The Darkling visits Mal through a vision. Great, it’s always good to have more than one contact on your FaceTime list. He convinces Mal to leave things alone. Unsurprisingly, Mal says no, then taunts the Darkling about the latter’s everlasting loneliness.
Alina shares with Nikolai the tragic bit about Mal being the Firebird. Nikolai hugs Alina, and later hugs Mal. I know they want to contrast the book by having Mal and Nikolai being besties, but I’m not sure, do they even know each other that well?
Because Alina is still not over her “no, no, no” phase, Mal takes the step and spills the secret in front of their entire gang so Alina is forced to leave that decision to the people who are actually competent.
Tamar shares that there is a Heartreader trick that might keep Mal alive and still make Alina the owner of the Firebird amplifier. David also weighs in that maybe they don’t need to kill Mal, maybe they only need a piece of his bone and he (David) can help.
NOW Alina says yes — thank all gods and saints — But not before giving David a how-dare-you look when he mentions the Stag’s horn as an example of how the procedure works.
Nikolai leads some soldiers on a flying ship to create a distraction while Alina and Mal go with David to carry on with the amplifier business.
The Darkling’s Grisha shoots down the ship; mostly everyone, including Nikolai is injured.
The Darkling expands the Fold and a shadow monster attacks the lab before David can amputate Mal’s finger for a bone piece. Everyone runs for their lives. Is David more afraid of the monster or of what he was about to have to do to Mal? Hah! We can’t be sure.
Nikolai and his group barely escape the crazy Grisha, one of them is a lady with a wig that looks like part of a Halloween costume who can shoot ice like Elsa.
The Ravkan troops hold the fort, but Nikolai’s best lieutenant dies protecting him. But YES! The Crows show up at the last minute. I’m not even going to comment on the fact that each fighting side has only about twenty soldiers or that there are no strategies in this battle at all. Some competent people are here at last and I’m happy to see Wylan’s bombs once again save the day.
What are they thinking bringing Kaz into battle, though? And still dressed like a gentleman going to a business discussion too? Do these people know that Kaz is slow because of his limp and that if bullets come flying, one Jesper might not be enough to save him? Ehhh… what am I doing? I might be giving these army people too much credit, no bullet or ice dagger is ever going to hit Kaz.
Anyway, Kaz lends Nikolai his cane. That one little moment of wartime bonding is better than anything Mal and Alina have going on in the Fold.
What happens in the Fold?
Alina takes Mal — along with Inej, Zoya, and Nina — to the spot where the Darkling first created the Fold and decides that it is where they will have the best chance against him. Why? We don’t know, she doesn’t tell us.
She and Mal kiss. He amplifies her. Yeah, see, you don’t need David, or skills, or strategy when true love’s kiss works just as well.
What Mal’s amplifying power can do isn’t permanent, however. He only acts like a temporary charging station for Alina here. I guess their plan at this point is: charge, go fight for a bit, back to charging, fight, charge.
The Darkling comes swooping in. He and Alina use the Cut on each other. Alina manages to injure the Darkling, but Mal is hit — probably by one of the Darkling’s mini blades. Well, the “charging station” plan is out the window then.