Shadow and Bone

The Darkling’s table was empty, the only sign of his
presence a large ebony chair. When I asked if he would be
eating breakfast with us, Nadia shook her head vigorously.
“Oh no! He hardly ever dines with us,” she said.
I raised my eyebrows. All this fuss about who sat nearest
the Darkling, and he couldn’t be bothered to show up?
Plates of rye bread and pickled herring were placed in front
of us, and I had to stifle a gag. I hate herring. Luckily, there
was plenty of bread and, I saw with astonishment, sliced
plums that must have come from a hothouse. A servant
brought us hot tea from one of the large samovars.
“Sugar!” I exclaimed as he set a little bowl before me.
Marie and Nadia exchanged a glance and I blushed. Sugar
had been rationed in Ravka for the last hundred years, but
apparently it wasn’t a novelty in the Little Palace.
Another group of Summoners joined us and, after brief
introductions, began peppering me with questions.
Where was I from? The North. (Mal and I never lied about
where we were from. We just didn’t tell the whole truth.)
Was I really a mapmaker? Yes.
Had I really been attacked by Fjerdans? Yes.
How many volcra had I killed? None.
They all seemed disappointed by this last answer,
particularly the boys.
“But I heard you killed hundreds of them when the skiff was
attacked!” protested a boy named Ivo with the sleek features
of a mink.
“Well, I didn’t,” I said, and then considered. “At least, I
don’t think I did. I … um … kind of fainted.”
“You fainted?” Ivo looked appalled.
I was exceedingly grateful when I felt a tap on my shoulder
and saw that Genya had come to my rescue.
“Shall we?” she asked, ignoring the others.