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

as cold and smooth as ever. “We’re entering Kribirsk,” he said. “When we are
greeted by the other Grisha, you will not say a word about your little excursion.”
My jaw dropped. “They don’t know?”
“All they know is that you’ve been in seclusion, preparing for your crossing of
the Shadow Fold with prayer and rest.”
A dry bark of laughter escaped me. “I certainly look well rested.”
“I’ll say you’ve been fasting.”
“That’s why none of the soldiers in Ryevost were looking for me,” I said with
dawning understanding. “You never told the King.”
“If word of your disappearance had got out, you would have been hunted
down and killed by Fjerdan assassins within days.”
“And you would have had to account for losing the kingdom’s only Sun
Summoner.”
The Darkling studied me for a long moment. “Just what kind of life do you
think you could have with him, Alina? He’s otkazat’sya. He can never hope to
understand your power, and if he did, he’d only come to fear you. There is no
ordinary life for people like you and me.”
“I’m nothing like you,” I said flatly.
His lips curled in a tight, bitter smile. “Of course not,” he said courteously.
Then he knocked on the roof of the coach and it rolled to a stop. “When we
arrive, you’ll say your hellos, then plead exhaustion and retire to your tent. And
if you do anything reckless, I will torture the tracker until he begs me to take his
life.”
And he was gone.
I rode the rest of the way into Kribirsk alone, trying to stop trembling. Mal is
alive, I told myself. That’s all that matters. But another thought crept in. Maybe
the Darkling is letting you believe he’s still alive just to keep you in line. I
wrapped my arms around myself, praying that it wasn’t true.
I pulled back the curtains as we rode through Kribirsk and felt a pang of
sadness as I remembered walking this same road so many months ago. I’d nearly
been crushed by the very coach I was riding in. Mal had saved me, and Zoya had
looked at him from the window of the Summoners’ coach. I’d wished to be like
her, a beautiful girl in a blue kefta.
When we finally pulled up to the immense black silk tent, a crowd of Grisha
swarmed around the coach. Marie and Ivo and Sergei rushed forward to greet
me. I was surprised at how good it felt to see them again.
As they caught sight of me, their excitement vanished, replaced by worry and
concern. They’d expected a triumphant Sun Summoner, wearing the greatest
amplifier ever known, radiant with power and the favour of the Darkling.