The Price of Power / Being Chapters from the Secret History of the Imperial Court of Russia

A sequence of episodes exposes intrigue at the imperial court, where assassination plots, secret police operations, and courtly jealousies create an atmosphere of constant danger. An embassy attaché is drawn into events after receiving a cryptic imperial summons, and investigations reveal tunnels, mines, arrests, and the pervasive surveillance that surrounds the sovereign. Scenes move between salons, palace corridors, and guarded retreats, portraying how autocratic power is maintained through security measures and personal loyalties. The narrative examines the strain of living under perpetual threat and the mechanics of intrigue that sustain or imperil a ruling household.