Six of Crows, #2
Crooked Kingdom
by Leigh Bardugo
Contents
22. Nina
Overview
Nina’s watch over Inej at Sweet Reef becomes a trap when Pekka Rollins’ Dime Lions enter Van Eck’s silos with apparent authorization, confirming a dangerous alliance between the crew’s enemies. Dunyasha attacks Inej on the high wire while the gang tries to capture Nina, forcing Nina to discover a frightening new post-parem power: command over the dead.
Nina saves Inej with an army of corpses, but the victory leaves her shaken by what she has become. Kaz and Wylan’s arrival at the end reunites part of the fractured crew and offers hope, even as Pekka’s intervention suggests every safe haven may be compromised.
Summary
Nina hides between the Sweet Reef silos, watching Inej complete the contamination plan from above. Inej reaches the second silo and prepares to continue, but before Nina can signal again, a band of armed Dime Lions arrives at the gate. The guards accept a document bearing Van Eck’s red seal and let them in, showing that Pekka Rollins and Van Eck are likely cooperating.
The Dime Lions are searching for Nina, and their leader, Eamon, carries shackles meant for a Grisha prisoner. Nina realizes Pekka probably wants her alive, possibly to sell or hand over to Van Eck, and she tries to bluff with Heartrender threats despite her damaged powers. When the gang sees that she cannot immediately hurt them, they close in to capture her.
At the same time, Inej is attacked on the high wire by Dunyasha, the girl in white. Nina cannot sense Dunyasha’s body with her power, just as before, and cannot help Inej directly. As the Dime Lions seize Nina and begin chaining her, Nina reaches desperately for any power left to her and discovers she can feel the dead bodies on a nearby sickboat.
Nina commands the corpses to rise. The dead overrun the fence, terrify the Dime Lions, and drive them away. Nina then orders the corpses to catch Inej in the net when Dunyasha releases the wire, saving Inej from the fatal fall though Inej is wounded by silver throwing stars.
Dunyasha approaches but retreats after seeing Nina’s corpse army, promising to meet Inej again. Nina and Inej discuss Nina’s impossible new ability, which feels cold, shameful, and unlike true Grisha power; Nina recognizes it as an aftereffect of parem. Nina sends the corpses back to rest, then she and Inej worry that Pekka’s involvement may mean Black Veil, Matthias, Jesper, and the Grisha refugees are in danger.
As Nina and Inej head toward their boat, two figures rush toward them. Nina prepares to summon the dead again, but the figures are Kaz and Wylan, battered and covered in debris. Their arrival gives Nina and Inej a brief surge of hope that the crew may still fight its way out together.
Who Appears
- Nina ZenikBluffs Pekka’s men, discovers corpse-commanding power, and saves Inej from Dunyasha’s attack.
- Inej GhafaCompletes the silo infiltration, is wounded on the wire, and survives through Nina’s intervention.
- Dunyasha LazarevaWhite-clad assassin who attacks Inej on the wire and retreats from Nina’s corpse army.
- EamonDime Lions leader sent to capture Nina with shackles for Pekka Rollins.
- Kaz BrekkerArrives battered from Van Eck’s house, giving Nina and Inej renewed hope.
- Wylan Van EckReaches Sweet Reef with Kaz after escaping his father’s house.
- Dime LionsPekka Rollins’ armed gang invades Sweet Reef and flees Nina’s summoned corpses.