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PROLOGUE

‘HEY, SHISHKA’

Daniil Zverev stiffened as he walked into the dormitory and heard what his friend Sev had just called him

It would seem that shishka was now his new name

Russian slang could hit just where it hurt, and tonight it did its job well

Big gun

Bigwig

Big shot

Daniil watched as Sev put down the book he had been reading

‘We were just talking about how you’re going to go and live with the rich faland, shishka’

‘Don’t call ain,’ Daniil warned, and picked up the book and held it over his head He es out but, as Sev sed, Daniil tossed it back on the bed

He wouldn’t have torn it—Sev only occasionally had a book to read—but Daniil hoped he would heed the warning

‘Did you find any matches?’ Nikolai looked up fro and Daniil went into his pocket and took out the handful that he had collected when he had done his sweeping duty

‘Here’

‘Thanks, shishka’

Daniil would do it; he would sry as he stared down his friend

The four boys were, in fact, far more than friends

Yes, Daniil and Roht be identical twins and Nikolai and Sev no relation, but all four had grown up together With their dark hair and pale skin, they were the poorest stock ast the poor At the baby house they had stood in their cribs and called to each other at night

Daniil and Roman had shared a crib

Nikolai and Sevastyan had slept in their own on either side of the twins

When they had graduated to beds they had been e and placed in the sa, they shared a four-bedroomed room

Most considered them wild boys, troubled boys, but they were no real trouble to each other