And yet you lay with the Lantsov king. Or had that changed, now that he prefers the company of Alina Starkov?
( petty, he knows. yet — fueled with understated curiosity. just how deep do zoya’s insecurities run? he remembers the girl in the forest, protecting tiger cubs. he remembers that girl in his bed, flushing under praise. when they’re both castoffs from their chosen others, where do they fall? in with all the other abandoned children of ravka, perhaps — bastards, monsters, forgotten. of course, aleksander got sainthood out of it. zoya got that and the dragon, and the throne.
so, he supposes by some standards, she’s won the power game. but he hasn’t lost, which is all the same to him. people will praise his name. she will have to hear it. )
Your threats warm me, Sankta. From you, they’re like a blessing.
no subject
Or had that changed, now that he prefers the company of Alina Starkov?
( petty, he knows. yet — fueled with understated curiosity. just how deep do zoya’s insecurities run? he remembers the girl in the forest, protecting tiger cubs. he remembers that girl in his bed, flushing under praise. when they’re both castoffs from their chosen others, where do they fall? in with all the other abandoned children of ravka, perhaps — bastards, monsters, forgotten. of course, aleksander got sainthood out of it. zoya got that and the dragon, and the throne.
so, he supposes by some standards, she’s won the power game. but he hasn’t lost, which is all the same to him. people will praise his name. she will have to hear it. )
Your threats warm me, Sankta. From you, they’re like a blessing.