A series of trembles traveled from the tip of Alina’s head all the way to her tiny feet. “It wasn’t a dream,” she cried. “The swan told me. Mama is dead!”
If anything, her voice had gotten just louder! It chimed against the curtained windows, scattered from the osprey chandelier. I met Elise’s eyes by chance, and her expression mirrored my dread. This wasn’t good.
“Mama! Mama…”
But if there’s one positive thing to be said about Merile’s temper tantrums, it’s that the guards have grown as weary of them as we have. And yet, we couldn’t count on them not coming to investigate this disturbance. Eventually, they’d come.
“What do we do?” A part of me did believe Alina. Not a big part, but swans are sacred. If Mama were dead, if the guards learned that we knew of it, they’d want to know how we’d acquired this information. They would search through our cabins and carriages. Celestia’s master plan would no doubt be thwarted.
The same thought must have crossed Elise’s mind, for she muttered the most unbecoming curses under her breath. Where she’d learned such peasant manners, I can but wonder.
“Don’t say a word.” Celestia cast a warning look at us. She took a deep breath and met Alina’s gaze. “Hush now, we heard you. You fear for Mother.”
I nodded, but in my mind, I wondered if shocked little Alina had even registered Celestia’s words.
It was then that we heard the pounding of boots in the cloakroom. Soon after, the door opened and Captain Janlav entered the carriage. His midnight blue coat was buttoned all the way up, but it was missing two silver buttons. He didn’t wear a hat, and the once-shaved sides of his head grew short brown hair. His rifle rested against his back, and he didn’t seem inclined to unstrap it.
“What is going on here this time around?” He actually sighed.
Elise got up from her seat, elegantly, like a dove taking to the air. She circled the sofa that Merile had occupied earlier and smoothed her skirts in a way that promised she’d take care of the captain, no matter what that would require. Though now that he seemed bored to begin with, a kind smile from my sister might suffice.
I still didn’t know what to do. Just hover behind Celestia? I felt out of place, someone whose mere presence would call forth suspicion. I quickly stole Elise’s place on the sofa and hugged little Alina. At least she no longer wailed, merely sobbed. But her sobbing did wring my heartstrings.
“Captain Janlav,” Elise said, halting before the guard. She leaned toward him, her head angled minutely so that she could study him from under her red-gold brows. “That’s your name, soldier, isn’t it?”
For a moment, Captain Janlav stared at Elise as though he’d never met her before, in awe as if she were the most beautiful girl in this world. Which she may well be. His chapped lips parted. He closed his eyes. A shudder ran through his body. When he opened his eyes, he pointedly avoided looking at Elise, but gazed past her at us.
Oh, Scribs, how we must have looked to him! Girls with dirty, braided hair. White dresses no longer pristine, but stinking of sweat and stained at the hem and sleeves. Skin oily and flaking at the same time. All of us red-cheeked. One sobbing, the others distraught by this. It makes me want to cry when I think of what has become of us.
“Yes,” Captain Janlav replied to Elise at last. Sometimes I think even he doesn’t know what he’s doing. Perhaps he didn’t realize what it would be like to keep another human being as a captive for weeks. Perhaps it’s as painful for him to keep us locked in the carriage as it is for us to be so confined. I wonder… No, I’m sure he doesn’t know what the gagargi is hoping to accomplish. But he must know where we’re heading. Can it be worse there than it is here?
Elise circled the captain so that if he wanted to address her, he’d need to do so with his back against us. She glanced past him, at us, with one eyebrow cocked. From that I gathered that she wanted Alina distracted. I pressed my hands over our little sister’s ears as if we were about to play some silly game. Celestia caught my intention and made a funny face at her. Since when has the empress-to-be known how to do such!
“Our little sister…” Elise offered the captain a girlish shrug, one that spoke of embarrassment, but also positioned her assets in the most flattering angle. This too, had to be something she’d practiced before her mirrors. If you must know, Scribs, I haven’t touched my hand mirror since we boarded this train, but seeing my sister utilize her skills renewed my resolve to practice mine. “You know of her condition.”
Captain Janlav’s posture betrayed nothing of what he might have been thinking. Our little sister’s weakness was a secret, but not a particularly well-kept one. Since our captors had had the foresight to pack with them her medicine, they had to know of it. “Yes. I’m aware of it.”
I did wonder then if he’d ever been capable of forming full sentences. Once upon a time, Elise had danced with this man. She claimed she’d kissed him on multiple occasions, that they’d been in love. But now, he acted as if they’d never met. Or if they had, it was on the night that he’d escorted us into this train, and that was it.
“She’s not eating or sleeping,” Elise said, every word the truth. “There has been a turn for the worse in her condition.”
Captain Janlav glanced over his shoulder, brown eyes narrowing. He isn’t a stupid man; the opposite. He could sense something was afoot.
Elise reached out to grab his arm, but he strode to us, too fast for her to stop him. Despite his determination, he moved silently, akin to a hunter. The carpet must have dulled the thud of his boots.
As he approached, Celestia, Elise, I, and Merile stared at him in a horror of sorts. If he’d ask Alina what ailed her, she’d tell. That much was for sure. I could already see it, the guards turning over every pillow and blanket, finding you, Scribs, and the pearl bracelets Celestia had made. They’d confiscate them and keep us locked in our cabins. Day and night through. We’d never see the sky again.
Captain Janlav halted behind Celestia. He motioned for me to remove my hands from over Alina’s ears. I did so hastily, hoping he wouldn’t notice how much they trembled.
“Well then, little one, what is it that has so unsettled you?” It was the kindness in his voice I hadn’t expected. He was our captor. I wanted to think of him as an evil man. But that he is not.
Alina’s colorless lips parted. Her tiny teeth peeked out. She blinked as if she were not quite sure where she was, and with whom.
I prayed to Papa for her to not say it, for anything else to happen. Anything at all… Oh, Scribs, that’s exactly what happened.
Alina spasmed. Her back arched violently, and her head lolled uncontrollably. She squealed a disquieting sound, something an injured animal might shriek. I shrank away from her, fearing I’d caused the spasm, by asking Papa for help. But now that I think of it, it can’t have been that, but rather the shock of finding Captain Janlav there, looming over her.
I did burst into tears, and so did Merile. But Captain Janlav brushed Celestia aside briskly and kneeled before Alina. “Hold her still.”
Elise took my place. Celestia replaced Merile at Alina’s side. They clamped their hands around our little sister’s arms.
“Do hold her still,” Captain Janlav repeated calmly, as if he’d seen the worst things that can come to pass in life. Well, he’s a soldier. Perhaps he has. “Hold her head still.”
Elise pressed her body against Alina’s, pinning our little sister against the sofa. Celestia cupped her head. Captain Janlav bent over her.