mountain pass that had been patiently

carvedbya tributarystream.The landwasunforgiving,noclearpathshowingtheir way. But they had not made it very far before a woman emerged frombehindaclumpoftrees,crossbowpointedrightatLada.“Myprince!”thewomansaid,loweringthecrossbow.Ladanoddedtoher.Theguardwentaheadoftheircompany,alertingseveral

otherwomen posted onwatch. Ladawas pleased to see they had not relaxedtheirdisciplineinmaintainingalookout.Whentheyarrivedatthecamp,everythingwascleanandorderly.Therewere

more than a thousand women here, those too old to fight or pregnant. Theysharedcareofthechildren.Itwasoneofthreesuchcamps,butLadasuspecteditwasthebestone.Makeshift tentshuddledbetween trees,eachwithacarefullyclearedfirepitinfront.Agroupofseveralhundredchildrensatinameadowaswomenleanedoverthem,pointingtothings.Dacianasmiledwithunfeigneddelight.“Lada!Wedidnotexpectyou.”“Itwasonmyway.”Ladadismounted,peeringpastthenearestchildrentosee

whattheyweredoing.Eachchildhadasmallstickandwasscratchinginthedirtwithit.Itwasanoddgame.“We are learning how to read and write.” Daciana pointed to the nearest

woman.“Mariateachesusthelettersatnight,andthenduringthedayweteach

the children.” Daciana’s face glowed with pride. “I know the entire alphabetnow.IamworkingonwritingalettertoStefan.”Ladawasimpressed.Thoughsheshouldnothavebeenparticularlysurprised.

Of course the women would not be lounging about, idling away their hours.Wallachian women worked from birth until death. Even here, hiding in themountains,theywerefindingwaystoimprovetheirchildren’slives.“Walkwithme.” Lada turned andDaciana followed. Shewas beginning to

show,startingtolookmorelikewhenLadahadfirstmether,fierceanddefiant,onthelandsoftheboyarwhohadimpregnatedher.Lada lookedupat thebranches laced together.Though springcame later in

themountains, the treeswere all budding. The spring greenwas almost gold.Little tufts of treasure on each ofLada’s trees.Had any spring ever been thislovelyanywhereelse?Breathingdeeplyandfeelingherselfgrowstrongerforit,Ladaspoke.“Tellmehowthingsarehere.”“Everythingisgoingaswellascanbeexpected.Wehaverationedthestores

and shouldbeable to stay for severalmoremonths ifneeded.Wesupplementeverythingwithgamewecatch,thoughwearerangingfarthertosettraps.Butthewomeninchargearecarefulandhavenotcomeacrossanyoneelse.Howarethingsinthecountry?”“Wehadachancetowin.ButtheBasarabsbetrayedme.”Dacianaspit.“Boyars.”“Yes.ButtheOttomansleftanyway.”Daciana’sansweringsmilewasaspointedandbrutalasoneofLada’sstakes.

ShehadbeenoneofthebiggestsupportersofLada’sTirgovisteplans.Afewofthemenhadbalkedat the ideaofdoing that to thebodies.ButDacianaknewwhatittooktosurvive.AndshehadagreedwithLada.Theywerealreadydead—whynotusethemforaloftierpurpose?“Mehmeddidnot likehiswelcome,then.”“Notatall.”Ladastopped,turningtofaceDaciana.“DidyouknowStefanis

leavingme?”Dacianahadthegracenottopretend.Shenodded,nofearorapologyinher

face.“Itwasnotmyidea.”“Butyouwillgowithhim.”“Iwouldfollowthatmantotheendsoftheearth.”Ladafeltastabofpain.Nicolaehadoncesaidsomethingsimilartoher.And

nowhewasintheearth,andshewaslosingherfriendsonebyone.Thatmissingfeelingclutchedherashardandsuddenlyassheclutchedherlocket.DacianareachedoutforLada’shand.Ladadidnotoffer it.Dacianagrasped

hershoulder,instead.“Iwillmissbeingthelady’smaidtotheoddestladyIhave

everknown.”Ladaturnedtowalkbacktothecamp.“Idonotneedone.Iwillbefine.”She

hurriedsoDacianawouldnotbewalkingbesideher.Shehadbracedherselfforafight,orforangerifDacianahadtriedtolietoher.Shehadnotpreparedherselftobeso…sad.ShefoundherhorseandrodeawaywithoutbiddingDacianagoodbye.Oana,

slowertogetherhorseupthedifficultpath,hadonlyjustarrivedat thecamp.Shegrumbledaboutturningherhorsearound.Ladastillhadher.ShedidnotneedDaciana.But itwas not quite the same.Dacianawas a youngwoman, nearlyLada’s

own age. A companion of her own sex was something Lada had never hadbeforeDaciana.Shehadnever realized sheneeded it—enjoyed it, even—untilfacedwithitsabsence.Theache insideherwasaggravating.Shehad foundstrength inher friends,

butthecostoflosingthemwasincreasinglyhigh.Howhadshenotlearnedthislessonyet?BetweenRaduandMehmed,evenstartingasfarbackasherfather,surelyherheartshouldhaveknownbetterthantoallowanyoneaplace.Shewouldcloseherheart.Shedidnotrealizeshewasagainclutchinghersilverlocketsotightlythatthe

edges bit into her skin. She owed it toWallachia to be whole and complete.Dedicatedandclear-eyed.Noonecouldbreakherheart ifall itcontainedwashercountry.

UnlikeLada’s last visit toHunedoara,where shehadbeen invisiblewhen shewasnotbeingridiculed,thistimeshewastreatedwithrespect.OneofMatthias’stopadvisorsrodeouttogreetherattheoutskirtsofthecity.Hebowedtoherashe would any male prince. There would be no dresses for her this time, nopretendingtobesomethingshewasnot.Sheenteredthecityasanequal.“Yourmencanstayinthebarracks,”theadvisorsaidastheywereescortedto

thecastle.Lasttime,hermenhadhadtosleepoutside.Ladarodeproudandtallacross thebridge and through thegates that had felt suffocating just last year.Now,thecastlerosearoundherlikeapromise.“You,”Ladasaid,selectingtwentyofhermen,“helpseetothehorsesandthe

beds.”Theothertenshemotionedtoremainwithher.Oana, too,stayedatherside.Oana’s lessonsaboutappearanceshadnot failedentirely.Ladaneeded tomakean impression.Fortunately, radiatingpowerandauthoritycamefarmorenaturallytoherthannavigatingcrowdedroomsinabulkydress.

Liftingherchinproudly,Ladareenteredthecastlenotasanationlessgirl,butasaprince.Aconqueringprince,noless.Matthias, as handsome and shrewd as she remembered, stood when she

approached him in the throne room. He did not embrace her—it would havebeen inappropriate,andfranklyLadawouldnothavewelcomed it—buthedidsmile and incline his head respectfully. She did the same, as befitted theirpositions.“Youhavesurprisedme,”hesaid,studyingher.“Thatisbecauseyouneverknewme.Ifyouhad,nothingIhavedonewould

surpriseyou.”Matthiaslaughed,gesturingtoaservant.Winewasbroughtinonatray.Lada

tookhergoblet,raisingitwhenMatthiasraisedhis.Hewatchedherovertherim,eyebrowsdrawntogether thoughtfully.“Iunderstandnowwhymyfatherspentsomuch time on you. You know, I was a bit jealous. I did not see why youmeritedhisattentionwhenIcouldscarcelyattractitall.”“Your father did what he thought was best by you. And it worked.” Lada

gesturedtotheroomaroundthem.“Youareking.”Ladaliftedhergoblettohiscrown.Herhandfrozemid-gesture.Hiscrown.Thecrownhehadnotbeenabletoafford.Sheloweredherwine,warinesssettlingoverherlikeacolddraft.Heworeafur-trimmedvestwithahighwhitecollarthatcoveredhisneck.Hisdarkhairwas short and curling, his beardneatly trimmed.He looked exactly as hehad the last time she had seen him; the crown had changed nothing. Andeverything.Matthiassatbackonthethrone,tiltinghisheadtooneside.“Youreallyarea

remarkablecreature.Istillcannotbelievewhatyoumanagedtoaccomplish.”Lada held out her goblet for the servant to take. She tried to shake off the

premonitionofdoom.Itwasjustacrown.HehadprobablyconvincedPolandtogive it to him. She could not risk losing his aid. She needed to leverage hisnewfound esteem into action. She cleared her throat. “Now imaginewhat wewillaccomplishtogether.ForEurope.ForChristianity.Forourpeoples.”“Yes.” He smiled. “I have not forgotten the services you provided the last

time.PleaseknowhowgratefulIamfortheserviceyouprovidemenow.Andacceptmyapologies,inadvance.”Matthias gestured. Dozens of men swarmed into the throne room, quickly

overwhelmingandkillingLada’s.Ladadrewherswordwithascreamofrage,butalreadythereweretoomanymenbetweenherandMatthias.Shekilledtwo,three,fourbeforetheyhadheronthefloor,herfacesmashedagainstthetileasherhandswereboundbehindherback.ShecouldhearOanascreamingcursesinWallachian,butnoneofhermencriedout.Nonewerealivetodoso.

Matthias’s voice rang through the room, bouncing off the floor she wassmashedagainstandtheceilingshecouldnotsee.“Youhelpedmetomythrone,andnowyouwillhelpmekeepit.Suchalittlething,totradeyourfreedomformy security. I know you may not think it, but I truly am grateful.” Her lastglimpseofhimasshewasdraggedawaywasawarmsmileandagobletliftedinatoast.

34

Tirgoviste

RADUONCEAGAINfoundhimselfhidinginthecastle.Ithadbeenhismainchildhoodoccupation.Backthen,hehadhiddenfromhis

brother,Mircea,and,foraperiodoftime,fromthesamemenheavoidednow.Thoughtheyhadbeenboysbackthen,lookingtohurthim.Todaytheywantedmoney.Ateveryopportunity,theypressedhimformore.

Radustruggledtoremaincivilandpleasant.Hehadstayedbehindtohelpthem.Itwasgrowingincreasinglydifficult.Hedidhisbesttobeimpossibletofind.Hedidnotsleepinthecastle,moving

frommanorhousetomanorhouseundertheguiseofmakingcertaintheywerewellmaintainedforwhentheboyarsreturned.HefrequentlypatrolledwithKirilandSimion,andspentasmuchtimeontheouterwallsaspossible.TodayanargumentbetweenhisJanissariesandAron’smenhadforcedhimto

return.Aron’smenwereinsistinganyhorsestabledtherenecessarilybelongedtotheprince.TheJanissarieswerenotasinclinedtopolitenessasRaduwas.AfterfirmlyinformingAron’smenthatthesultanwouldnottakekindlytohis

horses being stolen—and then arranging for Simion to transfer the horses tostablesawayfromthecastle,wheretheywereapparentlytoogreatatemptation—Radu retreated to thecastlewall tocatchhisbreath.He leanedout, lookingoverthestill-emptycity.Amountedprocessionmakingitswaytowardthecastlecaughthiseye.Radu

could not imaginewhowould be arriving this soon. Surely the boyarswouldwait until theyknew thingswere safe, even after receivingRadu’s invitations.Then he realized the guards all wore Ottoman-style clothing. One, riding in

back, struck Radu as deeply familiar, though from this distance he could notidentifywhy.In the center rode twowomen.One dressed simply in dark blue robes, the

otherdressedlikeaflowerinspringtime.Like the ghost of his father, aWallachian curse came unbidden to his lips.

“God’swounds,”hewhispered.Naziramustnothavereceivedhiswarningnottocome!Her route herewould have taken them directly through the freshly covered

graves.Raducringed,thinkingofthethousandsofstakesthatwerepiledonthesidesoftheroadwhiletheydebatedwhethertoburnthemorusethemtobuildanother layer of defense around the city. The firstwasmore respectful to thedead,thesecondmorepractical.Raduhatedthatthesetypesofdecisionsfellonhim.Hewas grateful, at the very least, that Nazira had been delayed enough to

misstheburials.Hecouldnotimaginewhattheoriginalstateofthecitywouldhavedonetoher.Ortosweet,delicateFatima.Theyshouldnotbehere.Heraceddownthewall,nearlybumpingintoAron.“Iwaslookingforyou.Iwouldliketo—”Raduhelduphishands.“Sosorry,Icannot.Mywifehasjustarrived.”Arondidlittletohidehisannoyance,thoughhiswordsbeliedhistone.“Oh,

by allmeans!Go and see to her comfort first. I canwait. But Iwould like adetailedupdateofalltheeffortstofortifythecityandfindyoursister.”Radu had neither the time nor the desire to pretend to involveAron in the

militarybusinessgoingonallaroundhim.ButifthecountryweretobeAron’s,hewouldhavetotakeoveratsomepoint.“Yes,ofcourse.”Raduinclinedhisheadrespectfully,thenran.Hemadeitoutofthegatejustasthehorsesarrived.Raduwasnearlyknocked

overbytheflurryofyellowsilkthatthrewitselfathim.“Radu!”Nazira huggedhim tightly around the neck. “I am sogladyou are

well.Wedidnotheargoodreportsofthefighting.WehadtowaitanextratwoweeksattheDanubebeforetheythoughtitwassafeenoughforustocontinue.We even passed thewhole army going the otherway!HamzaPasha said youremainedtohelp.”Radusqueezedherback,holdingherclose,thenpulledawaysohecouldlook

her in the eyes. He wondered what else Hamza Pasha had told Nazira, andprayedthathehadhadthedecencynottomentionKumal.“Whydidyoukeepcoming?Youshouldhavegonebackwiththem!”Nazirapursedherlipsinascold.“Itoldyou,husbandmine.Wearenotbeing

separatedagain.Weareafamily.”

Fatimadismounteddaintily,smilingatRaduwithherheadducked.“Itwasnotsuchabadtrip.”Shewasaterribleliar,andhereffortstomakehimfeelbettermadehimwanttosendherrightbackhome.Shedeservedcomfortandpeace.“Besides,”Naziracontinued,“Ihavealwayswanted to seewhereyoucame

from.” She smiled, an expression both generous and obviously false. “It islovely!”Radu laughed. “It iswretched. Lada left nothing unharmed.But someday I

willtakeyouintothecountryside.Snagovislovely,alittleislandmonasteryinthemiddleofagreatgreenlake.AndthemountainsattheArgeswilltakeyourbreathaway.”Heeyedthecastlewarily.“AreyoucertainyoudonotwanttogobacktoEdirneandwaituntilmyworkhereisfinished?”“Iamcertain.”“Wearecertain,”Fatimaadded.Radu sighed. “Verywell.Would you like to domywork forme, then, and

allowmetoreturntoEdirnerightnow?”Naziralaughed,thoughitseemedalittlequieterandmoreforcedthannormal.

Thenherfaceturnedsomber.“Mybrother?Didyoufindhisbody?”Radudroppedhiseyes to theground.“Hehasbeenburiedwithall the love

andrespecthedeserved.Iwashedanddressedhisbodymyself,andsawtohisburial.Icantakeyoutohisgravelater.”“Thankyou.”“Iamso,sosorrythat—”Naziraputonehandonhisface,forcinghimtolookather.“Iwillreceiveno

moreapologiesfromyouonthematter.AllIaskisthatyoumournthebrotherwebothloved.Anddosowithoutguilt.Icannothaveyourguiltontopofmysadness.”Radunodded,feelingselfish.ItreallydidplaceaburdenonNazira.Ifshedid

notblamehim,hehadnorighttoforcehertoforgivehim.“Good.” She brushed her hands as though wiping away the remnants of

Radu’sguilt.Then,hervoicegoingoddlyloudgiventhetopic,shesaid,“Iamgoing tosettle intomyroomswithFatima.Pleasemeetmeon thenorth toweraloneinanhour’stime.”Radufrowned,puzzled.“Ihavenotbeenstayinginthecastle.”“Well,thatmustchange.Youwillneedourhelp,aswilltheDanestibrothers.

Wewillallstayherenow.”Raducouldnotdiscuss the truthof thesituationwithher inpublic.Though,

havingheraroundwouldbeanexcellentbufferbetweenhimselfandtheDanestidemands.Nazirawouldprobablyhaveideasonhowtohandleit,too.“Whateveryouwish.Icanshowyoutoyour—”

“FatimaandIarequitecapableofsettlingourselves in.Doubtlessyouhaveimportantworktoseeto.Justmeetmeinthattower”—shepointedtothetowerwhere,aschildren,LadaandRaduhadwatchedHunyadienterthecity—“inanhour.”Radubowed.“Whateveryouwish.”Nazirawent onto her tiptoes and patted his turbaned head.Her eyes shone

withemotion;shesmiled,thoughshelookedonthevergeoftears.“Youdeserveevery happiness,” she whispered, then turned and went into the castle withFatima.Radureallydidnotunderstandwomen.

He used the timeNazira had given him to find Aron and apprise him of thecurrentplans,includingthescoutinggroupshehadsentintothemountains.“I am sorry I do not have longer to speak,” Radu said, though he was the

oppositeofsorry.“Iamsupposedtomeetmywife.Shehadaverylongjourneyhere.”“Yes,ofcourse.Willyoube joiningusfordinner?Itwouldbenice tohave

someone to talk tobesidesAndrei.AndNazira is farmorepleasant to lookatthanheis.”“Attheriskofoffendingyourbrother,Iquiteagree.Weshouldbegintalking

maritalalliancesforyou.IwillwritetoMaraBrankovicandseeifshehasanysuggestionsforhowwecanbestusethattostrengthenyourpower.”“Yes, I suppose that is thenext step. Itwillbenice tohavemorecompany,

too.Ihadforgottenhowlonelythiscastlecanbe,”Aronsaid,hiseyessadabovethedarkcirclesthatneverquitewentaway.SomeofRadu’sresentmentdriftedawayinasurgeofsympathy.“Ithinkour

childhoodshadmoreincommonthanwerealizedatthetime,”Raduanswered.Aronnodded,thensmoothedthefrontofhisnewvelvetwaistcoat.“Perhaps

thereisacloserelativeofyourcousin,StephenofMoldavia.”Itwasagoodidea.Stephenhadbeenaggressiveontheborders,andamarital

alliancemightsmooththingsover.“Iwilllookintoitimmediately.”Thesoonerthingsweresettledhere,thesoonerRaducouldleave.HebidAronfarewellandmadehiswaythroughthecastleandupthestepsto

thetower.Hewasabitearly.OneofNazira’sguardswasleaningout, lookingover the landscapewithhisback toRadu.RadudidnotknowwhetherNazirahadareasontorequesttheymeetalone.Hewouldwaituntilshearrivedtoaskthemantoleave,though.Heclosedthedoorbehindhimselfloudlysothemanwouldnotbesurprised.

“I am afraid the view is rather bleak right now,” Radu said, with asmuchcheer as he could muster. The man was facing the direction of the graves.Thousands of dark patches of newly turned soilmade a pattern like farmlandwithatragiccrop.“Didtheygiveyoufoodinthe—”Radu’swordsdiedonhislipsasthemanturnedaroundtorevealeyesasgray

asthewaterintheGreatHornofConstantinople.“Cyprian,”hewhispered.Cyprianheldhishandsoutateithersideinastiffgesture.Hesmiledwryly;it

wasnotthesmilethathadopenedRadu’sheartbackwhenhe’dthoughtitwasclosedtoanyonebutMehmed.“Ihavenoweapons.”“I—”Radushookhishead.HehadnotevenconsideredthatCyprianmightbe

here to harm him. Though theman had every right to hate him, towant himdead.Cyprian’s eyes flitted overRadu’s face, andRadudid not knowwhat to do

withanypartofhimself.Everyfacialexpressionorposturethathadevercomenaturallyabandonedhim.HefrozebeneathCyprian’sgaze.CypriannoddedtowardRadu’sturban.“Itsuitsyou.”Heliftedhisfingersto

hisown.“Iamnotusedtomineyet.”“You—youcamewithNazira.”Themanhehadrecognizedfromafarat the

backofherguard.Hehadnot lookedcloselyatNazira’sguardswhenhewentoutbecausehehadbeen sooverwhelmed seeingher again.Thiswaswhy shehadgivenhermeetinginstructionssoloudly.TheywerenotforRadu.TheywereforCyprian.“Iwentback toConstantinoplefirst,”Cypriansaid.“Iwillnot lie: ithurt to

seemy city remade. But youwere right.Mehmed has done incredible thingswithitalready.ItisvibrantandlivinginawayIhaveneverknownittobe.Hehas renewed its former vitality. But that only explained why you trustedMehmed.Iwantedtounderstandyou,whereyoucamefrom.”Heturnedtothesideandgesturedoutatthelandscape,scarredandmarkedwiththeviolenceoftwentythousanddesecratedmen.“Thisexplainsalot.”Raduwasstilltooshockedtoknowwhattosay,orhowtosayit.“Icanseenow,alittle,whytheOttomanswereyoursalvation.Whyyoulove

them.ItisthesamereasonIlovedmyuncle.Hetookmefromcrueltyandgavemeaplace,apurpose.”Raducouldnotbear to lookatCyprianany longer. Ifbeingapart fromhim

andknowing theywouldneverbe togetherhadhurt, beingherewithhimandknowingtheywouldneverbetogetherwassuchagonyRadudidnotknowifhewouldsurvive.Heliftedhiseyestothecloudlessbluesky.“Iamsorry.Iamsosorry.Icannotever—”

Cyprianinterruptedhim.“Ihavethoughtthroughitall.Ihavethoughtofverylittleelse, tobehonest.And Ihavehada tremendousamountof time to thinkwhile stuck being cared for by our dear Nazira. I keep coming back to threedetails.“The first:Younever betrayedmeormy trust personally. I gaveyoumany

chancestousemeagainstmycity,andyouneverdid.“Thesecond:Yousavedmytwolittlecousinswhenyoudidnothaveto.Isaw

them,inthecity.Ididnotapproachthem.Buttheyarealive,andhappy.Theywouldnothavesurvivedhadyounotgonebackforthem.“The third: You had ample opportunities to assassinate my uncle, and you

nevermadethatchoice.”“Ithoughtaboutit,”Raduwhispered.“Butyoucouldnotdoit.”“No.”“Becauseyouareagoodperson.”“How can you say that after what I did?” Radu finally looked at Cyprian,

searchedhisfaceforthetrickorthelie.BecauseitwasnotpossiblethatCypriancouldlookonhimwithanythingbuthate.“We were on different sides. I would have done the same, given the

circumstances. Ididdo thesame—Iwent intoEdirnewith thesolepurposeofusingyoufor information.But thesideswewereonno longerexist.”Cypriantook a step, closing the distance between them. Radu could touch him, if hecouldliftahand.Ifhewerenotparalyzedandterrifiedbywhathewanted.“Itoldyouonce,”Cypriansaid.“Doyouremember?”“Iremembereverymomentwespenttogether.”“I told you,” Cyprian said, with a tentative smile so full of hope it was

physicallypainfultosee,“thatIwouldforgiveyou.Imeantit.”Radu let out a breath like a sob.This couldnot be real. Itwas toobig, too

great a gift, too powerful amercy.He had never had anything like this in hiscruel and punishing life. He did not know it was possible. Radu lifted onetremblinghandand—stillhalfexpectingCypriantoturnaway—placeditagainsthis cheek. Cyprian lifted his own hand, covering Radu’s and twining theirfingerstogether.“Imeantit,”hewhispered.Radu leaned forward andCyprianmet himhalfway, their lips touching in a

movementasfamiliar,assacred,ashealingasprayer.

35

Hunedoara

“ITHOUGHTSHEwasgoingtobekeptinahouse,”amanwithafacelikeaturnipsaid,peeringintoLada’sdankcell.Thedoorwassolidwoodwithasquare—toosmalltofitthrough,toohightoreachthelockontheotherside—cutoutofit.Abarredwindowwassethighinthewalloppositethedoor.Apileofmattedandmildewed fur lay on a low cot, beneathwhich amuch-used and little-cleanedchamberpotresided.“She is,”anotherguardoutofherviewsaid.“But sheneedsa little time to

calmdown.Shekilledfourguards.”“Fourofthem?”Ladawatched the firstman’s facemakeanexpressionno turnipevercould.

Shedidnotsmile.Shedidnotbreakeyecontact.Helookedawayfirst,tuggingathiscollar.Athirdmanshoulderedtheothersoutoftheway,carryingametaltraywitha

bowlofporridgeonit.“Iknowyouprefertoeatyourmealsinthecompanyofthe dead.” He leaned close to the opening. “Seen the woodcuts myself. Nohumanfleshforyoutoday.”Hejerkedhischintowardthedoor.“Backup.”Ladadidnotmove.“Backawayfromthedoor!”Ladastilldidnotmove.He shrugged, turning the bowl sideways and shoving it through the hole. It

clatteredtotheroughstonefloor,spillingitscontentsinamess.“NexttimeIcanbringsomething tomakeyou feelmoreathome.”Withadead-eyedsmile,heleft.Theothertwosettledintotheirchairsagainstthewall.Ladastoodinfrontofthedoor,watchingthem.

Hourslater,herfeetachingbutherbackstillstraight,someoneshehadneverexpectedtoseeinaprisoninHunedoaracameintoview.“Hello, Lada.”Mara Brankovic smiled with bland formality as though this

werearoutinesocialcall.“What are—” Lada took a deep breath, steeling herself against showing

emotion.“MehmedboughtMatthias.”“Hedoes not come cheap, this replacement king.”Marawrinkled her nose,

whetherindistasteforMatthiasorasareactiontotheodorsofurineanddespairthatpermeatedtheprison,Ladadidnotknow.“Iamsorryforthis.Youalwaysinsistedontakingthemoredifficultpath.ThinkofhowdifferentyourlifewouldbeifyouhadmarriedMehmed,asIadvisedlongago.”“You arenotmarried, andhereyouare, free,while I am imprisoned,”Lada

accused.“It tookmemany years andmany sacrifices to get here. But I did it in an

acceptablemanner.Iamsorrytoseeyoulikethis.Youmaynotbelieveme,butIsincerelyhopethisisthebeginningofanewpathforyou.Onethatwillnotendinyourdeath.”“AllpathsItakeinvolveatremendousamountofdeath.”Mara arched one elegant eyebrow. “I suppose you have only yourself to

blame,then.”“Iamperfectlycapableofblamingyou.AndMehmed.Andmybrother.And

Matthias.”“Bethatas itmay,youweregivenopportunities. Itdidnothavetoendlike

this.Itstilldoesnot.”Maraleanedcloser,hervoicedroppinglower.“Matthiascannot kill you outright. You still have goodwill in Europe for your successagainst Mehmed and for your willingness to fight. He is keeping yourimprisonmentasecret,sonoaidwillcome.OnlyMehmedknowsthatyouarehere. Iamnot to tellevenyourbrother.AsfarasWallachia isconcerned,youdisappearedintothemountainsandabandonedthem.Matthiaswillkeepyouforas longashefeelsnecessary.Playyourpart,bedemure,at leastpretend tobetamed,andeventuallyyoumaybeabletoarrangeanadvantageousmarriagethatwillgetyououtofhere.NottoMoldaviannobility—thatwouldbeviewedasathreat.YouroddsofmarryinganyoneimportantinTransylvaniaarequitesmall.IassumeyouwantnoHungarians.IcanmakeinquiriesamongSerbiannobility.”“IsthatwhatMehmedwantsforme?”Ladaasked,incredulous.“No,sillygirl.ThatiswhatIwantforyou.Itmakesmesadtoseeyoulocked

up.Youaresoyoung.Youhaveanentirelifetimeaheadofyou.Donotwasteitonthis.Begood,marry.Andthenusethattosecuremorepower.Iamleavingthisafternoon,butIwillstartlookingforprospectsandsuggesttoMatthiasthat

aneventual arrangedmarriage foryou is inhisbest interest.Butyoumustdoyourpart.”Shepassedatightlywrappedbundlethroughthehole.Ladatookit,feelingitsweight.“Noweapons,”shesaid,disappointed.“Itisadress,whichisasubtlesortofweaponyouwillhavetolearntouse.”Ladatossedthebundleaside.“Ihaveneverbeengoodatsubtlety.”“Ihopeyouwillchangeyourmind.PleaseknowIwishonlythebestforyou.”Ladaopenedherlargeeyesaswideastheywent,tiltedherhead,andsmiled.

“Comeinhereandletmeembraceyouforyourkindness.”Mara backed up a step, shaking her head. “Yes, youwill certainly need to

workonyouracting skills. Ihavenodesire tobeanyone’shostage.Goodbye,Lada.Goodluck.”Maradisappeared,andLadastaredattheemptyspacetheotherwomanhadso

fully occupied. She had often imagined what she could do with Mehmed’sresources. The money and the land, yes, but especially minds as clever andruthlessasMara’satherdisposal.MehmeddidnotdeserveMara.Nomandid,asMarawellknew.AndstillheradvicewasforLadatomarry.

Dideverythingreallycomebacktothat?

Matthias waited an entire day before coming to see her. “Why have you notchanged?”heasked,eyeingLada’sdirty,bloodstainedtunic,whichshestillworeoverherchainmail.ThedressMarahadgivenherlayonthefloor,half inthemessfromthedumpedporridge.Lada did not answer. She had slept only a fewhours, preferring to let rage

sustainher.The tapestryofpower that shehadspent somanyyearscollectingthreadsforhadonceagainbeenpulledapartbyaman.Astupidman.Hewouldpay.“Icannotletyououtlookinglikethat.Andyouwillgetachillwearingyour

chainmailinthere.”Lada neither moved nor changed her expression, continuing to stare at

Matthiaswithhoodedeyes.He shifted, shoulders twitching as though trying to shrug off some unseen

irritant.“DidyouconsiderIamdoingthisforyourownbenefit?Manypeoplewantyoudead,littleprince.”Hespatoutthelastwordasamockery.“YouaresaferherethanyouwouldbeinWallachia.ConsideritmypenancetotheDraculline.Myfatherkilledyourfather.Iamkeepingyoualive.”Hewaited.Forwhat,Ladacouldnotimagine.Gratitude?Weeping?Hewouldgetnothingfromher.

“Changeyourclothes!”hesnarled.“Ihavepreparedahouseforyou,butyouwillnotdisrespectmyhospitalitybylookinglikeananimal.”Ladafinallyletahintofasmilebreaktheflatnessofherexpression.Butstill

shedidnotanswer.“Guards!”Matthiasyelled.Heturnedbacktoher.“Ifyouwillnotacceptmy

generositygracefully,wewillhelpyou.”Matthiasmovedoutofherview.Alockclicked,andthebartothedoorslid

free.Theguardswerereadywhentheyrushedher.Ladawasreadier.Sheduckedunderthearmsofthefirst,kickedthekneeof

thesecondsohardthatitpopped.Thethirdcaughtherwrist,butshetwistedandthrewherelbowintohisnose.Shewasalmosttothedoorwhenitwasyankedshut.Thelockclickedagain.“Nowyoucannotgetout.”Thefirstguard,theonewiththeturnipface,held

hisarmsoutasthoughheexpectedhertorunpasthim,totheothercornerofhercell.Ladabaredherteethathiminasmile.“Neithercanyou.”Aflickerofuncertaintypassedoverhis face.ThenLada launchedherselfat

him. She knocked him to the stone floor. He wrapped his arms around her,pullingherdownwithhimashe tried topinher.Their faces smashedagainsteach other’s. She opened her mouth and bit down, hard, on his throat. Hescreamed,andhermouthfilledwithblood.Shewastackledfrombehind,herforeheadbouncinghardoffthefloor.Aknee

dugintoherback,thenshewasgrabbedbyherhair,andherheadslammedintothefloortwicemoreforgoodmeasure.Lightsspuninhervision,andshedidnotknowhowmuchofthebloodinhermouthwasherownnow.“Youstupidlittlebitch,”theguardontopofhersaid,outofbreath.Heshifted

tothesidetogetagriponherclothes.Ladaplantedherpalmsonthefloorandpushedwithallherstrength,knockinghimoff-balance.Hefelltothefloor.Shestoodandstompedwitheveryscrapofstrengthshehad.His windpipe collapsed beneath her foot. As he grabbed at his throat,

desperate for air that would never again fill his lungs, she turned to theremainingmen.Judgingbytheamountofbloodonthefloorfromtheturnip-facedman’storn

throat,onlyoneguardremained.Hewaspressedagainst thewall,balancedononelegbecauseofhisdamagedknee,bangingonthedoor.“Please!Pleaseletmeout!”Ladalookedpasthimatthedoor’sviewinghole.Matthiasstaredbackather,

aghast. “If youwould stop behaving like a rabid beast, I couldhelp you,” hesaid.

It had been years since Lada had killed amanwithout weapons. Her headswamfromtheblows,andshespat.Shedidnotlikethetasteinhermouth.Andshedidnotlikethebodiesonthefloor.Whyhadtheymadeherdothis?“Ihavealreadyhadyourversionofhelp.Idonotneedanymore.Buthedoes.Openthedoor.”Matthiasturnedhishead.“Getmemoremen!”hebarked.“Theywillnotcomesoonenough.”Ladaspatbloodagain.Themannextto

thedoorhadbegunweeping.Matthiasdidnotfollowherordertoopenthedoor.Shecouldshownoweakness.Shewentfarintoherself,pasttheanimalinstinctsthathadpropelledhertokilltheothermen.Thisonewasmoreofachoice.Buttherewasnochoice.Shewoulddowhatmustbedone,asshealwayshad.Matthias,cowardthathewas,didnotevenwatchasLadabrokehissoldier’s

otherknee,andthenhisneck.

LadaknewwhatMarawouldhaveadvisedher.WhatRaduwouldhave.WhatNicolaewouldhave.WhatevenDacianawouldhave.Playthepart.Doasshewastold.Survive.Butshewasaprince.Shehadothermethodsofsurvival.Shehadcutthrough

yearsandlivestogetthere.TherewerethoseinEuropewhostillbelievedinher,andthoseinWallachiawhowouldnevergiveuponher.Shewasprince.Shedidnothaveitinhertobeanythingelse.Andshewould

nevergiveMatthiasthesatisfactionofthinkinghehadbeatenher.Anhour later, thenext attempt todressher involved tenmen.Ladadidnot

standachance,andsheknewit.Butshedidasmuchdamageasshecouldinthemeantime. After they had stripped her of her chain mail, leaving only herunderclotheson,theykickedherandthrewherinthecorner.Thentheygrabbedthethreebodiesandhurriedfromhercell.That,atleast,wasgratifying.Standingascarefullyasshecouldtoavoidshowinghowmuchshehadbeen

hurtoverthecourseofthetwoattacks,Ladastalkedtothedoor.“Atleastnowyoulooklikeawoman,”Matthiassaid.“Andyetyoustilllooknothinglikeaking.”Shesmiled,herteethbloody,her

facecoveredingore,untilheturnedwithapoorlysuppressedshudderandleft.Onlywhennighthadfallenanditwasdarkdidshefinallycollapseontothe

cot,curlingaroundherselfandfeelingeverythingshehadlost.

36

Tirgoviste

NAZIRA,TRUETOherword,hadnotonlysetherselfandFatimaupinaroombuthadalsosecuredtheonenexttoit,forRadu.RaduwascurledaroundCyprianinthedark.Hehadthoughthewouldneverbehappyinthiscastle.Hehadbeenwrong.He pressed his forehead against Cyprian’s, relishing the tickle of the other

man’s breath on his face. It meant this was real. Radu would take all theevidencehecouldget.They lay on top of Radu’s bed, limbs tangled. Their discarded boots and

turbans layon the floor.Raduwrappedhis fist inCyprian’s shirt, pullinghimcloser.“Icannotbelieveyouareactuallyhere.”Cyprianlaughed,thesoundassoftandintimateasthedarknessaroundthem.

“YouhavenoideahowlongIhavewantedthis.”“Youcould…tellme?”Radu felt the laughter in Cyprian’s chest. He put his palm flat against it,

relishingthebeatoftheotherman’sheart.Hisheartnow,too.“YouknowIwantedtoknowyoufromthefirstmomentwemet.”“Irememberthat,too.YoumadeanimpressionwhenIthoughtIcouldnotsee

anyonebut…”Radudriftedoff.Therewerestillsomanytenderedgesoftheirhistorythattheywouldhavetobecarefularound.Ithadbeenfilledwithterriblethings.Whichonlymadethismiracleofconnectionfeelevenmorepreciousandsacred.“Itwasmysmile,right?”CypriannuzzledhisfaceagainstRadu’scheek,and

Radufeltthesmilethere.“No,thatcaughtmeoursecondmeeting.Thefirst,itwasyoureyes.”

“Hmm,”Cypriansaid.“Itwasnotyoureyesthatattractedme.”“Whatwasit?”“I do not know if anyone has ever told you, but you are quite a beautiful

person.”ThistimeitwasRadu’sturntolaugh,thoughhiswassheepish.“Ihaveheard

thatonoccasion.Thoughthetermmorepreferredis‘RadutheHandsome.’”“RaducelFrumos,”Cyprianmurmured,usingtheWallachianwords.Hisown

language had never sounded so lovely toRadu. Even the name that had beenusedasatauntsoundednewandcleanwhenCyprianusedit.Itgavehimhopethat his past would not haunt him forever. He had not done or experiencedanythinghecouldnotrecoverfrom—notwithCyprianathisside.“It is such a relief to be able to touchyou,”Cyprian said, brushinghis lips

acrossRadu’sthroat.Radu’spulsestrainedwiththeeffortofkeepingupwithhisemotions.Hehadimaginedhowthesethingswouldfeel,buthehadnevercomeclose.Everypartofhisbodywasaliveinawayhehadfeltonlyinbattle.Butinsteadoffeelingdisconnectedandmerelyreactingtothingsaroundhim,hefeltcompletely and utterly connected to himself. Every touch, every move wasdeliberate.“It was not easy in Constantinople,” Radu said, “trying to hide how you

affectedme.Andtryingdesperatelynottobeaffected.”Cyprianlaughed.“Iamgladyousuffered,too!DoyouknowhowoftenItried

teasingsomesortofreactionoutofyou?”“Thatnightintheforge…”CyprianslidhishandalongRadu’swaist,lettingitrestwhereRadu’shipbone

jutted out. “I would have leapt over the table at the slightest indication fromyou.”“ThereisareasonIkeptthetablebetweenus!Iwastryingsohardnottolove

you.”Cyprian nodded, his face still against Radu’s neck. “It was an impossible

situation.” Someday theywould talkmore about it; they had time.Right nowwhattheyneededwascloseness.“I always feared that this,”Radu said, kissingCyprian’s forehead, “was an

impossiblesituation.”Cyprianscootedback,takingRadu’sfaceinhishandsandpeeringathimin

thedark.Raducouldjustmakeoutthedetailsofhisexpression.Cyprianlookedworried.“Isit?Foryou?Orthodoxyismyreligionthesamewaymyfatherismyfather.Distantly,andonlybecauseIwasborntoit.InConstantinopleIsawtoomuchdamagedonebypeoplewielding thewill ofGod like aweapon.But inIslam,canwe…canyou…”

Radusmiled.Hehadagonizedoverthesethingsenough.“IbelievethatGodismerciful and great and beyond our comprehension.AndNazira always toldmeshefeelsclosest toGodwhenshefeels love.I thinksheisright.Inaway,love is thehighest expressionof faith—inourselves, inothers, in theworld. Ican expandmy faith to allowmyself happiness in this life, and trust inGod’sloveandmercyafterthislife.”Hepaused.“Though…Iwouldliketofollowasmany rules as I can. The structure of Islam is important tome. It has been ascaffoldofprotectionandcomfort.”Teasingly,Cyprianloweredhishand,tracinghiswaydownRadu’sabdomen

but stopping just shy of … where Radu would have liked him to continuetoward.“Sowhatyouare saying is thatweneed tobemarriedvery soon,”Cyprian

said,hislipsrightagainstRadu’sear.“Yes,”Radugasped.“Very,verysoon.”HismarriagetoNazirawaslegal.Her

marriage to Fatimawas spiritual, but evenmore binding. Raduwould do thesamewithCyprian.Cyprianmovedhishandbackup,restingitoverRadu’sheart. Itwasbotha

relief and a disappointment. But as Cyprian moved closer and they breathedtogether, drifting toward sleep, Radu knew they had time to explore desire.Therewasnofearordesperationhere.Onlyhappinessandtheincrediblegraceoflovingandbeingloved.Allhislife,itwastheonlythinghehadevertrulywanted.Hehadfounditin

Islam.HehadfounditinhisconnectionwithNazira.Andnowhehadfoundthefullestformofithere.HerestedhisheadonCyprian’schest,fallingasleeptothemusicoftheheartthatbeatwitheverythingRaduneededinthislife.

37

Hunedoara

TWOWEEKS INTO her captivity,Ladawas fairly certainMatthiaswas poisoningher.Shecouldbarelyeatwhat theygaveher.Asoftenasnot, she threw itup.Thoughwhyhewaschoosingpoison,shedidnotknow.No,shedid. Itwasacoward’swayout.Sheonlywishedhewould increase

the dosage and finish her off instead of this lingering torment. Perhaps itwasGod’spunishment.Shehadgivenhim the tools to take the throne,andhehadpoisonedthesicklychildprincetogetthere.Nowshewoulddiethesameway.Though ifGodwere interested in punishing her, she had a greatmany sins

worse than enabling Matthias. Had she reached too far? Killed too many?Disregardedtheadviceofthosewhotrulycaredabouther?Sometimes she felt them, here, with her. Nicolae in particular. He said

nothing,butwhensheawokefromherdreamsofthebloodybanquetwhenshehadkilledalltheDanestiboyarsandbegunthejourneythatledtothiscell,shecouldonlyrememberthewayhehadlookedather.Thewayhehadwatched.Hehadknown,eventhen.Andhehadwarnedher.Raduhadwarnedher,too.

Everyonehadwarnedher,andshehaddefiedthem.Andshehadwon!Andnowshewashere.All her rage had bled away, leaving her perpetually cold. She followed the

smallpatchofsunthatmadeitthroughtothefloor.Itwasheronlycompanion.Shetriedtomoveasmuchasshecould,afraidoflosingherstrengthandfightingability,butaheavylethargyofbothbodyandsoulpulledather.Theeighteenthmorningshelayonthefloor,curledintoaballtofitasmuch

ofherbodyinthesquareofsunlightaswaspossible.“Child,whyareyouinyourunderclothes?”Oanaexclaimed.

Ladastoodandrushedtothedoor.Oanastaredbackatherthroughthehole.“Youarealive!”Ladagrabbedthebars.Shehadlosttrackofhernursewhen

they had been ambushed in the throne room. She had not allowed herself todwellonthat,butherreliefatseeingOana’swrinkledandwornfacewasalmostoverwhelming.NowthatsheknewOanawasnotdead,shefelthowdeeplythatdeathwouldhavewoundedher.Shetookadeepbreath,pushingherfingersoverhereyes,thenreachingbacktothewindow.Oana put her hands over Lada’s. “I am alive, yes. They tried to get

informationfromme,butIamanoldwomanwhoknowsnothingandcanbarelyspeakWallachian,much less understandHungarian. All I know how to do issew.Ihavecertainlyneverbeenprivytoanyofyourplans.”Ladagrinned,relievedthatatleastOanawasdoingwellincaptivity.“Andnow?”“Now,at the insistenceofMaraBrankovic,whohaswrittenseveral times, I

have finallybeenpermitted tobringyouyour food.Matthias saysyouarenoteatingmuch.”“Heispoisoningme.”Oanapeereddownatwhatevershecarried.“Iwilleatsomeofit.Thenwecan

knowforcertain.”Ladashookherhead.“Noreasonforusbothtodie.”“Lada,mychild,IhavebeenwithyousinceyouwerebornandIdonotwant

toliveafteryoudie.”SheleanedagainstthedoorandpickedatLada’sfood.“Tastesfine,”shesaid.Ladawrinkledher nose in disgust. “Doyouhave anyweapons?Thosewill

servemefarbetterthanfood,poisonedorotherwise.”“Theycheckedmeverythoroughly.Actually,itisthemostinterestedanyman

has been inmy body for nearly twenty years now. I invited him back tomychambers,buthedidnotseemtounderstand.”Ladalaughed,unabletohelpit.ShewasmoreprofoundlygratefulforOana,

hereinthemidstofherdespair,thanshehadthoughtpossible.Shewouldevenconsent to having her hair combed if such a thing were possible through thedoor.Oana glanced casually to the side. “Good. The guard does not speak

Wallachian.Hedidnotsomuchasflinchatmyfilthyimplications.”ShebeganpassingthefoodtoLada.“Ifeelfine.IwillletyouknowimmediatelyifIdie,though.”Oanastopped,staringintothedimcell.“Whatthedevilisthat?”LadafollowedOana’sgazetothetableaushehadbuiltalongtheedgeofher

cot.

“Oh.Theguardsthinkitisfunnytobringthemtome.Theysayitwillremindmeofhomeandkeepmefromgettingtoosad.”Severalratshadbeenimpaledon tiny stakes and pinned into grotesque positions. The stakes, unfortunately,were too small and flimsy to serve any practical purpose. “They are trying toupsetme,soIdisplaytheminstead.”Oanawrinkledhernoseindisgust.“Passthemhere.Iwillgetridofthem.”Ladaleanedagainst thedoortorest.Sheneededtomovemore, tobeactive

evenintheseconfinedconditions.“Iwillkeepthem.Icanshownoweaknesstotheseworms.Butenoughaboutmycell.Tellmewhatishappeningoutthere.”“Youwillnotlikeit.”“Tellme.”“RaduisinTirgoviste.HehasputAronDanestionthethrone.”Lada’sjawached,butshecouldnotunclenchit.“Ourmeninthemountains?’“Wehearnothingofthem,whichisgood.Itmeanstheyhavenotbeenfound

orbetrayedus.”“Andwhat of the rest of Europe?How do they respond toMatthias’s bold

moveintakingmeprisoner?”“Nooneknows.”Lada sighed. She had hoped that Mara would tell Radu, or someone who

wouldspread thenews.ButMarawasMehmed’s,andwoulddowhatshewastoldbecausethatwashowshestayedfreeandpowerful.Howdifferenttheworldwouldbeifonlymeritandskillwererewarded,ifonlyambitioncreatedresults.Instead, itwasa tangledmessof threads.Ladahadtriedsohardtostayoutofthatweb,tooweherpowertonoone.Buttheclosershegottotranscendingthestrandsthathadboundherthroughoutherwholelife,themorethewebtightenedaroundher.Oana continued. “As far as everyone elseknows, you are still hiding in the

mountains.Orunderneath thebedsof small childrenwho refuse to obey theirparents. But at leastMatthias cannot kill you and risk the ire of your fan thepope.”Ladapushedherheadagainst thewooddoor,wishingtheplankswouldpart

andallowherthrough.“DoesthepopeknowwhereIam?Istherehelpthere?”“No.Hethinksyouarehidingaswell.”“Howdoyouknowall this?Haveyou takena loverhere?Areyouplaying

spy?”Lada could not imagine such a thing, but then again,Oanawas alwayssurprisingher.Oana laughed,adeep,gutturalburst likeBogdan’s.Ladawashitanewwith

longingtobeanywherebuthere.TobebackinthemountainswithBogdan.Atleastshehadmadehimstaythere.Hewouldhavedied,otherwise.Sheclutched

thelocket,whichtheyhadletherkeep.Itcomfortedher,knowingWallachiawaswaiting.Bogdanwaswaiting.Comforted and drove her mad in equal measures. What good was she to

anyonehere?“Ididnotfindanyofthisoutmyself.”Oanashiftedtotheside,cockingher

headsubtly to the left.Lada leanedagainst theopeningand lookedatwhereamanwassweepingthefloorunderthedispassionategazeofaguard.Shedidnotspendmuchtimelookingoutthewindow,feelingitmadeherappearweak,butsheshouldhavepaidmoreattentiontowhowasoutthere.Unlikemostpeople,Ladahadtrainedherselftonoticethatbland,blankface.Stefan.“Hebeganworkingheretwoweeksbeforeyouwerecaptured.Theysuspect

nothing.Ishouldgonow,”Oanasaidwithasmile.“Youholdtight.”ShereachedahandthroughtheopeningandrestedonedrypalmagainstLada’scheek.Ladawatchedherleave,carefultopaynofurtherattentiontoStefan.Forthefirsttimesinceshehadbeenlockedup,hopeflutteredinherchest.It

wasassmallandfragileastherodentstwistedinmacabredeathbyherbed.

38

Tirgoviste

WHILERADUWASgratefulforCyprian’shelp,havinghimsitinonmeetingswasdistracting.Pleasantlyso,butdistractingnonetheless.Withalltheupheaval,noone had questionedCyprian’s presence.Radu hadmerely introduced him as aclose friend and advisor. Radu’smen had accepted Cyprianwithout question.AndAronandAndreiwere toobusy scheming towonderwherehehadcomefrom.FortunatelythemeetingswereconductedinTurkish:Radu’smendidnotspeakWallachian,andAronandAndreiwerefluentinTurkish.“Radu!”RadutorehiseyesfromtheteasingsmileonCyprian’slips.“What?”Aron frowned. “I said, howmany do you thinkwe should plan on for the

celebration?”Radu leaned back in his chair, struggling to keep his expression neutral. “I

thoughtweagreedpayingforthatmuchfoodanddrinkaswellasfurnishingalltheguestroomsinthecastlewasnotthebestuseofresourcesrightnow.”“Weagreedonnothing,”Andreisaid.“Yousaidweneedtogettheboyarson

ourside.Howelsecanweprovetothemthatweareincontrol?”Radustrained tokeep the incredulityhe feltoffhis face.“Thebestwaywe

canshowthemthecountryisundercontrolistoactuallygetthecountryundercontrol.MymenarestillinthemountainshuntingdownLada’sforces.Wehaveheardnowordofherorherlocationforweeks,meaninganygatheringofboyarsisinherentlyrisky.Itisnotlikehertogiveusthismuchtimetofortify.Itmakesmewonderwhatshehasplanned.”“Perhapssheisdead,”Andreisaid.“Sheisnotdead,”Radusnapped.

“Howcanyoubesure?”Hewasnotsure.Oratleasttherewasnowayforhimtobesure.Buthecould

notimaginethatLadawoulddiealoneandinsecret.Orthatshecouldbedeadand he would not somehow know. Surely her death would be marked bysomething.Acomet.Agreatholeopeningintheearth.Atempest,aflood,afire.AforcesuchasLadacouldnotdepartthisworldwithoutleavingonelastmark.Radu rubbed his forehead. “Regardless, until we discover news of her, we

must operate as though an attack is imminent.And ifwewant to avoidmassstarvationinthecomingyear,weneedtoplantandrehabilitatethefieldsassoonas possible. People have started returning to the villages. Any resources notneededforprotectionshouldgotowardrebuilding.”Aron smoothedhis vest. “I thinkmybrother is right.A showof strength is

calledfor.”“Thustheforcesinthemountainshuntingdownenemies,”Cyprianmuttered

inGreek.Raducoughedtocoveruphisansweringlaugh.“Thisisthewaythingsaredone,”Aronsaid.“Itiswhatmyfatherwouldhave

done.”“Yourfatherisdead,asaremanyoftheboyars.”Radudidnotmeanforitto

beharsh,butAronflinched.Andreisatstraighter,aprotectiveglaresharpeninghiseyes.Raduhelduphishands inplacation.“WhatIamsaying is,mysisterhaspushedthingssofarpastwhattheywere,wewillhavetobeverycarefulinhowweputthembacktogether.Ifyouhadahorsethatgotfreeandlivedwildforayear,youwouldnot immediatelysaddle itandexpect tosafelyride.Youwouldbringitback,feedit,makeitfeelsafe,andreminditwhyyouareagoodmaster.Ladadestroyedall thestables.Weneed tobringeverythingback to itsplacebeforewecanexpectareturntonormalcy.”“Youaretheonewhotoldusweneedtoactlikethingsarenormalinorderfor

themtobeso!”Aronagainsmoothedhisvest,fixingabuttonthatneverseemedtostayfastened.“Iamdivertingfundsforthecelebration.IwillrepaythesultanbyaddingboystotheJanissarytribute.AsvaivodeofWallachia,Idonotneedyourpermission.”HeheldRadu’sgazefirmly.“Foranything,”headded.Raduopenedhismouth toargue, thenclosed itandpastedasmile inplace.

“Whateveryoufeel isbest. Iwill release thefundsdesignatedtoyouandthencontinuemyworkasdirectedby thesultan.Please letmeknowifyourequireanythingfurther.”Radu stood, bowed stiffly, andwalked from the room.Hewas followed by

Kiril,hisotherleadmen,andCyprian.“Aronisafool,”Cypriansaidwithasigh.

Radudid not disagree, and itwas disheartening. “I had hoped hewould dobetter. He is pretending like he simply inherited the throne from his father.Everythingisdifferent,though.Wecannotcontinueonasthingswere.AndIdonotthinkweshould.”AsmuchasRaduhadlovedtrainingwiththeJanissariesand valued themen he led, he also thought tradingmoreWallachian youth inordertothrowpartieswasnotthebestfootingforArontostarton.“Howmanypeoplehavecomebacktothecity?”RaduaskedKiril.“Ahundred, perhaps?A fewmore comeeveryday, but it is a trickle, not a

flood.”Radushookhishead.“AndAronwantstocelebrate.Wecannotevenbesure

thatsomeofthecitizensarenotworkingwithLada.Shemaybereviledbytheboyars,butweshouldnotunderestimatehowmuchshedidforthepeasantsofthiscountry.Wewillhavetoworkhardtoearntheirsupport,orevenjusttheircomplacency.”Kiril bid them farewell, and Radu and Cyprian walked alone toward their

rooms.“DoyouthinkAronisup to the task?”Cyprianaskedas they joinedNazira

andFatima.“Ihopeso.”Raducouldnothelpthefearthatthecycleofbloodshedoverthe

throneofWallachiawouldcontinueindefinitely.Nothingeverchanged.No. Some things changed. Radu looked at his hand, his fingers lacedwith

Cyprian’s.Itdidnotseempossiblethatthosewerehisfingers,thatthiswashislife.Howcouldsomethingsosimpleasholdinghandswithanotherpersonfeellikeamiracle?As though sensing his thoughts, Cyprian lifted their hands and put his lips

againstthebackofRadu’shand,thenrestedhischeekthere.Nazira frownedasshe listened toRadu’s reportof thesituation,not looking

up from playingwith Fatima’s hair. Fatima lay on the floor with her head inNazira’slap.CyprianandRaduwereacrossfromtheminthesittingroomthatconnected their twobedrooms.For the first time inhis life, thecastle felt likehome.Notbecauseoftheplace,butbecauseofthepeople.“Icannotbelievehethinksapartyisthesolution.Ihavehintedverystrongly

heshouldfocusonpreparingmarriageoffers.”Nazirasighed.“Heonlyasksmyadviceonclothingstyles.”“You shouldhaveheardhim,”Cyprian said. “Heoffers theboyars a dinner

partyasevidenceofhisrighttobeprince.”Naziraliftedhereyestotheceilinginexasperation.“Idonotthinkheissuited

tothis.Heisnotthetypeofleadercapableoftransitioningacountryinsomuchturmoil.”

“Heistheonlyrealchoice.”Raduclosedhiseyes,imaginingthemallbackathome in Edirne, or, better yet, the country estate where Nazira and Fatimausuallylived.Itfeltwithingrasp.HeandCyprianwouldmarrysoon,inthesamewayFatimaandNazirahad,andthen…Andthentheywouldsimplybe.Anditwouldbeenough.Morethanenough.“Thereisanotherheirfarmoresuitedtothiswork,”Nazirasaid.“Andreiworriesmeaswell.Idonotthink—”“Nothim.”ThenaggingtoneofNazira’svoiceforcedRadu’seyesopen.She

wasgivinghima look full ofmeaning. “TheDraculesti linehas just asmuchclaimtothethrone.”Radurecoiled.“Idonotwantthisthrone.Ineverhave.”“Whichiswhyyouaretherightperson.”Nazira’sgazewasintensewiththe

confidentassurancethatcarriedherthroughlife.“Notbecauseyoufeellikeitisowed you. You would take the throne as a true servant to your people. Theprincetheybothdesperatelyneedanddeserve.Notaviolentwarlord,andnotaspinelessnoble.Anactualprince.”Radushrugged,buthis smilewasachallenge tohersentiments.“Alas!The

positionhasalreadybeenfilled.IwilldowhatIcanforhimandforWallachia.Andthenwearegoinghome.”HesqueezedCyprian’shandandfelt thewarmrushofreassuranceasCypriansqueezedback.“Allofus.Permanently.”Nazira’sfulllipsdrewdownatthecorners.“Yourpeopledeservebetterthan

Aron.”“You aremy people.My people are the three people in this roomwithme

rightnow.”OnlyFatimalookedpleasedbythesentiment.Nazira’sfrowndidnotlift.And

Cyprianmadeanoiseinhischestthatsoundedunsure.“Wewillget toLadabeforeanyoneelsedoes.Wewillsendherback to the

empirewhereshewillspendtherestofherdaysinaprison.AndthenAroncanfind his way as prince without me.” Radu spoke with all the authority andconfidence he did not feel, willing it to be true. He did not want to have toshouldertheburdenofWallachia.Letittakecareofitselfasithadnevertakencareofhim.

39

Hunedoara

LADASATONthefloor,herbacktothedoor.Thecellthathadbeencoldanddankwasnowoppressivelywarmandhumidasspringshiftedintosummer.“IthinkIamdying.”“Nonsense,” Oana chided from the other side. She rapped her knuckles

againstthewood.“Youarenotallowedtodie.Besides,Ihavetakenoneofthecooksasalover.”“Youwhat?”Ladasatupstraighter.“Thenightshereare long.And it seemedaneasyway tomakecertainyour

foodwassafe.Heisdefinitelynotpoisoningyou.First,becausenoonehastoldhimto.Andsecond,because ifyoudied, Iwouldhavenoreason tostayhere.Poorfooladoresme.”Lada did not know whether to laugh or to cut off her ears in an effort to

removetheinformationshehadjustreceived.Oana continued as thoughnone of thiswas odd. “Now, to be quick. Stefan

says therearealwaysat least fiveguards.Thekey iskeptupstairs ina lockedroomthatalsohasseveralguards.Hecanprobablykilltheguardsonthisfloor,butheisnotcertainhecangetthekeyandthencomedownhereandkillthemallwithoutraisinganalarm.Thatwouldmakeitimpossibleforyoutoslipawayoncethedoorisopened.”ItwasstillamazingtoLadathatthegreatestassassinshehadeverknownhad

beenworkingasacleanerformorethanthreemonths.Hehadmadehimselfafixtureofthecastle.Noonenoticedhim;hecoulddowhateverheneededtosolongashekeptuphisduties.Shewouldnever lookatherowncastleservantsthesame.Assumingsheevergotacastleagain.

Lada scratched her head, then stared at her filthy fingernails. “So I need tofigureoutawaytogettheguardstoopenthedoorthemselves.”“WhileStefanishere.Andhecleansthisblockonlyonceaweek.”Lada wrinkled her nose at the ever-present miasma. “I am aware.

Unfortunately,eversinceIkilledthreeguardswithmybarehands,theyhavenotbeenwillingtoopenthedoor.”Ladahadtopassherchamberpotoutthroughthesmall hole in the door. That was also how she got water for drinking andwashing, food—which after three eternalmonths still almost alwaysmadeherthrowup—andanythingelsetheysawfittosendher.Usuallymorerats.Shedidnothavetheenergytobotherdisplayingthemanymore.“Youwillthinkofsomething.Whenyoudo,wewillbeready.”“Whatifthisisit?WhatifInevergetout?Iwilldisappearjustasheplanned,

andhewillwin.Mehmedwillwin.Allthemenwillwin.Icannotbearit,Oana.”“WhoamIspeakingto?”Oanareachedahandthroughtheholeandblindly

gropedforLada’shead.Shefoundit,tanglingherfingersinLada’shair.“ItfeelslikemyLada, but it certainly does not sound like her.Will you really let thiskingwithhisfineclothesandhisoiledbeardandhisgildedliesgetthebestofyou?Youareadragon.”Lada nodded.But here, in this sweltering cell, far from her people and her

land,shedidnotfeellikeadragon.For thefirst time ina long time,shefelt likeagirl. It terrifiedher.Because

therewasnothingintheworldmorevulnerabletobethanagirl.

Thesepast threemonthsLadahadspokenonlytoOana,whowaspermittedtovisit her once a day for a fewminutes. She suspectedMara was behind thatkindness.ForawhileshehadwonderedifMehmedwouldsendforher.Butshehad tried to kill him, and if he transported her all theway toConstantinople,wordwouldgetout, ruiningMatthias’sgoalofhavingher fade fromEurope’sconsciousness.SowhenMatthiascametovisitherthenextday,Ladawashappiertospeak

withhimthansheoughttohavebeen.“Itpainsmetoseeyoulikethis,”hesaid.“LetmeoutandIwillshowyouwhatpainis.”Matthias laughed.“Youareverybadatnegotiating.But it isnowonder that

myfatherpreferredyouoverme.Youspeakthesamelanguage.Didyouknow,hewantedmetomarryyou?”“Yes.Iknew.”

“Youdid?”Aflickerofconfusionpassedoverhisface.Ladaassumeditwasbecausehecouldnotfathomanywomanpassingontheopportunitytowedhim.She yawned, stretching her arms over her head. “I felt it would be

disrespectfultoyourfathertomarryhissonandthenmurdermyhusbandinhissleep.ThoughIprobablywouldhavemurderedyouwhileyouwereawake,forthesatisfactionofwatchingthelookonyourfaceasmyknifecutyoursoulfreefromyourloathsomebody.”Matthiasleanedcloser,peeringthroughthehole.“Whydoyoumakeyourlife

somuchmoredifficultthanithastobe?Youcouldhavebeeninahouse.Withservants.Withcomforts.Iwouldhavetakenexcellentcareofyououtofrespectforwhatyouhaveaccomplished. Iamnotafool; Iknowyouhavedonegreatthings.Butyoumadesomanyenemiesalongtheway.Does itnot troubleyouthat I haveheldyou these last threemonths andnoonehas come looking foryou?No one has inquired about your location.” He twisted his face inmocksympathy. “No one cares that you are gone.You have been replaced on yourthronewithoutfanfareorstruggle.YoumayhavesenttheOttomansoutofyourland,butthisisyourreward.”Hesighedasthoughfeelingactualpityforher.“Icannotkillyou.IdonotknowifIwantto,butevenifIdid,itwouldputmeatoddswiththosewhoadmireyou.Besides,itismucheasiertosimplykeepyou.Toletyoustayhereuntileveryonehasforgottenyou.UntilyouronlylegacyaretheluridwoodcutsandterrifyingnighttimestoriesoftheSaxons.Youwillfadeintoamonster,amyth.Andwhenthathappens,Iwillbekind.Wheneverythingyouaccomplishedhasdisappeared—and itwillnot take long—thenIwill takeyououtofthiscell.AndIwillletyoudie.”Hepaused,considering.“OrImayletyoulive.Idonotthinkitmattersmuch,

eitherway.Theworldwasnevergoing topermityou to continue.You shouldhavemadesomeonearepulsivewife,hadanheirortwo,andlivedoutyourlifeinquietmisery.”Ladaliftedaneyebrowcoldly.“Yourfatherwouldbeashamedofyou.”Matthias noddedwithout emotion. “He probablywould. I will have to live

withthat.AndIwilllive.Ihavemycrown.Iwillrulemypeople,andmyreignwillbelongandfairandtouchedwithglory.Andyouwillbelessthananotationin the triumphant historyofmy life.Whoknows,maybeyouwill have a fewlinesinthesultan’shistoryaswell?Youcanalwayshope.”Ladawanted to findwords thatwoulddoasmuchdamageas sheknewher

fistscould.Shewantedtocutthissmallmantohisverycore.Butsheknewthateventhoughshewasbetter,smarter,stronger,eventhough

shehadalreadydonemoreforEuropethanheeverwould,eventhoughshehad

worked and fought harder than hewas capable of, hewas probably right.Hewouldberewardedandrememberedandrespected.Hemightevenmeritsomeofthat,eventually.“We could have done great things together,” Lada said. “If you had but a

portion of your father’s courage, we could have changed the face of Europeforever.”“Butonlyoneofuswantsthingstochange.Howtheyarerightnowsuitsmy

people’sneeds.Andbehonest,mypearl.Didyoureallythinktheworldwouldchangeenoughtoacceptawomanasprince?”Matthiassearchedherfaceforananswer,genuinelycurious.Then,withashrug,heturned.LadawatchedthespacegodarkasMatthiaswalkedoutofview.Sheknewperfectlywellhow tobeagirl.Shewas agirl.People seemed to

forget that,orassumeshewantedtobesomethingelsebecauseofherchoices.HearingMatthiaslayoutherfutureinsuchbleaktermsmighthavesentherintoarageinthepast,butshewasolderthanshehadbeenwhenshegothere.Shewasweary.Shewasready.

Thenext timethecruelguardcamebywitharodent,Ladasmiledathim.Sheopenedhereyeswideandsmiledthroughherlong,tangledhair.“Iwantbiggeranimals,” she said. “Rats are not satisfying.Bringme rabbits.Larger animals.Men,ifyouhaveanytospare.”His look of gleeful horror confirmed toLada that hewould do as asked, if

only tohave anewaccountof herdepravity to trade like currency among theothersoldiers.Shesmiledbigger.

Ladalayinapoolofblood,herskinpale,hereyesclosed.Thebloodwascoldandcongealed,aninelegantlywrittenstoryoftheendofherlifespilledoutontostonefloors.“Deviltakeher,”aguardatthedoormuttered.“Hey!Comelookatthis.”“Oh,Godprotectus.Whatamess.Hey,you!Stayhere.Youhavequite the

cleanupjobaheadofyoutonight.Josef,gogetthekeys.”“ShouldIsendwordtotheking?”“No,notyet.Weshouldcheckonher,makesuresheisdead.Thenmoveher

out quietly so noone notices.After thatwe can figure outwhat to tell him. Ibetternotgetintroubleforthis.”“Ilikedthisjob,”thesecondguardsaid.

“Notme.Lookatthoseanimals!Shewasamonster.Luciferisdancinghappyinhisflamestonighttogetsuchasoulforhell.”After a fewminutes, thedooropened and twopairs of booted feet shuffled

intotheroom.“Godsaveus,thesmell!”AbootnudgedLada’sside.Thenherwristwaslifted,heldgingerlybetween

two fingers as though the guard was worried her death—or perhaps just thesmell—wascontagious.“Whereisthewound?Herwristsarenotcut.”Lada twisted her hand, grabbing the guard’s wrist. She yanked him to the

floor. A cry went up but was cut short with the swift application of Stefan’sblade.Lada’shandsaroundthefirstguard’sthroatpreventedhimfromshouting,andStefan’sbladesilencedtheotherone.“What took you so long?” Lada stood, shaking out her arms and legs to

restorecirculation.Theanimalbloodmadeherdressstickyandstiff,butshehadnoreplacementsandnotimetochange.Stefanwipedhisknifeonthetunicofoneofthedeadguards.Hehadslipped

inafterthem.“Ihadtokilltheonesinthehallwayfirst.”Heheldoutalengthofbrowncloth,andLadawrappeditaroundherselflikea

shawl.Ithidmostoftheblood.Shehesitatedatthethreshold,andthensteppedintothehallway.Itfeltlikeamuchbiggerdistancethanitwas.“WhereisOana?She was supposed to discover my body. I have been lying on the floor forhours!”Stefanshookhishead.“Idonotknow.”“Weagreedthatthiswastheday!”“Shedoesnotalwayscomewhensheisscheduled.”“Wecannotleavewithouther.Wewillgotothekitchens,and—”“Lada,wedonothavetime.”Ladatriedtohurrydownthehall.Shewantedtofeeltriumphant,butawave

ofdizzinesswashedoverher.Ithadbeensolongsinceshehadfeltwell,sinceshehadbeenabletomoveenough.Sheleanedagainsttheroughwall.Marveledthataftersomanyweeks, itwasadifferentwall thanthefourshehadbecomeaccustomedto.Stefanwalkedaheadofher,checkingforotherguards.“Wedonothavetime,

andyoudonothavethestrength.Ifyouwanttogetout,weneedtoleavenow.”“YoucangogetOana,then.”“IfIleaveyou,youwillnotmakeitout.”Lada’sheartracedinherchest.Therehadtobeanotherway.Awaytoescape

withOana.

“IfIgoandpullheroutofthekitchens,someoneisboundtonotice,”Stefansaid.“Icannotkeepbothofyousecret.”“Shewouldnotleavemebehind.”Stefanshookhishead.“No,shewouldnot.”Ladahad tomakeadecision.Andshehad tomake itnow.“Shewouldnot

leavemebehind,butshewouldtellmetoleaveher.”IfOanawasinthekitchen,shehadwitnessesandanalibi.Noonecouldholdheraccountableforthedeadmeninthecell.Buttheycouldholdherasprisoner.Forever.LadawastradingherfreedomforOana’s.AcceptingStefan’selbowfor support, she fled from theprisonbuildingand

out of Hunedoara, hating herself with each step. HatingMatthias more. Andhatingtheworldmostofall,fortakingthepeopleshecaredaboutandmakingherchoosebetweenthemandWallachiaeverytime.Oanahadoncetoldheratthisverycastlethatnosacrificewastoogreatinthecauseoftheircountry.Ladaprayed that Oana still felt the same, would still feel the same when shediscoveredtheirabandonmentofher.ButanotherdayinthatprisonmightkillLada.Andshewouldnotgobackfor

anything.

40

SnagovIslandMonastery

“TELLMEAGAINwhyAronsentyoutoanislandmonasteryfarfromTirgovisteonaseeminglyunimportanttaskthatcouldhavebeendonebyanyoneelse?”Nazirabatted her eyelashes innocently. Fatima shushed her reproachfully. Cyprianlaughed.Radusighed.Their ride here had been peaceful. Too peaceful. The entire area between

TirgovisteandSnagovwasstillalmostempty.Wouldthewholecountryhideinthemountains forever? ItmadeAron’s task of ruling them farmore difficult.Howcouldhetaxorcommandapopulacehecouldnotfind?Raducorrectedhissturdymare’sdirection,guidingherbackinlinewiththe

others. In frontandbehindwereJanissaries,but itwaseasy to feel like itwasjustthefourofthem.“AronissendingmebecauseMehmedwasnotabletotakeSnagov—attackingtheislandwastoologisticallycomplicatedandnotworththetime.Weneedtomakecertainthatthemonksthereareloyaltothethrone,andalsoinviteoneofthemtotakeoverthecathedralinTirgoviste.Noonehasbeenwillingtosofar.”“Yes,and thatentireplanmakesperfect sense.But the reasonablecourseof

actionwouldbetosendsomeonetodoitotherthanthemaninchargeofallthemilitary forcescurrently in thecountry.”Nazira shushedFatimabeforeFatimacouldshushherthistime.Cypriantwistedhismouthtothesideanddrewhiseyebrowstogether.Radu

lovedeverysingleexpressionCyprian’sfacewascapableof,thoughhisgenuinesmilewasstill—andalwayswouldbe—hisfavorite.“Iaminclinedtoagreewith

Nazira.Aronistryingtopushyoutothemargins,decreaseyourvisibility.Youarealreadyathreat.”Radu could not deny it. Things had become increasingly tense between

himselfandtheDanestibrothers.Radurubbedhisforehead,gazingatthedocktheyweredrawingcloserto.“AronhasnothingIwant.Iwishhecouldseethat.Still,weareclosetobeingfinished.BythetimewereturnIshouldhaveallmyscouts back. It has been over three months with no word of Lada. I cannotimagine anything she might plan that would require this much silence andinaction.Isuspectsomethingelsehashappened.”Hedidnotlikethinkingaboutwhatmighthaveendedheraggressions.Aftereverythingshehaddone,hestilldid not want her to suffer. He only wanted her to fail. “Regardless, I amconfidentwecanmoveforwardverysoon.”“Forwardtowhere?”Fatimaasked.Radudismountedandofferedahand tohelpheroffherhorse.“Somewhere

outofWallachia.”“Idonotknow,”Cypriansaid.“Thisareaisquitenice.”Hepattedhishorse

and stretched his broad shoulders. Radu quickly looked away—and thenrememberedhedidnothaveto.Helethiseyeslinger,drinkingtheothermanin.Cyprian caught him staring. His answering smile was sharper than normal.Sharper,andmoredevious.TheJanissariesgatheredanddismountedaswell.RaduhadleftKirilincharge

inTirgoviste, trustinghimtokeepaneyeonthingsthere.Theguardswhohadaccompanied them would cross over to the island with them, in case theyencountered any hostility. In an effort to appear nonthreatening, Radu haddressedWallachian-style. He had left his beloved turban at home andwore arather absurd hat instead. Hewanted to return to flowing robes and beautifulfabrics,leavebehindtheselayersofbreechesandvestsandcoats.Notonlyweretheyugly,theyweredamnablyhotintheheavysummerair.Nazira and Fatima, too, had shifted their dress. They did not look quite

Wallachian, but they did not look Turkish, either. As with everything, Naziraprettifiedwhateversheworesimplybyvirtueofbeinginit.Radususpectedshecouldwearthedirtywoolrightoffalamb’sbackandmakeitlookdeliberateandfashionable.Fatima’sclotheswereserviceableandplain.ThoughRadutoldhershedidnotneedtoplayatbeingaservanthere,shepreferredtogounnoticed.Lookinglikeamaidwasaneasywaytobecomeinvisibletoanyonewhohadnouseforyou.Cyprianat leastwascomfortableinWallachianclothes,astheyweresimilar

tostyleshehadworninConstantinople.HehadstoppedwearingtheJanissaryuniform—whereNazirahadgottenoneforhim,Radudidnotknow,thoughhe

suspectedsomewherewasa Janissary still toocharmedbyher tobotherbeingangrythathewaswalkingaboutnaked.After issuing instructions to the guards, theywalked to the rickety dock. It

was apparent that the previous dock had been burned and dismantled. Thereplacementwasjustafewplanksnailedtogether,buttherewasaboatwaiting.Withaqueasylurch,allRadu’sthoughtstwistedaway.“Oh,aboat!Radulovesboats,”Nazirateased.Raduclimbedgingerlyintotheback,withCypriansittingathisside.Nazira

andFatimatookanearbybench,andtherestoftheguardsfilledinwheretheycould. They helped row, following the increasingly annoyed directions of theWallachian-speaking ferryman. Radu translated as best he could in betweentryingnottovomit.Whentheyreachedtheisland,Radunearlyfelloverinhishastetorejoinfirm

ground.Cyprianleanedcloseandwhispered,“PerhapsIwaswrong.PerhapstherealreasonyoustayedbehindinConstantinoplewasnotoutofaltruisticdutytomylittlecousins,butbecauseyouknewyoucouldnotsurviveaboatride.”Radu laughedweakly,andCyprian joinedhim.ThatCypriancouldnotonly

forgive his past but also find ways to joke about it was deeply reassuring. Itwouldalwaysbeatenderspot—butasascar,notanopenwound.Afterhis stomachhad settled,Radu finally tooka lookat the island. Itwas

tiny,thebordersmarshyandovergrown.Insectsdroned,lendingthehumidandheavyairitsownmusic.Shortbutdensetreesofferedthepromiseofshade,andapathledtocarefullytendedgardenrows.Themonasteryroseinthedistance,pale-redstonetowersmarkingitsplace.Thoughtheguardsaroundthemwereonhigh alert, themonk ambling toward them seemedutterly unconcerned by theappearanceofthismanyarmedmen.“Hello,”Radusaid.“Iam…”Hepaused,unsurewhetherRaduBeyorRadu

Dracul would get a better reception. He had already dressed the part ofWallachiannobility,though.Mayaswellcontinuetoplayit.“IamRaduDracul,hereonbehalfofPrinceAronDanesti,vaivodeofWallachia.”Themonk, his face lined and tannedwith years of being outdoors, did not

smile. But something in the lines around his eyes shifted with amusement.“PrinceAron?Iwasnotawarewehadanewone.Orthatweneededone.”“Yes.”Radusmiled, thoughhedidnotquiteknowwherehestoodwith this

man.“HesendshisgreetingsandasksthatapriestjoinhiminTirgovistetotakeoverthecathedral.”“Hmm.Well, comealongwithme to themonastery.Wecanofferyou food

andrest.”Themonk turnedbackdown thepath.Raduwalkedbyhisside, theothersfallinginbehind.

“Haveyoubeentoourislandbefore?”themonkasked.“Youseemfamiliar.”“NotsinceIwasasmallboy.”“Ahyes.Iremembernow.Yoursistertoldme.”“Ladahasbeenhere?”“Shecamelastautumn.Infact,lookthere—”Themonkpointedtothespires

of the church, nearly finished,withmen on ropes clinging to the outside andhammering in shingles. “She donated the funds for the newbuilding. She hasbeenagoodpatrontous.”Radu frowned, puzzled. The church was functional and elegant with dusty

stonethatwouldageinbeautythewayallchurchesheredid.“Youseemsurprised,”themonksaid.“Ineverknewmysister tobeparticularlyconcernedwiththewelfareofher

soul.”Themonksmiledslyly.“Arewenotall?Besides,assheputit,ourchurchis

Wallachianandthusdeservesmoregloryandtrappingsthanothergods.”“Ah,thatmakesmoresense.”IfitwasdoneforWallachiaincompetitionwith

othercountries,thenRaducouldunderstandLada’sdesiretoimprovetheisland.Infact,hewassurprisedshehadnotmadethechurchmuchlarger.Andspikier.“Whatdidyouthinkofher?”“Sheissingular. Ihaveneverencounteredher like—thoughIhave lived the

lasttwentyyearsonthisisland,andwedonothavemanyvisitors.Still,whileIwasinitiallyskeptical,reportsfromthecountrysideindicatethatyoursisterisaleaderofremarkablevisionandstrength.”“Was,”Radugentlycorrected.“Oh?” The monk’s face twisted playfully. “Mircea!” he called out. Radu

cringed involuntarily, hearing his cruel older brother’s name. ButMircea wasdead,andhisnamecommon.Oneofthemenworkingonthechurchturnedhishead.“WhoisprinceofWallachia?”shoutedthemonk.“LadaDracul,mayshespiteverinthefacesoftheTurks!”The guards around Radu shifted uneasily, but none of the workers moved

aggressively,orevenpaidthemmuchmind.“Does he not know a new prince has been crowned?” Radu asked.Maybe

peoplehadnotreturnedtotheirtownsbecausetheywereunaware.Themonk opened the church’s doors, the dim interior cool and inviting. “I

think,myson,thathedoesnotcare.”

Lunch was fish with summer vegetables and rough bread. The monks werepolite andkind, patientlydisinterested in anythingRaduhad to say.Andeven

lessinterestedintakingapositioninthecapital.“Perhaps check in one of the village churches,” themonk that had led him

heresuggested.“Everyone is afraid to come toTirgoviste,”Radu confessed, staring up at a

muralofChrist.“Mostarestillhidingin themountains.Thosethathavecomedown are much like your man on the roof. They do not care about the newprince.Wecannotevenbegintocollect taxes.Wearemostly justprayingtheyplantfieldssowewillhaveaharvest.”“Itisadifferentcountrynow.Yoursisterofferedthemchange.Theywillnot

giveitupeasily.”“Butsheisnotevenhere.”Themonk liftedhishandsas thoughofferingevidence. “She is, though.As

longassheisalive,soarethechangesshewrought.Thegateshavebeenflungopen,andthesheephavewandered.IsuspectthisAronisnotuptothetaskofshepherdingthembackin.”Radu could not argue with that. He said nothing, and studiously avoided

Nazira’spointedlook.The monk stood. “Would you like us to do anything for you before you

leave?”Radudidnotwant to tell themonk that this religionhadnothinghewanted

anylonger.Theyweregoodpeople—andhewishedthemall thebest in livingtheirfaith—butitwasonlyachildhoodmemoryforhim.Hefeltnothingforit,eithergoodorill.That,hesupposed,wasablessingofsorts.Itwasnicetohavesomething inWallachia that hewas neutral toward, something that caused nopain.“Willyoutellmeifmysistervisitsagain?”Hisownvisithadgivenhimthe

claritythathewasnotonlyfightinghissister—hewasfightingtheveryideaofher.Andthatwas justas, ifnotmore,elusiveanddifficult to target.Aronwasnotlikelytoinspiredevotionorencourageachangeofloyaltiesinanyonewhohadrespondedtohissister.Themonkgazedupatthesamemural.“Shedidsaysheenjoyedbeinghere.

Shefoundsomethingasclosetopeaceasacreaturelikeherevercan,Ithink.Ihopeshewillcomeagain.Andifshedoes,shewillbewelcomed,andnoneofher enemies will be warned.” The monk looked at Radu, lifting an eyebrow.“Areyouherenemy?”ThoughRaduhadnoattachment to thisreligion, itwasmorethanhehadin

himtolie toamanwhohaddevotedhis life toGod.“Idonotknow.I thinkImightbe.”

Themonknodded,noreproachinhisface.“Youshouldspendthenight.Seeifyoucanfindsomeofthepeacehereaswell.”Nomatterwhathedid,thiscountrystillbelongedtoLada.Hehadneverbeen

abletotakeawaysomethingoncesheclaimedit.Nottheirfather,notMehmed,and now notWallachia. “Maybe,”Radu said, but he knew therewould be nopeaceforhimhere.Ladahadseentothat.

41

TownofArges

LADA HAD BEEN too miserable during their escape to think about much ofanything.Stefanhadgottenhorsessomewhere,andithadallbeenaccomplishedsilentlyandswiftly.Noonelookedtwiceatamanridingnexttoahunched-over,shawl-wrappedwoman.Evenifshewasdirtyandbarefoot.Onceoutofthecity,itwasallcountrysideandfarmland.Summerhadpassed

its zenith andwas slipping from itsmuggy, warm haze toward autumn. Ladashould have been overwhelmed with joy to be outside again, but she foundherself aghast and resentful. How dare the seasons change, how dare naturecontinueits trekforward,whenshehadbeensocruellystalled?Andhowdareanythingbe so soul-nourishingly lovelywhen shehad left behindhernurse inordertosaveherself?SherejectedthebeautyoftheHungarianlandscape,ignoredthevibrantgreen

warmthofTransylvania,andletherselftakeinonlyalittlereliefandhappinesswhentheyfinallycrossedintoWallachia.Eveninthisstate,shecouldnotresistloving her country. But she feared what she would find when she got there.AheadofthemloomedthemountainsalongtheArges,whereshewouldreturntoherfortress.ToBogdan.Withouthismother.LadadidnotthinkMatthiaswouldkillOana.Oratleastshehopedhewould

not. He seemed the type of person to think a servant woman inconsequentialenough that he might not have truly noticed her. Besides, Oana had beennowherenearwhenLadahadescaped.Surely thatwouldbeinherfavor.Still,Ladahadtoaddonemorenametothelistofthosewhowerenotatherside.Matei.Traitor,stillmissedasherfirstmeaningfulJanissaryloss.

Petru.Murdered,avenged.Nicolae.Diedforher,whichwasperhapswhyhehauntedhermost.Oana.Sacrificed,whichwoulddoubtlesshaunther.Andalways, ever, thephantompresences ather right andher left:Mehmed

andRadu.Somedayshewouldgrowoldenoughthatshewouldnolongercareaboutthetwobestcompanionsofherchildhood.Shehoped.Both that she would no longer care, and that she would grow old. Neither

seemedlikelyonthatdazzlingsummerafternoon.Huddledandhunchedinthesaddle,Ladawasbotherednotonlybywhatnaturewasflagrantlydisplayingbutalsobywhatitwasnot:Farmland.Theyrodethroughacresandacresofunplantedland.Lastfall,this

verystretchhadprovidedamplecrops.Thisfall,therewouldbenothing.Whichmeantthatthecomingwinterwouldbefardeadlierthanthepreviousspring.TheOttomans could be tricked, defeated, turned away. Starvationwas theworld’smostpatientandunrelentingfoe.Whathadshedone?Howcouldshefixit?Stefandrewhishorsetoastop.“IamnotgoingtoPoenari.”Ladasighed.Anothernametoaddtothelistof thoseshehadlost,andwith

him, Daciana. He had warned her; apparently that time was here. “Are youcertain?”Henoddedgravely.“Mydebttoyouisfullypaid.”Ladaliftedaneyebrow.“Well,notquite.”“Oh?”“MydebtforfreeingyoufromtheOttomans,yes.Butdonotforgetitwasmy

choicetoallowDacianatoremainwithourcompany.IfIhadrefusedher,youwould stillbea shadowofaman,untethered,mine.”Lada scowled. “I shouldnothaveletherstay.”Stefan rewarded herwith the barest of smiles, and she looked away so she

wouldnotgetemotional.Atleastthisonefriendshewaslosingtolife,notdeath.Lada brushed off her heavy emotions andmade her tone befitting that of a

prince.“Doonemoretaskforme,andthenIwilltellyouwhereDacianais.”“Whattask?”“Thereareusurpersinmycastle.KillAronandAndreiDanesti,soitisclear

thatIamtheonlyprinceWallachiahasorneeds.Itshouldnotbetoodifficultforyou.”“Itwillbedone.”Heturnedhishorseaway.“Onelastfavorbetweenfriends.”“DoyounotwanttoknowwhereDacianais?”Ladacalled.Stefanlookedoverhisshoulder,and,forthefirst timeever,Ladacaughtthe

fullpowerofhissmile.SheunderstoodwhatDacianahadseen,andwhyitmight

beworthhavingmorethanjustthemilitaryloyaltyofsuchaman.“IwouldnotbeaverygoodspyifIhadnotalreadyfigureditoutonmyown.”Ladalaughed,undonebythatsmile.“Thenwhydidyoustay?”“Itoldyou:Iamgrateful.Iwishyouwell,myprince.Ithasbeenanhonor.”IfLadawerenotsowearyandill,shemighthavebeenangryathisdeparture.

ButtheghostofNicolaewasheavyatherside,remindingheritwasnotsobadtoloseStefanthisway.Therewereworsethings.“YouhadbetterraiseyourownlittleLadatobeaterror.”“Iexpectnothingless.”Ladawatchedasthelastofthemenshehadtrainedwith,thelastofhercore

groupof loyal allies and followers—friends—rode away. Itwas the endof anera.Shedidnotknowifshewouldbeweakerforit.Shedecidedshewouldnotbe.Eachofthemhad,inonewayoranother,beensacrificedforthegreatergoodofWallachia.Hadshenotdecidedshewouldsacrificeeverythingittook?Pullingtheshawltighteraroundher,sherodeforward,towardherfortressand

toward the last remaining friend of her youth.Butwhatwas she really ridingtoward?Shetookaccountofherresources.The onlymember of her inner circle leftwasBogdan. Shehad a fewother

mensheknewtobegood,butitwasnotthesame.WithDacianaandOanalostfromherhousehold,shewouldneveragaintrustanyoneinthecastle—assumingshe got it back. After all, she had seen how easy it was for a servant to besomeoneelseentirely.Hungary was against her, though she knew Matthias would not fight her

outright.SheprobablyshouldhavesentStefantokillhim,butWallachiaalwayshadtobeherfirstpriority.Regardless,therewouldbenoconflictbutalsonoaidfromHungary.Moldaviawas not against her, but her cousinKing Stephen had taken land

fromher.Thathadtobeansweredwithblood,sotheywouldnotbealliesinthefuture.Maybebeforethenshecouldmaneuverhimintohelpingher.Shecoulddelayrevengefornow.Bulgaria,ofcourse,hatedherandwould forsome time.AlbaniaandSerbia

werefirmlyOttomanvassals.ShehadnolovefororfromtheTransylvaniansortheSaxons.Thepopeheldherinesteem,buthercountrywasnotCatholicandhewould

onlypraisethem,offeringnorealhelp.Whathelphehadsenthadgonethroughsomeone he trusted more—for all the good that did them. She would mostcertainlywrite ofMatthias’s deceit, though. Let him explain his crown to thepapaltreasurythatboughtit.

Andeveninherowncountry,herresourcesweresparse.HerbrotherhadbeenhelpingtheDanestiusurper.Tirgovistewouldbefortified.Anyboyarsleftwouldhave flocked to him.AssumingGalesh Basarab and hismenwere dead—shehopedtheywere,butdidnotcountonitconsideringtheinformationhadcomefromMatthias—Radu would not have gotten a huge influx of men from theremainingscatteredboyars.Butstill,shedidnotrelishtheideaofbesiegingherowncapital.So:enemieswithinandwithout.Allmeninpowersetagainsther.Almostno

one she could trust. A country in disarray.A fallwithout a harvest. A peoplehiddeninthemountains.Acapitalfilledwithsnakes.Therewasonlyonesolution.She had been too kind, too gentle. She had tried keeping what she could

intact, triedbuildingonwhatwasalready there.But theentire foundationwasrotten.Shecouldnotbuildastrongkingdombyremovingonlyafewofthemostdecay-riddenstones.Shewouldhavetodismantletheentirething.She would have to burn it—all of it—to the ground. Only then could

Wallachiariseanewfromtheashes.Shesat straighter,eyeson thehorizon.Therewasno roomforkindness,no

roomformercy.Matthiashadprovedthatshecouldnotplaybyanyrules thatalreadyexisted.Shewouldhavetobecomesomethingaltogethernew.Thecountrysidearoundherwashushed,quiet,asthougheventheinsectsand

wind recognized the passing of a great predator. She again imagined wingsunfurlingbehindher,coveringall thelandinshadowandfire.Therewouldbenomoreorder,nomorestructure.Shewouldkilltheleadersofeverycountryonherborders,andalltheirheirs.Shewouldsowabsolutechaosanddestruction.Andshewouldbethere,inthecenter,curledaroundherownland.Wallachia

would survive. It always survived. Butwith her there, and everything aroundthemdescendedintodeadlydisorder,Wallachiawouldfinallythrive.Afterall,fireandbloodanddeathwerenothingtoacountryledbyadragon.

42

Tirgoviste

RADUSTOODATthetopofthetower.Thistowerhadheraldedsomuchchangeinhis life.First,whenheandLadawatchedHunyadi ride into thecity, signalingtheendoftheirliveshereastheirfatherpetitionedtheOttomansforsupport—andtradedtheirlivesascollateral.Thoughithadbeenterrifyingat thetime,ithadbeenthebest thingthatcouldhavehappenedtoRadu.Andnowthetowerhadbeenthesiteofthemostunexpectedandjoyfulreunionofhislife.Asthoughcalledbyhisthoughts,Cyprianjoinedhim.Theairwassharpwith

the first hints of impending autumn. Radu shivered, and Cyprian put an armaroundhimas theylookedoutover thedawnbreakingsoftandgentle throughthe mist. All the scars of the past few months had blended with the green,leaving everythingmuted andpeaceful.The fields aroundTirgovistewere fulland almost ready for harvest. It had been an unconventional use of trainedkillers, but thanks to Radu’s Janissariesworking under the direction of a fewgrizzled farmers, there would be enough food to see Tirgoviste—and anyrefugeesthatjoinedthem—safelythroughthewinter.Hehadbeenstationedheretoprotectthecity,afterall.Raduwasproudofthosefields.AronhaddemandedRadusendhismeninto

the mountains to hunt down Lada, but Radu had known there were moreimportantthings.AndwhenArondidnotstarvetodeathoverthecominglongwinter,hewouldbegrateful.Orifnotgrateful,atleastresentfulthatRaduhad,onceagain,beenright.Aloneriderwasleavingthecity,headingtowardthemountains.Radudidnot

begrudge him his freedom—but only because his own escape was fastapproaching.

“We are leaving today,” Radu said, turning from the landscape he couldalmostlovenow.“Today?” Cyprian took Radu’s hand in his own. Radu wondered when

touchingCyprianwouldnotfeel likeashock, ifhewouldevergetusedto thethrillofit.Hehopedhedidnot.Hehopedtheywouldhavealifetimetofindout.“Arondoesnotwantmehere anymore. I trustKiril.Hewill do agood job

leadingthemenweleavebehind.AndnoonehasheardabreathofnewsaboutLadasincetheattack.Thatwasfourmonthsago.Ifsheweregoingtostrike,shewouldhavedoneitbynow.Thiswaiting,bidinghertime—”“Itcouldbestrategic.”“But it is not her style.Shewouldnothavewanted to losemomentum like

this.Ithink—”Radushookhishead.“Isuspectsheisnolongerincontrol.”“Doyouthinksheisdead?”Cyprianaskedgently.“Sheistoomeantodie.Iamsurewhateverhashappenedtoherisnotgood,

butIdonotthinksheisdead.”Raduputahandoverhisheart,wonderingifhewould feelherdeath, ifhewouldknow.Theyhadbeen separated for so long.She had looked at him that night in Mehmed’s tent as though faced with amemory,notaman.“Though,” Radu said, thoughtfully, “if she is dead, that means I will live

forever.”Cypriangavehimapuzzledsmile.“Idonotfollowyourreasoning.”RaduleanedforwardandrestedhisforeheadagainstCyprian’s.“Alongtime

ago,Ladapromisedthatnoonewouldkillmebuther.Soifshecannotfulfillherendofthepromise,itappearsIwillbeimmortal.”CyprianwrappedhisarmsaroundRadu’swaist.“Ilikethatideaverymuch.”“Youwillhavetoliveforevertomatch,though,”Radusaid.“IwillseewhatIcando.”CyprianpressedhislipsagainstRadu’sneck,and

Radushivered.No,hewouldnevergetused to this.EverymomentspentwithCyprianwouldalwaysfeellikeamiracle.Therewassomethingholy,somethingpureaboutthewayhefeltforCyprian.Therewasnoshameoranguish.Noneofthepainthathadaccompaniedhisfeelingsforsolong.“Whatareyouthinkingabout?”Cyprianwhispered.“God,”Raduanswered.Cyprianlaughed.“IdidnotrealizeIwasthatgoodatkissing.”Radulaughed,too,andthentheirlipsmetagain.

Theyrememberedtoletgoofeachother’shandsbeforereachingthebottomofthetower.Raduwasfloating,unabletoreleasethesmilefromhislipsashehad

releasedCyprian’sfingers.Hedidnotunderstandhowanyoneseeingthemcouldnotknowhowtheyfelt.ButNaziraandFatimahaddonethisforyears.Peoplesawwhattheyexpected,asNazirahadtoldhimtheywould.“RaduBey!”RaduturnedtoseeaJanissaryguardrunninguptohim,white-facedandwide-

eyed. Radu’s stomach dropped with fear. “What is it? Have they found mysister?”TheJanissaryshookhishead.“Theprince.”Raduhadbeenputtingthisoff,butitwastimetotellAronthatheplannedon

leaving. He wondered if that would help or hurt their relationship. It did notmatteranymore.“Doeshewishtoseeme?”“No.Heisdead.”Radufeltthewordsasthoughtheyhadstruckhim.“Aronisdead?”“SoisAndrei.”Inadaze,Radustumbledpast theJanissary toward theroyalchambers.The

castlewaswakingup,variousservantsmovingaboutunawarethat,onceagain,theywerewithoutaprince.SeveralJanissaryguardsstoodwatchoutsideAronandAndrei’s apartments.Kirilmoved aside to letRaduby.Theprince’s bodywasonthebed.Radumovedasquietlyashecould,asthoughworriedthatloudfootstepsmightdisturbAron.Ifonlytheycould.Aron was lying on his side, a tiny wound at the back of his neck where

someonehadslippedinadaggerandseveredhisspineatthebaseoftheskull.Itwouldhavebeenaquickwaytodie.FromthepositionofAron’sbody,hehadnotevenwokenup.“Andrei,too?”Raduasked,hushed.Kirilansweredinthesametone.“Thesamemanner.Bothintheirsleep.The

bodiesarecool,butonlyjust.Itcouldnothavebeenmorethananhourortwoago.”“Andnoonesawanything?”Kirilshookhishead.Radu stared down at Aron’s body. He felt sorry for the other man, but a

competing feeling of resentment churned beneath the surface. With Aronmurderedinhisownbed,inthemiddleofthecastle,inthemiddleofthecapital,howcouldRadupossiblyconvinceanyboyarstheywouldbesafe?Andwhowouldbeprincenow?

Raduwastoooverwhelmedtopretendatdecorumortradition.AroundthetablehehadKiril,Cyprian,andNazira.

“Itwasher,right?”Kirilasked.Radupulledoffhis turban.Hefelt trapped,constrained.“Ithad tobe.Aron

and Andrei have no enemies. They did not have enough time to make any.Bulgaria,Moldavia,Hungary, Transylvania—it is in all their best interest thatWallachia is stableandundercontrol.Noonewouldhave sentanassassin forthem.”“Butwhynow?Whydidshewaitthislong,doingnothing?”Naziraasked.Radushookhishead.“Ihavenoidea.Anywordfromthescouts?”“Afewhave returned,”Kiril said.“The rest I fearneverwill.Simion’smen

found bodies in a pit. They did not know who they were, but the clothingsuggestedboyars.Therewas someevidenceof a largecamp,but the trailwascold.”“TheBasarabs,”Radusaid.“MyguessisLadafoundthem.”“So,wheredowegofromhere?”Radurubbedthebackofhisneckwhereatensionheadachewasbuilding.He

imaginedaslenderdaggerslidingin.Howprecise,howsurgical,howtinyacutthat separated one forever from life. “We need a prince. I do not think theremainingBasarabshaveanyoneofage,butIwilllookattherecords.WhatfewDanestiareleftwilllikelybewaryofcominganywherenearthecountry.Theyhave all fled to distant relatives. Perhaps there is a good candidate for princeamongthe—”“Whyareyoulookingforaprince?”Naziraasked.“Weneedsomeoneonthethrone.”Nazira’slooksomehowmanagedtobebothhardandpityingatthesametime.

“Radu,myhusband,wehaveanheiralready.OneweknowisnotafraidtocometoTirgoviste,ortofaceLada.”Radudeflated.Hehadbeenhoping,pretending therewasanotheroption.“I

donotwantthethrone.”“Iknow.Wehavespokenofit.Butsometimesforthegoodofthepeople,we

mustdothingswedonotwishto.”“They are not my people!” Radu stood, surprised by the force of his

declaration.Hebeganpacingtheroom.“Idonotwantthis.Anyofthis.Istayedasafavortotheempire.Icannotbeprince.”“Youhaveseenwhatstatethecountryisin.”Radu laughed. “Precisely! Putting it back together will be the work of a

lifetime.”“Hardwork,”Cypriansaid,smilingsadly.“Importantwork.”Radulookedatthefacesaroundthetable,thencollapsedbackintohischair.

“Iwanttogohome,”hesaid,knowinghesoundedlikeachild,andnotcaring.

Nazira put a hand over his. “We have our family. We can make homeanywhere.ButIthinkwe—youandI—carryatremendousweightonoursoulsfromwhatwehaveseenanddone.Wehaveparticipatedindestruction.Itwilldooursoulsgoodtonurtureandrebuild,instead.”Cyprian leaned close. “I knowyouwant to retire, to live quietly and forget

everything that has come before. But you could not turn your back on mycousins. Surely you cannot turn your back now on an entire country that sodesperatelyneedsyou.”Theywereright.RaduknewhewouldcarrytheghostsofConstantinoplewith

him forever.Perhaps thiswashispunishment for everythinghehaddone.Butperhapsitcouldbehischanceatredemption.“Verywell.”Thewordstightenedaroundhisthroatlikeashackle.“Iwillbe

prince.”His friends nodded solemnly, knowing this was not a cause for joy or

celebration.TherewasnotriumphinRadu’sascension.“Would you like to throw a party?”Nazira asked, in a generous attempt to

easethetension.“ThatwasAron’sfirstorderofbusiness.”“No,”Radusaid.“WewillcoronatemeimmediatelyandsendoutwordthatI

amprince.Wewillpostguardsaroundthecitysoitisperfectlydefended.Andthenwearegoingintothemountains.”Allthepiecesofhislifeclickedtogethertoformsharpstonesofabrutalpath.

Everythingledhimhere.EverythingledhimbacktoLada.Andheknewwhatheshoulddo.WhatMehmedwoulddo.WhatLadaherselfwoulddo.Hehadtoendit,onceandforall.

43

PoenariFortress

THOUGH SHE HADmaintained her filthy disguise thiswhole time, lest someonerecognizeher,shecouldnotbringherselftohideanylonger.Shedidnotwanttoride up to her fortress looking—and feeling—this weak. She arrived at thevillage closest to Poenari. It was tiny, clinging to a shallow stretch of landbetween the river and themountains. She had visited it often and kept horseshere.Theyknewher.Asshedismounted,shepulledoffhershawlandglancedaround,hopingthatatleastthisfarinthemountainsthelandwasstillhers.Ifitwasnot,shewasdeadregardless.“Myprince,”anoldwomangasped,droppingtheclothesshewaswashingat

thebankoftheriver.ShetookinLada’sbloodstaineddress,thenstood.“Comewithme.” Thewoman dried her hands on her apron. Lada followed her to ahumblehomeon theoutskirtsof thevillage.Thewomanpulledoutawoodentub and put a cauldron of water over the embers of her fire. She stoked it,hummingtoherself.“Iamsorry,”shesaid.“Iwasnotexpectingtohosttheprince.Butyouarea

princeofthepeople.”ThewomansmiledatLadawithmorewarmththaneventheembersheld,andLadafeltsomethinginsideherselfbreak.Shewantedtocry.She could not remember the last time she hadwanted to cry, and could notfathomwhat itwouldaccomplishnow. Instead, shesatandaccepted thebreadanddriedmeatthewomanofferedher.“Howhavethingsbeenhere?”Ladaasked.Shedidnotwanttospecifyinher

absence—ifMatthiashadkeptherimprisonmentsecret,shewouldcertainlynotbetheonewholetitbeknown.

“Quiet.Peaceful.Amancamethroughamonthagoaskingforwordofyou.”Thewomansmiled.“Hedidnot leaveagain.”Thewomanpouredthescaldingwaterintothetub,thenexcusedherself.Shereturnedwithtwobucketsofcoldwateranddumpedtheminaswell.“Itwouldbethegreatesthonorofmylifetowashmyprince.”Thewomanbowedherhead.Ladapeeledawayherclothes,throwingthemintothefire.Shesetherlocket

carefullyonachairand thenclimbedinto the tub,herkneesagainstherchest.Shesankaslowasshecouldintheconfines.Thewomanhummedalowsweetsongtoherselfasshetookachunkofsoapandaroughbrushandbegan.ThoughLadahadnotbeenbathedbysomeoneelsesinceshewasachild,she

acceptedtheofferingofthiswoman’skindness.Monthsoffear,ofdirt,ofcakedbloodcameoffintothewater.Ladawishedshecouldremoveherskintorevealsomething new and stronger beneath. Scales, or chain mail. But beneath thegrimeshewasonlysoftandpink.Herbodywasunfamiliar toher.Herbreastsstill large,herstomachdistendedfrommonthsofpoornutrition.Herarmsandlegsthinner,weaponcallusesonherhandsgone.When the water cooled, Lada climbed out. The woman wrapped her in a

blanketworn softwith years of use. Lada sat by the fire and—in yet anotherinexcusablebetrayalofOana—allowedthewomantobrushherhair.“Why have you shownme this kindness?”Lada asked. Itwas one thing to

serve the prince. But Lada had not demanded this, and it was clear she hadnothingwithhertopayforit.Thewomanpaused, thenkeptbrushing, thoughmorethoughtfully.“Because

you are theonlyprincewhohas ever visitedour village.”Ladaheard a smileshapethewoman’svoice.“Becauseyouaretheonlyprincewhoknowswhatitistobeawomaninthisworld.AndbecauseIamalittleafraidthatifIamnotkindtoyou,youwillkillme.”Lada laughed. “I do not kill my people. Only those who take from my

people.”Thewoman laughed, too, the soundaswornand soft as theblanket around

Lada.“Anotherreasonyoudeservemykindness.Ihavenevermuchcaredonewayortheotheraboutaprince.Neverdidmeanygoodto.Butthepeoplehereknow and love you. Because of you, we get to keep more of our crops andearnings. And my grandson—smart, strong little boy—will never be sold tothose godless infidels to fight their battles.” She finished, patting Lada’sshoulder.“Now,youwaithere.Iknowyoudonotwearskirts.Iwillfindsomeclothesforyou.”Ladaknewwhatasacrificethatwas.Inavillagethissize,everypersonwould

probablyhaveonlyonechangeofclothing.The trousersand tunic thewoman

broughtbackwerecleanandwellmended.Lada dressed. When she was done, a little boy—probably the woman’s

grandson—peekedin.Hiseyeswerewidewithawe,orfear.Ladaglaredathim,thenwinked.Hedidnotlookanylessterrifiedashebackedawayandclosedthedoor.Thewomanreturned,smilingshyly,andheldoutastripofredcloth.“Mymother gave this tomewhen I gotmarried.” She stroked thematerial. Itwassimple cloth, but the color of dyewas expensive. Itwasprobablyher greatesttreasure.Ladaturnedherback,andletthewomantietheclotharoundherhead,securingherwethair.Standingstraighterthanshehadwhenshearrived,Ladafollowedthewoman

outintothevillage.Everywhere,villagershadcomeoutoftheirhomesandbackfrom the river or the fields.Thewoman’sgrandsonwas running fromdoor todoor,whisperingandpointingtoalertthemtoLada’spresence.Theystoodalongtheroad,watching.Fewsmiled,butallregardedherwithafiercepride.Manyofthewomenhad their hands on the shoulders of youngboys.Boyswhowouldneverbetakenaway.Boyswhowouldgrowuptoservetheirowncountry.Ladaliftedherchin.“Forthekindnessshownmeheretoday,thisvillagewill

neveragainpaytaxestoanyprince.”Thepeoplecheered,littlegirlswavingflowers—onebrandishedasticklikea

sword—as she passed. A man solemnly handed her his own boots, thoughreplacing them would cost him dearly. Lada accepted them and mounted herhorse. She nodded, proud and strong, before turning and riding toward herfortress.NopricewastoohightopayforthegoodofWallachia,andWallachia—true

Wallachia—knewandlovedherforhersacrifices.

Shemet several of her soldiers at thebaseof thepeakwherePoenari loomedsentinel over the river. They seemed astonished at her appearance, but sheinvitednoquestionsandofferednoexplanations.Shehandedthemherhorse’sreins and thenwalked past them and up thewinding switchback trail. By thetimeshegottothetopshewaswindedandexhausted,butshedidherbestnottoshowit.Shewouldprojectonlystrength.Bogdanrantothegatetomeether.Shecouldseeinhisposturehewantedto

throwhisarmsaroundher,buthe restrainedhimself.Shehad trainedhim thatwell,atleast.Helookedpasther.Helookedforhismother.“Sheisnotwithme.”LadagesturedforBogdantofollow,knowingthatthis

mightbethelasttimehewaseverwillingtofollowheranywhere.Shemanaged

towalk to her room at the back of the fortress, regally ignoring themen shepassed.Andthen,atlast,withthedoorshutbehindBogdan,shecollapsedintoachair.“What happened?” he asked. “Where have you been? I told everyone you

werehuntingOttomanspies,butIdidnotknowhowmuchlongerIcouldkeepcontrolofthemenwithoutyou.Iwantedtocomeafteryou.Iknewyouwouldwantmehere,though.”“Itisgoodyoudidnotcome.Youwouldhavebeenkilled.Matthiasbetrayed

us.Hetookmeprisoner.”Bogdankneltinfrontofher,searchingherface.“Youhavenotbeenwell.”“Ithinkhewaspoisoningme.”“Andmymother?”Ladaknewsheshouldapologize.SheknewRaduwould,inherplace.Butshe

could not bear to. If she apologized, itmeant she had donewrong, and if sheadmittedoutloudshehaddonewronginleavingOana,shecouldneverforgiveherself.“WhenIgotthere,Matthiaskilledallmymen.Iwasinacellsmallerthanthis

roomfor threemonths.Yourmotherwasput towork in thekitchens, safeandhealthy.IescapedwithStefan’shelp.Wehadtokillalltheguards.Yourmotherwassupposedtomeetus,butshewasinthecastlewhenithappened.Icouldnotgoafterher.”Bogdan’s blocky features twisted, flickering through a host of emotions.

Finally,swallowinghard,henodded.“Shewouldhavewantedyoutogo.”Lada triednot to let her relief show,but she felt those traitorous tears from

beforepoolinginhereyes.AllshehadnowwasBogdan.Ifhehadhatedherforthis,leftherforthis…shedidnotwanttothinkaboutit.Andshedidnothaveto.Shereachedoutandtuggedononeofhisstupidjug-handleears,clearingherthroat to try todislodgesomeof the inconvenientemotionstuck therewithallthetenderachingofanoldwound.“Tellmewhathashappenedinmyabsence.”BogdanreportedthatTirgovistewasfortified,butnomajoroffenseshadbeen

madeintothemountains.HehadfoundandkilledtheBasarabboyars.Themenundertheboyars’commandwerescattered,hidingfromscoutslookingforthem,but all were within half-a-day’s ride and ready to reassemble as soon as shecalledforthem.“Theyremainloyal?”“Mostofthem.TheHungariansleftlongbeforewegotthere.”ItwasasmuchasLadacouldhopefor.“Howmanydowehavenow?”

“Counting thewomen?Two thousand,maybe three. It ishard toknowhowmany are still waiting and how many have fled. Are we going to kill KingMatthias?”Bogdan’swordswereasroughandstrongashisfists.Hewanteditasmuchasshedid.Ladarestedherheadagainst thebackof thechairandclosedhereyes.“We

aregoingtokillallofthem.”“Good.”Ladasmiled,reachingoutahand.Bogdanputhisinit,hesitantly.“Neverleaveme,”shesaid.“Ineverwill.”As she slipped toward sleep,Lada finally felt safe again.Shedidnot know

whatshewouldhavedonewithoutBogdan.Sheknewsheshouldtellhimhowshefelt—knewthathewouldtreasurethatknowledgemorethanthewomaninthevillagehad treasured this scrapof redcloth inherhair—but shecouldnotbeartopartwiththewords.HewasnoMehmed.Butperhapshewassomethingbetter.Hewouldneverchallengeher,neverdemandsheyieldtowhathewanted.Hewashers.Instead of thanking him, she decided that she would marry him. It meant

nothing to her, but it was a reward for his loyalty. And it served the doublepurpose of removing her marriageability from anyone else’s politicalmachinations.Shewould tellhimin themorning.Theywouldmarry,and then theywould

begintheworkofdestruction.

44

CarpathianMountains

RADU HAD NO desire for pageantry, for tradition, for celebration. And so hiscoronationtookplaceinthemiddleofthetwentythousandgravesthatmarkedhissister’srule.Amid the settlingdirt and sprigsof treesgrowingaround them,Raduknelt.

Hebowedhishead,andasimpleironcrownwasplacedtherebytheonlypriestwho had returned to the capital. It felt far heavier and more restrictive thanRadu’sturbanseverhad.HethoughtofMehmed’scoronation.Theweeksofcelebration.Thesensethat

it was the beginning of something truly great, of history on an unimaginablescale.RaduwonderedwhatMehmedwouldthinkofhisnewrole.TherehadnotbeentimeforMehmedtohavereceivedwordandwrittenbackyet.Radufeltthedistance between them keenly. But he also appreciated it. Because if he wasbeingforcedtodothingshehadnodesireto,atleasthecouldaccomplishthemhoweverhesawfit.Raduhadbutfivewitnesses:thepriest,Nazira,Fatima,Cyprian,andKiril.A

few dozen citizens stood respectfully nearby, more out of curiosity than anysenseofdutyorexcitement.Whenthepriestwasfinished,Radustood.Hewasprince, likehissisterand

fatherbeforehim.Thegravedirtclungtohisknees.Hedidnotbrushitoff.

Aweekafterthecoronation,aftermakingcertainthecity’sdefensesweresetandthecropswerewellmanaged,RaduandCyprianwent into themountainswithKirilandaselectgroupofJanissaries.Thesoonertheyfinishedthis,thesooner

Raducouldlurebacktheboyars.Includingsomeone—anyone—whocouldtakeoverasvaivode.HewasonlyprincebecauseofLada’sviolence.Heconsideredit his singular princely duty to put a stop to that violence. And then hisresponsibilitieswouldbefulfilled.Aftertwodaysofcarefultravel,theystoppedtotakestock.Themorningsand

evenings were growing chilly, but the afternoons still held the powerful,lingeringheatoflatesummer.RaduandCypriansatintheshadeofanenormousevergreenwithKiril,goingoverwhattheyknew.Kiril frowned, looking out over the steep ranges surrounding them. “We

shouldfindherhiddenreservesofmen.Theyareheresomewhere.”They couldwander forweeks andnever find somuch as a soul,much less

carefullyhiddenpeoplewhoknewthislandlikeitwaspartofthem.Radushookhis head. “We do not need to find them.Not if we find Lada. She hasmadecertain that everything depends on her. Everyone owes their power and theirhopes toher. If she falls,herentire systemofgovernmentand leadershipwill,too.Theywilldisbandanddriftbacktotheiroldlives.”Kirilscratchedhisclean-shavencheek.Raduwouldnotmindifhewantedto

growfacialhair,buttheJanissariesdidnotabandontheirdisciplineforanything.“Westilldonotknowwheresheishiding,orifsheisinthesemountainsatall.Therearerumorsofahiddenfortress,butthereisnorecordofitbeingbuilt,andnoonecantelluswhereitis.”“Isitonapeak?”Raduasked,suspectingheknewhissister’sexactlocation.

Howcouldhenothavethoughtofthissooner?Kiril raised his eyebrows, surprised by the question. “I heard that the

mountainwasherfortress.Thatiswhyitmadenosense.”Radu feltmorebleakdread than triumph.Somepartofhimhadhoped they

wouldnever findher.That shewould simplybegone.Oh,Lada. “Gather ourmenandthecannons.Thelightestoneswehave.Itwillnotbeaneasytrek.”“Youknowwheresheis?”“Weshare thesamechildhood.She forgets that, I think.”Raduremembered

thepouchhissisterhadcarriedalltheseyears.Shehadfilledithere.Helditlikeatalismanagainstthepainanddistancetheyendured.And,whenthepouchwasruinedbyblood,Raduhadplaced thedustycontents ina silver locket forher.Shenevertookitoff.Lada’shearthadalwaysstayedhere.Anditwouldstophere,too.

Radu had learned his lessons well. He had left Nazira and Fatima behind inTirgoviste, inasmallhomeonasidestreet,withnothingspecial tomark itascontainingsomethingtrulyprecious.RadudidnotknowifLadawouldtrytokillhis wife, but she had already killed his brother-in-law. Hewould never leaveNazira’slifetochance.Whateverhappenedhere,NaziraandFatimawouldbesafe.AndifRadudid

notcomeback,heknewMehmedwouldtakecareofthem.BothtohonorRadu’smemory,and tohonorKumal’s.All thepiecesofhis lifehadbeensettled.HisfriendshipwithMehmed,finallyreleasedofpainandtension.HisdutytoNaziraand Fatima. With the exception of Cyprian at his side reminding him howdesperatelyhewantedtolive,Raduwasasreadyashecouldbetofacehissister.AstheyrodedeeperintothegreenandgrayoftheCarpathians,Radufeltthe

weightofthedeadpressingcloserthantheloomingpeaksoneitherside.Everyonewithhim thoughthewas thegoodDraculesti.Thenobleone.But

didhenothaveasmuchtoanswerforasLada?Allthelivesthathadcomeintocontactwith themhad, in onewayor another, been forever tainted.Bloodied.Ended.Andnow theywereonopposite sides,with somanymore lives in thebalance.Forthesakeofthiscountryandallthecountriesaroundit,forstabilityand safety—not just for Mehmed, but for all the people protected under theempire’srulewhowouldonlyprosperiftheempiredid—Raduneededtowin.Heknewthat.Buthedidnotknowwhetherhedeservedtowin.“Whatareyou thinkingof?”Cyprianasked,nudginghishorsecloserso the

men’slegsbrushed.“Allthebloodthathasledmetothispoint.”Cypriangrimacedexaggeratedly.“Iwasthinkingofwhatwemightexpectfor

dinner.”Radutried toofferasmile,butwithCyprianhedidnothave to.Hedidnot

havetopretendorforcepleasantness.Cyprianneverdemandedthatheperform.Radulookedathimwithallthetendernesshefelt.Andpartofhimwhisperedtoclingtoeveryglance,everymoment,becauseanendwascoming.Radu swept his hand to encompass the ancient, towering mountains. Their

horsesclungtothepathbesidetheriver.Thevalleywassonarrowthatincertainplaces thesunshoneonlyafewhourseveryday.Onecouldclimbhalfwayupthe northern mountains and hit the southern peaks with an arrow, or perhapsevenawell-thrown rock. “Theseare thepathsofmychildhood,but theboy IwasthendoesnotknowthemanIamnow.AndIthink—Ifear—thisisthefinalsteptobecomingwhateverIwillbe.Idonotwanttofindoutwhatthatis.”

Cypriandidnotforceasmile,either.Henoddedresolutely.“Wewillfindouttogether.”

Raducreptupthesideof themountainacrossfromLada’sfortress.TheArgeswasablack linebeneathhim,separating the twopeaks.The twosiblings.Thenightwasasdarkandthickasoil,heavycloudscuttingthemoffevenfromthestars.Itfeltportentous,asthoughallofnatureknewwhatthefutureheld.Raduhadspentasummerhere.Ahappysummer,oneof thehappiestofhis

childhood.Andnotlongafter,hisfatherhadsoldhimandLadaforthethroneofWallachia.Ladahad tradeda lifewithRaduandMehmed—asafe life,a lifeRadustill

suspected could have been a happyone, somehow, at least for her—for bloodand struggle and violence, had once again sold herself for the throne ofWallachia.Radu,itseemed,wasdoomedtosacrificeforthesamething.CouldnoDracul

escape this cursed throne andwhat it asked of them?At least Lada and theirfatherhadbeenwillingvictims.Radudidnotwanttoofferupwhatitwouldtaketokeepthethrone.Hehadnochoice.They made as little noise as possible, which was no small feat when one

hundredmenand tensmallcannonsmade theirwayup thesideofamountainwithnopath.ButRaduhadbeenrightaboutthelocation.AflickerofcandleonLada’speakguidedthem.Ontheirsidewasaflatpatchofrockymeadowabouttwenty feet above the fortress opposite them. From there they had a perfectvantagepoint—andpointofattack.Launchingasiegeagainst thefortresswouldbenearlyimpossible.Ladahad

madecertainofthat.Itwasasthoughthefortresshadsprungfromtheveryrocksofthepeak,growinguparoundher.Maybeithad.MaybeWallachialovedhissisterasmuchasshelovedit.But she made the same mistake everyone who went against Mehmed did.

Because it did notmatter how clever theywere.Mehmed had themoney, themen, and the weaponry to be cleverer. All they had to do was sit here, safebehind thecoverof rock and trees, and fire cannonball after cannonball at hissister’sfortress.Tenyearsago,thisattackwouldhavebeenimpossible.ButLadahadnotbeenatConstantinople.HadnotseenanartillerydesignedbythedeadlygeniusofUrbana.A dozen men were making the trip back down to bring up even more

cannonballsandgunpowder.Raduhadseveralhundredmorewhowouldsetupa

positionatthebaseofthepeakoncethebombardmentbeganandtheelementofsurprisewaspast.Eventually the fortresswould fall. Lada’smen could not runwithout being

pickedoff—justasRadu’smencouldnothaveattackedon footwithoutbeingpickedoff.Thefortress’sstrengthswerealsoitsgreatestweaknesses.Justlikethegirlwhobuiltit.“Wewatchandwait.Weneedtobecertainsheisthere,”Raduwhispered.But

heknew.Justashehadfeltthatshewasnotdead,hecouldfeelher,heavieranddarkerthanthenight.Shewasthere.Hismendispersedsilentlyintothetrees,thecannonscoveredwithfoliageso

nothingcouldbeseen.Radulayonhisstomach,onlyhisheadpeeringoverthesideofalargeboulderontheedgeofhismountain.Beneathhim,onlydarkness.Cyprianjoinedhim,andtheywaitedtoseewhatthedawnwouldreveal.“Ifsheisthere,”Cypriansaid,butthenhepaused,shiftingtolieonhisback

andlookstraightup.Raduimitatedhim.Inthesilenceandthenightitwaseasytopretenditwasonlythetwoofthem.Thattheywerenotsurroundedbymenandmachinesmadeforkilling.Thathissisterwasnotasleeponlyasmallchasmaway.That last fact was harder to ignore. Lada was stubborn that way, always

claimingspacethatdidnotbelongtoher,whetherinrealityorinRadu’smind.“Ifsheisthere,”Cyprianbeganagain,“whatwillyoudo?”“WhatIhaveto.”“Andwhatdoyouhavetodo?”Raduclosedhiseyes,theblacknessbehindhislidsofferingnomorecomfort

than thenight. “What shewoulddo.WhatMehmedwoulddo. I have tried sohard to escape this, butmy pathwas always leading here. I took every turn Icould.IfoundfaithandGod.Ifoundanewhomeandcountry,evennewtonguesand a new name. But I cannot escape becoming a Dracul. The cruelty, thewillingness to destroy everything else in pursuit of a goal. I know what shewoulddo.IknowwhatIneedtodo.ButIdonotwanttodoit.”RadufeltCyprian’slongfingersreachforhis,feltthemlinktogether.Feltthe

waytheyfitasthoughtheywerealwaysmeantforeachother.CyprianliftedRadu’shandandpressedittohislips.“LadaandMehmedcan

only move forward. They have one path and cannot branch from it. But youunderestimate yourself. You are not your sister, nor should you be. You havealways had strengths she did not. If youwant to go backdown thismountaintonightandleaveWallachiaforever,Iwillbeatyourside.Andifyoudecidethatkilling your sister is the right decision, I will be at your side. But do not dosomethingbecauseshewould,orbecauseMehmedwould.”

“Buttheywerecapableofgreatness.Destinedforit,even.”“Thendonotaimforgreatness.Aimforgoodness.Andhoweveryougetthere

willbetherightpathforyou,mysweetRadu.”Radufeltwarmtears trackdownhis face.Howcouldhefindgood inallof

this?“Shewillneverstop.Shecannot.IcannotthinkofanywaytosaveherandWallachia.”“You survived a cruel childhood.You built a safe space for your heart and

your soul.You navigated an enemy court andmade it your own.You rose topowerwhenyou shouldhavebeena captive.Youmade friendswith themostpowerfulmanofourage.Youwentintoanenemycityandhelpedturnthetideforyourpeople—andmanagedtoshowtremendousmercyatthesametime.Ifanyonecanfigureoutaway,Radu,itisyou.”

Atdawn,Raduprayed.Thereweremen in the fortress.Theyweresmalland insignificant fromthis

distance,millingidlyabout.Theyhadnoideatheywerebeingwatched.Raduhadbeenright,hadknowntheywouldfindherhere.Ladawalkedout

ontothefortresswallandleanedovertheedge.AthersidewasBogdan.Thoughthedistancewasgreat,Raduwouldrecognizethatblockofamananywhere.Herecognizednoneoftheothermen,afewofwhomstoodwithLadaandBogdan.BogdantriedtotakeLada’shands,butshebattedhisaway.Radukneltandreachedforalongbow.Nockinganarrowontothestring,he

breathedout, lookingdownthe lengthof theshaft tohissister.Hehadalwaysbeenabettershotthanshewas.Itwastheonlyphysicalthinghecouldbeatherat.Everythingelseaboutherhadalwaysbeenstronger.Includingherheart.Raduwouldbreakit.Hetookadeepbreath,andaimed.

45

PoenariFortress

LADASLAPPEDBOGDAN’Shandawayasheonceagainreachedforhers.“Wearegettingmarried.Youarenotachildwalkingtooclosetotheriverbank.Ihardlythinkyouneedmetoholdyourhand.”Bogdan smiled, joy softeninghisblocky features and turninghimback into

theboyshehadsharedachildhoodwith.“DoyourememberwhenyoutoldmymotherthatIwasyourbrother,andRaduaworm?NowIwillbeyourhusband.Thisiswherewemarriedthefirsttime,too.”Ladarolledhereyes,butsheremembered.Andthoughshedidnotfeelthejoy

Bogdansoevidentlydid,itstillfeltright.ShehadalwayswantedBogdanatherside.Itwasarenewingofthatbondmadeinbloodduringtheirchildhood.A renewingofherbondboth toBogdanandher country.Shehadnot done

enough yet. Had not pushed hard enough or far enough. But shewould.AndBogdanwouldsupporteverystep,ashealwayshad.The crooked, gray priest from the village continued his part as though they

werenottalkingoverhim.Ladaworechainmailandatunicembroideredwithhercrest.Shehadlefttheredclothinherhair.Theoldwomanhadwornitatherownwedding.Itfeltnicetohonorher.Italsofeltdisloyal,becausethewomanLadashouldactuallyhonorhadbeenleftbehindinHunedoara.WouldOanabehappyaboutthisofficialunion?Ladahopedso.ThepriestaskedBogdanaquestion.Ladawasnotpayingmuchattention.She

felt a flutter of nerves in her lower stomach. It made no sense. She was notnervous.Shedidnotcareenoughaboutthisceremonytobeworriedorfearful.Thefluttercameagain.Itwassomethingnew.Somethingforeign.

LadaputherhandonherstomachandlookedupatBogdaninhorror.Hewasstaringsolemnlyatthepriest.“Bogdan,”Ladahissed.He turned toward her, holding out his hands again. She reached up to take

them,needingananchor,needingsomethingtoholdontoagainstthesickdreadthat had opened like a pit inside of her. She needed her nurse. She neededDaciana.ButallshehadnowwasBogdan.Concernerasedhishappinesslikeacloudpassingoverthesun.“Oh,”hesaid,

frowningatthearrowthathadappeared,embeddeddeepinhisside.He looked back up at Lada, then lurched heavily toward the wall. Lada

reachedoutforhim,butshewastoolate.Hisweightandmomentumtippedhimovertheedge.Lada watched as Bogdan spun through the air before finally hitting stone,

bouncingwithathicksnapoffanddownthesteepclifffacetowardtheriverfarbeneath.Hislimbsmovedwithoutresistance,Bogdanalreadyreducedtoamerebody.Bogdanwasgone.And this time therewouldbenomiraculous reunion, no

finding each other again after years of separation. Bogdanwas gone. Bogdanwasnotallowedtobegone.Bogdancouldnotbegone.Hebelongedtoher.Lada stared atwhere he had fallen.Around hermen shouted, and someone

tuggedonherarm.IfanarrowhadfoundBogdan,anarrowcouldfindher,too.Shelookedup,searchingthemountainoppositethem.There.Alonefigure,standing,alongbowathisside.Radu lifted a hand and waved. Dazed and in shock, Lada lifted hers and

wavedback.The first cannonball struck the fortress. The resounding crack of stone on

stone jarred Lada from her dreamlike state. He was not waving. He wassignalinghismen.“There!” Lada pointed. “Aim anything we have up there!” She ducked,

jumpingfromtheinsideofthewalldowntothefloor.Thelandingwasashockshefeltthroughherwholebody.Sheneededit.Sheneededtofocus.Bogdan,spinningawayfromherforever.“Cannons!Arrows!Crossbows!Andwatchthepathstomakecertaintheyare

notsneakingupfromourside, too!”Ladashouteddirectionsatmen.Menshedidnotknow,menwhosefacesshebarelyrecognized.Theyscurriedaroundher,rushingintoaction,andshestood.Alone.

Bogdan,thefirstmanshehadchosen.Thelastonetoleaveher.Amanscreamedasanexplosionblewtinymissilesofstonesanddebrisinto

theairandsentLadatoherknees.Shewipedawaybloodtrailingintohereyestoseehalf theouterwallblownapart—thehalf thatwasonesideof the roomwheretheircannonsandgunpowderwerekept.“God’swounds.”Shehadalwaysthoughtgettingmarriedwouldbethedeath

ofher.Shehadnotexpectedthatfeartoberealizedquitesoliterally.Oneofthetowersgroaned,rocksrainingdown.Thefortresshadgoneupfast,

speedandsecrecybeingLada’smaingoals.Shehadnotdesignedittowithstandartillery, assuming no one would be able to haul massive, heavy cannons upmountains without being noticed. It had been a tremendous failure ofimaginationonherpart.Radudidnotsufferthesamelack.Lada’s men found openings wherever they could, firing off crossbows and

arrows.Sheclutchedher locket,asensationthatshewasforgettingsomething,missingsomethingvitalplaguingher.Butsheknewwhatwasmissing,andhewouldneverreturn.Then,anothertinyflutterinherstomach.Shefeltasthoughsheweretheonetumblingdownthemountain.Shehadtofocus.Sherantotheothersideofthefortressandclimbedaladder

up thewall, peering down over the gate at the path thatwound treacherouslydown.“You!” She grabbed a man—Grigore—as he huddled next to the wall and

whateverprotectionitoffered.“Iamsendingyouforhelp.Theyarenotonthissideofthemountainyet.”Ladathrewaropeoverthewall.Shetieditoff,thengesturedtoit.“But—”Helookeddesperatelyaround,hesitating.“Wouldyouratherbeouttherewiththem,orinherewithmeafterdisobeying

myorder?”Grigorethrewhimselfoverthewall,scramblingdowntherope.Hewasnearly

to the bottom when a crossbow bolt sank into his belly and he dropped,screaming.“Burnthebridge!”Ladashouted,ducking.Thefortresswasbuiltonajutting

slabofpeak,andawoodenbridgespannedtheravinebetweenthepeakandtherestofthemountain.Itwasanothernaturaldefense.Forallthegooditwoulddothemunderthisbarrage.Ladaclimbedbackdownto thefortressfloorasmendumpedpitchover the

wallontothebridge,thenlitarrowsandfiredthem.Forallsheknew,therewasonlyasingleJanissaryonhermountain.Iftheyall

ranforit,theycouldpossiblyoverwhelmwhoeverwasoutthere.Manyofthem

mightmake it.ButRaduhadmore resources than shedid.He couldhave tenthousandmenwaitinginthetrees.Hecouldnotbringdowntheentirefortressinoneday.Hecouldpickawayat

it,butitwouldbeatleastaweekbeforethesmallcannonshecouldhavehauledthat far up the mountain would do enough damage to bring the whole thingdown.Hehadbeenluckywiththeshottakingouthergunpowderstores.Therestoftheprocesswouldbeslower.Generously,Ladaestimated theyhadonedefensibleweek.Theycould fight

theirwaydownthemountain,buttherewasnowaytodoitinsecret.SoevenifRadu did not have many men waiting, he would see them fleeing and haveenoughtimetomovehismentothebottomandwait.IfLadawaitedouttheslowcannondeathofthefortress,thevillagerswould

eventuallynotice.Buttheywouldhavenoideawhotogotoforhelp.Andshehadnotyet sentout any instructions tohermen.As far asher soldiershidingthroughout these mountains knew, they were doing precisely what they weresupposedto:waiting.Thousandsofwillingfighters,andnoonetohelp.Bogdanwasdead.Ladakeptrememberingthatanew.Butthistimeshefelta

washofreliefthatOanahadbeenabandoned.Thatshehadnotseenthis.Ithadbeenamercy,afterall, leavingherbehind.Onegood thing tocomeofLada’sbetrayal.She stood in the tiny courtyard, listening to men shouting, watching them

runningaroundher.SeeingBogdanfall,again,andagain,andagain.Shewasalone.Forthefirsttimeshecouldremember,shewaswellandtruly

alone.Shehadthoughtherselfstrongandapart,butthathadbeenalie.Asachild,shehadhadhernurse.HerBogdan.Herworshipofherfather.And

Radu.ThenshehadhadRaduandMehmed.ThenshehadhadNicolaeandhermen,andinhermindshehadstillhadRadu

andMehmed,thoughsheknewnowthatitwasalieandalwayshadbeen.ShehadevengottenherBogdanandhernurseback,andbuiltasmallarmyof

peoplearoundher.Butonebyonetheyhadleft,orbeentakenfromher.Theflutteringsensationinherlowerabdomencameback,andshecouldnot

catchherbreath,couldnotstopherracingheart.Shewasnotalone.Shewasalone.“Fire everythingwe have left, and then abandon the fortress!” she shouted.

Themenstopped,disbelieffreezingthem.Andthen,astheyfollowedherorders,theiractionsbecamefrenzied.

Shewalked,numbandheedlessofthesurroundingchaos,tothenearestdoor.Insidetheroomwasanoldwellcoveredwithplanksofwoodthattheyhadbuiltaround.Ladapickedupa lengthofropeagainst thewallandtied it toametalloopfixed into thestones.Thenshepushedaside theplanks,droppedtheropeinside,andclimbedintothewell.The rope burned her hands and her arms trembled, weak from her time in

prison.Shewentasslowlyasshecould,slidingdownthelastfewfeetandonlyjustcatchinghertoesonthefootholdsthatledtothebottomofthewell.Last year she had found the cave at the bottom of the peak. During

constructionofthefortress,shediscoveredthewellwhenbatsflewoutofit.Ithadtobetheupperexitofthemountain’ssecretpassage.Butshehadnoideaifthehandholdsandfootholdscontinuedallthewaytothebottom,oriftimehadwornthemaway.If only they had found thewell that summer they discovered the peak. She

wouldhaveexplored it.Shewouldhave forcedBogdandown.Ormore likelyRadu.Thenshewouldknowforcertainwhether itwaspossible todescendalltheway to the secret passage.Her youthful exploration had failed her, as hadeverythingfromherchildhood.Hermother.Herfather.Bogdan.Radu.Whatusewerememoriesiftheycouldnotsavehernow?ShewastormentedbythoughtsofBogdan,ofRadu.Bythetimethethreeof

them had spent here. A summer of laughter and scraped knees, soaked insunshine, thememorymockinghernow that shewas clingingblindly to cold,wetstone.RaduhadtakenBogdanfromher.Radu.Who did she have now? Where was the strength and assurance that had

sustained her? She should put her trust in her truemother,Wallachia, but shekeptseeingBogdanfalling.Bouncingoffhermountain.Howcouldthis,too,betakenfromher?The rocks were slick with moisture, portions caked with layers of bat

droppingsormoldygrowths.Shefeltthembeneathherfingernails,wasgladshecould not see their blackness clinging to her. Itwas completely dark now, theopeningabovehersofarshecouldnolongerseeitslight.Beneathher,hergoaltoofartoevenseeaglimmerofhope.Alone,stonepressingin,sheknew:therewasnoheartinthismountain.Wallachiawasnothermother.Wallachiadidnotcarewhathappenedtoher.

Andeverysinglepersonwhomighthavewaseitherdeadortryingtokillher.Herfeetslipped,andshehungbythetipsofherfingers.Painburnedthrough

them. “I am a dragon,” she whispered. It echoed around her, her own words

comingbackhauntedandemptyofmeaningorstrength.Shefell.

46

PoenariFortress

RADUSATINthedimlanternlight,hisheadleaningagainstthecoldstone.Inhishand he held one of Lada’s knives.Wrist, wrist, waist, ankle, ankle. He hadtakenthemall.Lada’shead rested inhis lap,her eyes closed.Herbreathingwas even.Her

armhadbeenbentatanimpossibleanglewhenhefoundherinacrumpledheapat the bottom of the long, dark tunnel leading to the fortress. She was notbleedinganywherethathecouldsee,butshehadbeensleepingforhoursnow.Heshifted,workingcirculationbackintohislegs.Lada’seyelidsfluttered.Radustrokedherforehead,brushingawayoneofher

tangled curls. She sat up with a start, then cried out in pain, grabbing hershoulderandscootingawayfromhim.Shetriedtostandbutoneofheranklesgaveout.Draggingherselfaway,shehitthefarwallonlyafewfeetfromRaduandstopped,leaningbackagainstitandbreathingheavily.“Hello,Lada,”Radusaid.Withhergoodhand,Ladareachedforherotherwrist.Raduhelduptheknife.Inthelamp’sgoldenflicker,Lada’sblackeyeslooked

dead,noreflectioncomingbacktohim.Itwasasthoughthelightwassuckedin,devouredwhole,anddisposedof.“Howdidyouknowabout thisplace?”Ladaputhergoodhandonher ribs

andgrimaced.“DidyouthinkallIdidthatsummerwascrybecauseyouandBogdanwould

notletmeplaywithyou?”Ladablinked,stilldazed.“Actually,yes.”

Radu laughed, the sound ringingbrighter through the space than the lamp’slight.“Ididdoafairamountofthat.ButIalsoexplored.Ifoundthiscave,andclimbedall thewayuptothefortress.AssoonasIgotoutupthere,Iknewitwasthesecretyouhadbeenkeeping.Ididnotdareclimbbackdown,though.Ittookmeuntildarktohikeback.YounevernoticedIwasgonethewholeday.”Radusmiled.“FatherdidnotnoticewhenIfoundthefortressruinsthefirst time,either.I

wassoexcitedtotellhim.Butallhewantedtodowasleaveus.”“Thatneverchanged.”Radusighed,asoftnoiselostinthebreezethatwound

itswaybacktothispartofthecavern.“WhenIheardrumorsofyourfortressinthemountains,IknewthiswaswhereIwouldfindyou.”Lada closed her eyes, another grimace passing over her face and then

resolutelydismissed.“Soyoucamedownhereafteryoumissed.”“AfterImissed?”“Yourshot.Withthearrow.”“Ididnotmiss.”Ladaopenedhereyes,narrowingthemathim.“AndyethereIam,freefrom

arrowholes.”“Ihitmytarget.”Ladastruggledforwords.“You—youmeanttokillBogdan?”Ithadnotbeenaneasydecision.RaduhadsightedLadafirst.ButCyprian’s

beliefinhimmadehimpause.IfhehadCyprianathisside,heknewhecoulddoanything.AndifLadahadBogdanatherside,heknewshewouldnevergiveup.Shewouldhavetobestrippedofeverythingshehadclaimedovertheyears.AndsoRaduhadkilledLada’soldestfriend.Thesonoftheirbelovednurse.Notaninnocentmanbyanymeasure,butstill,Raduwouldcarryhismurderwithhimuntiltheendofhisowndays.HehadtobreakLadabeforetheend.AndsoBogdandied.“Ineededyouto

understandthecostofthis.Tofeelloss.”“OryousimplyhatedBogdan.”Radurubbedhisearagainsthisshoulderself-consciously.Itwastrue.Hehad

hatedBogdan.Buthatehadnotmotivatedhisactions.“Youhavetolose.”“Youtookhimfromme.”Radu’s own anger flared at her accusations. “Youmurderedmy brother-in-

law!”“He took you from me!” Lada lurched forward, then gasped in pain,

collapsingbackagain.“Iamnotsorry.”Radufoughtbackhisanger.Shewastryingtoprovokehim.“Iknow.”

“YoucantellMehmedthat.TellhimIwasnotsorry.Tellhimmyonlyregretwasthathedidnotdieundermyknife.”Raduheldupahandandmimickedwritingaletter.“DearMehmed,”hesaid,

hisvoicesingsongy.“Mysistersendsherregards,andwantsyoutoknowhowmuchsheadmiresyourbloodandwishesshecouldhaveseenmoreofit.Allofit,infact.”Ladaletoutashockedburstoflaughter,holdingherribsanddoublingoverin

pain.Shepanted,easingherselfbackup.“Finish it. I always said Iwouldkillyou.Ineverimaginedyouwouldkillme.”Radudidnottakehiseyesoffhissister.“Soyousee,then.Theresultofyour

struggle. You are alone, in the dark, with no allies and no friends and noweapons.”Lada’sfacewasasfierceandproudasitwasdrawnandpinchedfrompain.“Wasitworthit?”Raduwhispered.Ladaliftedherchin.“Yes.”Radu scratched the knife against the damp stone beneath him. “Do you

rememberthestoryofShirinandFerhat?”“Weareinthecenterofmymountain,Radu,andIseenoheart.”Radusmiled.“Youarewrong.Therearetwo.Yours,andmine.”Lada let out a deep, shaking breath, and some of her pride fell with her

shoulders.OnherfacewasanexpressionRaduhadneverseenbefore.Sadness.“Iwishitwasnotyou,”shesaid.“Icouldtakeabladehappilyfromanyone

butyou.”“Youwillneverstop,though.Evennow.Iftherewasawaytogoon,alone,

strippedofeverything,youwoulddoit.”Ladanodded,handdriftinguptothelocketRaduhadgivenher.“AslongasI

havebreath,Iwillfight.Evenwhenitfeelslikemyowncountrydoesnotwantmeto,Iwillfight.Icannotstop.”“That iswhatI thought.”Radustood,shakingouthis legs,whichweresore

andnumbfromsittingsolong.“YouandMehmed.Iwasalwaystryingtoprotectyoutwo,tryingtoshiftyourcourses.IwishIhadbeenableto.ButifIhad,youwouldnotbethepeopleyouare,andIcannotbegrudgeyouthat.”Raduclosedthedistancebetweenthem.Ladalookedupathimwithfiercedefiance.Hetuckedtheknifeintothewaistofhisbreeches.“Youreallytriedtoprotect

meduringourchildhood.Tomakemestronger.Everytimeyouletmebebeaten.Everytimeyouweretheonebeatingme.Itwasbecauseyoucouldseenootherwaytoprotectme.”Ladaliftedaneyebrowinconfusion.“Yes.”

“ThenletmeprotectyouinthewaythatIknowhow.Iwillnotstaywithyouforever—Icannot,andIdonotwantto.ButIcanhelpyouforalittlewhilesothatyoucancontinuemakingWallachiafree.Ithinkyoudeserveeachother.”Ladafrowned.“Isthataninsult?”Radu laughed. “I donot know.Butyouhave seenwhat yourmethodshave

produced.Letmehelpyoulongenoughtogetyouonstableground.Icangiveyouathronewithoutturmoilorthreatsoyoucanmakeyourcountryhealthy.”“Andthen?”“AndthenIwillleave.”“WhataboutMehmed?”“Letmeworryabouthim.Please.Letmeworryaboutalltheotherleadersand

noblesandboyars.Iinsist.”“I do not need—”Lada stopped, shaking her head. “I do need your help. I

alwaysdid.Butyouwerenothere.Youdidnotchooseme.”Radu knelt in front of her, holding the knife out.Knowing that he had just

killedherbestfriend.Knowingthathehadstrippedherofeverything.Knowingthataninjured,corneredwildthingwasthemostdangeroustype.Knowing that thiswas his choice. That itwas notwhat Ladawould do, or

Mehmed.Andthatwaswhyitwasright.Ladareachedout,herfingersclosingaroundtheknife.Shehelditup,playing

withthereflectionsoflight.“Youaremineagain?”“Foratime.”“Andthen?”“AndthenIamretiringtoliveoutahappy,peacefullifefarfromthronesand

rulersand impossibledecisions.”Hepaused.“Orwecoulddo thatnow.Comewithme.Leaveitallbehind.”Lada’shandtightenedreflexivelyaroundtheknife.“Ididnotthinkso,butIhadtotry.”Raduheldouthishand.Ladasheathed

herknife,andacceptedhishelp.“Youdoknow,”Radusaid,hisvoiceasgentleashisarmaroundherwaist,

“thatthiswillbethedeathofyou.Nottoday.Nottomorrow,ifwehaveanyluck.Buteventuallytheywillendyoufordaringtodemandpower.”“I know. But Wallachia is worth it.” In his sister’s voice, Radu heard her

acceptanceoftheend.Therewasnodefiance.Herwordswerealmosttender,asthoughspokentoalover.Together,theywalkedoutofthedarkcaveandintothelight.“Also,”Ladasaid,blinkingashereyesadjusted,“doyouwantababy?”

47

Tirgoviste

LADALAYONherback,staringupatthetreebranches.Theywereentwinedlikefingers,theblueoftheskyfightingthrough.Lateautumnhadleftthembereftoftheirleavessaveforafewsadstragglers.Itwascoldenoughthattheircompanywaswrappedinfurs,butnoonehadarguedwithherwhenshesuggestedtheymeet in the forest. Nazira avoided her, always finding somewhere else to bewhenLadawas involved inmeetings.Ladadidnothold it againsther.Fatimathesilentmaidhadcomeinstead,alongwithRaduandCyprian.SomewherenearbyRadu’smensilentlyandinvisiblyguardedthegroup.She

often suspected their attentionwas turnedmore toward her than toward otherpossible threats.Whichproved theywere goodmen.WhenRaduhadbroughtLada out and declared a treaty had been agreed upon, Radu’s men had beenwary.ButRadustillexcelledatusinghissilver tongue toconvinceothers thathiswaywasthebest.He hadwritten toMehmed, too. Lada did not askwhatRadu said, or how

Mehmed responded.All she knewwas thatRaduwas on her side,whichwasworthmorethanshehadimagined,andshewouldnotjeopardizeit.“WhataboutKingStephen?”Ladaasked,continuingtheirconversationabout

threatsandallies.“Hestillhasthecitieshetookfrommewhenhewassupposedtobehelping.Iwanttokillhim.”Radusighed, rubbing thesideofhisnoseand leavingbehinda traceof ink.

Cyprian,thetallyoungGreekwhowasalwaysatherbrother’sside,laughedandwiped it away. Cyprian was nothing like Mehmed. He was joyful and open,wearinghisemotionssoclearlyevenLadacouldreadhim.Mehmedhadalwaysbeensocarefulwithwhatheshowedtheworld.AndwhereMehmedwasnever

satisfied with anything, always wanting more knowledge, more power, morecontrol,CyprianseemeddeeplycontentaslongashewaswithRadu.Lada had once questioned whether anyone could pull Radu’s heart from

Mehmed. She would not have thought someone so different from Mehmedwouldbetheonetodoit.ShesupposedsheoughttobehappyforRadu,buthewasbeingveryaggravating.“YoucannotkillthekingofMoldavia,”Radusaid.“Iwasnotplanningondoingitpersonally.”Ladagestureddownatherever-

expandingstomach.“ObviouslyIwouldsendsomeoneelse.”“No, I mean,we cannot kill Stephen. He is still an ally. I have had good

responsesfrommyenvoystohim.Besides,Ithoughtyoulikedhim?”“Ido.Butthatdoesnotmeanheshouldliveafterwhathedid.Whatkindof

exampledoesitsetifIallowhimtokeepthelandhetook?”“Wearenotgoingtolethimkeepit.Wearegoingtogiveittohimasagiftto

thank him for being our ally, and as a gesture of future goodwill andcooperation.”Ladasatupwithagrunt.“Thatisterrible.”“That is diplomacy. I cannot do much right now for our relations with

Transylvania and Bulgaria, but we will not damage one of our only friendlyborders.”Ladascowled,kneadingherlowerbackwithherknuckles.“Letme.”Fatima settled on the blanket next to her and rubbedLada’s sore

muscles. Back in the castle, whether meeting with envoys or directing landmanagement,NaziraworeadresspaddedtoimitateLada’scondition.“Youareonlynicetomebecauseyouwantthisbaby,”Ladasaid.Fatimadidnotpauseorrespond.Sheneverdid.ShetreatedLadawithdistant

kindnessthatLadaknewshedidnotdeserve,anditrankledher.Fatimashouldhateher,asNazirarightfullydid.SometimesLadawondered if she should apologize toNazira formurdering

herbrother.Butshewasgivingherababy,whichapparentlyNazirawantedverymuch.AndLada could not find thewords—or the sentiment—to say shewassorry.She likedNazira in spiteofherself, though.Muchas shehad suspectedanddoubtedthemarriage,shesawnowthatNazirawasfierceinherownright,withaclevermindalwayslookingforopportunities.It seemeda loss toLada thatsheandNaziracouldnotbefriends.But there

wasnothingshecoulddo to fixwhatshehaddone.Shewouldnot try.NazirastillhadfarmorethanLadadid.Raduhadmanagedtobuildaformidablefamilyaroundhimself.And,unlikeLada,hegottokeepallofthem.

Atwigsnapped,andshereachedforarockbeforerealizingthatBogdanwasnottryingtosneakupontheirlessonsintheforest.ItwasOana,hikingthroughtheforesttowardthem,luggingalargebasket.“WewillkillMatthias,though,”Ladasaid.Thewordshunginafrozencloud

ofbreath.Shewilledthemtobecomeasolidreality.“Hebetrayedme.Keptmelockedinprisonforthreemonths.HealsobetrayedthepopeandhisEuropeanalliesbytakingthegoldintendedforourcrusadeagainstMehmedandusingittobuyhisstupidcrownback.Hecannotbetrusted.Besides,wecannotbesurehewillnottrytoharmmeagain.”“WearenotgoingtokillMatthias,”Raduanswered.“Hetookmeprisoner!”“Buthedidnotkillyou.OrOana.Heevensentherbackasagift.”Oanagrunted,unpackingtheirafternoonmeal.“Hecouldhavesentsomething

morevaluable.”“Thereisnothingmorevaluable,”Radusaid,buthecouldnotquitemeettheir

nurse’seyes.OnlyheandLadaknewthesourceofhisguilt.TheclosestLadahadcometoapologizingforleavingherbehindwasnottellingtheirnursewhoitwas that had killed Bogdan. As far as Oana knew—or would ever know—Bogdanwentintothemountainstogethelpandneverreturned.Oanashouldnothavetolivewiththetruth.ItwasenoughthatLadaandRadu

did.Oana’sgazeshifteddowntoLada’sswollenstomachandhereyesmistedwith

tears.Ladaresistedtheurgetogrowl.Ifshecouldremovethedamnedthingandhave itoverwith,shewould. Itwas likeaparasite, foreignand intrusive.AndLadaknewwhenotherslookedatherstomach,theysawwhattheywantedto.Nazira and Fatima saw their futures as mothers. Radu, a secret to hide to

protectLada.Oana,herownfleshandbloodmixedwithherclaimeddaughter.“Isithis?”RaduhadaskedonenightashehelpedLadaexerciseherinjured

armtogetfullmovementback.“YoumeanBogdan’s?”Ladahadanswered.“WebothknowthatisnotwhoImeant.”Ladahadnot answered again.Norwould she ever. Sheknew that the child

couldbeconsideredalegalheir—knewthatinMehmed’smindandintheeyesofOttoman law,Ladawaspartofhisharem.Hewouldneverhaveanyofheragain.Certainlynotwhateverbeastwascurrently takingupresidenceoverherbladder.Raduwasstilltalking.“…becauseweknowwhathewants,heiseasytodeal

with.AndheisourconnectiontothepopeandtherestofEurope.Itisafineline

towalk,butIthinkwecanmanagetokeephimonourside,orattheveryleastnotdirectlyagainstus.”“ItwouldhelpifwehadmoneytosendMatthias,”Ladasaid.“Heisdeeply

loyaltomoney.”“Alotof thingswouldbehelped ifwehadmoney.Firstweneed tosurvive

thiswinter.”Lada knew that they would, and only because of Radu’s foresight in

employinghisJanissariesas farmers.Shehaddestroyedherownland.Hehadhealedit.Again,hewasannoyingher.“IfyouwillnotletmekillStephenorMatthias,

whocanwekill?”“I have made a comprehensive list.” Radu shuffled through his sheaves of

parchment.Mostofthemdetailedfunds,wheretheywere,wheretheycouldgo.Resourcessuchasfoodandmaterials.Listsofmenandwheretheywerelocated,aswellaspeoplehefelttheycouldtrustorwouldbeabletobuythetrustof.Inshort,allthelittledetailsLadahadneverwantedtodealwithbutthatittooktorunacountry.Radu made an excellent prince. She was not surprised. Nor was she even

particularlyangry.Shehadalwayswantedhimatherside.Hadalwaysknownthattogether,theycouldaccomplishwhatneithercouldalone.Perhapsifshehadnotbrokensomuchtogethimhere,hewouldstay.“Ah!Hereitis.”Raduliftedapieceofparchmentandhelditouttoher.Lada’seyesslittedtoknife-thinlines.“Thisisblank.”“Exactly!Wearebuilding,notburning.”“I still think it would be easier to start over. Break down everything that

existedandledtosuchweaknessandrot.”Radu’sjawtightenedreflexively.“Ihaveseenwhatitcoststotakesomething

very old and make it new. Streets running with blood to clear out a fallingempireandmakewayforthefuture.Children—”CyprianreachedoutandplacedhishandoverRadu’s,whichtrembledsohard

theparchmentrustled.Radutookadeepbreath.“Youdonotwanttopaythatcost.Ipromise.Even

youbuiltPoenariFortressonthestonesofthepast,thestrengththatwasalreadythere.Wearedoingthesame.”Ladaraisedaneyebrow.“Youknockedthatfortressdown.”Asoftgiggle fromFatimadreweveryone’seyes towhereshesat,curledup

under a thick fur. “Well,” she said, softly, “it was probably not the bestexample.”

Ladaleanedbackandletthemtalk,listenedtoCyprianandRadudiscussandstrategizeandplan.Raduwastryingtogiveherthemoststablethronehecouldmanage,andshedidnotdoubthewoulddoagoodjob.Theyhadyettodiscussthebiggestproblem,theonetheysharedanentirehistorywith.Neitherofthemhadbeenwillingtobroachthattopicyet.Lada’shandsrestedonherstomach.Shemovedthemaway.Fatima gently rubbed Lada’s forehead and neck, where she had constant

tension. Here in the forest, in her trees, in her country, Lada listened to thefamilyherbrotherhadbuiltanddesperatelymissedherown.

“Hewantstomeet,”Radusaid,staringoutfromthetower.Ladadidnotwanttobeuphere.Neitherofthemlikedthecastle,butheseemedfondofthetower.Itheld only ghosts for Lada. Another night, another time, othermen she loved.LadalookeddownatTirgoviste,tryingtoforget.Everythingwasfrozen.Calm.Warsleptduringthewinter,curleduplikeabearinacave.AndsoTirgovistewasfillingupagain.ThankstoRadu’sstoresoffoodand

Lada’spresence,thepeopleofWallachiahadslowlyreturned.And,againthankstoRadu,severalofthelargemanorsonceagainheldboyars.Raduvisitedthemdaily,makingsocialcallswithhischarming flowerofawife.ButhealsometwiththepeopleLadahadpicked,theonesshehadgivenlandto.Shecouldseein his actions that he respected what she had tried to do, what she was stillhoping to do. He just wanted to be nicer about the whole thing, which wastypicalofhim.“Weworkwelltogether,”hesaid,asthoughreadinghermind.“Youmean I do all thework and then you come in and smile at people to

makethemlikeyou?”Radu laughed. “Yes.” Then he sighed and his face got serious again.

“Mehmedwants tomeet.He is sending envoys, all ofwhomwill survive andleavehealthyandwell,andIamworkingonnewtermsthatIthink—Ihope—hewill accept.Heowesme,and Ihaveneveraskedhim foranything. I thinkhewillallowyoutoremainonthethrone.Buthewantstomeetinsecret.”“Thetwoofyou?”“Thethreeofus.”Thethinginsideherjabbedherribs,whichwerestillsorefromherfallthose

monthsbefore.Sheshoveditwithherhand.Shehadshedherusualchainmail.Sheworeodd,bulkyrobessomewherebetweenadressand theentariworn intheOttomanEmpire.Herbodywasnaturallythickandhadhiddenherconditionforsometime,buttheseclotheswereheronlyoptionnow.Itwouldnotbelong.

Ladashookherhead.“Ihavenothingtosaytohim.”“Evenaftereverything?”“Especiallyaftereverything.DidItellyouIsawourmother?”Radutiltedhishead,frowningatthesubjectchange.“When?”“When youwere in Constantinople. Iwas trying to find support. I thought

maybeshecouldconnectmewithherfather.”Radu’seyebrowsrose,andhelookedlikethelittleboyshehadsavedsomany

times growing up. But she could not save him from this. “She did not care,”Lada said. “About us. Aboutwhat had happened to us. She did not even askaboutyou.”Radu blinked rapidly, then attempted to lift the corners of hismouth along

withhisshouldersasheshrugged.“Idonotevenrememberher.”“She does not deserve any place in yourmemories. She let theworld—our

father—breakher.Andshe left so the samecouldbedone tous. Iwillnotbebroken.AndIwillneverforgiveorforgetthosewhofailedtostandbymyside.”“Mehmed was our friend, Lada. More than that. To you, at least.” Radu’s

smilewaswistfulbutnotbitter.“Hehadallthepowerintheworld,andhewouldextendnonetohelpme.He

didnotwanttoseemesucceed.Heonlycaredaboutmeinrelationtohimself.”Sheknewitwastrue,becauseshehadtreatedBogdanthesameway.ShehatedMehmed for it, and she did her best not to think aboutBogdan, lest she hateherself.Radusighed,nodding.“Idonotwanttoseehim,either.”“What happened between you two?” Lada had been jealous for so long,

worried aboutMehmed’s affections. She should haveworriedmore for Radu.Butneitherof themhadbeenable toavoidMehmedbecoming thecentralstararoundwhichtheyspun.“Nothinghappened.Heaskedmetostay,andIchosetoleave.Heisalone.”Ladascoffed.“Hehasanempire.”“And he has to be over and above all of it. He loved us—he needed us—

becauseweweretheonlypeoplehecouldbeapersonwith.TheonlyonesforwhomhewasjustMehmed,notthesultan.”“That is the cost of power.”Lada did not look atRadu, knowing hewould

leaveher,too.Shewouldbealone,justasMehmedwas.OnlyRaduhadchosenpeople over power. Lada looked up at the sky, where a crescent moon wasbeginningtorise.“Doyourememberthenightthemoonturnedtoblood?”Radunodded.“IwasinConstantinoplewithCyprian.”LadahadbeenrightherewithBogdan.WithNicolae.WithStefan.WithPetru.

Shehadalreadybeenalone.Shejusthadnotrealizedityet.

“Mehmed can live in a hell of his ownmaking,” Lada said. “Promise himmoneyIwillneversend.DonotagreetogivehimanyWallachians.AslongasIamprince,theJanissarieswillnotbegivenWallachianbloodtofilltheirranks.”If the princes before her had been as strong, she would never have met herfriends.Shewishedthatwerethecase.IftheyhadnotbeenJanissaries,theywouldnot

havebeenher Janissaries.Theywould all still be alive.And shewouldneverhaveknownthem,whichmeantshewouldnotmissthem.“Mehmedwashumiliatedbythefailureofhisattack,”Radusaid.“Ithinkhe

willagreeaslongasitmeanspeace.Andbecauseitismeasking.”“IamgoingtotakebacktheDanube,though.”“Rightnowyouaregoingtocomedowntothethroneroomandsettlesome

landdisputes.Andifintenyearsyourpeoplearenotindangerofstarving,andyouhaveastandingarmyandthesupportofyourneighboringcountriessecuredthroughyearsofpeace,thenbyallmeans:takebacktheDanube.”Ladafakedacasualnessshedidnotfeel.“Wecoulddoittogether.”“Youwillbealone,”Radusaid,hisvoicesadbutfirm.“Iknow,”Ladasaid.

48

SnagovIslandMonastery

RADU’SWORRIEDEXPRESSIONmeltedawaywhenthemonkinformedhimhissisterhadgivenbirthtoababygirl.Thewinterwassocoldtheyhadalmostnotmadeittothemonasteryintime,strugglingtocrossbothlandandlake.Buttheyhadgottenhere.Andnowthebabyhadarrivedaswell.Oanacamefromtheroomcarryinganarmfulofsoiledlinen.“Shedidwell.”

Hervoicewasgruffwithemotion.Raduopenedthedoorhesitantly,andfoundNazirasittingonachair,holdinga

cloth-wrappedbundle.Shebeamedathimwithtearsinhereyes.Fatimawasbythebed,tuckingblanketsaroundLadaandwipingthesweatfromherbrow.Therewasanoddsqueakingnoise,andRadurealizeditwasthebaby.Radu

wenttoNaziraandpeereddown.Thebabyhadthick,darkhair,andthoughitsfacewasredandswollenfromitsentranceintotheworld,RaduneededonlyoneglancetoseethatthiswasamixofthetwopeopleRaduwouldknowanywhere.ThiswasnotBogdan’schild.“Whatshouldwenameher?”Nazirasaid,lookingup.“Theodora,”Ladasaid,hervoiceraw.“Whowasborntonothingandgrewto

ruleanempire.”“Sheisnotborntonothing.”Radusmileddownatthebaby.Fatima came over and took the baby fromNazira. She nuzzled the infant’s

head,breathingindeeply.“Thenameisstrongandbeautiful.Shewillbe,too.”“Ihopeforhersakesheisugly.Nowgetoutandletmerest,”Ladasnapped.

NaziraandFatimahurriedfromtheroomwiththebaby.Ladaturnedinherbed,facingawayfromRadu.Heputonehandonhershoulder,feltLada’sbodycontractwithsilentcrying.

“Getout,”shesaidagain.Heclimbedontothenarrowbedandcurledaroundher,holdingheruntilshe

slept.

“Howdoyoufeel?”Raduasked.“LikeIwillstabthenextpersonwhoasksmehowIfeel,”Ladasaidthrough

grittedteethassherodenexttohim.It had been only a couple ofweeks since the baby had arrived.Nazira and

Fatima were still cocooned on Snagov, having found a wet nurse who waswilling tostaywith themas longas thebabyneeded.Shewasevenwilling torelocate to Edirne. Radu suspected some of her eagerness came from thehandsomepay,andsomefromthefact thatNazirawantedheronlytofeedthebabyandrequirednootherworkfromher.“Soyouwillleaveandhaveahappyhomeinthecountryside?”Ladasaid.“Yes.CyprianwillmarryFatimatomakethingseasiesttoexplain.”Lada made a thoughtful noise. “I suppose marriages always have been

businessarrangementstomakelifeeasier.Yoursaresimplyodderthanmost.”Radulaughed.“Istillcannotquitebelieveweallfoundeachother.”“Ican.Youwerealwaysruthlessaboutfindingpeopletoloveyou.”Radu opened hismouth to argue, hurt. But Ladawas right.He had always

beenasfocusedanddeterminedasshehad.Theysimplyhaddifferentgoals.“Youcouldstillcomewithus.”“Youcouldstillstayhereandhelpmerule.”Shesaiditlightly,buttherewasa

clipped quality to her voice that made Radu suspect the offer carried moreweightthanshewanteditto.“No.”Radu had lovedMehmed and he had loved his sister, but he had no

desire to serve them. Not anymore. He did not want to pay the cost of theirambitions,ortowatchastheypaidit,too.Ladanoddedcurtly.“Howlong?”“Threemonths.Wewanttowaituntilthebabyisabitolderbeforewetravel.”“Wellthen,ridefaster.Ihavealotofworkforyoutodobeforeyougo.”But

shedidnotpickupherownpace.Sheseemedcontent,foronce,totakehertime.“I will sendOanawith you,” she said, burrowing deeper into her fur-lined

coat.“Doesshewant togo?”Raduasked,knowing thatonlyLada’swisheswere

whatwouldcount.“It doesnotmatterwhat shewants. I donotwishher to stay.She canhelp

withthebaby.”

Radu suspectedLada did, in fact,wantOana to stay. Itwas obvious in thedeliberateanddeterminedwayLadahadbeenrejectingtheirnurse’shelpsinceTheodorawasborn.IfLadadidnotcaresomuch,shewouldneverhavebeensomean.“ShewillstayinTirgovisteifyouaskher.”“Icannothaveanotherdeathonmyhands,”Ladasaid.Thewordscameoutso

quickly,Raduwonderedifshehadmeanttosaythemaloud.“Doyouwantthebaby?”sheaskedinaswiftchangeofsubject.Radufrowned.“Whywouldyouaskthat?”“IknowNazirawantsthebaby.Shewouldhavecrawledupintomywombto

getitifnecessary.Butdoyouwantit?”“IdidnotthinkIeverwantedachild,”Radusaid,searchinghisfeelings.He

hadscarcelyhadanopportunitytoseethebaby,andheldheronlyafewtimes.Fatima had turned out to be incredibly possessive. “If you recall, our ownchildhoodswerelessthanpleasant.”“Youmeanyouhavenotalreadythoughtofall thewaysyoucouldleverage

theinfantforyourownpersonalgain?”Raduflinched.“Iwouldnever.”Ladalookedoverathim,suddenlysolemn.“Iknow.ThatiswhyIgaveherto

you.Mehmedwoulduseher.”Shepaused.“Iwould,too,eventually.Orgetherkilled.Iwantbetterforherthanwehad.ItrustNaziraandFatimawiththat.AndItrustyou.”Radunodded,hischestswellingwithemotionshehadtriedhishardestnotto

letsurface.“Iwillraiseherinlove.”“Andstrength.”“Andstrength.ThoughIamcertainwecouldnotkeepherfrombeingstrong

ifwetried.”Lada reached up and undid her necklace. She held it in her hand, looking

downatit.Thenshetookoneofherknivesandwrappedthenecklacearoundthehandle.SheheldbothouttoRadu.“Herinheritance.Idonotexpectyoutoevertellherthetruthofwhereshecamefrom.ButIwanthertohavethese.”Radu took themreverently, feeling theweightofLada’ssoul inhishand.“I

maywaitafewyearstogivehertheknife.”Ladawaveddismissively.“IhadonewhenIwasthree.”“Andlookhowyouturnedout.”Shecackled,lookingathimwithasmilethatmeantdestruction,fire,orboth.

“FirstonebacktoTirgovistegetstodecidewhetherwekillMatthias.”Lada spurred her horse, quickly outpacing him. Radu watched as she rode

forward into her destiny, knowing that shewould always outpace him,would

beat him to every destination. He was finished trying to catch up. It was aresignationbothmelancholyandpeaceful.

49

Tirgoviste

LADAWATCHED LONG afterRadu and his party had disappeared down the road.Springwasreclaiming the land,everythingsoftandgreenwithnewgrowth. Itwasatimeofrenewal,rebuilding.Andtheywereleaving.Itwasgoodthathewasgone.Shewouldnolongerhavetopretend,haveto

fakehappinessorcalmwhenshefeltneither.Anditwouldbenicetonolongerhavehimpeeringoverhershoulder, tellingherwhomshecouldandcouldnotkill.Hehaddone agood job, though.Better than she couldhavedone.Shehad

treatiesinplacewitheveryborderthatmattered.TheboyarsRaduworkedwithseemed dependable, though she would watch them closely. Her country wasrunning theway shewanted it to.With order.With strength.With justice andfairness.Ifitwasslowerchangethanshewanted,shehopedRadu’spromisethatitwouldbelikeatreewithdeeproots,growingfordecades,wastrue.Lada drifted to the throne room. She sat, looking outwhere her father had

lookedoutbeforeher.WheretheDanestiprinceshadaswell.The throne was a death sentence. She was not foolish. It would claim her

eventually, as it had claimed all who came before her. All except Radu celFrumos, theprincewhohadwalkedaway.Whohadchosen lifeand loveovercountry.Ladawouldnotwalkaway.Once, she had sat here with the eyes of her friends on her. Now, and

forevermore,shesatherealone.Shehaddugthroughthemountaintoreachherheart’sdesire,andfoundthe

mountainhadaheartafterall:thebeatingpulserequiredofallthosewhowould

notstop,wouldnotacceptwhattheworldoffered,wouldnotbow.Shedrummedherfingersonthearmsofthethrone,lookingoutattheempty

room.Shewasnotstupidenoughtothinkmenwouldstoptryingtotakeitfromher.Theywouldalwaysbethere,waitingforweakness,waitingforher tofall.Theywantedwhatshehadbecauseshehadit.Andoneday,eventually,someonewoulddefeather.Butuntilthatdayshewouldfightwithtoothandnail,withallthefireandbloodthathadformedherintowhoshewas.Shewasadragon.Shewasaprince.Shewasawoman.Itwasthelastthatscaredthemmostofall.Shesmiled,tappingherfingerson

thethroneinabeatlikeherheart.“Mine,”shesaid.Hers.Andhersalone.

50

ThreeYearsLater,OutsideAmasya

RADUFINISHEDPRAYING,thensatbackonhisheels,enjoyingtheparticularquietpeaceofthespace.Athumpandalaughrousedhim.Hestretched,glancingoverthelettersawaitinghimonhisdesk.Mostwereregionalissues—minordisputes,taxclaims,allthelittlemattersofkeepinghisbeyrunningsmoothly.One was fromMara Brankovic, though. He carried it with him out to the

dizzyinglycolorfulgarden,whereOanawassettingupanafternoonpicnicwhileFatimasewedintheshade.Nazirasatontheswingthathadhungfromtheoldtree on Kumal’s country estate. They had brought it with them. Brought himwiththem,inspirit,ineverywaytheycould.“ItisfromMara,”Radusaid,handingNaziratheletter.Nazira read it, smiling and shaking her head. “Mara saysUrbana sends her

love.”“Shehastoknowweknowsheislying.”“Isuspectshedoesittoamuseherself.Shethanksusforsendingourrespects

whenhermotherdied.Mehmed’seasternbordersaregivinghimtrouble,sohehasnotbeeninthecapitalmuchlately.Oh,andyes,hereistherealreasonfortheletter,andittookheronlythreepagestogettoit:shewantstoknowifyouwouldbewillingtoremindLadaofhertaxobligations.‘Suchthingsarealwayssomuchmorepleasantcomingfromafamilymember.’”Naziralaughed.“Sheistryingtodelegate.”Raduloweredhimself to theground,sittingnext toFatimaandpeeringover

hershoulderatthetunicshewassewing.“Thatisbeautiful.”Shesmiled,pleased.“ItisforTheodora.”“Soitwillremainbeautifulforthreewholeminutesaftersheputsiton.”

Fatima’ssmilegrewbothsofterandprouder.Shestrokedthecloth.“Yes.”Witharoar,Cyprianranintothegarden,Theodoraridingonhisshoulders.He

did several circles around the tree before collapsing onto the grass. Theodorajumpedonhisstomach,laughing,butCyprianpretendedtobedead.Scowling,Theodorawanderedbacktothehouse,herlongblackhairalready

undonefromthecarefulbraidsFatimahadputinjustthatmorning.Radustretchedout, restinghisheadonCyprian’s torso.Thedaywaswarm,

lovelyandsoft,thebestseason.Thisevening,hewouldanswerMaraandwritehisreportonthestatusofhisbeyforMehmed.Butthisafternoon?Thisafternoonwasforhappiness.Oanafinishedlayingoutthefood,grumblingaboutnotbeingabletofindthe

right ingredients here. She had donewell adjusting to a new life, though sherefused to learn Turkish. It was good for Theodora, though, to understandWallachian.Itfeltright.“Theodora!”Oanashouted.“Itistimetoeat!”Radusatup,passingthefoodandlisteningtoNaziramakeplansforaholiday

toBursatoseethesea.SomedaytheywouldmakethepilgrimagetoMecca,butthat couldwaituntilTheodorawasolder.TheywouldalsovisitCyprus to seewhereCyprian’smotherhadcomefrom.ButBursawasfarenoughfornow.“AslongasIdonothavetorideonanyboats,”Radusaid.“Oddlyenough,Cyprianand Ihavehada lifetime’sworthofexperienceon

boatsaswell,”Nazirareplied.“Anddesertedislands,”Cypriansaidwithalaugh,lacinghisfingersthrough

Radu’s.Ithadneverstoppedfeelinglikeamiracle.“Ihad to fightamountain,”Theodorasaid,ploppingdown in themiddleof

theblanketandknockingoverseveralbowlsoffood.“Itwasmad.Iscreamedatit, and it had fire eyes.But then I got itwithmy knife.” She held up a knifeclutchedinherstill-dimpledhand.Radureachedoutandpluckeditaway.“Where is she always finding knives?”Nazira said, frowning as she pulled

Theodoraintoherlapandfussedoverherhair.TheodoranuzzledagainstNazira,reachingupandpattinghercheek.Raduknewheshouldbecross,buthecouldnothelplaughing.

Later that evening, asRadu tuckedTheodora intobed,he reachedbeneathherpillowandretrievedaknifeshehadhiddenthere.Herlipsstuckoutinapout.Hekissedherforehead.

“Iwill save it forwhenyouareolder.And ifyouhave to fightamountain,comegetme.Iwillfightitwithyou.”Her three-year-oldbodycouldholdneither ragenorconsciousness for long.

Radustayed,hoursaftershefellasleep,gazingather face.LadaandMehmedhad combined in a softening of both their features. Mehmed’s full lips withLada’slargeeyes,Mehmed’sdarklasheswithLada’shookednose.Hehad loved themboth soverymuch, and it hadnotbeenenough tokeep

them.Buthecouldmakecertainthislittlecreaturetheymadehadallthelovetheworldheld.“Bestrong,”hewhispered.“Bekind.Behopeful.”Hebentdownandkissed

herforehead.“Andbefierce.”

EPILOGUE

SnagovIslandMonastery,SeventeenYearsLater

RADUWATCHEDTHEapproachingboatgrowlarger.Hewasgratefulhehadarrivedfirstsothathedidnotgetoutontheshoreheavingfortheirfirstgreetingintenyears.Theodorafidgeted impatientlybesidehim.Sheworeclothessuited to travel,

butwithFatima’sexcellentsewingandNazira’s loveofcolor.Andshealwaysworeknives,too,herfavoritebeingtheoneshehadinherited.Theodorawasnotelegant,butshewasstrongandundeniablylovely.Shehad

adopted Nazira’s clever optimism, Fatima’s kindness, and, unfortunately,Cyprian’s sense of humor.At twenty, shewas still the brilliant center of theirlives.Raduwasgratefulthatshehaddemandedtoaccompanyhim.Makingthistripalonewouldhavelefthimwithtoomanyghosts.Theodorawassobrashanddelightful,therewasnoroomformelancholy.Shewasalso impatient.Theyhadbeenwaitingnearlyanhour.AsMehmed

disembarked, helped by a retinue, Theodora carefully reworked her face intosomethingacceptable.Notdemure,byanymeans,butatleastrespectful.Mehmeddidnotappeartosufferanyilleffectsfromthevoyage.Radusmiled,

butdidnotrushtogreethisoldfriendasoncehemighthave.AgehadbeenhardonMehmed.Hewasheavierandwalkedwithapronouncedlimp.Afullbeardobscuredthelinesonhisface,buthiseyeswereassharpandintelligentastheyhadeverbeen.Mehmedwavedawayhisattendingguards.“Nostoolcarrier?”Radusaidwithasmile,unabletohelphimself.Mehmedletoutanexhalationthatmighthavebeenalaugh.“Heparticipated

inanassassinationplot.Ihadtohavehimkilled.”

“Really?”Radusaid,hiseyebrowsrisinginhorror.Mehmed’sfacesplitinamischievousgrin,takinghimfromfortytofifteenin

asingleexpression.“No.”Radulaughed,shakinghishead.“Youremembermydaughter,Theodora.”Mehmed smiled warmly at her. “Rumors of your beauty reach us even in

Constantinople.Iamgladtoseeyouagain.Lasttimeyouwerefarshorterthanme.”Radufeltaspikeofanxiety.RaducouldnotlookatherwithoutseeingLada

and Mehmed. But if Mehmed suspected it, he said nothing. He pattedTheodora’s hand, slipping her a pouch that sounded suspiciously heavy withcoins.“ForallthebirthdaysIhavemissed,littleone,”hesaid.Theodora’seyestwitched.“Thankyou.”“I wish we were reuniting under happier circumstances,” Mehmed said.

“ThoughLadadidnotexcelatcreatinghappycircumstances.”Theodora lookedatRadu.“Iwish Ihadknownher. Insteadofonly through

stories.”Shegrinnedthen,somethingabitwickedthere.“Thoughthestoriesarequite good.LadaTepes, theLady Impaler.Nooneelsehas sucha remarkableaunt.”Mehmed andRadu laughed, but it was uncomfortable. Theodora had never

beentoldtheworststories.Includinghowthataunthadkilledheruncle.“Iwill give you two a fewmoments alone before I paymy respects.” She

bowedherhead.Thesilverlocketshealwaysworearoundherneckfellforward.Mehmedstaredatitasthoughseeingaghost.HeturnedtoRadu,butRadudidnotshowanyemotion.“Thankyou,”Radusaid.“Wewillnotbelong.”“Ofcourse.”Shespunwithherarmswide,breathingindeeply.“Takeaslong

asyouwant.There issomethingspecialhere.I like thewayWallachiafeels—warm and welcoming. Like a mother, is it not?” She walked away down thepath,herstepsassuredandconfident.ShedidnotstompandprowlasLadahad,butmovedasthoughsheownedwhateverlandshewason.Radufelthispurposeherewithakeenerpainthanhehadbefore.Theywalked

slowlytowardthechurch.Mehmedwasstillfrowning.“TheodoraisnotNazira’s,isshe?”Radu’sonlyanswerwasasigh.“Isuspected.Foryears.Butjustnow,thewayhereyesnarrowedinannoyance

atmypatronizinggift!Icouldscarcelybreathe.Itwaslikelookingatthepast.Iseewhyyouhaveavoidedthecapitalalltheseyears.Keptheraway.”Radupausedwithhishandonthedoor.“Sheismydaughter.”

Mehmed’ssmilewasbothkindandsad.“Iamglad.Wouldthatweallhadhadfathers such as you.” Mehmed’s adult life had been tumultuous, filled withtragedy and violence, even in his own family. He turned and looked at thegardens,apparentlyunwillingtogoinsidejustyet.Radudidnotbegrudgehimthedelay.“HowisNazira?”“Sheiswell.Sheishavingmoredifficultywithhervision,butshemanagesit

with grace.” Theywere homebound now, but Fatima did notmind. The onlyplacetheyhadeverwantedtobewaswitheachother,afterall.“AndCyprian?”Radu’s heart ached.He hated being away fromhim, evennow. “We finally

madeittoCyprustwoyearsago.Itwaslovely.ButIthinkourtravelingdaysareover.Hisanklebothershimnowfromhisoldinjury.”“Youknow,Ithoughtofhavinghimarrested.”“What?”Mehmedleanedagainstthedoorway,puttinghishandonthestonesasthough

admiring thework.Radu realizedhewas tracing thename carved there.LadaDracul,thepatronofthisparticularchurch.Mehmed grinned, Radu’s childhood friend once again peering through the

beardandwrinkles.“Oh,itwasyearsago.AndIwasonlygoingtoholdCyprianasapoliticalprisoner.Just tomakehimstayinthecapitalsoyouwouldcomeback.”“You andmy sister always had such oddways of expressing affection. She

usedtohitmeandletothersbeatme.Youconsideredkidnappingmylovedonestospendmorequalitytimetogether.”Mehmedsmiled,butitwasstrained.“Itwasnotthesameonceyouleft.There

hasneverbeenanyonequitelikeyou.”“Orher.”Mehmed’sexpressionwaspained.“Orher.Which isprobably for thebest.”

Hisgazegrewfarawayandmisty.“Iwouldhavemadeherempress.Youwouldthinkforawomanwithherambition…”“Shegotexactlywhatshewanted.”Mehmedpulledathisthickbeard.“Shedid.”And,intheend,shehadgottenexactlywhatRadupredicted.“Whoseheadwasit?”Raduasked.“Thatyouhadbroughttothecapitaland

displayedonthewall?Ihavebeenwondering.”“Ihaveno idea. Itdidnotmuchmatter.Aseveredhead isa severedhead.”

Mehmed had been fighting battles since he was twelve; Radu felt a littledifferentlyaboutseveredheads,buttheyhadlivedveryseparatelivesinthepasttwentyyears.

Finally,withnothingelsebetweenthemtodelaythereasonfortheirvisit,theyenteredthemainroomofthechapel.Statuesofsaintsstoodsentry,andelaboratepaintings told stories from the Bible. Radu noted the paintings were allespeciallyviolentones,whichwasfitting,asthiswasthechapelLadahadpaidfor.Amonkstood,inclininghishead.Heledthemtoaportionofthefloorwith

newerflagstones.AsmallmarkeratthetopsaidsimplyPRINCE.“Noname?”Mehmedasked.“Iwas afraid someonewould desecrate it,”Radu said.Even in death,Lada

hadmanyenemies.Theystareddowninsilenceatwherehissisterslept,foreverentombed.“Wasityourmen?”Raduasked.Therewasnoaccusationinhistone,merely

curiosity.Ladahadbeenkilledas she stoodona field ready tomeetMehmedandhismeninbattle,theirfirstdirectconflictsincethosehorribledaysoutsideTirgoviste.Mehmedshookhishead.“Ihavetriedtofindoutwhoitwas.Somesuspect

Matthias sent an assassin.Most think it was one of her own guards. No oneknowsforcertain.”“Thekillingblow?”“Aknifetotheback.Theybroughtherbodytomeonthefield.I thinkthey

expectedareward.”Mehmedshifted,anabashedexpression.“Ikilledthosepoormenonthespot.Itwasfoolish,consideringIwastheretofighthermyself.”Radu put a hand onMehmed’s shoulder. “Thank you for sending her body

here.”Mehmednodded,theneasedhimselfdowntohisknees,restingahandagainst

thestonesoverLada’sbody.“Evenafterall theseyears, Icannotquitebelievesheisgone.”“Icannotquitebelieveshemanagedtostayalivesolong.”Radukneltnextto

Mehmed.“Butyouareright.ItfeelswrongtobeinWallachia,knowingsheisnothereanymore.”“Shewasastrongprince.”Strong and terrible and fair. “I suspect the name Dracul will not soon be

forgotten.”“Iamsorryforhowthingsendedwithus.Allthreeofus.Iwishithadturned

outdifferently.Thatwehadstayedtogether.”Once,Raduwould havewanted nothingmore.But his joyful life hadworn

awaythesharpedgesofthepast’spain.InitsplacewassomethinglikeLada’ssilverlocket:smooth,cold,filledwiththemuch-loveddustofhistory.“Thetwoofyouneverhadanychoicebuttoconquerandlead.”

“Andyou?”Radusmiled,kissinghis fingersand laying themagainst the stones.Hehad

wanted somuch less than theyhad—andsomuchmore.Theyhadchosen thehardpaths,thelonelypaths,thepathsofbloodandstruggle.“Iamreturninghometomyfamily.”Hemovedtostand,then,thinkingbetter

ofit,tookoutaknifeandcarefullyscratchedtwoadditionsontoLada’smarker.

PRINCE

SISTERDRAGON

Itwasenough.

DRAMATISPERSONAE

DraculestiFamily,WallachianNobility

LadaDracul:PrinceofWallachia

RaduBey:AlsoknownasRaduDraculandRaducelFrumos,advisortoSultanMehmed

VladDracul:DeceasedfatherofLada,Radu,andMircea

Vasilissa:MotherofLadaandRadu,princessofMoldavia

Mircea:DeceasedoldestsonofVladDraculandhisfirst,deceasedwife

WallachianCourtandCountrysideFigures

Oana:Mother ofBogdan, childhood nurse ofLada andRadu, current aide toLada

Bogdan:ChildhoodbestfriendofLada

Andrei:BoyarfromrivalDanestifamily,sonofthepreviousprince

Aron:BrotherofAndrei,inlineforWallachianthrone

Danestifamily:RivalfamilyfortheWallachianthrone

Daciana:WifeofStefan,friendandservanttoLada

LucienBasarab:BoyarfromBasarabfamily

GaleshBasarab:AllyofLada’s,inchargeofsoldiers

OttomanCourtFigures

Mehmed:Ottomansultan

Murad:Mehmed’sdeceasedfather

MaraBrankovic:Murad’swidow,SerbianroyaltynowadvisingMehmed

HalilVizier:FormerlyHalilPasha,executedfortreason

Kumal:DevoutpashainMehmed’sinnercircles,brotherofNazira,brother-in-lawandfriendtoRadu

Nazira:Radu’swifeinnameonly,Kumal’ssister

Fatima:Nazira’smaidinnameonly

Cyprian:EmperorConstantine’snephew,missingafterfleeingConstantinople

Valentin:Cyprian’sservant,missingafterfleeingConstantinople

Mesih:EmperorConstantine’sheirandnephew,renamedandmadepartofthecourt

Murad: Emperor Constantine’s heir and nephew, renamed after Mehmed’sfatherandmadepartofthecourt

IshakPasha:Powerfulpashainchargeofmilitaryforces

MahmoudPasha:Powerfulpashainchargeofmilitaryforces

AliBey:LeaderoftheJanissarytroops

Kiril:JanissaryunderRaduinchargeof4,000mountedsoldiers

UrbanaofTransylvania:Expertincannonsandartillery

LadaDracul’sInnerMilitaryCircle

Matei:Dead

Nicolae:Lada’sclosestfriend

Petru:Dead

Stefan:Lada’sbestspy

Grigore:WallachiansoldierunderLada’scommand

Doru:WallachiansoldierunderLada’scommand

AlliesofLada

MatthiasCorvinas:KingofHungary

KingStephen:KingofMoldavia,Lada’scousin

GLOSSARY

bey:GovernorsofOttomanprovinces

boyars:Wallachiannobility

concubine:Womanwhobelongstothesultanandisnotalegalwifebutcouldproducelegalheirs

dracul:Dragon,alsodevil,asthetermswereinterchangeable

HagiaSophia:CathedralbuiltattheheightoftheByzantineera,thejeweloftheChristianworld

harem: Group of women consisting of wives, concubines, and servants thatbelongstothesultan

infidels:Termusedforanyonewhodoesnotpracticethereligionofthespeaker

irregulars: Soldiers in the Ottoman Empire who are not part of officiallyorganizedtroops,oftentimesmercenariesormenlookingforspoils

Janissary: Member of an elite force of military professionals, taken as boysfromothercountries,convertedtoIslam,educated,andtrainedtobeloyaltothesultan

Moldavia:NeighboringcountryandallyofWallachia

OrderoftheDragon:OrderofCrusadersanointedbythepope

pasha:NobleintheOttomanEmpire,appointedbythesultan

spahi:MilitarycommanderinchargeoflocalOttomansoldierscalledupduringwar

Transylvania: Small country bordering Wallachia and Hungary; includes thecitiesofBrasovandSibiu

vaivode:Warlordprince

vassal state: Country allowed to retain rulership but subject to the OttomanEmpire,withtaxesofbothmoneyandslavesforthearmy

Wallachia: Vassal state of the Ottoman Empire, bordered by Transylvania,Hungary,andMoldavia

AUTHOR’SNOTE

Pleaseseetheauthor’snoteinAndIDarkenformoreinformationonresourcesfor furtherstudyon thefascinating livesofVladTepes,MehmedII,andRaducelFrumos.Intheend,thisseriesisaworkoffiction.Ihavetriedtoincorporateas much history as respectfully as I can, and encourage anyone intrigued tofurtherstudythistimeperiodandregion.The characters in the series all interactwith religion, andmore specifically

Islam, in various ways. I have nothing but respect for the rich history andbeautiful legacyof thatgospelofpeace. Individualcharacters’opinionson thecomplexitiesoffaith,bothIslamicandChristian,donotreflectmyown.Spelling varies between languages and over time, as do place names. Any

errors or inconsistencies are my own. Though the main characters speak avarietyoflanguages,ImadeaneditorialdecisiontopresentallcommontermsinEnglish.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

NormallyIsavethebestforlast,butinthis,thelastbook,I’mthankingthebestfirst:Noah,you’rethebestpersonIknow,andI’msoluckytohavealifewithyou.Thesebookswouldn’texistwithoutyou.ThankyoutoMichelleWolfson,mysavvyandinsightfulagent.Idon’tever

wanttodothisjobwithoutyou.Thatmightreadasalittlethreatening,giventhatwe’vejustspentseveralhundredpageswithLada…but it’smeant tobea lotthreatening.Neverstopbeinganagent.Thankyou toWendyLoggia,my incredibleeditor,whohasshepherded this

trilogy from the very beginning. I’ve benefitted from your contagiousenthusiasm at every stage.You are a joy toworkwith, and I look forward tomanymorebookstogether.Thankyou toBeverlyHorowitzandAudrey IngersonatDelacortePress for

the editorial and career guidance. To my stalwart copyeditors, ColleenFellinghamandHeatherLockwoodHughes,weliftboxesandraiseeyebrows,Iknow,butI’llmakethesamemistakesinthenextbook.I’mgladyou’llbetheretofixit.TotheFirstInLineandGetUnderlinedteams,thankyouforcomingupwithnewandexcitingwaystofindreaderssothatIcansitaloneonmycouchhangingoutinthefifteenthcenturyinstead.ToAishaCloud,IpromisetonevereatatanIHOPagainaslongasyoukeepbeingmydelightfulpublicist.ToJohnAdamo, Adrienne Waintraub, and everyone in marketing for executing suchbrilliantplansandsendingourdragonstoreadersacrossthecountry.ToFeliciaFrazierandthesalesteamforsuchpassionateandunwaveringsupport.The incredible covers of this series were painted by Sam Weber and

consistently exceeded my wildest dreams. Isaac Stewart, thank you for theamazingmaps,andAlisonImpey,thankyouforthestunningdesignwork.To Barbara Marcus and everyone at Delacorte Press and Random House

Children’sBooks,there’sareasonyouweremydreamhouse.Itisatremendousprivilegetomakebookswithyou.

Thank you to Penguin Random House worldwide and Ruth Knowles fortakingcareofLadaintheUKandAustralia.IwishIcouldjoinherthere.Asalways,anacknowledgmentssectioncannotgobywithout includingmy

two best writing friends. Natalie Whipple, you’re always there for me, evenwhenyourown journey isbumpy. If IwereLada, I’d totallypickyou formyinner circle. (But then you’d probably die, so let’s havemebeRadu instead.)StephaniePerkins,youmakeeverythingbetter—mybooksandmylife.I’msoluckytohaveyouasmyfriend.Thank you to my three beautiful children for your patience and

encouragement.Thedailyquestion“Areyouallcaughtupyet?”reallyhelped.(Seriously, though, you three are amazing and delightful and creativelynourishing.)Finally, tomyreaders.You’vecomesofarwithLadaandRadu.Thankyou

forembracingthisfictionalfamilyofmine,forprovingthatnoideaistooweird,nogirlistoobrutal,andnoboyistootenderforreadersofYA.Youaregoingtochangetheworld,andIcan’twaittoseehowyoudoit.

ABOUTTHEAUTHOR

KIERSTENWHITEistheNewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorofAndIDarkenandNowIRise.SheliveswithherfamilyneartheoceaninSanDiego,which,inspite of its perfection, spurs her to dream of faraway places and even furtherawaytimes.

Visitheratkierstenwhite.comandfollow@kierstenwhiteon

RHCPDIGITAL

UK|USA|Canada|Ireland|AustraliaIndia|NewZealand|SouthAfrica

RHCPDigitalispartofthePenguinRandomHousegroupofcompanieswhoseaddressescanbefoundatglobal.penguinrandomhouse.com.

www.penguin.co.ukwww.puffin.co.ukwww.ladybird.co.uk

FirstpublishedintheUSAbyDelacortePress,animprintofRandomHouseChildren’sBooks,andinGreatBritainbyCorgiBooks2018

Textcopyright©KierstenBrazier,2018Mapillustrationcopyright©IsaacStewart,2018

CoverartbyAlessandroTaini

Themoralrightoftheauthorandillustratorhasbeenasserted

ACIPcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary

ISBN:978-1-448-19690-6

Allcorrespondenceto:RHCPDigital

PenguinRandomHouseChildren’s80Strand,LondonWC2R0RL