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He sat down at the piano and sighed, running his long fingers lightly over the keys Unlike Cyn, he’d never had a single lesson There had been no tirew up, no money to pay for it if there had been He pulled the cover down over the keys, resting his hands on the shining black lacquer Hands that were soft and well-cared for, nails entleman’s hands, not the hands of a peasant Not anymore

Muscovite Russia, 1472

Vadi the heavy bar down to secure it for the night They’d had a probles that seeh every hole or crack in the worn siding He’d spent a goodly a under the walls, patching any gap he found It would be hard enough trying to get through the winter with only the two healthy animals left to them; they didn’t need to lose anyout over fields lying fallow, fields that would have been ready for late harvest if his older brothers had not gone off in search of better lands, a better life than this hard scrabble farm Vadim hoped they found it, but he’d heard sorry tales of harsh servitude in the new lands

"Volodya!" His little sister’s voice carried across the hard, dry yard as she ran to hi loose fro as she lifted her skirts away froround

"Sasha," he scolded, "you must remember to act like a lady What would Arkady think if he saw you running across the yard like a hoyden?"

"Pffft, what do I care about that old s I don’t care what Father says, I’ll run away to Novgorad like our brothers before I marry that toothless relic" She looked up at hiypsy eyes, so like his own, sparkling with oing to the bed of a pig far her around the side of the barn, away fro their every movement "You mustn’t speak so where Father can hear you"

She leaned into hiainst the middle of his chest "I’m not afraid of him Besides, you’ll protect ain"

"No," he whispered fiercely, drawing her into his eain" He kissed the top of her head "But we must be smart, dushenka This is still his farm, no matter that I do all the work He could throw us both off the land, and then ould we do? We’d have to find somewhere else to live, somewhere to work I worry about our brothers, worry they’re little better than slaves working for strangers"

She shivered in his arms "Papa wants rid of me," she said in a ss and Arkady will pay good silver"

Rage burned in his chest until he thought he’d choke on it "I’ll kill hi brats for an old ers over his lips "Sshhhh, Volodya! Don’t say such things Father Feodor says God is listening"

"Then let God show us the way, little sister Or I will find my own"

It was full dark outside when Vadi in the cold air as his furs fell away Soain? He listened, reluctant to venture outside The animals came in packs, vicious beasts with no fear ofon the other side of the thin wall Not the snuffling padding of wolves, but softer, hter lilted close to his head, and he leapt fro at the wall Sasha? Was she outside on a night like this? He raced for the door, grabbing his heavy tunic as he ran, then chanced to look across the room where his parents slept, where Sasha lay deep in slumber on her pallet next to the fireplace

The door rattled softly and he dropped his tunic, shuffling backward on all fours, reduced to a terrified ani unnatural His skin shivered over his bones and his breath froze in his lungs as he stared at the pitiful wooden latch holding the door closed It shook slightly as soainst it from the outside The stink of sweat filled his nostrils as his own fear ran down his chest to his belly