ALSO BY LEIGH BARDUGO
The Shadow and Bone Trilogy
Shadow and Bone
Siege and Storm
Ruin and Rising
The Six of Crows Duology
Six of Crows
Crooked Kingdom
The King of Scars Duology
King of Scars
The Anthologies
The Language of Thorns
The Lives of Saints
PRAISE FOR THE
GRISHAVERSE
“A master of fantasy.”
—THE HUFFINGTON POST
“Utterly, extremely bewitching.”
—THE GUARDIAN
“This is what fantasy is for.”
—THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
“[A] world that feels real enough to have its own passport stamp.”
—NPR
“The darker it gets for the good guys, the better.”
—ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
“Sultry, sweeping and picturesque … Impossible to put down.”
—USA TODAY
“There’s a level of emotional and historical sophistication within Bardugo’s original epic fantasy that sets it apart.”
—VANITY FAIR
“Unlike anything I’ve ever read.”
—VERONICA ROTH, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF DIVERGENT
“Bardugo crafts a first-rate adventure, a poignant romance, and an intriguing mystery!”
—RICK RIORDAN, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE PERCY JACKSON SERIES
“This is a great choice for teenage fans of George R. R. Martin and J. R. R. Tolkien.”
—RT BOOK REVIEWS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
LEIGH BARDUGO is the New York Times–bestselling author of Ninth House and the creator of the Grishaverse (coming soon to Netflix), which spans the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, the Six of Crows Duology, the King of Scars Duology, The Language of Thorns, and The Lives of Saints—with more to come. Her short stories can be found in multiple anthologies, including Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. Leigh grew up in Southern California and graduated from Yale University. These days she lives and writes in Los Angeles. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
The Demon King
1. Queen Makhi
2. Nina
3. Nikolai
4. Nina
5. Zoya
6. Nikolai
7. Nina
8. Nikolai
9. Zoya
10. Nina
11. Zoya
13. Nina
14. Zoya
15. Nikolai
16. Nina
17. Zoya
18. Nikolai
The Making at the Heart of the World
19. Mayu
20. Zoya
21. The Monk
22. Nina
23. Nikolai
24. Mayu
25. Nina
26. The Monk
27. Nikolai
28. Zoya
29. Mayu
30. Nina
31. Nikolai
32. Mayu
33. The Monk
34. Nikolai
35. Nina
36. Zoya
37. Nikolai
38. The Monk
39. Zoya
40. Mayu
41. Nina
42. Nikolai
43. Zoya
44. Nina
45. Nikolai
46. Zoya
47. Nina
48. Nikolai
49. Zoya
Acknowledgments
Also by Leigh Bardugo
Praise for the Grishaverse
About the Author
Copyright
Copyright © 2021 by Leigh Bardugo
A part of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC
120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271
fiercereads.com
All rights reserved.
If you scale the cliffs on the coast near Os Kervo, you may find a cave said to once be the lair of a dragon. Though the dragon’s existence is debatable, the damp is not. Steal or deface this book and you will spend a perpetually moist eternity shivering in that cave, eating toadstools, and praying for a bit of dragonfire to warm you.
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Imprint logo designed by Amanda Spielman
Map art by Sveta Dorosheva
First hardcover edition, 2021
eBook edition, 2021
eISBN 9781250809667