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“Judging by the first two, I i a reindeer? And whathas arrived?”

Aleksy chuckled, the rich sound so unexpected Clair had to s her heart back to where it belonged He soon dispelled her h pulled by three horses Snuggling her into his side, he let the English-speaking driver tuck them under a blanket and educate her on the festival, which was pagan in origin, but also related to Lent When Clair expressed toocontest, the oldis for old men who only have vodka to keep them warm” He winked at Aleksy

TheClair a plate of blini, round pancakes covered in caviar, mushrooms, butter and sour cream

“I can’t eat all this You’ll have to buy me a whole neardrobe,” Clair protested after a few bites of the deliciously rich food “Here Please,” she prompted Aleksy

“No” He held up an adamant hand “I can’t eat pancakes”

“Tooboy gobbling everything in sight

“Far too ive it to the dog”

She followed his nod to where a Ger a plate, the owner unconcerned Clair let the dog wolf doas left of her blini and disposed of the trash, her mind stuck on Aleksy’s remark

They moved under an ornately carved archway built of ice to a park filled with ice sculptures The angels, castles and es blurred, but they were still starkly beautiful, transparent and glinting in the sun

“The driver said the festival has only been revived recently You weren’t eating pancakes just for Lent growing up, were you?” shebehind her camera to keep the question less personal

“No, we ate theaze focused so sculptures

“You weren’t working for Grigori then?”

“I was hardly working at all My mother wouldn’t let me quit school”