

This turns out to be a good thing when the Fjerdans try to kill him with a poison gas trap and he survives because the guards noticed the smell before activating the trap. This causes his guards to be extra alert for assassination attempts during the party. When Nikolai throws a big party to find a suitable bride, he invites a lot of important people from foreign nations some of which are enemies of Ravka.They intend to use them to get Nikolai removed in favor of a cousin of former king Alexander who is more friendly towards Fjerda. This later causes some problems for her already rumored to be illegitimate son Nikolai (now the king of Ravka), when the rulers of Fjerda get their hands on the letters. Affair Letters: In the past, the queen of Ravka wrote a bunch of love letters to Magnus Opjer with whom she was having an affair at that time despite being married to King Alexander.The book also includes point of view chapters from Zoya, a powerful squaller who assists Nikolai in his mission to keep Ravka safe and Nina who is on an espionage mission in Fjerda.

The dark magic inside him is growing, becoming more and more dangerous every day. The story follows the young Ravkan king Nikolai Lantsov, as he tries to keep his rather unstable country safe, while enemies gather at his weakened borders. It is set in The Grishaverse and it takes place six months after the events of Six of Crows. The Nikolai Duology is a Young Adult fantasy series by Leigh Bardugo.
