The Unfailing Light

Two weeks later, I discovered my grand duke had been true to his word. As my parents' black carriage pulled inside the courtyard of the Smolny Institute for Young Noble Maidens, I saw several members of the Order of St. Lazarus standing stiffly at their posts at the front gates. Waxy and expressionless, they stared straight ahead and did not move. They wore the same dark-green and gold uniform as the Order of St. John, except for the medals on their chests. The familiar Maltese cross had been replaced by an oval medal showing a green hand holding a sword. Curious. I couldn't remember St. Lazarus using a sword. Or having a green hand, for that matter. But the members of the undead order did have a sort of greenish tinge to their pale skin.



Maman did not even notice them. I could not decide whether their presence made me feel safer.



Thankfully, I was able to persuade my mother not to accompany me inside the building. "Do take care of yourself, Katiya," she said, squeezing my hands in hers as we stood at the front door. "And give my regards to Madame Tomilov. Your aunt Zina and I will be spending the next few weeks in Biarritz. We will come by to visit you when we arrive back in St. Petersburg."



I kissed her on both cheeks. "You be careful too, Maman." I did not want the life my mother lived, constantly following the imperial court in its travels endlessly seeking pleasure. Denmark, Finland, France, Peterhof, the Crimea, Tsarskoe Selo. Only the coldest and darkest part of the winter, the social season, was spent in St. Petersburg by the aristocracy.



There were many old friends who were happy to see me at Smolny. Madame Tomilov, the headmistress, was pleased that I'd decided to return. "Some girls do well without the extra year here at the institute, but I always encourage them to make the most of the education we have to offer. Students who complete our entire program leave more polished. You will learn extra court etiquette and gain knowledge about the nuances of St. Petersburg court society. You'll also acquire a deeper appreciation for our culture."



I wanted to point out that I probably knew more secrets and nuances about the Dark and Light Courts than Madame Tomilov ever dreamed and, furthermore, that I did not need to know these nuances to succeed in medical school, but I kept silent. I wanted the school year to pass by quickly so I could continue with my own plans.



"In addition," Madame Tomilov continued, "you will teach two classes a week to one of the lower forms. I realize you did not intend to receive a teaching certificate, but it is traditional that students taking an additional year of the White Form learn pedagogy and begin teaching simple subjects to the younger girls."



"Pedagogy?" I asked. It was a term I'd never heard before.



"The science of education," Madame said. "We shall teach you how to teach properly."



"Of course, Madame," I said, curtsying and wondering what course I would be required to instruct. I suspected it would not be Practical Necromancy. And I hoped it would not be Geometry.



My favorite instructor, Madame Orbellani, hugged me when she saw me. "We will continue with the Greek and Latin lessons, Katerina Alexandrovna. The more you know, the easier it will be when you do go to university."



The Bavarian princesses were delighted that I'd returned. Erzsebet embraced me and spun me around before letting me go. "We will have so much fun this year! Augusta and I are finally old enough to attend the Smolny Ball in November!" I smiled at both of the curly blond princesses. At least there was the ball to look forward to. Perhaps George Alexandrovich would be back from Paris by then, and we would dance the mazurka as we had last year.



Elena did not show any surprise when I brought my things into our old room. I looked over at the empty cot where Dariya had slept. I would miss my cousin, even though I was glad she was now safe, far away from Elena. I wondered how my cousin liked being a lady-in-waiting for Grand Duchess Miechen.



A fourth cot stood in the far corner of our room, and I wondered if the Bavarian sisters were moving in with us from the younger girls' room. It was rather crowded in their dormitory.



"I knew you would not leave us," the Montenegrin princess said. "Too many wonderful things will be happening this year. Especially all the balls, where I will dance with the tsarevitch and you will dance with my brother!"



I could not tell her anything. I could not even mention the spell over the institute, since it was because of her that the spell had been cast in the first place. With a bit of malice, I wondered what the empress's spell would do to her the first time Elena tried any of her dark-magic tricks or tried to sneak off the school grounds.



I decided not to offer any explanation for my change in plans. I couldn't tell her the tsar wouldn't let me leave the country because Konstantin Pavlovich might reappear. Nor could I tell her why this school was the safest place in St. Petersburg.



There was a soft knock on the door. "Excuse me, I believe this is my room?" A pretty young girl with dark-blond hair swept up in a neat bun entered.



I recognized her immediately. "Princess Alix?" It was the German princess, sister of the Grand Duchess Ella Feodorovna.



She smiled shyly, but said nothing.



An older girl brushed past her and sashayed in. "I was told this would be my room this year as well," said Princess Aurora Demidova.



Elena rose regally from her cot. She was not happy to see Princess Alix. "I'm Elena of Montenegro. And I take it you already know Katerina of Oldenburg."



Alix did not curtsy, but instead moved quickly to put away her things. "I am honored to be here." She took a small black box out of her trunk and carefully slid it under her cot.



Aurora Demidova looked at all of us before turning her back to us and disdainfully examining the bed linens. "I've heard there are new rules this year because someone here was disobedient. Is it true we are not allowed to leave the school premises at all?"



No one knew of the empress's spell, but the headmistress had mentioned that she would be very strict this year about permitting students to leave.



Elena looked at Princess Aurora warily. She did not approve of either of our new roommates. I had a sinking feeling that the school year was going to be very difficult. Elena did not like it when she was not the center of attention.



I sat down on Alix's cot, careful not to disturb her neatly folded pile of white school uniforms. "And what has brought you here?"



Alix frowned. "My sister wanted me in St. Petersburg, closer to her. And my father wished for my education to be polished. He distrusted the English nanny my grandmother had sent to us."



"A nanny? At our age?" Aurora Demidova snorted and turned back to her unpacking. Elena snickered, deciding to side with Aurora over the German princess. Aurora was no rival to Elena for the tsarevitch's affections. But the tsar's son had been extremely attentive to Princess Alix during her visit to St. Petersburg last year. I wondered which princess he would dance with at the upcoming Smolny Ball this year.



At that moment, the Bavarian princesses, Erzsebet and Augusta, burst in. "You'll never guess what has happened! Madame Metcherskey has left! We don't know why. But isn't that wonderful?"



"Thank goodness," Elena said as she poked through Aurora's basket of hair ribbons. "That skulking bat was horrible. I know you must be ecstatic, Katiya. She was always scolding you for something."



I said nothing, but smiled at Alix and shrugged. It was true that the pinch-faced Madame Metcherskey had made my life miserable last year. Despite the facts that I really wished to be somewhere else, that I was again sleeping in the same room with a bloodsucking witch, and that there were undead soldiers outside our front gates, the prospects for the coming school year suddenly became just a tiny bit brighter.