Shadow and Bone

CHAPTER 12
THE NEXT MORNING wasn’t as bad as I’d expected. Zoya
was already in the domed hall when I entered. She sat by
herself at the end of the Summoners’ table, eating her
breakfast in silence. She didn’t look up as Marie and Nadia
called their greetings to me, and I did my best to ignore her,
too.
I savored every step of my walk down to the lake. The sun
was bright, the air cold on my cheeks, and I wasn’t looking
forward to the stuffy, windowless confines of Baghra’s hut.
But when I climbed the steps to her door, I heard raised voices.
I hesitated and then knocked softly. The voices quieted
abruptly, and after a moment, I pushed the door open and
peeked inside. The Darkling was standing by Baghra’s tile
oven, his face furious.
“Sorry,” I said, and began to back out the door.
But Baghra just snapped, “In, girl. Don’t let the heat out.”
When I entered and shut the door, the Darkling gave me a
small bow. “How are you, Alina?”
“I’m fine,” I managed.
“She’s fine!” hooted Baghra. “She’s fine! She cannot light a
hallway, but she’s fine.”
I winced and wished I could disappear into my boots.
To my surprise, the Darkling said, “Leave her be.”
Baghra’s eyes narrowed. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
The Darkling sighed and ran his hands through his dark hair
in exasperation. When he looked at me, there was a rueful
smile on his lips, and his hair was going every which way.
“Baghra has her own way of doing things,” he said.
“Don’t patronize me, boy!” Her voice cracked out like a
whip. To my amazement, I saw the Darkling stand up
straighter and then scowl as if he’d caught himself.