Chapter 12 Summary: Nikolai — Key Events and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens with Nikolai reflecting on Zoya's departure. She left before dawn without saying goodbye, having arranged a mission with Alina's reluctant cooperation. Nikolai is stung but understands the necessity: their closeness had become a liability, and he needs to focus on his duties as king. He walks to the Little Palace, passing his new flyers on the lake, and notes that Ravka lacks the funds to produce them in quantity—unless Shu gold can be secured.
In the infirmary, Nikolai visits Princess Ehri Kir-Taban, who is recovering from the fire that nearly killed her. Her skin is raw and pink, her hair gone, and she refuses to engage with him, repeatedly asking him to leave. Nikolai tries to break through her resistance with humor and small gifts, but she remains distant. He reveals that he has brought Mayu Kir-Kaat, the Shu bodyguard who impersonated Ehri and attempted to assassinate him, to speak with her.
Mayu explains that the letter Ehri received from her sister, Queen Makhi, contained a coded poem—a verse from “The Song of the Stag” by Ni Yul-Mahn. The poem tells of deer that hurl themselves off a cliff rather than be slaughtered by hounds. This was the queen's command for the Tavgharad to kill themselves and to kill Nikolai as well. Ehri is devastated, realizing her sister had planned her death all along. Nikolai points out that if Ehri had died with the Tavgharad, there would be no witness to prove the queen's plot, giving Makhi a pretext for war. Mayu and Ehri are the only surviving witnesses.
Nikolai then tells Mayu that her brother, Reyem, is alive but has been forced into the khergud program—a brutal process that strips soldiers of their humanity. Mayu, already grieving Isaak—the young man who posed as Nikolai and was killed by her own hand—contemplates suicide. Nikolai persuades her to keep living, appealing to her hope and the possibility of redemption. He promises to restore her strength and treat her as an ally, not a prisoner.
Later, Nikolai flies to the Gilded Bog, the secret weapons development base. During a missile test, his flyer is struck by a rocket, and he nearly dies. Squallers Nadia and Adrik save him by summoning wind to slow his descent. After recovering, he meets with David, Genya, Leoni, and others to discuss the rockets. David reveals that the current rockets are unreliable—they can launch, arm, or aim, but never all three at once. Nikolai asks about building larger rockets, but David refuses, saying he will not create a “city killer.” He argues that escalation will not stop with Ravka; Fjerda will follow suit. David is haunted by his past work for the Darkling, which enabled atrocities, and he refuses to be responsible for another weapon of mass destruction.
The conversation turns to the political situation: the Fjerdan crown prince is gravely ill, and if he dies, the Grimjers may be forced to wage war to prove their strength. Jarl Brum is already pushing for conflict. Nikolai and his advisors weigh the possibility of an alliance with Shu Han, the threat of Fjerda's tanks, and the moral cost of developing new weapons. Nikolai admits he hopes diplomacy will prevail, but David asks what happens when hope runs out. Nikolai answers grimly: “We end where we always end—with war.”
Key Events
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Zoya departs without saying goodbye, leaving Nikolai both stung and relieved.
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Nikolai visits Ehri in the infirmary, bringing Mayu to reveal the coded assassination plot.
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Mayu explains that the poem in Queen Makhi's letter commanded the Tavgharad to commit suicide and kill Nikolai.
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Ehri learns her sister intended her death, shattering her trust.
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Nikolai tells Mayu her brother is alive but in the khergud program, and persuades her to live.
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Nikolai flies to the Gilded Bog and is nearly killed when his flyer is hit by a missile during a weapons test.
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David refuses to build larger rockets, citing moral objections and the inevitability of escalation.
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The group discusses the Fjerdan prince's illness and the likelihood of war.
Character Development
Nikolai is caught between his public role and private grief. He mourns Isaak, the young man who died in his place, and carries guilt that he cannot shrug off. His interactions with Ehri and Mayu show his diplomatic skill—he uses humor, honesty, and empathy to win trust, even from those who tried to kill him. His near-death experience reinforces his resolve to maintain control over the demon within, refusing to release it even when death seems certain. He is also pragmatic, acknowledging that he would sacrifice lives to protect his crown, yet he still hopes for peace.
Ehri transforms from a passive, injured princess into a woman who begins to accept the truth about her sister. Her apology to Mayu is a moment of grace, acknowledging her own role in the plot. She shows resilience, sitting up with regal bearing despite her injuries.
Mayu is a soldier torn between loyalty and guilt. She loved Isaak, and her grief is raw. Learning her brother is alive gives her a reason to live, but she struggles with her identity—she is no longer Tavgharad, not a princess, and feels like “no one.” Nikolai's appeal to hope and his promise to restore her strength offer her a path forward.
David is haunted by his past complicity with the Darkling. His refusal to build larger rockets is a moral stand, a rejection of becoming a weapon-maker for atrocities. He represents the ethical conscience of the group, even as he acknowledges the practical pressures of war.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Betrayal and Sibling Rivalry: Queen Makhi's coded command to kill her own sister is a chilling example of political betrayal. The poem, a symbol of beauty and culture, becomes a weapon of death, highlighting how art can be twisted for sinister purposes.
Guilt and Responsibility: Nikolai's guilt over Isaak's death is a recurring motif. He feels responsible for the young man's fate, and this guilt influences his decisions. David's guilt over his past work similarly shapes his refusal to escalate weapons development.
Moral Dilemma of Warfare: The debate over rockets—whether to build a “city killer” to deter enemies or to avoid creating a weapon that will inevitably be copied—is a central theme. David's argument that escalation never stops with one side is a powerful commentary on arms races.
Hope vs. Despair: Nikolai repeatedly appeals to hope, telling Mayu that being human means not giving up. Yet the chapter ends with the acknowledgment that hope may run out, leading to war. This tension between optimism and grim reality defines the chapter's mood.
Identity and Deception: Mayu's impersonation of Ehri, and Nikolai's own hidden demon, blur the lines between self and performance. Characters are forced to question who they truly are when their roles are stripped away.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is pivotal for several reasons. It resolves the immediate assassination plot by revealing the queen's machinations, turning Ehri and Mayu into potential allies rather than enemies. It deepens Nikolai's character, showing his vulnerability and his moral struggles. The weapons debate sets up a major ethical conflict that will likely influence future events, as Ravka must decide how far it will go to win a war. The chapter also foreshadows the Fjerdan threat, with the prince's illness and Jarl Brum's influence, raising the stakes for the coming conflict. Finally, Nikolai's near-death experience reinforces his determination to control the demon, a key element of his personal arc.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Queen Makhi order the Tavgharad to kill themselves and attempt to assassinate Nikolai?
Queen Makhi wants to provoke a war with Ravka. By having Ehri die with the Tavgharad, she would create a martyr and a pretext for Shu Han to attack, while eliminating any witness to her plot. The coded poem was a command for the Tavgharad to commit suicide and kill Nikolai, ensuring that Ehri's death would be blamed on Ravka.
2. What is David's moral objection to building larger rockets, and how does his past influence his decision?
David refuses to build a “city killer” because he fears the escalation of warfare—if Ravka builds such weapons, Fjerda will too, leading to an arms race. He is also haunted by his past work for the Darkling, which enabled atrocities, and he does not want to be responsible for another weapon of mass destruction. His decision is a personal stand against becoming complicit in future horrors.
3. How does Nikolai's conversation with Mayu reflect his leadership style and his hopes for the future?
Nikolai uses empathy and honesty to persuade Mayu to live, acknowledging his own willingness to sacrifice lives but appealing to her hope for redemption. He offers her a chance to be an ally rather than a prisoner, showing his belief in second chances and his desire to avoid war. This conversation mirrors his broader approach to diplomacy—seeking peace through understanding, even with enemies.
Navigation
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