“Now you are being unkind, Your Highness,” she said. “But I am happy to orbit Hanne’s sun. You’re looking very well yourself, if I may say so.”
“You may—though you will make our friend Joran jealous. Perhaps you should pay him a compliment too.”
Nina smiled at Joran. Your secret is safe with me. “You look slightly less stern tonight, Joran.”
“Does he?” Prince Rasmus mused. “Maybe a bit around the forehead.”
“It’s quite a crush tonight,” said Hanne. “I’ve never seen this ballroom so full.”
“They all want to gawk at me, and I’m happy to let them. And of course, everyone wants to talk about the war.”
“I see Vadik Demidov here, but not the Apparat,” said Nina.
“Demidov is happiest at a party, eating someone else’s food and drinking someone else’s wine. As for the priest, he’s been most secretive lately. Your father isn’t happy about it. He wants my family to banish him back to Ravka or the underside of whatever rock will have him.”
A glorious idea, thought Nina. The less she saw of the priest, the better.
“And what will your family do?” Nina asked.
Rasmus grimaced. “My mother has become strangely superstitious and won’t part with the priest. She’s in Djel’s chapel day and night.”
I just bet. But Nina left it to Hanne to say, “Oh?”
Rasmus lowered his voice and leaned in. “She doesn’t want to let Brum bomb any more civilian targets. She’s talking like some kind of peasant who claims to see the face of Djel in a loaf of bread. Saying that the spirits of the dead spoke to her and that Djel will make me sick again—just because I backslid a bit.”
Hanne’s eyes dropped guiltily away and she touched her fingers to a spray of lilies in a silver vase.
“Perhaps it’s superstition,” said Nina. “But if it was Brum’s choice to bomb the city, you could choose a new policy and show him you have other plans for Fjerda’s future.”
“Interesting,” Rasmus said, assessing first Nina and then Hanne. “The fishwife has discovered politics. She’s criticizing your father’s strategies, Hanne. What do you think of that?”
Hanne cocked her head to the side, considering. “I think strong men show strength, but great men show strength tempered by compassion.”
Rasmus laughed. “You have a gift for diplomacy, Hanne Brum. And I do like taking a larger role in our military decisions. Though I can tell you our generals were most surprised to see me join their meetings.”
That was good. At least Nina hoped so. Better than Brum. That’s all we need. Strength tempered by compassion. A prince who might choose peace over war if given the chance.
“I’m glad you felt well enough to attend,” said Hanne.
“I admit I enjoyed it. We spent most of the time discussing plans for a fascinating addition to our armory.”
“A new weapon?” Nina asked. Were those the plans labeled Songbird she’d seen on Brum’s desk?
“Something like that. But let’s not talk of war and stuffy commanders.”
“It’s good for them to remember who will rule our country,” said Hanne.
Rasmus sat a bit straighter, looking satisfied. “Yes. They should remember, much as some would like to forget. I’ll have you know I’ve danced three times already this night. You and I will have a dance later, Hanne. I cannot wait to shock the court with your dress.”
“I’d be honored, Your Highness.”
“Everyone says that. But it’s not always so. The court ladies used to suffer through their dances with me. I couldn’t keep up. I ended each dance wheezing. I was something to be endured, like a child’s piano recital.”
Hanne’s expression was thoughtful. “I know that feeling well. Every time a soldier asked me to dance, I knew it was just an attempt to curry favor with my father. Each minute I spent with them, I could tell how anxious they were to be away from me.”
“Because you were too tall, too strong. We are opposite sides of the mirror. Perhaps we should take to the floor now and truly make them talk.”
Hanne laughed. “But they’re not playing music to dance to.”
“If His Royal Highness wishes to dance, then they will.”
He offered her his hand and Hanne took it, smiling. Nina felt something in her heart twist. Oh, that’s small of you, Zenik. It’s not as if you and Hanne could have had a future here. Hanne could talk of riding off somewhere, but that was just nerves speaking, the prospect of facing down another party, another night of idle small talk. She wouldn’t abandon Fjerda and Nina wouldn’t abandon Ravka. And when Nina’s mission was complete? She certainly wasn’t going to remain in this simpering disguise at the Fjerdan court.