Only Vasilesk and the girl did not turn to us, remaining to sit with their backs in our direction. Yulia and her husband looked at Akulina as if she were a ghost, their eyes bulging and their mouths parted, barely noticing me. But if the snake's brother was simply surprised, if not shocked, then Lina's friend is another matter.

“Julia,” the tsar switched his friend’s attention to himself, like me, fearing that she might throw something out. Do you remember my non-disclosure order?

She looked from Lina to Svyatoslav, trying to figure something out in her mind, after which she slowly nodded. Looking again towards the princess, Yulia looked much...