Late the next morning, Rune was once again being led blindfolded through the huge former summer palace. She had eaten breakfast with Sergei that morning in the small sunroom off the kitchens. He was teaching her how to speak Russian and she was practicing with him and the servants who chuckled and grinned as she asked them questions. Outside, the snow had stopped and everything was covered in layers of shimmering white.
“You both have given me a beautiful gift already,” she protested. “How can you give me anything else?”
“You will see,” Sergei told her as he guided her down another corridor.
“Is it much further?” she demanded. “Where is Dimitri? Is he going to be there?”
“I am here, маленький огонь,” Dimitri replied, coming up behind them. “I would not miss this for the world.”
“Я рад
