We will do something to stop her mischiefs, Nikolai thought as Kheru made her way to the side and make room for the next lady, neither the people nor her siblings should suffer under Makhi's reign of terror. He had been foolish to think that Makhi would stop with everything once they had put an end to her hand of destruction, Minister Yerwei, because she wouldn't execute anything by herself – instead of quitting her foul act, she just got herself a new puppet. But with the-
"Are you even trying to pay attention?" Zoya snarled without darting her eyes off the first kerch girl that the speaker announced. "I know this is boring but at least act like you find them interesting."
"Yes, Zoya."
He didn't find them boring but instead of doing this grand entrance, he could have just shaken their hand one after the after and would have been able to have a first chat with them. But Genya insisted on this gesture, so the women would see "the grandiosity of the ravkan crown".
Josefine Linsch did seem impressed by the introduction, but her nerves were going to get the better of her really soon. Her smile seemed like it was glued on, her eyes were wide open, but her legs were shaking so much, she nearly tumbled to the floor when she curtsied before them.
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She was the oldest daughter of a very wealthy merchant from Ketterdam who was making money at his day job as a merchant, but he had his hands in the black market in the night. He took a liking to collecting art, he had a huge building with a glass roof for the best lightning for it. A famous architect had built a maze inside the house, showcasing each piece in a very extravagant way, as if over half of its stock hadn't been purchased illegally.
The other kerch girl, Brigitta Schenck, startled the first discussions among Nikolai's inner circle when Zoya wanted her name on the list. She had been the girl who had fallen into the water and was rescued by Isaak. Her father, the wealthiest man in Ketterdam and an eligible member of the Merchant Council that ran the capital, was keen on making the alliance with Ravka and Nikolai was sure that she had nothing against his plans – why else jump willingly into the water from quite a distance in a very heavy dress and shoes where the possibility of drowning wasn't that small?
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