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Back Rule of Wolves
Chapters (60)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. THE GRISHA
  5. THE DEMON KING
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. THE MAKING AT THE HEART OF THE WORLD
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  57. Also by Leigh Bardugo
  58. Praise for the Grishaverse
  59. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  60. Newsletter Sign-up

Tamar grunted in disgust. “They couldn’t beat us on the field, so they’re pushing the issue of succession. They’ve called for an assembly of Ravka’s highest-ranking nobles.”

Zoya couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Our nobles? They have no right to command our people.”

“We can stop them,” said Genya. “We’ll block the assembly.”

Nikolai tugged on a pair of calf-leather gloves. In the time since the battle, he’d changed into an immaculate field uniform. “On the contrary,” he said. “I’ve ordered airships sent for them. They’ll be here in a few hours.”

“For Saints’ sake, why?” asked Zoya. If the man could make something more difficult, he would.

“Because the longer we give them to plot and scheme, the worse it will be. Right now, West Ravka is grateful to us and angry with Fjerda for their betrayal. Genya, I’ll need you to see to my cut-up lip and make me look less the rogue and more the respectable monarch. Bastard or not, if I have any hope of keeping the throne, this is it.”

An uncomfortable silence followed.

Tamar broke it with a click of her tongue. “Bastardy is the least of your worries.”

“They know what you are now,” said Zoya. She left for a few days and everything went to hell. He’d released his monster onto the field. He’d shown all of Ravka the demon king.

“True,” said Nikolai. “But they know what you are too, Sankta Zoya.”

“Do not call me that.”

“It has a nice ring to it,” said Tamar.

“Our Lady of Dragonfire?” suggested Nadia.

“Sweet scaly vengeance?” said Genya.

Zoya turned her back on all of them and strode toward the tents. “I’m going to go live in a cave.”

44

NINA

WITH EACH STEP NINA took on the naval base, she wondered if she’d hear a voice telling her to halt. She flinched at every shout, sure she was about to feel the sting of a drüskelle whip around her arms or that a squad of the Apparat’s men would rush at her.

But the Fjerdans only had eyes for the dragon soaring above them.

“It’s back!” someone shouted. “Take cover!”

Nina had to remind herself to duck down and find shelter behind a grounded flyer. “What is that thing?” she asked the pilot staring up at the sky.

“I don’t know,” he said, voice shaking. “I saw it before. It destroyed the eastern tower and then just flew away.”

“Maybe it wasn’t hungry then,” Nina offered helpfully.

The pilot whimpered and curled more tightly to the side of the flyer.