prologue . . .

I KNOW PLACES

If it's a million to one
I'm gonna be that one and
If it's a shot in the dark
I'm gonna be the sun

Million To One (Camila Cabello)

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Vasilisa Svetlana Nikolayevna Vyazemskaya. A Russian aristocrat with a name so powerful that it literally screamed money and richness. Somebody who ought to be special from the moment they were born. Extraordinary, outstanding. A name that even if you were hearing it for the first time, you knew it was better to not disrespect the person who bore it. Some people claimed she was lucky to be born into a wealthy family. However, life wasn't as simple as they claimed and they shared different opinions. For people below her with less money or lower title she was seen as another rich, self-centered person who liked to ignore others' needs and feelings and simply saw them as nothing but just an annoying smudge on her flawless dress that cost a fortune. But what they did not know was that she didn't ask for any of it. It was never her choice to be the person she was. Because even though she had the money, she didn't live a perfect life. And her whole life there'd been a small part of her that made her feel like she didn't belong. Like she didn't belong to the big palace with the luxury rooms. She had this feeling that her life didn't have a purpose. Her heart kept whispering to her, giving her signs that she was in the wrong place. Unfortunately, the girl didn't know if that feeling was real or just a simple imagination in her head. And although Vasilisa was doubting many things, there was one thing she knew for sure. Life was not fair.

One day, shortly after she celebrated her fifteenth birthday, she found out about the real situation. She was currently writing a letter to her older sister Alisa when she accidentally dropped her pen. But when she ducked down to pick it up, she found something entirely else. Right in the corner where eyes wouldn't have any reason to look was something unnatural. When Vasilisa's hand touched it and made contact with the thin carpet, the material of the floor under her fingers didn't feel the same. It stood out a little and when she knocked on it she was sure that it was a strange thing. Vasilisa didn't hesitate and she quickly stood up, forgetting about the lost pen. She approached one side of the table and leaned against it with all her strength in hopes to push it away from the mysterious part of the floor. At first, it was a hard task for her but that didn't make her give up. Gritting her teeth she pushed even more.

As soon as it finally moved a little, the girl silently celebrated the small victory but she quickly reminded herself that she hadn't finished yet.

It took her a few very long minutes to be successful with her mission but at last she did it. Vasilisa shook her hands in an attempt to relax them. After a couple of seconds she returned to the mystery and ducked down to the floor again. She did a short inspection and found out that the carpet that was covering it wasn't part of the original one – even though from a distance it looked perfectly fine. The girl carefully lifted it up, not knowing what to expect to find underneath it. But the second she laid eyes on it she could only stare at it for a moment in surprise mixed with shock.

There was a wooden trapdoor with a small iron handle. Vasilisa recovered from the shock and her mind started properly working again, thinking about all kinds of reasons – why was it located right in her room, from all the rooms in the palace – and places – where did it lead to? The girl had so many questions piling up in her head. Was it a coincidence that it was here, in her room? Did anyone else have it? Why was it hidden? Was it dangerous? Or, hope not, did it lead to a torture room? Was anyone else aware of it?

Vasilisa wasn't afraid of having adventures. She was not a coward, hiding in the safety of her room. When she spotted something that got her interest, she went for it without any hesitation. Plus her curiosity was far too great to be ignored as well. So when she debated with herself if she should go down the hole or rather inform someone about it she didn't have to think twice to end up with the thought of trying this secret passage that she had just miraculously found.

Vasilisa grabbed the handle and pulled it. The trapdoor moved with a creak and that made the girl instantly stop what she was doing. She stayed still, not daring to make any other moves.

Could anyone hear the noise? It wasn't very loud, at least she thought so. But Vasilisa was sure that if someone was currently walking around her rooms, their ears would surely catch the sudden sound.

Vasilisa remained in her position – one knee resting on the ground and her hand clutching the handle of the trapdoor – for a good minute and only then she hesitantly continued. And when she successfully opened the door she felt the relief wash over her.

The darkness that met her wasn't a big surprise. She could barely see an iron ladder which was leading deeper into the hole. Vasilisa had to narrow her eyes to catch even a little sight of it.

And now there was nothing stopping her. She decided that she would climb down and discover the secrets this place had been hiding until now. Because she would find out the truth. She was sick of doing nothing. And to her pleasure she ended up very close to getting the answers that she craved.

Vasilisa climbed down the iron ladder. She happened to be in a dark tunnel. On her way down she grabbed a candle to light her way. And what awaited her at the end was a pleasant surprise.

It was an entrance.

Obviously, it had been kept a secret until she discovered it. Vasilisa shivered as the cold air hit her body because she wasn't dressed for the Russian freezing weather. She found out that the secret entrance was hidden in the shadows of the trees surrounding it, making it almost impossible to see it. The area seemed abandoned which meant the chances of finding it lowered even more. And while the whole palace was encircled by a high gate that prevented unwelcome guests from stepping on the family's grounds, this was completely free to the world. The entrance was separated from the building though. Since it mostly went under the ground anybody could slip in and out with the help of someone who was aware of its existence. Another thing that didn't miss Vasilisa's attention was the fact that the door could be opened only from the inside.

By the time she returned to her chambers Vasilisa's mind was filled with her thoughts. She didn't really register the risks of other people finding out and making it useful for themselves – or rather she ignored them. Instead, she saw a one-time opportunity presented to her on a silver plate. An opportunity to sneak out without anyone's knowledge. She saw her chance to be free. To finally explore the city where she had lived almost her whole life.

Maybe even more.

And that was the day that started a new adventure. Vasilisa kept going out, eventually taking her skates with her as well. Finally she had the chance to see St. Petersburg the way she wanted. She visited the places she wanted without having to ask for permission first. She could skate all she wanted, spread out her arms, look up at the sky and be happy.

Vasilisa now saw the true magic of the city and knew that it became an addiction. In a good way. And, truthfully, she fell in love with it.

And then she discovered the famous Ice Market. A place where sellers presented their creations in an attempt to make their customers buy them – highlighted by the fact that the whole thing took place on the frozen river Neva. As soon as Vasilisa spotted it she was amazed by the scenery because everything seemed so calmingly normal. It wasn't the boring and quiet atmosphere like in the palace which she was used to seeing every day. No. It was much livelier. Filled with people having casual conversations. People with ordinary lives.

Vasilisa swiftly slipped her skates on. She was wearing one of her expensive, well-looking coats which might possibly bring unwanted attention to her but the girl's mind was far too occupied by the beauty around her that she didn't even realize it. She was wandering around the market listening to people's calls. Her nose had inhaled a lot of tasty scents of delicious food and drinks. She had caught a glimpse of many talented people who showed their wooden figures and other creations made by their very own hands.

And that was the moment when an idea popped up in her head. It wasn't a brand new thought. No. She had been playing with it for a while now. But seeing what her close neighborhood had to offer was like a switch that had been finally turned on.

If Saint Petersburg could give her so much, how much would provide her with the world?

She was going to run away.

Vasilisa was so convinced about her plan that on that day she immediately started preparing everything for her escape. She didn't want anyone to know where she went in case they tried to stop her. And she surely wouldn't let anyone keep her under lock.

The girl was young, only fifteen years old. At that moment the idea of freedom seemed like the best idea that she had ever had. She didn't think. She didn't need to. She only saw her chance and reached for it, not knowing that she was about to play with the fire. And the fire burnt. A lot.

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The day when she would finally complete her seemingly perfect plan was here. She made sure to pack enough jewelry and money for her travel and everything she'd need. Grabbing her skates she made her way to the secret passage, looking around the luxurious room one last time. If she was being honest, she'd even miss this place. Vasilisa had to admit that she had many happy memories of this palace. For example when her grandfather used to play with her when she was very little. However, she had grown up and she wasn't a little child anymore. Her childhood was carried away by the wind, slowly and unnoticeably. It was time for her to move on and let the old memories stay here, in the past. It was time to start a new life. A life she wished to fully experience without any rules given to her by her grandfather or her governess.

When Vasilisa exited the palace she realized there was one more thing she craved before she truly left St. Petersburg behind her once and for all. She needed to see the magical Ice Market at least one more time. Because that market was another thing that she would dearly miss about this city. Even though she hadn't known the place for long but every time she visited it she felt like she belonged there.

With her pocket full she put on her skates again. But as she skated around she wasn't looking at her surroundings with the same eyes anymore. Vasilisa tried to carve every little detail her eyes could catch into her brain. She wanted to cherish the memories. Memories of every person she saw, every item she spotted, every smell her nose caught. Everything.

And finally she reached the bridge. She would have just simply skated under it if it weren't for a man who called out that his wallet was gone. That made Vasilisa instantly stop and instinctively bury her fingers in her pocket in search. But there was nothing. It was unbelievably and shockingly empty. She could swear that her heart skipped a beat. Her mind was racing. It didn't accept the obvious fact that she had been just robbed without her noticing it. All her possessions that she wanted to pay for her freedom with had disappeared. And the hope that had finally risen in her when she discovered that secret passage started falling apart into tiny pieces. Just like a house of cards, carefully and precisely built, destroyed by a soft wind that may seem innocent but it could still ruin something that took hours to create. And as if it wasn't painful enough, all of this had to happen the day she managed to find the needed courage in herself to flee. To leave the palace that she called prison.

Vasilisa quickly realized where she was and that she had probably been standing there for too long and the last thing she wanted was to draw attention to herself. Shaking off her shock she continued to skate away as she ignored the commotion behind her. This time, she was moving with a new goal. She wasn't headed to the train station anymore. She was going back to the palace.

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The next few days were very productive for Vasilisa. She craved more information about the robbery that she was a victim of and she knew that one of the best places where she could find something useful was her grandfather's office where he always received reports on the happening in the city. To her luck, he wasn't a very paranoid man and trusted his guards at the gates to keep the unwelcome guests outside. And although the girl had always wondered how he could be so careless, this time she was very thankful for this trait of his because it only made things easy for her.

When Vasilisa was younger, she often visited him while he was working and he used to put her on his knees while he was paying attention to the papers, occasionally explaining what he was doing to the young girl even though she didn't seem to be very interested in it. And as she grew, she started losing her childish curiosity and the amount of her visits started to reduce very quickly.

But after years, Vasilisa returned to the familiar corridors. And without her grandfather's knowledge. It sent a pleasant adrenaline through her body as she wandered around, looking at the old paintings. However, she didn't really feel guilty about it. Why should she? The man had never forbidden her to come here. And for all she knew, he would even probably give her the papers if she just asked for them. But that would mean raising unneeded questions. And she had decided that the best time to sneak in was when he was having his usual glass of whiskey in the living room.

When she was finally inside, she started rummaging through the newest documents he had on his table. After a brief inspection she found out that the newest were at the top with the most important papers that needed to be signed. Vasilisa was very careful with what she touched and tried to remember their original state so that after she left, there would be no proof of her presence, because although her grandfather wasn't very cautious, he still liked to have everything in its place where it belonged.

And then luck finally met her. She had successfully found the papers with the information she was looking for. The information about the recent robberies at the Ice Market plus the plan of the police to catch them with dates. She quickly read through it, remembering as much of it as she could in the hurry. Thanks to the documents she got to know about a local gang – who apparently got named the Ice Gang – and they kept stealing people's property. And the interesting thing was that the thieves were so good at it that no one had found out when or how they did it.

It totally matched Vasilisa's situation. And then she realized another thing. The complaints had come mostly from the wealthy people. It could be a coincidence but she honestly doubted it. She pictured herself from the day she was robbed. She was wearing one of her warmest and finest coats.

Vasilisa was confused. She wasn't sure what to feel. Her mind was racing. Until she recognized one feeling. Admiration. She had looked into her family's past. She knew very well how they got to the money they had now. She was aware of the people that used to work for them, slaves. And whenever she stepped outside, she noticed the poor people begging for money to buy food. To survive.

Vasilisa didn't feel any hatred toward the gang. No. Honestly, she was glad that someone was finally giving the overconfident rich people exactly what they deserved. And although they were the reason why her attempt to escape was unsuccessful, she wasn't very disappointed. Quite the opposite, they might have just opened her eyes and helped her see the other side.

Vasilisa spent that night thinking about what she knew. She recalled that exactly twenty-four hours ago she was plotting her escape. But the cards had turned and her sleepless night ended with one carefully made decision. She was going to help them. Vasilisa was aware of a lot of secret information and future plans thanks to her little investigation in her grandfather's office and she also knew that the thieves would be pleased to have that knowledge. But all of that led to another question. How could she let them know about them? Who would even believe her, a woman, in this century? They were considered a mere decoration by their husbands' sides. A trophy. A jewel whose shine reflected on the men. They could speak their opinions only when they were allowed to. They could study only with the men's permission.

And that was not fair.

Vasilisa needed to come up with a plan quickly. And then she finally did.

The girl called in one of her maids when she had everything ready. She instructed her to buy her honey at the market and thankfully the woman didn't hesitate to do what she was told. But before she could leave Vasilisa's room she was stopped. Vasilisa asked her if she had ever worn a fancy dress and when she received a negative answer she knew that her plan was working. The girl offered her one of hers, not the best looking but still enough. The maid was very hesitant at first, not daring to wear her mistress's clothing in fear she'd get caught. But as soon as she took a look at it, the hesitation reduced. She had helped dress people in such clothes countless times already but she had never tried them on herself. And when she laid her eyes on it she couldn't get the image of herself wearing it out of her head. And at last she agreed, not knowing that it was all part of Vasilisa's well thought scheme.

Finally the maid was handed some money she would need, unaware that there was a small note tucked between the papers. A note with information a casual person had no way to know. And Vasilisa knew there were risks. Of course there were. The many possibilities of the outcome. Maybe they wouldn't even notice the maid at the market. Maybe they wouldn't even be there today. Maybe they wouldn't even steal the money. But even if the note were to be discovered, there would be no proof to point at her. The only sign on the note was a single letter: S. It stood for her middle name, Svetlana, which not many people were aware of.

And Vasilisa waited. She waited for the maid to return in hopes that her plan was successful. What if she came back and accused her of helping criminals because of the found note? What if the maid instantly ran to her grandfather and informed him about what she did because she believed she'd get a prize for this precious information?

And finally, the maid arrived. But her face didn't show anger or disappointment. In fact, her eyes were puffy and cheeks red with tears rolling down. Seeing her state Vasilisa felt a bit of guilt for using her. But she reminded herself that she couldn't give up. She had to continue.

With a shaky voice the maid told her the story of how she wanted to buy the honey Vasilisa asked for and when she was by the stand her pocket with the money was empty. The maid said she kept looking for the money in her other pockets but it was gone. She didn't stop apologizing and Vasilisa tried to reassure her that it was all right and she would receive no punishment. After some time, the maid seemed to relax but the fear and guilt on her face hadn't disappeared. Then Vasilisa sent her away with the dress, saying that she looked beautiful in it and that she could keep it. In return the girl got a lot of thank-yous from her maid.

As soon as Vasilisa finally remained alone in her room she let the smile of victory spread across her face. She did it. She managed to trick the Ice Gang to steal what she wanted them to have. Now she could only hope that they had successfully found the note and read it. In her head, she was already coming up with another plan like this because she was sure that this would not be the first and last time she helped them. She would continue.

But little did she know that not only she started standing up for the poor but her story also began to slowly unfold. And what would happen next? She could only guess.

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