The Ravkan royal family holds a little gathering. Nikolai’s older brother Vasily is also there, he is the heir apparent to the Ravkan throne, a snob, a snoop, and a drunkard. Vasily clashes with Alina on views regarding Grisha.

Nikolai announces his and Alina’s engagement, much to the queen’s disapproval. Alina also expresses the wish to command the Second Army.

After the party, for the first time, Mal expresses his opinion that’s not about a meadow. He thinks Alina is taking too much of a risk. Being with Nikolai is supposed to protect her while she learns to control her power, not expose her to more danger. As much as I root for the heroine to stand on her own, I have to agree with Mal here. Unless Alina only plans to put on an act of commanding the Second Army, it’s best that she leaves that job to someone with actual experience.

Yes, it has come to a point where I have to side with Mal.

They kiss again. IN A HALLWAY this time. And of course, Nikolai’s brother Vasily with the K-pop hairstyle spies on them from across the hall. Now he knows the engagement is fake.

David is caught by Ravkan soldiers and brought to the palace. No problem, he actually wanted to get caught. He brings Alina news about the Darkling. Poor David believes Genya is dead, but even when heartbroken and locked up he is more clear-minded than the heroine herself. Alina looks like she considers using merzost — dark magic that has made the Darkling into the finger-cutting maniac that he is lately — so David gives her some earnest warnings about its danger.

David also gives Alina a useful bit of information: There is a link between her and the Darkling, enabling each of them to feel what the other feels and physically locate each other.

As Alina considers merzost, Mal wants to find the Firebird.

Nikolai gives Alina a huge engagement ring then shares with her his unhappy family history. He’s an illegitimate son. Alina compliments his leadership and they walk down to the banquet hand-in-hand. Whatever they have going on is adorable.

But guess who just has to be a jealous party crasher and shows up to ruin Nikolai’s engagement party? Yep, you guessed it.

Due to Vasily’s “genius” idea of inviting lots of guests, word of Alina’s location spread and all the Darkling had to do was ride his shadow monsters there.

The monsters attack and Vasily is the first one to get torn apart.

The Darkling finds Alina at the entrance to an underground tunnel with her friends, he advises her to yield and come with him. Well, you should know Alina better than that, Alek. When you tell her to do something, it’s guaranteed that she will do the opposite.

Alina decides to fight. Told you, Darkling. Her blast injures both the Darkling and a shadow monster. She and her friends then flee down the tunnel.

Kaz’s plan works out splendidly, and after enduring a terrible round of beating, he finally pulls out his final card to play on Pekka Rollins: I buried your son alive so give me what I want and I will tell you where to find him.

What does Kaz want? For Pekka to say the name of the boy he lied to and stole from years ago, aka Kaz’s brother.

It’s just another form of torture for Pekka, of course, because this man can’t remember one boy’s name when he has duped so many.

In the end, Kaz lays out what he really wants: The Crows’ names cleared and Inej’s freedom. Yayy, so Kaz did have a plan, after all.

Pekka is arrested and all is well now, except that Inej doesn’t meet up with the Crows where she should. She shows up later to explain that she tried to help a family stuck on one of Pekka’s ships, probably kidnapped.

Kaz is livid — as livid as his indifferent face can express. He has a valid reason, of course. If Inej wants to work with the Crows as a team, she can’t just disappear on her own like that.

Inej also has her reason, she can’t turn away from those who are put through what she was subjected to — kidnapping and child-trafficking.

Here’s another tiny, teeny reason why Kaz is more cranky than usual:

WHAT IF ANOTHER CRAZY ASSASSIN GOT YOU AND I WAS NOT THERE TO HELP YOU, INEJ!

In the end, Kaz gives Inej her papers, she is free to go wherever she wants. They are not happy with each other, though.

Jesper and Wylan share their mutual attraction and they take it to the bed. Well, erm… that was fast.