“Meaning, King Grigori was born in 1795,” Kon said.
“Yes, not anywhere near 1209.” Sofia lowered her voice. “Most Larchs believe that our first monarchs were the Lebedevs, starting with King Grigori. Our history says that the Lebedevs were the first Larchs to settle in Russia. They made a place for us here, forging a friendship with the humans and establishing Larch communities. Their name became so synonymous with swans that the Russian humans named Earth swans after them. They were the obvious choice for monarchs when our communities became a kingdom.”
“But they're not the first Larch monarchs?” Konstantin asked.
Sofia shrugged. “Why build a castle without a king? And if there was a Lebedev king back then, why aren't there records of his birth? Or at least the birth of his children? Oranyinformation about the Lebedevs at all. Many families can trace their lineage back to when we first came to Russia, but Timofey found no trace of Lebedevs before King Grigori. And even with him, we have no record of his birth. No sign of him anywhere in the Larch Kingdom before he was crowned in 1850. But we're to believe that his people were the first in Russia? How can we know about the accomplishments of House Lebedev without there being any record of them?”
“There were previous rulers,” Konstantin concluded. “Perhaps distant cousins of Nikolay's father who bore the same name. If King Grigori killed his own kin to take the throne, it would prudent of him to eradicate any record of them or their predecessors.”
“But so what?” I asked. “Monarchies have been overthrown before, only to be replaced by new ones. Often in horrendous ways.”
“Yes, and it's common for the new rulers to remove the old from all historical accounts,” Konstantin agreed. “But it looks to me as if the Lebedevs were more thorough than most. They erased all traces of the previous kings and queens, and they did such a good job that no one remembers them beyond their last name.”
“Someone always remembers,” Sofia whispered, looking from Kon to me.
“Again, so what?” I asked. “Even if there was a previous royal line, it wouldn't change anything.”
Kon lowered his voice to say, “Unless someone wanted a reason to overthrow the current king. An heir—a true heir whose throne has been stolen in a despicable way—could be used to gather an army. If the story or incentives were good enough, that heir could even form alliances with the other beneather races of Russia and get them to help him reclaim his throne. ”
“Dear Goddess,” I whispered.
“Now, you understand,” Sofia said. “There are very few Larchs who are happy with . . . our current situation.”
“Great God of Water.”
“Mikhail, please stop calling upon your gods,” Konstantin said dryly.
“Sorry. But, Sofia, are you saying there is a rebellion brewing?”
“There has been talk of one for many years, but never any true action. If someone were to take charge, to rally everyone and give them a banner to fight beneath? Then that might change, Mikhail.”
“So, Timofey and Eva were killed because of thepossibilityof an heir?” I scowled and shook my head. “That seems a bit of an overreaction. It must be more than that. And what about Lady Milana?”
“I don't know anything about her or why she might have been killed,” Sofia said. “But there is one more thing I can tell you.” She lowered her voice further, until it was a bare breath of sound, “The heir is not a possibility; he exists. Timofey found him.”
“Who is it?” Konstantin asked.
“I don't know. He only told Eva that he had proof. That there was another set of records.”
“The birth of the exiled heir,” Konstantin said with a heavy look my way. “Andrei said that every birth had to be reported. If the previous rulers had stayed in Russia, perhaps under a false name, and then had a child, that birth would have to be reported or people would wonder why it wasn't.”
“Exactly. Lord Timofey found that birth record and took the book as proof. And I believe he and Eva were killed for it.”
“Then that evidence is gone,” I said. “The murderer surely destroyed it.”
“That's just it.” Sofia smirked. “Tim didn't keep the book. He told Eva that he gave the book to people who could do something with the information. I don't think the murderer found the records. If they had, Eva would still be alive.”
“Because there would be no reason to kill her,” Konstantin concluded with a nod. “Even if Eva had known who the heir was and shared that information, without the book, she'd have no proof to back up her claims.”
Sofia nodded and finally sipped her tea. “Find that book, Garin, and you may save us all.”
Chapter Seventeen
A revolution. The thought both scared and thrilled me. That all of us could be free of Nikolay seemed impossible. A fantasy. And what would it mean for Niko? His execution? Would I care? Damn it all, but I would. I had truly loved him once. Sure, he had destroyed my love, perhaps destroyed my ability to love along with it, but the echo of what I'd once felt remained. I wanted to be free of him, but I didn't want him dead.
And to overthrow a king, you had to go to war. The Larch King commanded the finest warriors our people could produce. Against them, the common Larch wouldn't stand a chance. It would be the numbers that made the difference. But when such a battle occurs—one side stronger in might and the other in size—the loss of life is always catastrophic. And I couldn't even be sure that we'd have more soldiers than him. If the other races helped us, we'd have a shot, but that was iffy too.
“Misha?”
