Chapter 31: That Foolish Girl
Lydia was still burning up. Sweat clung to her skin, and her breath came in shallow pulls. Her body trembled as she tried to get up. Her feet touched the floor, and she gripped the bedpost, holding herself upright with all the strength she could summon. For a second, she stood.
Then everything went black.
Her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
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Far away in the capital, Ivan was just leaving the palace after his tense meeting with the king. The sky had turned a pale gray, clouds hanging low with the promise of rain. On his ride back to Svetlana, his horse slowed as they passed the familiar road that led to the Andreyevna house.
His eyes lingered on the gate.
He didn’t know why he stopped.
He had no reason to.
But something in him urged him to turn. He tugged the reins slightly and drew to a halt in front of the Andreyevna estate. For a moment, he said nothing. Just sat on his horse, unmoving, his gaze resting on the house like a man remembering something he couldn’t quite grasp.
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Back in Svetlana, Katherine had returned to Lydia’s chambers to check on her. As she opened the door, a cold jolt of fear coursed through her.