Shadow and Bone

slumped against the base of a tree, hidden—I hoped—behind
the copse of bushes. From where I sat, I could see no one, but I
could hear voices in the distance. I hesitated, frozen in place,
unsure of what to do. If I moved, I risked giving away my
position, but if I stayed silent, it would only be a matter of
time before they found me.
My heart began to race as the sounds grew closer. Through
the leaves, I glimpsed a stocky, bearded soldier. He had a rifle
in his hands, but I knew there was no chance that they would
kill me. I was too valuable. It gave me an advantage, if I was
willing to die.
They’re not going to take me. The thought came to me with
sure and sudden clarity. I won’t go back.
I flicked my wrist and a mirror slid into my left hand. With
my other hand I pulled out my knife, feeling the weight of
Grisha steel in my palm. Silently, I drew myself into a crouch
and waited, listening. I was frightened, but I was surprised to
find that some part of me felt eager.
I watched the bearded soldier through the leaves, circling
closer until he was just feet from me. I could see a bead of
sweat trickling down his neck, the morning light gleaming off
his rifle barrel, and for a moment, I thought he might be
looking right at me. A call sounded from deep in the woods.
The soldier shouted back to them. “Nichyevo!” Nothing.
And then, to my amazement, he turned and walked away
from me.
I listened as the sounds faded, the voices growing more
distant, the footfalls more faint. Could I possibly be so lucky?
Had they somehow mistaken an animal’s trail or another
traveler’s for mine? Or was it some kind of trick? I waited, my
body trembling, until all I could hear was the relative quiet of
the wood, the calls of insects and birds, the rustle of the wind
in the trees.
At last, I slid the mirror back into my glove and took a deep,
shuddering breath. I returned my knife to its sheath and slowly
rose out of my crouch. I reached for my still-damp coat lying