Siege and Storm

The nobleman’s mansion is lavish. Mal, Alina, and Tamar are convincingly dressed as Suli fortunetellers. Mal and Alina flirt and read fortunes, having a good time until a violent fight suddenly breaks out. All three are separated in the chaos; as Alina makes her way outside, she comes face to face with the Apparat.

The Apparat is creepy, enigmatic, and full of religious fervor. Alina’s holy army is growing and only waits for her to lead it. When she asks him about the firebird, the Apparat enigmatically says that in his rush to escape the Little Palace, the Darkling left many precious things behind. Alina concludes this might include Morozova’s journals. Then, Apparat slips away as if he were never there. Later, it’s revealed that Tamar and Tolya orchestrated this whole encounter, believing it the best way to help Ravka.

Later, Mal visits Alina in the Darkling’s old chambers to discuss the journals. He apologizes for putting her at risk at the party. She is bitter that he’s been away so much, and he admits he’s been trying to protect her from rumors about the intimacy of their relationship. He feels she’s changed since she got the sea whip fetter—her purpose might now be Ravka, but his purpose is her. As Mal moves to kiss her, Alina sees the Darkling standing right behind him and flinches in terror. Mal storms out. The Darkling kisses Alina’s cheek before disappearing.

David is almost done with the mirrored dishes. She asks him to remove her collar, but although David feels guilty for creating it, trying to take it off would “make the Fold look like a paper cut” (332).

At the next Grand Palace meeting, they discuss the decimated First Army. Vasily suggests lowering the age of the draft, but soldiers aren’t deserting because of age but because of the nichevo’ya. Vasily flippantly suggests harsh punishment for peasants because it’s the only motivation they’ll understand. When Nikolai says they both want what’s best for Ravka, Vasily suggests what’s best is a Lantsov on the throne, implying that the king is not Nikolai’s real father. Nikolai ignores the insult, and Alina realizes that Nikolai cares deeply about his country.

The holiday season begins. Vasily leaves for the annual yearling auction. Most of the Grisha are finally getting along. Mal has been drinking too much and avoiding Alina. Alina worries about her obsession with the firebird; her visions of the Darkling now occur daily. Soon, Nikolai notices that Alina is not doing well and he realizes she’s fallen out with Mal.

When David finishes the mirrored dishes, Alina calls light between them. Her beam becomes a large broadsword. Thrilled with the success, the Grisha are jubilant. After a bloodshot and bruised Mal rudely leaves to play cards at the Grand Palace, Nikolai takes Alina on a flight in his new craft, the Kingfisher. They discuss how the dishes will change the balance of the fight and how rumors that he is illegitimate hurt him more than he lets on. He wants to kiss Alina, but when she reciprocates, he stops her because she’s just trying to forget Mal.