Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (z-lib.org).mobi

leaning on a cane.
“Duke Keramsov!” I exclaimed. He was wearing his old officer’s uniform, his
many medals pinned to his broad chest.
The old man looked at me with a flicker of interest, clearly startled that I knew
his name.
“It’s me,” I said. “Alina Starkov?”
“Yes … yes. Of course!” he said with a faint smile.
I looked into his eyes. He didn’t remember me at all.
And why should he? I was just another orphan, and a very forgettable one at
that. Still, I was surprised at how much it hurt.
I made polite conversation for as long as I had to and then took the first
opportunity to escape.
I leaned against a pillar and grabbed another glass of champagne from a
passing servant. The room felt uncomfortably warm. As I looked around, I
suddenly felt very alone. I thought of Mal, and for the first time in weeks, my
heart gave that old familiar twist. I wished he could be here to see this place. I
wished he could see me in my silk kefta with gold in my hair. Mostly I just
wished that he was standing beside me. I pushed the thought away and took a big
gulp of champagne. What difference did it make if some drunk old man didn’t
know me? I was glad he didn’t recognise the scrawny, miserable little girl I’d
been.
I saw Genya gliding through the crowd towards me. Counts and dukes and
wealthy merchants turned to stare at her as she passed, but she ignored them all.
Don’t waste your time, I wanted to tell them. Her heart belongs to a gangly
Fabrikator who doesn’t like parties.
“Time for the show – I mean, the demonstration,” she said when she reached
me. “Why are you all by yourself?”
“I just needed to take a little break.”
“Too much champagne?”
“Maybe.”
“Silly girl,” she said, looping her arm through mine. “There’s no such thing as
too much champagne. Though your head will try to tell you otherwise
tomorrow.”
She steered me through the crowd, gracefully dodging people who wanted to
meet me or leer at her, until we’d made our way behind the stage that had been
set up along the far wall of the ballroom. We stood by the orchestra and watched
as a man dressed in an elaborate silver ensemble took to the stage to introduce
the Grisha.
The orchestra struck a dramatic chord, and the guests were soon gasping and