Rule of Wolves (King of Scars, #2)

by Leigh Bardugo

“Did you hear that, Punchline? He called you fancy.”

kings did what they wished; bastards did what they must.

Miss—” “General.” “General Nazyalensky,”

😌

“Be careful whispers don’t become talk. It’s a good way to lose a tongue.” Schenck’s eyes widened. “Are you threatening a delegate of the Kerch government?” “I only threaten gossipmongers and cowards.”

👀👀👀

“Your heart is in your eyes, Your Highness,” murmured Tamar, wiping the sweat from her brow. Tolya poked his twin in the arm with a sparring sword. “Tamar knows because that’s the way she looks at her wife.” “I am free to look at my wife any which way I please.” “But Zoya is not Nikolai’s wife.”

Glad we’ve all noticed that Nikolai’s WHIPPED for her

Tell me it’s more than war and worry that makes you speak those words. Tell me what they would mean if you weren’t a king and I weren’t a soldier.

I am SOBBING Zoya trying to preserve the only sanctuary she was afforded for other young Grisha to have a safe place to practice their gifts is just so 🤌

But she saw the way Genya clutched the papers in her hands, the way David’s gaze snapped to his wife, the desire to protect her the one thing that could draw him from his work.

They’re so fucking cute

“I trust Joran with my life. I have to. We have no secrets from each other.” Nina noted the slight clenching of Joran’s jaw. Interesting. Maybe some secrets after all.

FRUITY?

“Do you remember me?” asked Misha. He was too young to hide his hatred with polite talk.

Get it, little dude

The Darkling’s gray eyes studied Mal with more interest than he’d ever shown before. “I understand we’re blood related.” Mal shrugged. “We all have relatives we don’t like.”

David reached out and rubbed a piece of her silky red hair between his fingers. Genya blushed even more deeply. “What are you doing?” she whispered. “Studying something beautiful,” he said without the faintest hint of flattery, as if he truly were trying to find the formula for the woman before him.

THEYRE SO IN LOVE UGH

“We are soldiers,” David recited, low and shaky. He was unused to speaking in front of a crowd. “I will march with you in times of war. I will rest with you in times of peace. I will forever be the weapon in your hand, the fighter at your side, the friend who awaits your return.” His voice grew stronger and louder with every word. “I have seen your face in the making at the heart of the world and there is no one more beloved, Genya Safin, brave and unbreakable.”

Before the guard could answer, the prince lifted a crop and smacked Joran hard across the face, the sound like a branch snapping on a cold morning.

Not fruity, holy fuck

“I can’t find him,” she said, her voice lost, bewildered. “I can’t find David.”

ABSOLUTELY NOT, I WILL NOT FUCKING TOLERATE THIS, NOT THEM.

She loved praise, had thrived on any little bit of it.

🎶you’re just a little bit too much like meee🎶

She had pulled a notebook from her pocket, the pages held open. It took Zoya a moment to understand what it was. She glimpsed a few words in David’s scrawl: Ideas for compliments—hair (color, texture), smile (causes and effects), talents (tailoring, tonics, sense of style—inquire on “style”), teeth? size of feet?

Oh.

“David hated making war. He was an inventor, a creator. He dreamed of a time when he could build wonders instead of weapons.”

And he never got to

“But Ketterdam is the right place to gamble.”

MY CROWS?? THIS IS A FUCKING EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER

You and I are going to change the world.”

Here we go again

Zoya eyed an imposing building that Nikolai could have sworn had been called the Emerald … Empire? Palace? It had once been done up in Kaelish green and gold. Now it was outfitted in heaps of fake jewels, and a sign over the door read THE SILVER SIX.

REVENGE IS SWEET (and shiny)

“It’s for Inej.” Wylan set down the dirty glasses. “Why didn’t you say so? What do you need?”

“You wanna do smth illegal?” “No” “It’s for Inej” “Oh shit, why didn’t you say so”

“Then I would gladly be your prince, your consort, your demon fool.”

“Zoya will live a very long life,” the Darkling said. “Despite the demon, you may not do the same.” “Then I will love her from my grave.”

This is so work song coded

designs for an extraordinary structure Nikolai had designed to protect her garden. The plans had been bound with her blue velvet ribbon and accompanied by a note that read, I will always seek to make it summer for you.

Oh. My. God.