Chapter Text
Zoya sat at her desk, reading through a letter from a Kerch diplomat. Sighing with frustration, she decided to go find Nikolai, in the hopes that he could help write a reply.
She rapped on the door to his chambers, and when she received no reply she pushed open the door, strolling into the room.
As Zoya entered, a stiff breeze blew her hair into her face. Zoya frowned. It shouldn't be windy inside, and in the middle of winter Nikolai would have to be mad to leave the window open.
A glance at the window quickly erased her confusion, replacing it with a sense of unease. The glass was completely shattered.
Approaching the window, Zoya noticed a small piece of paper taped to wall. Picking it up, she began reading.
Dear Zoya,
As you've surely noticed, Nikolai Lantsov has been kidnapped. I'm sure this makes you quite unhappy, so I'll offer you a solution: give up your crown, and he will be returned to you.
If you don't relinquish the throne within four days, Nikolai will die. Make a wise choice Zoya, for I will not show mercy.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Yours truly
Zoya stared at the letter, shocked. Anger and fear flooded her , causing her to jump to her feet and race of to find Tolya and Tamar.
***
In the end they did the only thing they could. Zoya, with brutal efficiency, organized a search party, and they set off. They had a suspicion of where Nikolai was being kept, as the kidnapper had left an easily followed trail of horse hooves.
Now, riding as fast as a horse could go, they raced through the forests of Ravka.
Tolya rode up beside Zoya, who had been leading the charge most of the way.
"We need to stop for the night. We're no use to Nikolai if we arrive exhausted," he said, preparing himself for an argument.
As her expected Zoya replied with acid dripping off her every word. "We're also no use to him if we arrive too late and he's already dead."
Tolya sighed. He could see he would not win this argument, so he rode ahead, planning to try again in an hour. Maybe by then she'd be tired enough to agree, although he doubted it.
Tolya had never seen Zoya this worked up about anything. Of course they were all worried, and desperately wanted to find Nikolai, but his disappearance seemed to have caused Zoya to completely lose her senses. She refused to stop, even to eat or rest the horses.
Tolya looked at the trees, trying to think of something other than what the kidnapper may have done to his friend.
***
Zoya glared at Tolya's retreating back. How could he suggest they stop? An hour's rest might mean the difference between Nikolai being dead or alive. A fresh surge of fear filled her, causing her to make her horse run faster. She would not be planting an sunflower in her garden. She would not bury another friend.
Suddenly, the hoofprint trail they'd been following ending. Zoya pulled abruptly on the reins, stopping her horse and jumping of. She spun around to where Tamar had stopped right behind her.
"The trail ends here," she said, her voice hushed.
Tamar stepped forward, examining the the spot where the tracks petered off. She pointed to a nearly invisible bootprint, leading into some thick bushes.
"They must have left the horses here and continued on foot. We'll do the same," she announced, beginning to tie her horse to a tree.
Zoya nodded, looking closer at the bushes. They had been broken in spots, to allow a human to pass through.
Tying up her horse, she wondered what condition Nikolai would be in when they found him. She doubted he would be able to walk, but bringing a horse down the narrow path would be nearly impossible, and would most likely make too much noise and ruin their element of surprise. Tolya would have to carry Nikolai out if he was unable to walk by himself.
With the horses secure, they started down the path. The slow pace was necessary, because the underbrush was thick here, and they didn't want to make too much noise, but the pace still grated at Zoya.
After an hour of marching, Zoya's heart surged with hope before crashing back down. An abandoned house loomed out of the forest, but it was surrounded by ten armed men, and Nikolai was nowhere to be seen.