“His punishments.”
Dear Goddess, how had he seen so much already?
“I said nothing about punishments.”
“Just stop, Mikhail. I'm not your enemy. If you tell me, perhaps I can help you.”
“Help me?” I huffed a mirthless laugh. “How? He is our king; he's within his rights to treat his people as he sees fit and no one, not even one of the illustrious Garin, can do anything about it. You are honor-bound to respect our laws.”
“You could leave.”
“He would hunt me down and treat me as a traitor. Do you know what we do to traitors, Garin?”
“I can imagine.”
“I seriously doubt that.”
His expression hardened. “Worse than execution? What is it—torture?”
“Do you know what pinioning is?”
“Pinioning? That's binding someone's arms, isn't it?”
“It's a little different when it comes to birds. The pinion joint is in the wing, the one furthest from the body, and it's essential for flight. It's removed in young birds to prevent the growth of primary feathers.”
“No,” he whispered, his face going slack. “Tell me you don't do that.”
“It can be done in older birds too,” I went on blithely as if I hadn't heard him. “Either way, it's very painful. Akin to amputating a person's hand at the wrist. But it's the only way to keep a swan from flying away.”
“Are you telling me that the King cuts off people's wrists to keep them from leaving?”
“No, hepinionsthose whobetrayhim. That is, if he still wants them after their betrayal. It's done while the Larch is in their swan form and it doesn't affect their prime body. But for one of us, getting pinioned is a type of death. You lose half your world and all sense of freedom. And so, a grounded Larch lives half a life.”
Konstantin cursed under his breath. “I could—”
“Do not make me offers that you cannot fulfill, Konstantin Garin. I'm not a child to believe in fantasies; I know what is and isn't possible. You have authority here to investigate and apprehend murderers. That is all. You have no power over anything else, especially not me.”
He was about to say more but the music came to an end, and I used the opportunity to break free of his grip and rush back to the King's side.
“Didn't you enjoy your dance with the tiger?” Nikolay drawled as I resumed my seat.
“As much as I enjoy dancing, I hate to be separated from you, Your Majesty.”
“As you should.” He took my hand and set it in his lap as he watched Konstantin climb the steps. “It seems that you've scared my little bird and sent him flying back to me, Garin.”
“I'm afraid I'm too coarse a dancer, Your Majesty,” Konstantin said smoothly. He inclined his head to me. “My deepest apologies for offending you with my brutish ways, Lord Mikhail.”
“Not at all, Lord Konstantin,” I said. “I merely longed for the company of my king.”
A smug smile hovered around Nikolay's lips as he watched us closely.
Chapter Four
The King's midnight hair was pulled back in a low tail beneath his gold crown, the simplicity of the hairstyle a perfect counter to the ostentatious band of points and jewels. Rubies, sapphires, and diamonds gleamed from the Larch crown, but none had the sparkle of the King's eyes when he stared at Konstantin. It wasn't a good sparkle, not at all a mischievous twinkle or the like. No, this was the cunning glint of a diabolical mastermind.
Nikolay stood up, still holding my hand. “Come with me, both of you.” With that, he strode down the dais steps, dragging me after him, and left the room, his courtiers hastily bowing as we passed.
Konstantin followed us through the winding corridors of Larch Castle, the heels of his boots drumming a lower, deeper tone than ours. A war drum compared to a snare. I didn't dare look at him; I already suspected that the King had noticed our attraction and was about to make one of us pay for it. And it wouldn't be Konstantin.
