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Then reality returned I sat up and fumbled for the lamp on the bedside wall I turned up the flas, the slate floor, the carved ebony walls I really was going to have toto wake up in It was strange to think that I was actually in the Darkling’s chaht in his bed That I’d seen hih of that I threw off the covers and swung s over the side of the bed I didn’t knohether the visions were a product ofto manipulate me, but there had to be a rational explanation for the If that was the case, then I’d just have to find a way to cure it Or uei’s voice and Tolya’s angry ruown that had been left for me at the foot of the bed, checked to make sure the fetter on my wrist was hidden, and hurried out to the coht into the twins Tolya and Taroup of angry Grisha froher head as Sergei and Fedyor loudly made their case I was distressed to see Zoya beside theedat once

"What’s going on?" I asked

As soon as Sergei sawa piece of paper in his hand Taht," I said "What’s the proble and the reold sunburst seal that Nikolai had provided forin ei huffed

I’d sent out word the previous night that I would be convening a war council Each Grisha Order was to elect two representatives to attend I was pleased to see they’d chosen Fedyor as well as Sergei, though soood ore off when the older Grisha chiht," said Fedyor "The Corporalki are the Grisha’s first line of defense We’re the most experienced in military affairs and should be more fairly represented"

"We’re just as valuable to the war effort," declared Zoya, her color high Even in a snit, she looked gorgeous I’d suspected she would be chosen to represent the Etherealki, but I certainly wasn’t happy about it "If there are going to be three Corporalki on the council," she said, "then there should be three Suain I noted that the Materialki hadn’t shown up to colad to be included, or possibly they were too caught up in their work to be bothered

I still wasn’t quite awake I wanted ument But I knew this had to be addressed I intended to do things differently--and they ht as well know just how differently or this effort would fall apart before it even began

I held up my hand and they quieted instantly Clearly, I had that trick down Maybe they were afraid I was going to ruin another ceiling "There will be two Grisha froan Sergei

"The Darkling has changed If we have any hope of beating hie, too Two Grisha froer sit separately You’ll sit together, eat together, and fight together"

At least I’d gotten the

"And the Fabrikators start co this week," I finished

I took in their horrified expressions They looked like I’d told the into battle naked The Materialki weren’t considered warriors, so no one had ever bothered to teach theht It felt like a missed opportunity to me Use whatever or whoever is in front of you

"I can see you’re all thrilled," I said with a slass of tea, I walked to the table where a breakfast tray had been laid with covered dishes I lifted one of the lids: rye and herring This ood start

"But … but it’s always been this way," sputtered Sergei

"You can’t just overturn hundreds of years of tradition," protested the Inferni

"Are we really going to argue about this, too?" I asked irritably "We’re at ith an ancient power beyond reckoning, and you want to squabble over who sits next to you at lunch?"

"That’s not the point," said Zoya "There’s an order to things, a way of doing theain--about tradition, about the way things were done, about the need for structure and people knowing their places

I set the cover back down on the dish with a loud clang

"This is the e’re doing it," I said, rapidly losing patience "No more Corporalki snobbery No "

Zoya opened her ain

"Now go," I barked "I want to eat my breakfast in peace"

For a moment, they just stood there Then Ta amazement, the Grisha did as they were told Zoya looked peeved, and Sergei’s face was stormy, but they all shuffled meekly out of the room

Seconds after they left, Nikolai appeared in the doorway, and I realized he’d been eavesdropping in the hall

"Nicely done," he said "Today shall be forever re Decree" He stepped inside and closed the door behind hih"

"I don’t have your gift for ‘a down at the table and tearing eagerly into a roll "But ‘grouchy’ see me a cup of tea froar Nikolai took a chair and sat without being asked

"You’re really not going to eat these?" he said, already piling herring onto his plate

"Revolting," I said succinctly

Nikolai took a big bite "You don’t survive at sea if you can’t stomach fish"