Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (z-lib.org).mobi
perfume, counting and recounting the line of buttons on that leaf green dress asshe held court. The thought drove my steps all the way to the Little Palace.I wanted to avoid the Grisha in the main hall, so I used the entrance that leddirectly to the war room. As soon as I made my request to the oprichnik standingguard, I regretted it. The Darkling had given me to the Queen. He would turn meaway now, maybe worse.But the oprichnik returned and simply gestured for me to follow him down thehall. When I arrived at the war room, a group of Grisha were leaving—Ivan andseveral high-ranking Etherealki and Heartrenders I didn’t know.I’d told myself I would be dignified. I would plead my case rationally. Butwhen Ivan closed the door, I started to cry. The Darkling might have chastisedme or turned his back. But he put his arm around me, sat me down at the table.He poured me a glass of water and waited until I was calm enough to take agulping sip.“Do not let them humble you,” he said softly.I’d had a speech prepared, a hundred things I wanted to say. All of it went outof my head, and I sputtered the first thing that came into my mind. “I don’t wantto wear this anymore,” I pleaded. “It’s a servant’s uniform.”“It’s a soldier’s uniform.”I shook my head, choking back another sob. He leaned forward and wiped thetears from my cheeks with the sleeve of his own kefta.“If you tell me you cannot bear this, then I will send you from here and youneed never wear those colors or walk the halls of the Grand Palace again. Youwill be safe, I promise you that.”I looked up at him, not quite believing. “Safe?”“Safe. But I can promise you this, too: You are a soldier. You could be mygreatest soldier. And if you stay, if you can endure this, one day all will knowit.” He lifted my chin with his finger. “Do you know the King once cut himselfon his own sword?”A little laugh escaped me. “He did?”The Darkling nodded, the barest grin playing over his lips. “He wears itconstantly—just for show, mind you. He forgets it is not a toy by his side but aweapon.” His face grew serious. “I can promise you safety,” he said. “Or I canpromise to see your suffering repaid a thousandfold.” With the pad of his thumb,he brushed a stray tear from beneath my eye. “You decide, Genya.”tHAT CHOiCE WAS HARD, but this one is easy.I straighten the rows of bottles and shut the closet door. I cross to the window.When I press my face to the glass, I can see the lanterns lit across the palace
grounds, and I can just make out the sounds of music playing in one of theballrooms, the high human wail of violins. If I could see past the trees, throughthe dark, I might glimpse the wooded tunnel and, beyond it, down that gentleslope, the golden domes that top the Little Palace.I think of Alina’s too-thin fingers gripping the edge of the sheet, the hope shecan’t hide in her pale, expressive face as she wrote out the tracker’s name.I open the black wood box, and I feed the letters to the fire, one by one. Ithurts, but I can bear it. Because I am a doll, and a servant. Because I am a prettything and a soldier all the same.
- Page 177 and 178: The sound was like a soft whistle o
- Page 179 and 180: in his hand.I turned away, my stoma
- Page 181 and 182: “We’ll camp tonight and leave f
- Page 183 and 184: Fold.”Ivan shook his head. “The
- Page 185 and 186: as cold and smooth as ever. “We
- Page 187 and 188: I shuddered. I hoped that Baghra ha
- Page 189 and 190: CHAPTER 21I picked at my dinner and
- Page 191 and 192: asked, and for once, his voice was
- Page 193 and 194: hold back during my conversation wi
- Page 195 and 196: lips met mine.We stayed together th
- Page 197 and 198: in crimson silks, stood a delegatio
- Page 199 and 200: breathing, I thought in terror.The
- Page 201 and 202: most valued Grisha had just punched
- Page 203 and 204: Mal as I threw the light ahead of m
- Page 205 and 206: hurtling towards me over the dead r
- Page 207 and 208: AFTERThe boy and the girl stand at
- Page 209 and 210: ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThanks to my agent a
- Page 213 and 214: FOUND NEAR RAVKA’SNORTHERN BORDER
- Page 215 and 216: more, why I toss and turn, why my r
- Page 217 and 218: when I stand at the gates of the Gr
- Page 220 and 221: Have you been checking the casualty
- Page 222 and 223: Ivan shrugs, scowling. “He just m
- Page 224 and 225: “You’ve suffered, too,” he sa
- Page 226 and 227: memory.“You’re right, of course
- Page 230 and 231: WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GR
- Page 232 and 233: WHAT SPARKED YOUR IMAGINATION FOR S
- Page 234 and 235: WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FICTIONAL CHAR
- Page 236: number 4.WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR
- Page 240 and 241: CopyrightORION CHILDREN’S BOOKSFi
grounds, and I can just make out the sounds of music playing in one of the
ballrooms, the high human wail of violins. If I could see past the trees, through
the dark, I might glimpse the wooded tunnel and, beyond it, down that gentle
slope, the golden domes that top the Little Palace.
I think of Alina’s too-thin fingers gripping the edge of the sheet, the hope she
can’t hide in her pale, expressive face as she wrote out the tracker’s name.
I open the black wood box, and I feed the letters to the fire, one by one. It
hurts, but I can bear it. Because I am a doll, and a servant. Because I am a pretty
thing and a soldier all the same.
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