“Then you will not go to the ball, will you?” “Pasha invited me. I must. He’s the tsesarevich.” “But it could be dangerous.” “Even if Pasha weren’t the crown prince, I would go. He’s my friend. I won’t leave him alone with her.” “But you could die.” Renata’s voice was strained thin. “Nikolai, please. Don’t go.” He tore his gaze away from the ceiling and looked at Renata, although it was more like he looked straight through her. “Thank you for the news of my friend’s ill-advised infatuation. Now if you’ll kindly leave me, I have some work to do.”
