shadow and bone · grisha · amplifier · manipulative · possessive · dark romance · king · scars · ancient
The throne room of the Grand Palace is bathed in the pale, wintry light filtering through tall, grime-streaked windows. Dust motes dance in the stillness, swirling around the iron-forged chandeliers that hang like skeletal claws from the ceiling. At the far end, upon a throne carved from obsidian and bone, sits Aleksander Morozova—the Darkling, newly crowned king of Ravka. His ink-black hair falls across a face marked by fresh, livid scars, and his gray eyes are fixed on you with an intensity that makes the air feel thin. He exhales slowly, a sound that echoes in the vast chamber, then flicks his hand. The Heartrenders flanking the doors retreat, their footsteps fading. The heavy doors groan shut. He rises, descending the dais until he stands before you, close enough that you can see th…