Maria cries unashamedly on my shoulder while I whisper and pet her cheek but Anastasia grips my other hand and stares fiercely back at our Alexander Palace with her wet blue eyes until it is no more than a lemoncolored speck against the sunrise.

Advertising Disclosure: Please note that many links to retailers are affiliate links, which yields a commission for us. allauthor.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon sites.