#( i saw your grishaverse and got a little excited )

[taitropa]

❛ well, i’m not that type of hunter. ❜

Cart sellers try to wave them down on either side of the narrow cobbled street. Inej has only stopped twice since she’d left her ship docked in the harbor of Os Kervo. First, for a horrendously garish strip of fabric stained the wrong side of the color of spring, which she can picture tied loosely around the collar of one of Jesper’s favorite dress shirts. And second, for a fine silver chain to fit Kaz's pocket watch since he’d long lost the last one and refuses now to replace it. Both treasures sit in hidden pockets sewn inside her billowing sleeves. She won’t trust even Ravkans not to try anything, not after life in the Barrel.

Not everyone wants her attention though. The captain of the Wraith is unwelcome among anyone benefiting from the slaver ships she sinks. Only days ago she’d disrupted a route from the Southern Colonies of Novyi Zem. Those refugees refuse to come off the ship in this leeway point meant only for a supply haul. In another week, they will be returned home. Some of the merchants turn away when she passes them. Others very obviously contemplate taking advantage of her in the middle of the market.

“We all hunt for something.” Her companion admits as much in what she does not say. Inej doesn’t track down as many secrets for a Barrel boy these days, but she still knows the tell of one when she sniffs it out. Jyn can keep this one to herself. “Life at sea isn’t glamorous. But if you ever wanted to change your course, I would welcome you aboard.”

🔪 WEREWOLF BY NIGHT SENTENCE STARTERS.

[aleksanderscult]

Since we have officially entered the Aries' season I thought I should honor the fact that it's the Darkling's birthday! 🎉🎊

(No, we don't know his exact birthdate but we know he's an Aries. Anyways)

To celebrate it let's remember some facts about him.

Even though he was a Shadow Summoner, he loved bright colors. Blue, red, purple but most of all the color of sunlight.

Since we mentioned that he was a Shadow Summoner, isn't it endearing and ironic how he feared the dark when he was a child?

Once he didn't sleep for two nights because his mother had left him in a tent without a lantern.

He loved sweets! Cakes, pies etc. but his two favorites were a cake with cherries and sweet cream from Kerch and candies coated in sesame from Shu.

He had trouble mastering his powers as a child. He felt embarrassed for the fact that he couldn't make the Cut at the age of 13.

He could play the violin. 🎻

He was really intelligent from a very young age. Until the age of 13 he could speak three languages fluently and could read people and their behavior like an open book.

He was awkward and felt uneasy around children his own age since Baghra always kept them on the move and insisted not to let anyone touch him or for him to get close to someone.

He never met his father although he kept asking about him to his mother and wanted to meet him. The only thing he (possibly) ever knew was that he was a Heartrender.

He loooved nature. The trees and forests. The smell of them. Especially the evergreen trees. He even decorated his room in the Little Palace with carvings of trees.

Oh and he loves animals too! In the "Demon in the Wood" he got excited in the thought that he would see white tigers for the first time and Leigh once mentioned that he's kind to animals (we even saw that in "The Tailor" when he took time out of his duties to visit his horses, pat them and whisper to them soothingly).

And he actually saw those white tigers eventually.

Apparently he has great good looks to the point that he attracts others (and especially girls) like magnet since forever.

And his life was full of sex so he was experienced with it (Alina, your opportunity to fuck around and find out was literally right there).

The author confirmed (in 2014-2015, years before even the show came out) that he indeed harbored strong feelings for Alina and believed that they were destined for a future together (my man was ready to buy IKEA furnitures for their future house😭😭).

He had many, many half-siblings (one of them was a mermaid) and throughout the centuries he sought them out, out of a need for kinship, companionship and a desire to not be alone (🥲🔫)

This one is especially sad. He wasn't conceived out of love.

On another note though, his smell has been described as the smell of winter, forests and of the night.

In a solar eclipse his powers wouldn't be affected.

He's the Grisha with the most aliases in the Grishaverse (that's what living in a persecuted environment as a child does to you).

It's confirmed by the author that he was created after fantastical villains that she used to love, so please let that rumor that he was inspired after her abusive ex finally rest for good.

He had indeed fallen in love many times in the past but he kept witnessing the people he loved die from their mortality. At some point he just gave up on love and became more and more closed off. (Let's talk about the break he never had💀)

We might not know which person was the first he ever fell in love with, but we know which was the last one: Alina.

Do you remember those countless letters Alina was sending to Mal in "Shadow and Bone"? Well, the Darkling not only kept them secretly but read ALL off them.

He has a throat-neck fetish. And it's probably canon. The way he kissed Alina's throat every chance he got, the way he once nipped it, the collar and how he was always touching it.

According to Leigh, he didn't start wanting to be King. But this ambition came eventually after deeming it the only way to change things.

Kaz has been described as more selfish than Aleksander.

Well most of them turned out to be sad and tragic but that's because he had a tragic life and he himself was a tragic character.

Happy birthday to one of the best and most iconic book characters ever created. 🎉🎊

[pitiplush]

Hi, I know I've been MIA for a while, but since the news about the cancellation of Shadow and Bone broke I've been sad and I need to let it all out. I've come to think of my blog here like a safe haven, so there's no better place for this.

These photos are of the very first original amigurumis I've ever made (sorry for the first photo, I hastily put it together just for this post because none of my photos seemed good enough). As you can see they are some of the characters of Shadow & Bone: Alina, the Darkling, Inej and Kaz. This was back in 2021, when the show premiered. Back then I had never heard of the Grishaverse, but when I saw the teaser my curiosity was piqued so I gave the books a chance and I LOVED them. After so many years on a reader's block and at a time in my life where I was struggling to get by, I had something new and exciting to look forward to. I loved the show (watched it twice in a row, actually), I loved the cast and I loved everything surrounding the Grishaverse. I even convinced two of my friends to read the books (and I regret nothing) 😂

I was so thrilled I HAD to do something, to create something new inspired by the Grishaverse. At that moment I had been crocheting only for a year but I thought I could try and see if something came out of it. That's how I crocheted Alina, my very first bookish amigurumi. It's not my best work, sure, but till this day I'm so very proud of the result. This was my first attempt at designing an amigurumi, I felt like I was improving my craftsmanship while honouring one of my favourite fantasy sagas. So I kept going, I crocheted the Darkling, made changes to get a better design, started putting more effort into my photos, even replicating the show posters. I kept growing my collection, adding Inej and Kaz and taking fun photos of all of them.

I didn't get far in terms of interactions and likes with them but I didn't care that much, I was just genuinely elated that I was creating something new with my bare hands and that was my priority.

And after them, I stuck to the book amigurumis. Created new patterns and characters, got more involved in photography and photoedition, and strived to do better with each new amigurumi. I got happier too, the thrill to create and share not only my craft but the books I love the most has been the best part of these last three years. And none of that wouldn't have existed without Shadow & Bone, without Leigh Bardugo and her universe, without that amazing cast and all of the writers and staff that have worked tirelessly to bring the Grishaverse to life.

So yeah, I'm heartbroken it has come to this abrupt and unfair end, especially when there was just a season left. In a way it feels like putting an end to a part of my journey as an amigurumi artist, this first part in which I was fumbling to learn and create something new. And as sad as it is, I want to say thank you too. It's not much, but it feels right to use my small amigurumi kingdom and reach to say thank you to everyone involved in the Grishaverse. You've made me unbelievably happy in so many different ways that I have trouble putting it into words.

Thank you as well to everyone who has taken a bit of their time to like, share and leave comments about my Grishaverse amigurumis. You helped me believe in my work and gave me strength to keep crocheting.

I will always remember the first time I showed Alina and the Darkling to my best friends and we talked about how I could crochet the rest, and which ones they wanted to see the most and "omg what if one of the actors noticed your work?????". It will never happen, but imagining the possibility still makes me feel a bit giddy even after two years.

If you've read this far, thank you to you too and sorry for my silly ramblings ♥️ If you love S&B too I'm free to cry together about all of the things we will never see on screen anymore.

P.S.: who would've thought that little me having a crush on Prince Caspian (aka the great Ben Barnes) would have ended in crocheting plushies inspired in book characters??? Not me for sure 😂

[in-my-feels-probably]

Hi! I saw your 1k followers celebration and I got so excited omg. Anyways id like to request option two with grishaverse, they/them, male preference, romantically please (just not mal or David please) I'm 5'1 with brown skin and eyes. I try to act a lot tougher than I am, I'm honestly a little ball of anxiety. I love reading and cozy, cuddly things but I also live off of human interaction and being a menace to society. I often have to be the voice of reason around people so I'd enjoy someone who helped me let loose a little. I'm not big on outdoorsy things. I love animals though and currently own two cats. And my favorite trope is mutual pining.

hi!

thank you for participating :)

i ship you with nikolai!

nikolai knows exactly what it’s like putting on a mask and parading around a group of people without ever showing what he’s really feeling. i think he deals with anxiety himself, although he’d never admit it to anyone else. maybe you, if he trusted you enough. you’d be the only person who got to see the real him.

despite being a very sociable person, there’s two places he likes to be. on the sea, and alone with you. he’d ever to work on you to get you more comfortable being with him at sea, but really his favorite place is anywhere with you. there’s nowhere he’d rather be, and he’d get over it if you didn’t always want to be on a ship with him. he’s a very good talker and is extremely extroverted, but i think he likes the peace of solitude and alone time with you. but he’d also really appreciate that you like being with people too at times, and he’d l or that you were up for adventure and mischief. despite being the prince, and then the king of ravka, he gets into quite a lot of trouble as sturmhond. he’d love you to death if you went along with it with him.

on quiet days, he’d love nothing more than to lay with you. you’d insist on getting a cat, for the days he was off on a ship without you away from the palace. and who was he to deny you? so he’d return from a trip to see you in your room, your cat curled up next to you. there’d be a part held in honor of his return, but he’d retire early.

“i swear you love that cat more than me,” he’d whine, flopping on the bed next to you.

you’d immediately pull him close, sitting in a comfortable silence. “that’s not true, moi tsar. i love you equally.”

he’d chuckle, tucking his face into the crook of your neck. “not funny, milaya.”

“you know i love you,” youd laugh, smiling as your cat crawled up into his lap. “now hush, and let me rest for a minute.”

he’d nod, fondly petting your cat as he closed his eyes, his head leaning against yours.

“yes, darling.”

—

hi! hope you liked this, thanks again for participating :)

[triptuckers]

Backup plan - Kaz Brekker

Request: yes “hiiii! can i request a kaz x reader where he falls in love with her because of how she saves him? like she sees all the angles he can't and keeps him out of the frying pan? thank you!!!” Pairing:  Kaz Brekker x reader Summary:  Kaz Brekker isn’t one to let people get close to him, but what about the girl who keeps saving him? Warnings: language Word count:  1K A/N: can’t believe it took me so long to write this cause I think my 800 follower celebration and two homes came first, but here it finally is!! sorry you had to wait so long, enjoy reading! TAG LIST (grishaverse): @ayushmitadutta @mrs-brekker15 @dancingwith-sunflowers @thegirlwiththeimpala @parker-natasha @story-scribbler @romanoffstarkovs @daliareads @meiitanoia @itsnotquimey @sanktaesperanza @whymyparentscheckmyphone @aleksanderwh0r3 @ilovemarvelanne1 TAG LIST (kaz brekker): @mufnasa add yourself to my tag lists here

Your legs are aching but you keep on running. Why did something always have to go wrong? During times like this, you felt like Kaz just liked the adrenaline of coming up with new plans when something went wrong. Kind of like the way Jesper would get excited when you were caught in a gun fight. 

If only you could figure out why they got an adrenaline kick of those things. Some people get adrenaline kicks from things like winning a game, placing a good bet. Why did the people you hang out with always have to get adrenaline kicks out of near death experiences?

You could ask Kaz and Jesper. If you made it out of the museum alive. 

You’re running through the halls, closely following Kaz after Nina accidentally triggered an alarm. You didn’t have time to snatch the target with you - a pair of vintage earrings that had once belonged to a queen of Ravka. 

Right now, all you care about is getting out of the building without getting shot. The guards are crawling all over the place, forcing you and the crows to split up.

You saw Jesper and Wylan run off a while ago, shouting they’d meet you back at the Slat. Of course, Inej went to the roof to get out. Nina had pulled Matthias into a hallway, and you followed Kaz.

You always follow Kaz. You wonder if you’d follow him until it would result in you getting severely injured. 

Ahead of you, you can see Kaz is struggling to keep moving. Despite having his cane with him, you can tell his leg is hurting like hell. But there’s no time for a break, no time to slow down. 

Kaz takes a left turn but you speed toward him and tug on his arm. You ignore the angry look he gives you and gesture that you need to go right.

‘I studied the maps, Y/N!’ says Kaz in an impatient voice. ‘We have to go left!’

‘This entire place is a goddamn maze! Left is a dead end, we have to go right unless you want us to run into a dozen of guards.’ you say, still breathing heavily because of all the running.

Kaz frowns at you. ‘How would you know that?’ he says.

‘I studied the maps as well.’ 

‘You did?’

‘Yes! Now, do you trust me?’

‘Yes.’ says Kaz instantly, following you as you take a right.

When you’re about halfway through the hall, you hear shouting behind you. You look over your shoulder to see about a dozen of guards emerge through the door Kaz had intended to go through.

But there’s no time for ‘I told you so’ comments, you’re still running for your life. 

You run through the halls, on the way to one of the emergency exits. When Kaz had told you all of the plan, you studied the maps as well. You figured it’d be best to not go in blind. 

You burst through the doors and run out onto the street, Kaz on your heels. The guards follow you as you speed away from the museum. Kaz blindly follows you but stops when you run into an alley.

‘There’s an impenetrable fence at the end of this alley!’ says Kaz.

‘No there isn’t.’ you say. ‘I calculated this would be the route to take if things went to shit, which they did. Now hurry!’ 

Kaz has no choice but to follow you as the guards are closing in. He looks at you as you kneel in front of the set of locks that hold the fence firmly closed.

‘Those locks look brand new, let me.’ says Kaz, already fumbling for his lock picking tools.

‘Always come prepared, Kaz.’ you say. ‘First lesson you taught me, remember?’

You pull a heavy key chain from you pocket and start unlocking the locks one by one. Kaz watches you work.

‘You put new locks on it.’ he says in disbelief.

‘Last week.’ you say. ‘When we first got to planning the job. I made sure to plan some escape routes, and I walked all of them to see if we could make it. When I stumbled onto this fence, I got new locks and put them on it. In case we got caught and had to run from the museum.’

You look over your shoulder at him. Kaz looks at you, lips slightly parted.

‘You’re amazing.’ he says.

‘Did you get poisoned?’ you say as you get up after you finish unlocking all of the brand new locks. ‘You’re saying weird things that don’t fit you.’

But they do fit Kaz. God, they do. He thinks the world of you. And tonight, you have proven yet again you’re just as smart as he is. Hell, maybe even smarter than he is. 

The only difference is you add a little more charm to it than he does. He wouldn’t even be standing here if it hadn’t been for you. He’d lost count of how many times you’d saved him when a plan went wrong.

‘I didn’t get poisoned.’ says Kaz. ‘It’s true. You’re clever. You make back up plans even I can’t come up with. Changing the locks because you knew this was the route we would take? That’s really fucking impressive.’

You smile at his words and swing the gate open, letting him walk through it first.

‘Well, thank you.’ you say. ‘It’s good to know I can outsmart you every once in a while.’

‘Not just once in a while.’ says Kaz. ‘You’ve saved me and the others plenty of times with your quick thinking. It’s incredible. Like you.’

You squint your eyes at him. ‘Was that a compliment?’ you say. ‘I didn’t know you could compliment anyone.’

Kaz rolls his eyes at your words and you laugh. 

‘Just teasing.’ you say. ‘If I’m as incredible as you say I am, maybe you should invite me for a drink.’

‘Are you really talking me into asking you out?’ says Kaz and you wink at him in response. ‘It’s working. But you deserve more than just a drink. Let me take you out for dinner.’

You smile brightly. ‘Dinner it is.’ you say. ‘Now let’s go back to the Slat before the others think the guards caught us.’

A/N: 

If you want to request something, make sure to read my house rules Here’s the list of characters I write for. Everything that I have written can be found on my masterlist. Please don’t repost my work, as I spend much time and effort on it!! Thank you for reading! Much love, Marit

[vanilla-vivillon]

So since y’all seemed to like Kanej kid, let’s do Zoyalai kid. Also David isn’t dead in this because it is to sad

||ROW SPOILERS||

TW, this has brief mentions of infertility and describes labor, nothing to graphic just talks about how painful it is

After the wedding zoya and Nikolai were both excited to start a family

Nikolai; while he adores his sister Linnea and his father, never really was able to grow up in a loving household

He never wanted that for his children

He and Vasily had a horrible relationship growing up and he wanted to di everything in his power to make sure his kids had a healthy sibling relationship

Zoya on the other hand never really thought she’d have kids

Before everything went down she kinda assumed she’d work as a general and work to help Grisha

She never thought she’d have children

That obviously had to change

The country needed heirs

Zoya already decided that since she was probably gonna live a loooooong time, when her heir came of age she would step down; that way she wouldn’t love for a super long time.

Now that Zoya was gonna have children she wasn’t honestly sure about

What if they hold her back?

What if she gives up to many duties for them?

But higher the all these other worries she didn’t want to turn into her own mother

No matter how much Nikolai assured her that never will happen

Zoya still had worries

Zoya was a lot of things but motherly she was not

Nevertheless in February Zoya and Nikolai told there friends they were expecting

They were all incredibly happy for them

Tamar loved children although she herself didn’t want any and couldn’t wait to teach the kid things like how to ride a horse or shoot

Tolya objected saying the kid should be well educated on poatry and great works that way the Nazyalensky dynasty might be somewhat pious

Genya was hoping for a girl. Genya and David had there son Forrest earlier that year and Genya was already planning play dates

David was happy for his friends and had already started on projects for toys for the kid

When they wrote Mal and Alina they were ecstatic

While Mal gave tips on how to handle babies to Nikolai

Alina with her wiles and years of friendship with Zoya figured out all the way from Keramzin Zoya was worried

She wrote “Zoya babe imma cut to the chase, your nervous, your scared, your probably worried you’ll turn out to be a horrible mother. And imma tell you your not. Cause you’ve got an amazing freaking team. You’ve got Nikolai, Magnus, Linnea, and Genya and David, the twins, and of course myself. There’s no way in hell we’d let you turn out horrible to the kid. We’ve got you”

It helped Zoya a lot

She decided it was orphan wiles that Alina used to diagnose her exact problem from the letter she wrote to her

And Zoya did have wonderful people to help her

She wasn’t alone

Zoya had been trying to remember that more

Three months along Zoya was safely into Trmester two and it was time to tell the public

This was crucial to the monarchy

While zoya and Nikolai were popular

They needed an heir to convive people of the security of the nation

They made a public speech announcing the baby and Ravka went wild

If there’s one thing Ravkans know how to do it’s rally around babies

Letter came pouring in from name suggestions to old wives tales

They said Rosemary made the baby healthier

They said they should name there child Plumje

Well the Plumje comment was from some Kerch girl Zoya found strange but never mind that

The announcement was huge

The people had hope

Hope that wolves wouldn’t come knocking

Hope that there boys and girls wouldn’t be drafted

Hope for peace

While the people rejoiced Zoyas pregnancy was getting tougher

She had a easy enough first trimester but the second? That was rough

The morning sickness was bad

Her Healer; a no nonsense Fjerdan Women said that the vomiting wasn’t something that could be healed

And so Zoya suffered on

Zoya insisted on keeping her normal schedule

Her usual meetings with Grisha and the spy’s

Passive agressive letters to the Kerch

Aggressive aggressive letters to the shu

And trying to figure out whether or not there was a revolution group in the Wandering Isle

Zoyas schedule was already stressed and the baby wasn’t helping

Eventually her healer; Monika, put her foot down

“Your Magesty” She started “if you do not alleviate your stress I guarantee your pregnancy will be worse”

“Look Monika I can handle a little throw up”

Monika and Zoya attended the little palace together

While Monika was a healer and back then the animosity between corporalki and etherealki were high, they were friends

It was good to have a powerful healer in your corner when half the little palace hates you

And it was good to have a powerful squaller in your corner when your Fjerdan and in enemy territory

“Zoya you are endangering your child” Monika stated

By this statement Nikolai had enough

And zoya finally listened

Nikolai assumed some of her duties and Zoya started to feel a bit better

Her second trimester was stressful for there relationship

Nikolai had a hard time understanding zoya

And Zoyas fears started to grow

But they were a good couple

And they worked through tension before

Zoya opened up about her worries of being a competent queen with a child

She leaned on Nikolai more

And they worked together to fix the damage

By the end of her second trimester there relationship was healthier

And they thought the third couldn’t be as bad

In a way they were right

Her morning sickness while still present was significantly less then her second trimester

However I new thing arose

A question that everyone had been thinking

“What if the baby is Grisha?”

The Ravkans had accepted a Grisha queen

But a Grisha dynasty was another thing

Monika told them outright that the baby was probably Grisha

Being Grisha tended to run in families

And Zoya was fairly sure her paternal grandmother was also a squaller

The whole science of Grisha heritage wasn’t studied well

Most Grisha were in Ravka in the second army

And most of the soldiers don’t have children

Zoya also learned her new found ability to sense Grisha wasn’t fool proof

Sometimes she couldn’t tell at all

And in Genyas case of being somewhere between a corporalki and materialki, she couldn’t tell what she was

She also couldn’t sense anything in Forrest Kostyk

That meant they couldn’t rely on Zoyas power

Nikolai couldn’t help but think tracing heritage would be easier if he wasn’t a bastard

His mother’s line was easy

She was a Fjerdan princess so he could trace everything back from the very start

And from his mother not a drop of Grisha blood ran through his veins

His fathers got murky

Magnus didn’t come from nobility

He was self made

A self made orphan

So other then his father neither he nor Magnus knew anything about Grisha influence

Nevertheless they had other worries

Zoya was in her third trimester and was going to give birth any minute now

Zoya honestly didn’t think she would make it this far

And that has nothing to do with her fears of motherhood

Her own mother had four miscarriages

Pregnancy complications were common

Especially in Ravka where most couldn’t afford mediks

But now that the due date was fast approaching Zoya was in fact okay

Zoya can handle pain, she’s handled much worse

Labor was one of the least of her worries

The due date was October eighth

And on time and punctual Zoya went into labor during lunch

Nikolai joked it would be a good trait for a ruler to show up on time

However Zoya was in to much pain to think about a snarky retort

She had vastly underestimated how much this would hurt

The pain was blinding

But Zoya was strong enough to survive the fall

And so in 3:07 PM son October eighth

Prince Mycanae Juris Nazyalensky was born (prounounced My-kuh-nay-uh because I threw some random vowels together and made it a name)

Myca (My Kuh) for short

With a tuft of chocolate brown hair and beautiful hazel eyes he shone

Nikolai absolutely adored him

He would rock him and sing him lullabies

But mostly tell him stories

About the amazing Privateer Sturmhond

Of the allusive Juris

Of the little termite

Zoya in the other hand had a different approach to there newborn

When he first cried she was elated

Zoya didn’t hold back the tears of happiness and didn’t even swear the healers to secrecy after

Zoya was the epitome of

“Oh god it’s a baby, as I holding him wrong? Does he have the right clothes on? He’s so fragile and precious”

Monika had to tell her three times that Myca’s crib was fine for him and it wasn’t to hard

However the family’s elation was short lived

They were a family

But they were also the rulers of Ravka

And Ravka needed to see the face of there hope

Four hours after his birth Nikolai presented him before the nobility

Zoya still wasn’t feeling to great and Nikolai Insisted he could do it

This is what the Ravkans needed

The baby met stability

Met peace

For once in many years the people could lay down in there beds without fear

But to Zoya and Nikolai

There baby wasn’t a political tool

Or a savior

He was just a baby

A perfect

Small

Baby

This is what love does.

Im really proud of myself for accomplishing this. I worked really hard on it and to keep our characters in canon. My ask box is open and n do any Grishaverse asks

If this gets 25 likes I’ll do a part two 😉

I defo think Nikolai and Zoya would have more then one kid

Also I kid you not I couldn’t find any good names for the life of me so I eventually took a break and was doing my History homework when I was reading some old Greek thing and saw the word “Mycenae” and was like “Yeah I can massively mispronounce this and make it a name”

Here is part two https://dablackdahlia.tumblr.com/post/651104016423583744/the-black-dahlia

I also made a Kanej kid one here

[phy-be]

| treasured | a david/genya fic

my participation to the mini-bang for @grishaversebigbang ♡ This was so fun to write, and a million thank you to my two wonderful materialki! Please check out their amazing work:

@nuclearnik [link] @zemenipearls [link]

Rating: General Audiences Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Trauma, proposal, set between Ruin and Rising and King of Scars, Canon Compliant, david is a nerd and he loves his soul mate very very much, cw: nerdy descriptions of rocks, Grishaverse Minibang Summary:

“David, you didn’t have to…”

He frowned and cocked his head. “Yes, I did. It’s customary to gift a ring when asking someone’s hand in marriage.”

He was never good at understanding social norms, but he was pretty sure he’d gotten that one right.

David pressed the button on the side of his microscope goggles, switching the lens to a more magnifying glass. In the palm of his gloved hand, a crystal gleamed, like sparks of purple fire trapped in stone. The light hit each of its faces in slightly different ways, creating an explosion of colours and geometrical shapes. It was even more beautiful seen up close, when David could not only admire the beauty of the thing, but also the elegant laws of science that made the light refract just so.

Crystals were complicated to work with. Their beauty was due to a highly specific geometry at the molecular level, and any careless alteration could damage their inner core, breaking the stone or making it duller. Even if some were strong enough to cut glass, crystals were precious; they needed to be handled with the utmost care.

David loved working on crystals.

His quiet work was interrupted by anguished sobs coming from the bed.

Quickly, he slipped the stone in a bit of fabric and rushed from his desk. Genya was having another nightmare. Throwing off his glasses and gloves, he hurried to find her on the bed. He took her in a protective embrace as she sobbed, screamed, legs jerking in panic. She clawed at the air around, desperately chasing off a horde of invisible nichevo'ya.

“Stop,” she begged. She wasn’t talking to him.

David held her tighter. Every time he saw her this way, so anguished and pained, helpless to her inner demons, a bitter guilt settled in him, consigned in a single thought: I should have protected her.

Then the guilt faded into hot-white anger — at the Darkling, who had done this to her, who had known how much it would hurt and keep hurting her — until David discarded that emotion, too. Rage and regret were not useful feelings to linger on. Helping Genya get through this, making her pain more bearable — these were the only things that mattered.

Eventually her movements calmed, her hiccupping sobs turning into shallow breaths and silent tears. David caressed her hair, the auburn locks softer than any silk he’d ever felt, and dropped feather-light kisses on her forehead. Genya nestled closer to him, burying her face in his neck. He could feel the wetness of her tears trickling on his skin.

“You’re safe, dear,” he whispered, knowing that he would do everything in his power to make sure this would always be true, from now on. “You’re safe.”

Her grip tightened on his shirt.

“W-were you awake?” she said, her voice still shaken.

David recognized the change of topic as her way to distract herself from the nightmares that lingered in her wakefulness. He played along.

“Yes,” he said, kissing her hair. “I was working late.”

“It’s almost morning,” she murmured. “You work late a lot lately.”

“I’m working on a project.”

“What project?”

David hesitated; Tamar had said he was supposed to keep it a secret. Keeping anything from Genya was hard enough normally, but when she was vulnerable like this, it was downright impossible.

He got up to get the piece of fabric — Genya followed him out of bed, not wanting to let go of his embrace, and he smiled, endeared. Gently, he led her back to the bed, sat next to her, and put his creation in her open palms.

“It’s not finished,” he warned.

Genya carefully unwrapped the silk. Her eyes widened at the sight of the ring, a glistening band of grisha steel wrapping like branches around a rose-shaped stone. When she turned it to get a better look, the candlelight shining through the crystal switched its colour from red, to purple, to blue.

“I altered the refracting index at different levels of the structure to make the crystal polychromatic,” David explained, excited in spite of himself. “I’ve done this with metals before, but never with crystal. It still needs polishing before I can give it to you, though.”

Genya’s eyebrow shot up, looking shocked. “This is for me?”

“Of course.” He admired the ring against Genya’s hand, as beautiful as he’d expected. It would be perfect once she wore it. Silver and red always complemented her pale, rosy skin, the way gold and purple complemented the bronze colour of his own.

“David, you didn’t have to…”

He frowned and cocked his head. “Yes, I did. It’s customary to gift a ring when asking someone’s hand in marriage.”

He was never good at understanding social norms, but he was pretty sure he’d gotten that one right.

“Y-you’re—” Genya croaked, her skin visibly flushed, “you’re proposing to me?”

“Not right now,” David corrected. “Tamar told me it had to be a special moment, so I’m still working on the details of that.”

He’d been thinking of doing it at sunset, for one. The fiery hues of the sky when the sun slipped under the horizon always reminded him of Genya’s hair, and it would look good on the ring. He’d calculated which part of the palace would be the most adequate spot — a corner of the Summoner’s field provided the perfect exposure for the ring to reflect sunrays and shimmer beautifully — but he needed a reason to bring Genya there that wouldn’t alarm her. Tamar had suggested a picnic, which David had found confusing since they never ate on the training grounds, but Genya did enjoy it when he cooked for her.

His thoughts came to a brutal halt when he realized Genya was crying.

David blinked. Had he done something wrong? He was always so bad at this stuff — he couldn’t count how many times he’d offended someone without meaning to, but Genya usually saw past his awkwardness and understood his meaning.

“Genya…” he said, hesitant, “I’m sorry, did I…”

“You’d want to marry me?” she sniffled, eyes cast down, tears gliding down her cheeks.

David was even more confused. Tamar’s advice hadn’t covered that part. “Yes. Of course.” Had that not been clear?

“Why?” Genya met his gaze. “Why would you… We haven’t even been together that long, you can’t know —”

Like the unknotting of a rope, suddenly, David understood. This was just like the imagined nichevo'ya. She was panicked, sure that the worst was yet to come, that she couldn’t be safe in her own home.

Softly, he cupped her cheeks, bringing her closer. He wished he could take some of the burden that weighed on her, carry it on his shoulders instead of hers, for once; wished he knew the right words to make her feel better, the perfect formula to soothe her fear. But this burden was Genya’s, and David was never good with words. All he could say was the truth.

“I agree that our romantic relationship has not been exceedingly long,” he admitted. A year only accounted for a twentieth of their age so far. Five percent of a life, and some change. “But I have been in love with you for seven years, five months, and twelve days. Our friendship is even older than that,” he pressed his forehead against hers, “and I’ve wanted to marry you from the first time you kissed me.”

His lips brushed hers, an echo of that day at the Spinning Wheel, when the bravest woman in the world had first chosen him.

“I realized at the time that this wasn’t a rational impulse,” he conceded, “so I waited to see how our companionship would grow. I believe I’ve now waited long enough to know. I feel at peace in your company, and I want to make you as happy as you make me.” He pulled back a little, retreating his hands. “Unless you do not want that, in which case I will respect—”

Before he could finish, Genya pulled him into a kiss — the dizzying, head-spinning kind of kiss he’d only ever experienced with her. When she kissed him like that, arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders, lips flush and panting, David’s usually overworking mind would quiet, snuffed out like the wick of a candle, replaced only by her . Soft hair, delicate skin, lips scarred and still wonderful, her scent a unique aroma he’d come to associate with peace, with home.

“Of course I want to,” she whispered against his lips, smiling coyly.

David kissed that smile, then her cheek, then her temple. “I’m relieved to hear that,” he sighed. “I’ll keep working on that proposal, then.”

Genya laughed, sweet and bright — David didn’t care much for music, but he could have listened to Genya’s laugh for hours. He tucked the ring back in the fabric and put it on the nightstand, where it wouldn’t get lost in the sheets, then took off his shoes and his shirt.

They lied together, Genya’s body half on top of his, snuggling close, as though any space between them might bring in the cold.

Genya brushed her fingers on David’s chest, tracing some patterns.

“So,” she said, her voice now clearer, more sure of herself — Genya in daylight, where the monsters couldn’t touch her. “What was that about seven years, five months, and twelve days?”

“Oh, hm…” David said. He could feel his face heat up, and felt irrationally glad for the brown of his skin, unlikely to show any hint of a blush.

Still, he told her the story of that day. Genya had visited the Fabrikator’s laboratory to make a new cosmetic for the queen. She’d been thirteen years old, and already so creative with her powers. At the time David had only reproduced what his masters had taught him as perfectly as he could, never trying to invent, to create.

But there had been Genya Safin, the first of her kind, inventing everything she did.

It wasn’t the first time they’d met, not even the first time they’d enjoyed each other’s company, but it was the first time David had watched her work. He hadn't even bothered saying hi (which he now realized had been rather rude), too eager to ask her question about her experiment. They’d talked, and when David had gone on a long tangent about his favourite way to colour glass, Genya hadn’t been bored or made fun of his enthusiasm, the way the other students usually did if they bothered to listen to him at all.

She’d listened with care and attention, and then she’d given him her opinion — smart, succinct. Perfect.

“How do you even remember the day this happened?” Genya laughed. “It was so long ago.”

David caressed her shoulder, a soothing, circular motion. “I remember everything, when it comes to you.”

“Cheesy,” she grinned.

“Maybe.” He felt his lips quirk in a smile of his own. “But it’s true.”

She rose up to look at him, her expression turning serious.

“I love you,” she said, the words like a promise. “For even longer than that.”

Gently, David took her wrist, and kissed her palm. “Now, let’s not make it a competition.”

“Wise. You know I’d win.”

“My dear,” he smiled against her hand, “I think I share this victory with you.”

[annabethisterrified]

Book Review: RULE OF WOLVES by Leigh Bardugo

“Love was the destroyer. It made mourners, widows, left misery in its wake. Grief and love were one and the same. Grief was the shadow love left when it was gone.”

Official summary:

The Demon King. As Fjerda's massive army prepares to invade, Nikolai Lantsov will summon every bit of his ingenuity and charm—and even the monster within—to win this fight. But a dark threat looms that cannot be defeated by a young king's gift for the impossible. The Stormwitch. Zoya Nazyalensky has lost too much to war. She saw her mentor die and her worst enemy resurrected, and she refuses to bury another friend. Now duty demands she embrace her powers to become the weapon her country needs. No matter the cost. The Queen of Mourning. Deep undercover, Nina Zenik risks discovery and death as she wages war on Fjerda from inside its capital. But her desire for revenge may cost her country its chance at freedom and Nina the chance to heal her grieving heart. King. General. Spy. Together they must find a way to forge a future in the darkness. Or watch a nation fall.

---

Watch me gush/ramble about RoW on YATL Live: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CNlVL7Cj6DN/

NO SPOILERS TIL YOU GO BELOW THE CUT. (Or should I say the Fold?)

You know I’m in too deep when I start scheduling my own personal and professional deadlines around the release of a book. I literally organized my life in March 2021 with the single goal of making sure I would be untethered by responsibility and commitment when Rule of Wolves released.

This book, immediately followed by the release of Shadow & Bone on Netflix.... this spring has thrust me straight back into the Grishaverse mania of my younger years.

As a conclusion (...?) to the King of Scars duology, Rule of Wolves delivered on compelling politics, satisfying character actualization, and just deliciously exciting content all around. Bardugo has certainly created a mesmerizing world, and this story sharpened and expanded its details even more.

And if you’ve taken even a glancing look at my blog, you’ll know I might be a little TOO into Zoya Nazyalensky and Nikolai Lantsov. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say this book was an extremely rewarding end to one of the most intriguing and tear-your-hair-out-in-a-good-way slow burns.

All in all, a hearty thumbs-up from me! If you’re cool with spoilers, follow me below....

Okay, let’s get into this a bit more.

Y’all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look, I can’t understate how invested I am in Zoya and Nikolai both as individual characters and as a couple. Like????!!!!! They are ENDLESSLY interesting and endearing and just off-the-charts incredible. 

Like many readers of the original trilogy, I was NOT a fan of Zoya for a long time. She did some messed up stuff, and it wasn’t until we got to be IN her head that I realized the depth and intrigue of her character. Not to be like “Oh, well _____ went through trauma so that excuses and explains why they were mean!”. It’s more nuanced than that with Zoya, and her journey really made me consider (for the first time, maybe) that there are actual upsides to cutting through frivolity and niceties. That’s not to say anyone should intentionally be cruel, but especially seeing her articulate how certain veins of “niceness” can be useless and fake, and watching through Nikolai’s lens as he genuinely appreciates and relies upon her ruthless, straight-to-the-punch guidance, I came to realize how cool it is to see a female character who is good but not nice. There is a world of difference between those two traits, and especially for the now-queen of Ravka, the former is far more important to possess. 

And Nikolai, this absolutely enchanting and determined and whip-smart and romantic and brutal guy... the MULTITUDES this man contains!!!! I adore him and his whole arc. Every decision he’s faced with is tremendously difficult, but his cleverness and growing maturity really came to a head in this installment. I loved watching him realize that the only thing he REALLY cares about is having the agency and ability to fix problems and take action. He can be with or without the throne; he cannot be without forward movement. (My favorite bit of the book might just be Alina remarking how Nikolai still technically manages to “keep” the throne even after giving it up, via Zoya’s hand.) So I don’t think we’ve seen the end of “king” Nikolai by any means, and it was enthralling to watch him take on the war in this book through so many angles: engineering, flight, diplomacy, disguise, weaponry, AH!

Of course, I’d be remiss not to bring up the stunningly gut-wrenching midpoint reversal of this book -- losing David. I’ll admit I got spoiled about his death before reading, but not the specifics. I imagined that it might be some emotional confrontation with the Darkling, or defending Genya, but in the end? His was a passive, random death. IF YOU MENTION THE JOURNAL I WILL CRY. And I think that’s exactly why it’s so doubly devastating. To lose such a pivotal character in such a seemingly senseless way really underscores the reality and consequence of a war of this scale and nature. I appreciated all the complicated, no-right-answer reckonings there were in this book about weapons and developing arms. Lots of difficult ethics there for sure, and it’s not a conversation I’ve encountered in many fantasy stories before.

Back to some more FUN stuff, it was of course wonderful to finallyyyyyy witness Zoya and Nikolai get together, and I love the way it was handled. The intimacy and comfort they’ve found in each other just makes me want to burst, and their scenes together (as always) were sharp and electric. God. Their dialogue is just so, so good. It’s a bit bittersweet to know that the road ahead for them will not necessarily be an easy one, given Zoya’s likely VERY long life versus Nikolai’s very human one. That raises lots of questions about the Nazyalensky dynasty’s heirs (?) and whatnot, so I do hope we get to see more of them in the future to see how some of these things are unpacked and discussed. Plus, it’d just be really great to see these two as a more established couple now that they’re “allowed” to be together. (”I WILL LOVE HER FROM MY GRAVE.” That’s cool, Nikolai Nazyalensky. I’m already sobbing.)

Side note: How amazing was Zoya’s reckoning throughout this whole book about resisting love in an attempt to protect herself? I loved how it tied in with unlocking her DRAGON POWERS, and her realization that “you’ll mourn anyway so you might as well love big” was so, SO poignant I’m crying again.

It was of course terrific and exciting to see more of Nina AKA Mila’s action. I thought the reveal about Joran was really difficult but ultimately hopefully something healing for her. I also thought that where we left Nina and her prince was very fitting and I’d love to see where their new lives “ruling” Fjerda take them.

Anyway, it was also really fun to see some Crow cameos, and I’m hopeful based on the way things ended in this book that we’ll get to see more of both the Ketterdam crew and the new/future rulers of Ravka and Fjerda. Crossing all the fingers!

[goldengoddess]

hi! I'm really really sorry to add to the amount of requests you have in your inbox but this seems really cool! no rush you can take your time :)). your headcanons are really spot on and i love seeing them on my dash!

could i get a pairing with a grishaverse guy? I'm an intj Capricorn (she/her pronouns) with (almost) waist length brown hair and brown eyes. I'm very sarcastic and generally withdrawn but i get very passionate about the things i love! I'm not too outgoing and i get a little exhausted when I'm around a lot of people for a long time, and i usually prefer small groups of close friends. i take some time to open up to others and i might put on a tough front but I'm actually really scared of being judged. I'm a ravenclaw (really a slytherclaw) and i love books, sunsets, and the night sky in the forest. i love the dark academia aesthetic and my preferred scent is citrus/mint (those really don't match up but it works for me haha). my favorite colors are silver, burgundy, and periwinkle! i hope that's enough info for you to go off of and I'm so excited to see what you come up with!

oh my goodness dont say sorry! really it's okay, im happy to do this im having so much fun <333 ily doll,,, i kinda got carried away ur a very interesting human

i ship you with nikolai lantsov <3

you and nikolai are childhood best friends to lovers. everyone saw it coming, except the two of you obviously. but it was painfully obvious for the longest time. he loves to braid your hair. so much. he spends a lot of time trying to learn different hairstyles and he insist on doing your hair for you ("it's like rapunzel hair! you deserve to have it done up!") he intentionally brings up the things you lie so you get to talk about them, because if not he knows you keep it buried away. though nikolai is king, he doesn't particularly like big crowds. so being able to just drag you around to a separate room to just let it be the two of you, is fantastic for him. firmly believe that nikolai is a slytherclaw so you two are very very compatible in that sense. nikolai says that every week you guys have to have a date night. he (him! not the workers of the little palace, him! he thinks this is a very important fact) sets up a picnic at sunset and you to talk until you see stars. and then you lay down next to each other talking about growing up together and future plans. it's all very romantic, all very nikolai. buys you alot of candles with your favourite scents. and they're always on. thanks to you the palace always smells like mint. you've affected nikolai in a way he'll never be able to explain.

[emaspin]

So, I started this tumblr for the Grishaverse Big Bang however now I’m following a bunch of other fandoms things and I figured why not share so if my own writing? So this is a Lunar Chronicles fic that I wrote for a compation that I won. The digital gift card didn’t work, but I still won. Now we just cross our fingers and hope that none of my real life friends find this because they already found my tik tok and my Instagram.

The stylus that was dancing over Cinders fingers began to wobble as she lost control of the rhythm. Again. What had once been a cool trick when she was a mechanic in New Beijing now was the cause of many flying pens. It was a habit that she had perfected with a wrench, but now with a much lighter port screen stylus she has to relearn. The stylus that she used on Luna was made of a much heavier material. It was different. So many things had been different lately, but a marvellous, fantastic different.

“When you were a kid did you ever have Wibble Bites?” Kai’s abrupt question stole Cinder’s attention away from her port screen.

“I’m sorry, did I ever have what?”

“Wibble Bites” Kai responded and he looked shocked that she didn’t recognize whatever he was taking about. “They had a teal green package and little doodles of hamsters on them. You know, the fruit flavoured cookies.” At Kai’s description, a sudden memory hit Cinder and she gasped.

“Oh my stars! Wibble Bites! Yes I remember those. They were so good.” Cinder gushed

“Apparently the company that sold them went under after the owner died of letumosis,” He sighed. “I wish we could still get them.”

“Why do you know so much about Wibble bites?” She glanced at him questioningly. “Is that what you were doing on your portscreen for the past hour? I thought you were working!” Cinder exclaimed as she started to laugh at her strangely adorable husband.

“I was taking a break.” Kai said in mock defence.

“Actually, I think I know where we can get Wibble Bites.”

Kai sat up straighter in his armchair.

“Where?”

“There’s this old convenience store in downtown New Beijing. It had them for a pretty cheap price too. I used to get them for Peony.”

“Let’s go get some.” Kai suggested

Cinder sat up and started walking towards the door of their bedroom when Kai stopped her. Glancing at her black dress pants and a ornate, red blouse that had bell sleeves that draped across her forearms.

“You can go out like that! You’re too recognizable, you’ll get mobbed!”

The ridiculous statement made it very hard for Cinder to keep a straight face.

“What do you suggest?” She asked, not bothering to mask her grin.

“I don’t know, put on jeans or something.” He tossed her a hoodie as he spoke. A grey hoodie. A familiar grey hoodie.

“Is this the hoodie?” She asked.

“What hoodie?” Kai turned to face her and she recognized the moment her question clarified in his mind. He smirked. “Yes.”

Cinder couldn’t think of suitable words so she just rolled her eyes at him and walked towards her closet. She found herself doing that a lot. Although at one point she thought it would never be possible for someone to render her speechless, Kai had an uncanny way of doing it almost daily. Cinder also knew that she did the exact same thing to him. Her heart swelled every time she saw his little eye roll.

She opened a small drawer in the very back of her closet and pulled out a pair of blue jeans and a black tank top. She had a very small amount of casual clothes and it all fit into the small drawer, however the rest of her walk in closet swelled with full skirts and vibrant colours. Cinder didn’t consider herself a dressy person, in fact Iko had picked out most of the dresses that filled the closet. Cinder just couldn’t stand to throw them away. They all held so many memories. Galas and balls where she was always surrounded by her friends. She brushed her fingers against the dress that she had worn to her the first annual peace ball, well, her second. The one she went to when she was still the Queen of Luna. The memory of the first peace ball and the dress that she had worn to that stung her heart. She gripped the necklace around her neck that Kai had given her, the one made with Peony’s ID chip.

She looked down to gather her emotions and she saw Kai’s grey hooded sweatshirt draped over her arm. She quickly changed and walked out of the closet as she was zipping up the hoodie. Kai grinned at her as he stood waiting at the door.

“All set?” He asked. Cinder nodded and they began their way towards the palace gates.

The tinkling of bells greeted them as they entered the small convenience store. Cinder expertly guided Kai to the back of the store where a couple shelves of old snack food sat under the label ‘family favourites’

Kai started to load bag after bag into his arms. “My mom hated when I would eat these.” Kai chuckled.

“Adri wouldn’t let me eat these.” Cinder said as she grabbed a few bags herself. The bells chimes again and Cinder could her a cluster of giggling teenage girls entered the store. Kai and Cinder quickly turned to each other and averted their gaze to the floor to avoid being recognized. Kai looked as though he was barely restraining laughter and the look was making it harder for Cinder to hold in her own. Finally once it had been long enough and nobody had accused them of being royalty they dared to turn and make their way towards the front counter. Cinder dropped her bags on to the till.

“Wow, that’s a lot.” The Cashier said without bothering to look up. But as Kai dropped even more bags into the pile the Cashier did look up. Then his jaw dropped. “You! And you!” He pointed as Cinder and stood in awe. “Oh all of the almighty stars!”

“We would appreciate it if you would be a little bit more discreet.” Kai’s gentle encouragement for calm worked wonders. The man immediately hushed but still remained star struck. “Would you mind ringing up our food?” Kai asked politely.

The Cashier set up the transaction and Kai paid for the snack food with a swish of his wrist. They began to walk out of the door when Kai reached at his belt for his port. He called a hover to the convenience store and they were only waiting for a moment before a sleek black one rounded the street corner. As they were situating themselves into the seats of the hover a green text floated up into Cinders vision. She read the comm quickly, and then had to read it again.

Comm from Iko: Where are you?? I’ve been comming you. I just got the results. Positive!!

Cinder gasped. She faced Kai and grabbed his hand.

“What is it?” Kai asked. His alarm was beginning to dissolve as he watched the radiant smile grow on her face.

“Were pregnant.”

“What?!” Kai chuckled out the question and she knew that he felt the same overwhelming joy that she did.

“Iko made me take a test. She just got the results!” Cinder could not have kept the excitement out of her voice, even if she had been trying, but she wasn’t.

Kai grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her. She felt a tear drop on the back of her neck and she could feel Kai shaking with joy. She hugged him back tighter. He pulled back and held her face in his hands, he didn’t even have to say anything. Everything was written on his face. And even deeper than that she could feel exactly what he was feeling. She was flooding over with hope, anticipation, joy, happiness, but mostly love. Love for this baby who they were going to be able to meet soon. Very soon. They held each other the whole way home, laughing and shaking and kissing. This was a whole new chapter of their lives and Cinder was sure that it would be the best one yet.

[romelle]

hello!!! i'm for sure forgetting some stuff, but here u go anon <3

books

her royal highness by rachel hawkins: a super fun novel about a girl who goes to a scottish boarding school and rooms with an actual princess. it has a great enemies to friends to lovers plotline and it's just overall the cutest!

the raven and the reindeer by t. kingfisher: a wlw retelling of the snow queen. very very beautifully written and imaginative! there are also cool animal companions, which is always a huge plus :-)

these feathered flames by alexandra overy: enemies to lovers trope in a fantasy inspired by russian folktales? ft. sister dynamics and cute bears? precisely my niche. i might be a little bit biased bc this has slavic wlws, but whatever. i love it lots.

not your sidekick by c. m. lee: superheros & a cool plot!!! all the characters are extra lovable- which is a good thing, bc this is the first part of a series, and each book focuses on someone else!

of stars and fire by audrey coulthurst: i read this some time ago so i don't remember much, but i know that i liked it! it's a fantasy where a princess has an arranged marriage to a prince, but falls for his rebellious sister instead

fingersmith by sarah waters: the book handmaiden was based on! the imagery is wonderful and the whole story is very intriguing! + it has one of my favourite plot twists ever

girls of paper and fire by natasha ngan: this book deals with some heavy topics so i'd recommend checking that out before you pick it up, but overall an incredible read!

leah on the offbeat by becky arbetalli: i'm usually not a huge fan of her writing, but i thought this book was adorable! there were for sure some cringe moments, but also..... it’s sweet

everything leads to you by nina lacour: i didn't really vibe with the character dynamics & the pacing, but look it up if you want! it might just be your thing

hot dog girl by jennifer dugan: again- it wasn't my cup of tea, but i can totally see how someone else might enjoy it!

it’s not like it’s a secret by misa sugiura: same as the previous two, although i did like some aspects of it that weren’t related to the romance

crooked kingdom by leigh bardugo: the wlw romance has only been hinted at for now, but nina (the mc) is known to be bisexual and the author has written a main mlm relationship in this series before!! might be a little confusing if you haven't read the previous grishaverse books, though

the henna wars by adiba jaigirdar: i haven't read this one yet, but i ordered it a week ago and i'm really excited abt it!!

you should see me in a crown by leah johnson: another one that i just ordered. the blurb seems fantastic, though! 

shows & movies

the half of it: made me tear up. the wlws are nice, but the himbo jock & lesbian nerd friendship is what really got to me

dickinson: much whackier than you'd probably expect, but also really touching! i haven't seen season two yet, but all the sue and emily scenes in season one were wonderful

the haunting of bly manor: no words only dani's little gay run that pisses off the ghosts

san junipero: a classic, and for a reason

the owl house: no relationship is canon yet, but i think there's a pretty obvious wlw romance planned for the main character and her enemy turned friend! the crushing is also quite clear already

rafiki: been a while since i saw this one but!! rlly good movie that i would recommend & now kinda want to see again

distant lands (obsidian): ok ok i know bubblegum and marceline had their thing going through the entire show, but that's a whole bucketload of episodes to go through for a few scenes so! i'm just putting this one

skam españa (season two): you can obviously watch all the seasons, but i've only seen this one lol. also i know that druck has a wlw season too (i think? or at least a wlw mc), which i'm excited to watch soon since that's also my fav version of skam!!

the bold type: i haven't seen past season one but! one of the main characters has a wlw romance. she also has the cutest face you'll ever see in your life

imagine me and you: alright honestly i'm just putting this here bc it's the first wlw movie i ever watched... a bride falls in love with the florist at her wedding and then stuff i don't remember happens

anne with an e: ok listen!!! this is the only thing here where the wlw character isn't the focus, but the episodes that she's in are some of my absolute favourites. also i just really want everyone to watch awae.

that's all i think!!! might remember some more though :-D

hey kenzie this isnt klance related but do u have some wlw representation in media that u like? im a baby bi and i'd love to check out some good wlw reps

hello anon! off the top of my head:

but i’m a cheerleader (classic, fun, old school)

atomic blonde (very actiony, been forever since i saw it but it had a pretty good wlw subplot from what i remember?)

booksmart (one of the plot lines is wlw!)

portrait of a lady on fire (have not seen it but i’ve heard it’s good!)

the handmaiden (also haven’t seen it but i’ve heard it’s good! i rlly need to watch these two)

uhhhh if ur down for tv shows i know she ra had canon wlw! i never watched it but ! it seemed good!

also technically legend of korra did as well but it’s more implied

that’s all i got off the top of my head god (there’s so many more mlm movies than wlw) but if anyone else has any good ones feel free to reply/rb with them for anon!!!!

[moonminho]

There are very few things that I plan far in advance and look forward to all year long (besides Christmas and Chinese New Year, that is) and one of them is Book Expo/BookCon. A convention completely dedicated to the love and appreciation of books? Surrounded by publishers, authors, and books? I love it. It’s pretty much the place I would want to be 365 days a year. I believe that earlier last year, ReedPop and Book Expo made an announcement that their selection process for bloggers would be narrowed down so that publishers could better concentrate on forging relationships with industry professionals like booksellers and librarians. I know that this announcement put a lot of potential attendees off (that and a huge sum of $300 to attend) which is understandable. I was concerned that because BookCon was being hyped up and beefed up with lots of high-profile guests that BookExpo would be lackluster.

Neither of us decided to attend Wednesday because there was a lot to do before we would go on Thursday. And to be honest, I think we needed to prepare ourselves for what was about to go down go down during Book Expo. For the most part, we wanted to spend our time on the show floor since that’s where a lot of the fun is for the both of us. So in the early morn of June 1st, we got up at 4:30 and were on a train by 5:30AM to make it over so we could pick up our badges since we didn’t do it the night before. It was also our aim to score tickets to Cora Carmack, Leigh Bardugo, and Maggie Stiefvater. While we were waiting in line, we made a few friends and saw some old ones, which I think is what is so great about being in the book world – you can easily align your interests and create friendships around books. It’s something we all have in common. Unfortunately, it seemed that with the Avid Reader Pass Program and others who seemed to be there since 3/4AM, Leigh Bardugo tickets were long gone. I’d been disappointed because I was dying to get my hands on THE LANGUAGE OF THORNS sampler which, yes I know – why am I so fussy over a sampler? Well, even as a sampler, it’s beautiful. Plus, I’d read that she might be giving our her SIX OF CROWS playing cards which is probably one of my biggest searches for.

We obviously navigated our way through the show floor since the layout was different than other years and grabbed all the totes (my one goal was to score the SHE PERSISTED tote from Penguin Random House in support of Chelsea Clinton that weekend) before going over to Maggie’s signing area. I have to say that I haven’t read any of her previous books. I’ve heard a lot of mixed reviews about both her SHIVER and RAVEN CYCLE series and I just don’t like delving into books that are really volatile. But ALL THE CROOKED SAINTS seemed so interesting and we had a ticket for it, so why not? After that, we just roamed the show floor to see what all the booths had to offer and we both had the consensus that Book Expo was very low key and relaxing for the most part. I know that so many were discouraged from coming, but it made the experience for those that did more pleasurable. Yeah, there were a lot of people, but we had no major mishaps.

By the end of the day, the pair of us got most of the books we wanted (with Kristen’s wonderful schedule and timing skills) and we were pretty exhausted by the time we got back home. I was determined to be selective about the books I brought home because when we first attended the convention, I made the mistake of grabbing anything and having no room for most of the things I didn’t care for – so I wasn’t as tired as Kristen was (whom had gotten a lot of books she wanted).

The highlights of Thursday were meeting Cora Carmack and Leigh Bardugo (I know! I got to meet her!). I was delighted to see a finished copy of Cora Carmack’s ROAR which I had the opportunity to read as an ARC. It is a beautiful, beautiful book in my opinion and definitely has a unique and fresh take on fantasy stories. I will be posting my review soon for it so be on the lookout! Plus, she was such a delightful person to talk to and just overall lovely (pretty much all the authors we met were lovely).

So by happenstance, I got to meet Leigh in the Autographing Area and my goodness, her hair color was gorgeous. I’ve met very few people who could pull off the dark gray/silver look and my gosh, can that woman pull it off. She was surrounded by her Macmillan team and they were all rather kind. I was not there to get THE LANGUAGE OF THORNS because Fiercereads was promoting Grishaverse in the Crystal Palace for most of the convention so they had copies there for the taking! I had read that her book had won the Teen Choice Book Award and had wanted to congratulate her on that. Leigh Barduo never ceases to impress me with her humility and surprise over these sorts of achievements. I did bring my French SIX OF CROWS in the hopes that she would sign it (which she obviously did because she’s just so dang kind).

Day one of Book Expo was a success to say in the least. We had decided to approach Friday with less of a plan, but we definitely had our list of things we wanted, but didn’t necessarily NEED if we couldn’t get them. Fortunately, the ones we wanted (WARCROSS and BEASTS MADE OF NIGHT), we received previously. In terms of ticketed authors, we wanted to aim for Colleen Hoover and Marissa Meyer. I knew that if we didn’t get Marissa Meyer, it wasn��t a huge ordeal since it was a sampler and RENEGADES will be out within a few months. Nevertheless, I would have loved to say hello to Marissa once more. We managed to snag Colleen Hoover and Neil Patrick Harris (which we later gave away because it was later in the day and we just couldn’t fathom staying much longer after little sleep and 12K steps) so it was another day to the show floor for us! What I really loved was watching the interaction between attendees and the exhibitors – particularly the contrast between the smaller and big five publishers. It’s obviously a stark difference, but at the same time – it’s nice to think about how the big five were small once and look where they are now.

As every book dragon does, we snagged the books that we’d been hoping to get on our list (though, not the end of the world if we didn’t) and the biggest (and most competitive) event of the day was Leigh Bardugo’s WARBRINGER from Random House. We were rather guilty of hovering around the pillars near Penguin Random House, but the one good thing about Book Expo was that the attendees seemed to get along much better and there was very little hostility, if any at all. Somehow, against all odds, those who wanted WARBRINGER banded together to create a pretty calm and collective line. There were people in line, wonderful people, who understood the fairness of who had been there the longest and wanted to keep order. In this line, I saw some really great compassion and organization spring out from nearly everyone. Once the signing started, it went by quickly and everyone seemed relatively happy. We were rather happy to be part of such a collective group that showed that type of maturity. I imagine that if Book Expo hadn’t decided to screen its attendees this year, it would have been a different story.

When Friday and Book Expo came to a close, I was sad, but excited because BookCon would be starting the next day. Out of my bounty from Book Expo, I think I was really looking forward to:

Reign the Earth by A.C. Gaughen (Bloomsbury)

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo (Random House)

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust (Harlequin)

Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore (Macmillan)

Cruel Prince by Holly Black (Hachette)

The Hearts We Sold by Emily Lloyd-Jones (Hachette)

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic)

This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada (Simon & Schuster)

 Zero Repeat Forever by G.S. Prendergast (Simon & Schuster)

And had we not gotten them before the convention:

Warcross by Marie Lu (Penguin)

Beast Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi (Penguin)

To be honest, there were a lot of books and that meant a lot of blurs, but nevertheless, everyone seemed to find something they really wanted at Book Expo.

One regret I do have is being unable to start relationships with publishers. I love going to these things because it means meeting the writers who have built such wonderful words, but in hindsight, I lose the opportunity to meet with the professional book pushers themselves. I really admire them for all that they do for their authors (include surviving BookCon) and know that I should really set some time aside to talk with them and just stay in touch. I, myself, am somewhat socially awkward at times and never want to bother professionals when they’re actually working, but it’s always nice to see that they’re open to chatting with people if they wish to do so.

Book Expo…to say in the least, was just so…chill? Sure, there were times where anxieties were heightened and patience was on edge, but overall, there’s nothing stopping me from wanting to attend next year. It seemed like there was a lot of more space and walking space which was nice. I do feel like the shift in where the booths usually were threw me off and therefore, I seemed to visit them less than I would have liked (this was more so about HarperCollins…they just seemed so far away from everyone else!). My experience with ReedPop events have always been good and I love that they host them at the Jacob Javits Center (which is a BEAUTIFUL location).

So I’d have to say that Book Expo 2017…you were a success. Let’s make 2018 a good one, too!

[triptuckers]

New In Town (part seven) - Kaz Brekker

Request: nope Pairing: Kaz Brekker x reader Summary: after kaz outsmarts you, you're desperate for a new way to get your information. it turns out kaz has a solution to your problem Warnings:  none Word count: 2.4K A/N: the last part wow!! I had so much fun writing this, thanks to everyone who has read this series! <3 PREVIOUS PART | NEXT PART TAG LIST (all grishaverse fics): @ayushmitadutta @mrs-brekker15@dancingwith-sunflowers @thegirlwiththeimpala @parker-natasha@story-scribbler@romanoffstarkovs@daliareads@meiitanoia @itsnotquimey@sanktaesperanza @whymyparentscheckmyphone@aleksanderwh0r3 @ilovemarvelanne1 @marlenaisnthappy @brekker-zenik @just-deka @graceknxwlson @the-very-tired-mess @sassybadqueen TAG LIST (Kaz Brekker): @mufnasa @Janesofia7 @stairscortana @parker-natasha @illicitghosts @brick-by-brick553 @gallysonegoodlung @dropssofjupitter @earthtokace TAG LIST (New In Town): @calums-betch add yourself to my tag lists here

You couldn't believe it. You stayed up all night trying to figure out how Kaz could outsmart you. How he figured out how you got your information on his jobs.

You hadn't found the answer yet.

While you're kind of angry he figured it out, you're also impressed. It took him a while, but he did figure it out eventually.

But now you have to figure out a new way to get information.

You couldn't climb the roof again soon, obviously. No doubt Kaz would have sent Inej up there to make sure you couldn't listen in on their meetings again.

Even if you were to approach the Slat, you now have six people to be on the lookout for, instead of just Jesper and Kaz. And there was no way of telling wether or not Kaz had given your description to other Dregs as well.

You spend the rest of the day in your apartment, trying to figure out how Kaz could have figured it out. And sulking because they got away with your prize. Well, it was their prize first, so you didn't really have a reason to be upset about it.

The next day, you're walking toward the Barrel. You're wearing a coat with a large hood pulled over your head and part of your face. Even if someone did see you, there's a chance they wouldn't see your face.

But just how much does Kaz know about you? He knows your true identity, the name the Ravkans had given you, how you get your information. You'd be a fool to think he wouldn't recognise you if he saw you in the streets.

In the distance, you see the familiar crooked building appear. Your eyes are darting around the street, looking for any of the crows. When you don't see them, you slip in the alley behind the Slat.

Though you know you probably won't hear anything, you climb the building anyway.

All the way to your spot by Kaz' window. Maybe you wouldn't hear a detailed plan for a job. But you could happen to overhear something else. Maybe you could hold that information against him. Demand part of the prize.

But when half of the day has passed, you hadn't heard as much as a door opening.

Could they be away on a new job already? You had no idea just how many jobs he had in a week. After all, you only knew about the ones they talked about when they were in Kaz' rooms. There was no telling if they talked about other jobs in other places.

When you rise again, your muscles are sore and stiff. You would come back the next day, see if you could hear anything. Maybe they were out celebrating last night's success. They might be back tomorrow.

But they're not. Nor are they there to talk business the day after.

For an entire week, you hope to eavesdrop on them. No luck.

When a week has passed you find yourself on your way to the Slat again. You don't even know why. The chance you'd be able to hear something is basically nonexistent.

But there's some comfort in the routine. When you lay down on the roof, you can tell it's going to be a sunny day. There are no clouds in the air, and it's still a bit cold from the night.

You're starying to get lost in thoughts when you finally hear a sound in Kaz' room.

Footsteps. And of course his cane. You hold your breath, excited to finally hear him say something. You're surprised, when he seems to address you.

'Do you really think I'll tell you everything again?'

You carefully peer over the edge and see how Kaz pokes his head out of the window. You don't even bother to duck away. Instead, you glare at him.

'I've been eating the worst food every day because I need to save money for my fucking rent.' you say, frustratedly. 'My old job won't take me back.'

Kaz shrugs. 'Not my fault.' he says.

'Yes it is.' you say.

'No. It's not my fault that you don't get to steal from us anymore.' he says.

'Just give me a little something.' you say, almost begging him.

'I don't think I will.' says Kaz.

You groan. 'You're the worst.' you say.

'You have no idea.' says Kaz. 'Now come in so we can talk like civilised human beings.'

You glare at him again. 'Your words, not mine.' says Kaz.

His head disappears again and you hesitate. You then skilfully climb through the window. You let your eyes roam through the room.

It's clear that this is his office. There's stacks of paper everywhere, and though the room isn't that big, he's crammed a desk in there.

Kaz is sitting behind it, gesturing to a chair across from him. You look at him and slowly walk over to the chair to sit down.

He pours you a glass of kvas, then pours one for himself. You don't say anything, waiting for him to speak.

'So.' he says. 'Did you honestly think we'd have a meeting here again?'

You shrug. 'I hoped you would. Turns out I was wrong.' you say as you take a sip of your drink. 'How did you know how I got the information?'

'Inej.' says Kaz.

You chuckle softly. 'Of course. Did she see me?' you say.

Kaz nods. 'Once. She immediately told me someone was up on the roof near the window. I knew it was you. I suddenly knew that was how you kept getting the information.' he says.

'And you set a trap.' you say.

'And I set a trap.' says Kaz. 'You didn't even second guess it. Just took the bait like that. You ought to be more careful. This is still the Barrel. Everyone tricks everyone.'

'This is still the Barrel, but I'm still an outsider. I can make a few mistakes.' you say.

'Are you still an outsider?' says Kaz, finishing his drink.

You frown at him. 'Well, I'm not exactly Kerch now., if that's what you're implying.' you say.

'You don't have to be an outsider.' says Kaz. 'I've told you before, I value your skills. You would be a remarkable crow. An exceptional addition to the team.'

It sounds very tempting. Especially since you have no source of information now. Still, you should be able to survive on your own. Find and plan your own jobs. You're more than capable. But Kaz knows Ketterdam. Knows its valuables, its people, he's got eyes and ears everywhere.

But you're not a team player.

'I'll give you the same answer to the same question. I work alone.' you say.

'Fine with me.' says Kaz. 'Enjoy your cheap food.'

He gets up and walks through the door into a different room that's attached to his office. You're waiting for him to come back, but when he doesn't, you climb out of the window again.

You climb down to the street, and start walking back to your apartment. You really had to find some jobs, and fast.

After having declined Kaz' offer a second time, you doubt he'd offer it to you again. You're determined to find a job yourself.

You spend the next few weeks trying to find a job. But the more gangs won't accept you, the less jobs you find and the worse food you eat to save money, the more desperate you become.

Every day, Kaz' offer is still on your mind. You're starting to think he might have told every gang leader to not give you a job, so you'd have no choice but to accept his offer. You didn't even know if gangs had a lot of communication with each other, but you did know Kaz was more than capable of reaching out to them to stop them from employing you.

After no gang is willing to offer you a job, you try all the cafes and pubs in the city. You even try some near the university, but they'd taken one look at your clothes - not exactly student material - and sent you away.

And when your landlord approaches you and tells you that if you don't pay your rent on time she'll kick you out, you realise you really have to do something.

And desperate times call for desperate measures.

Your feet feel heavy when you walk toward the Slat. You feel like a fool. Declining Kaz' offer twice, and then going back to him when your landlord threatens to kick you out.

You don't bother to conceal your face, but you do take your weapons with you. It's still the Barrel.

Instead of climbing to the roof, you go through the front door of the crooked building. You step into a hallway, and when you look through an open door, you see something what looks like a combined dining room and kitchen.

Deciding it's a good place to start, you enter the room. There a few people there, none of which you recognise. They give you funny looks, but none of them speaks to you as they turn back to whatever they were doing.

You're standing there, unsure of what to do. Could you just walk up to Kaz' floor? Or would that be considered rude?

Right when you want to slowly turn around and walk the stairs, someone enters through a back door. You're relieved to see it's someone you recognise.

Nina walks up to you when she spots you.

'Y/N, right?' she says.

'Yes.' you say.

She smiles at you. 'You must be here looking for Kaz.' she says.

'How did you know?' you say.

Nina still smiles at you. 'He's always talking about you. He was convinced you'd accept his second offer. Is that why you're here?' she says.

'Yes, I want to talk to him, but wasn't sure if I could just walk up to his floor and knock on his door.' you say.

'Probably not.' says Nina. 'He might've made an exception for you, though. I'll take you upstairs.'

You follow Nina to the stairs.

'Why would he make an exception for me?' you ask her.

To your surprise, Nina chuckles.

'You're the only one to ever outsmart him. You've gotten his attention, and he's impressed by you.' she says.

'Really?' you say. 'But all the stories I've heard about him on the streets describe him as some indestructible, clever thief. Hard to outsmart.'

'He is hard to outsmart.' says Nina. 'Which is why he's so impressed by you. Here we are.'

You've stopped in front of a door. Nina looks at you, and with a wink, she knocks on the door.

'Come in.' says Kaz' voice.

Nina opens the door and gestures for you to follow her.

'Look who I found wandering around downstairs.' she says.

When Kaz' eyes fall on you, you can tell he's pleased to see you. He doesn't smile, but there's a hint of it in his eyes.

'Y/N.' he says. 'How's the cheap food?'

'Still horrible.' you say.

'Nina, leave us.' says Kaz.

'Give a yell when he attacks you with his cane.' says Nina, and she leaves the room and shuts the door behind you.

'I could probably guess why you're here, but I'd still like to know why Nina caught you wandering in the Slat.' says Kaz.

'Does that offer still stand?' you ask him.

'It does. he says.

'Then I accept it.' you say.

Now, he does smile. He stands and offers you a gloved hand, which you shake.

'Welcome to the Dregs.' says Kaz.

'I wasn't exactly sure if the job was still mine.' you admit.

'How so?' says Kaz, sitting back down.

'Well, I'd declined it twice. But then I got here and was told I'd impressed you.' you say.

'Did Nina tell you that?' says Kaz.

You nod. 'She said I'm the only one to outsmart you.' you say.

'Until I outsmarted you.' says Kaz.

'But I outsmarted you first.' you say with a smile.

'We'll get you a room at the Slat.' says Kaz, quickly changing the subject. 'We lost someone a few weeks back and the room's been empty every since. You can take it, it's on the second floor next to Jesper's room.'

'I'll move my stuff right away.' you say.

You get up and walk to the door. Just before opening it, you look at Kaz over your shoulder. 'Thanks.' you say. 'For the job.'

Kaz nods at you and you leave his office.

When you walk through the door and step out onto the street, you hear someone call your name.

You turn around to see Jesper and Wylan catching up with you.

'Hey!' says Jesper. 'Nina told us you accepted the job!'

'I did.' you say. 'Looks like I'll still do your jobs for you, only Kaz is aware of it now.'

Jesper places a hand over his heart. 'Already threatening us, you'll fit right in.' he says.

'Kaz gave me a room in the Slat, next to yours.' you say.

'We know.' says Wylan. 'He sent us to help you move.'

'Oh, I don't have a lot of stuff. I can manage on my own.' you say.

'Walk up and down three times by yourself, or once with our help.' says Jesper. 'And then we can invite you for your first drink at the Slat.'

'Alright then.' you say. 'You guys can help. If you let me buy the first round.'

'Agreed.' says Wylan.

With Jesper and Wylan's help, it indeed takes one trip from your old apartment to the Slat. You put your stuff in your new room, deciding to arrange everything later, and head back down.

You see Nina and Matthias have joined Jesper and Wylan, and right when you walk through the door you see Inej walking down the stairs.

Apparently, news travelled fast. They all welcome you and congratulate you on the job, telling you they can't wait to go on a job with you.

Just when you order the first round of drinks, Kaz comes downstairs as well.

He sits down next to you and grabs the glass Jesper offered him.

Kaz looks at you before raising his glass to make a toast.

'To Y/N, the newest addition to the Crows. And also the first person to outsmart me. I'm sure you're all going to make sure I will never forget that.' says Kaz.

You smile as they all raise their glass and say your name. You're glad you accepted his offer after all.

A/N: If you want to request something, make sure to read my house rules Here’s the list of characters I write for. Everything that I have written can be found on my masterlist. Please don’t repost my work, as I spend much time and effort on it!! Thank you for reading! Much love, Marit

[vanilla-vivillon]

Aight here’s that part two of ✨Kanej✨Kiddie

Here’s part one - https://dablackdahlia.tumblr.com/post/650477962667425792/hey-so-i-have-some-kanej-kid-headcannons-that

It had been two month since Azriel started working for the dregs

And Inej was getting closer to her

At first she started to ask around with other suli in Ketterdam

They were few

But they were close

No one seemed to know who Azriel was

Inej even went and talked to the settlement in the countryside

But no one knew her

And Azriel was no help either

She had however revealed she was actually half Ravkan

The whole situation was a coincidence really

Luck

But Inej learned to never squander these opportunities

The next priest Azriel was going for was a ravkan one

He preached about Grisha saints

Sankta Zoya of the Storms

Sankta Leoni of the waters

Sankt Adrik the uneven

And dozens more Inej pious as she is couldn’t recognize

Azriel came to Inej neeeding assistance

She needed to get in one of his seminars

But pretty quickly the little pests figured out there was a dreg running around getting rid of them

And security was tighter

“You can break into the Slat but you can’t break into a religious seminar?” Inej asked while sharpening her knives

“The slat is easy”

“Why do you say that?”

“There are cracks and corners” Azriel said annoyed at having to explain herself

“Such as..?”

“Brekker’s window.”

Inej stopped

Kaz always kept his window unlocked for her

She and him never saw it as a security risk

Who would ever attempt to get into DirtyHands penthouse?

But if Azriel got in...

“That’s quite the climb”

“Who’s saying I’m climbing?”

Saints Azriel could be insufferable

She claimed she was twelve but she clearly wasn’t

Ten at most

Yet it seemed she already masterd snark

“Then how do you get up there?”

“Come now Wraith, I can’t tell you all my secrets”

Seemingly bored of this conversation Azriel got back on track

“Will you help me or not?”

Inej was pretty big in the small religious community

She was invited to the seminar herself

“Say please”

Azriel rolled her eyes and with exaggerated reverence said “please Sankta Inej of liberation will you help a poor sad orphan in her job so she doesn’t get sent to the gallows?”

“Kaz won’t send you the the gallows”

This piqued her interest

For all she knew Her boss regarded her with indifference bordering on Adversion

“And why is that?”

“He likes you”

“He doesn’t like anyone”

“That’s not true” Inej paused “I’ll help you”

Azriel gave a wicked grin

“Perfect”

The chapel was grand

Beautifully glass stained pictures of Saints adorned the walls

Azriel couldn’t stand it

Inej adored it

There cover was Azriel was a recently freed slave that Inej saved

Her name was Anvi Patel and she was thinking of joining the church

It was crucial that Azriel has a full conversation with Reverend Kordov

Of course she didn’t tell why to Inej

“Alright what’s your plan Azriel?”

“That’s on a need to know basis Captain”

Saints Azriel was spending ti much time with Kaz Inej thought to herself as the little pest looked around the chapel

Hazel eyes scanning every crvice and corridor of the building

And her nature filled eyes found the reverend

“There” Azriel send gesturing toward him

He was a man with greying hair and kind eyes

Inej almost felt bad for him

Almost

“Alright we’ll go up and you’ll introduce me as Anvi. Tell him I want to work for the church choir”

“You can sing?” Inej questioned as they started towards him

“Like a dying Cat”

They reached the priest

“If it isn’t the Liberator” said kordov

“It’s wonderful to meet you Reverend” Inej responded

“And who might this be” the priest asked turning towards Azriel

“This is Anvi. I recently liberated her. She was hoping to join a choir, I was wondering if this church had one yet”

“Of course we do!”

Kneeling down towards Azriel “Were you a singer?”

“Yes I was” her entire demeanor changed

Gone was the clever bengal cat

And in came a timid and meek bunny

“A-a Little. Before everything happened...” she stuttered meekly

“Where are your parents?”

“Gone” the same thing Azriel told Kaz and Inej when they asked.

Inej started to wonder if she played the part to well

Perhaps she truly was a slave

“Is it true that this place is dedicated towards Grisha saints?” Azriel asked

Ah

So that’s why she needed a conversation

If this place worshipped Grisha it made sense it had quite a few members with... special talents

If Azriel wanted to take down the place she needed to know if there was Grisha in hiding

Any Grisha in Ketterdam knew to keep there talents hidden at all costs

While getting taken off the streets was less of a risk thanks to Inejs hard work,

There was always a risk

He nodded “we talk about the lesser know ones”

“I always thought Grisha were so illusive” Azriel said getting a little bolder and stop stuttering

“They are. But these are no ordinary Grisha”

“Take Sankta Galina”

Inej never heard of her

But Azriel seemed to know

“Healed a Shu Princess years ago”

“Yes that’s correct, do you know what the Shu did to her after?”

“Cut her up and sold her blood to the Kaelish” Azriel said making sure to put some fear in her voice

That was odd

While Azriel might’ve done research

It was suspicious how much she knew

Perhaps she grew up in a church

Kordov seemed suprised aswell

“I’m suprised you know so much about Grisha saints”

Obviously not likening where the conversation was going Azriel swiftly changed the subject

“I’ve been hearing rumors...”

“What kind” Kordov said suddenly more interestied

“Well I heard that there were Grisha in this very chapel!” Azriel said looking around at other patrons to feign excitement

Kordov went pale

“Where did yu hear that?”

Azriel seemingly suprised by his reaction

“I’m sorry reverend. Twas just a rumor really”

But Azriel got what she needed

There were Grisha in the church making everything much harder

“As much as we’d love to stay and chat Anvi must be getting back to her sister”

The reverend quickly regained his composure and plastered on a smile “I di hope you’ll visit again”

“We will” Inej replied

When they were safely away from the church Inej questioned Azriel

“He has Grisha there Azriel”

“I’m aware”

“He might even be Grisha himself”

“I’m aware of that to”

“Hey” Inej quickly turned in front of Azriel stopping her brisk pace

“Do you really think you can take on Grisha?”

“Of course i do”

“You’re a fool then”

Azriel ignored her and kept walking

“I’m serious Azriel. What’re you gonna do when you have three inferni after you”

“Outrun them”

“And how did you know so much about grisha saints?”

Azriel laughed at this

Not a schoolgirl giggle

Not even a wicked laugh

Just plain old laugh

Like she thought it was funny

“I’m Ravka there all anyone can talk about. The great Sankta Zoya. The beautiful Sankta Alina, Hell even Sankt Adrik people adore!”

But then Azriel stopped short

She revealed something

Something important

But Inej didn’t want her to close up again

“The saints aren’t to be mocked like that. Speak of them with wonder”

Azriels shoulders relaxed a bit

Inej didn’t acknowledge this big information Azriel has given her

Azriel was from Ravka

Interesting

Hey y’all. It’s me. Back. Here’s part two of the Kanej kid thing y’all liked. Part of me thinks I should just write a fanfic

But the other, lazy me thinks this is easier.

Sorry for the many grammar errors typing Is hard for me.

My ask box is open and I take any Grishaverse requests

Also give this a reblog if you made it here