Shadow and Bone

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 recognize the
scrawny, miserable little girl I’d been.
I saw Genya gliding through the crowd toward 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.