Chapter 28: Zoya — Summary 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 Zoya, Nikolai, and Kaz Brekker emerging from a tunnel into the Geldin District of Ketterdam, a wealthy merchant neighborhood. Zoya observes the ordinary lives of the residents and reflects on whether Ravka could ever achieve such peace, and whether Grisha might one day be free to choose their own paths rather than living as soldiers.
The group arrives at the home of Jesper Fahey and Wylan, an elegant mansion decorated with red tulips painted over the entry. Jesper initially resists letting them in, joking that Kaz always asks him to break the law, but he eagerly welcomes Nikolai, still believing him to be the privateer Sturmhond rather than Ravka's king. The house is cluttered with musical instruments, chemistry experiments, and fabric samples—evidence of a Fabrikator friend who visits for meals but refuses formal training.
Kaz proposes a job: break into the military base at Rentveer and steal a large supply of titanium. Wylan hesitates, wanting to know the purpose, and Nikolai reveals David's rocket schematics. Wylan immediately understands the missiles are meant to improve range and deter Fjerda after the bombing at Os Alta. He offers suggestions on the rocket nozzles, sketching improvements onto the schematics. Zoya feels a sharp pang of grief, imagining how much David would have enjoyed meeting someone who spoke his technical language.
The plan takes shape: Jesper and Wylan will ride ahead to gather ground intelligence, and Zoya will board the airship Cormorant to guide it over the base once Kaz and Nikolai are inside. The Volkvolny remains docked at Fifth Harbor to avoid suspicion. The group travels to the cliffs by oxcart, avoiding the new motorized trucks that are useless in narrow streets.
At the cliffs, Zoya senses something is wrong. The fog feels eerie, and her dragon's mind stirs with recognition of danger. Jesper and Wylan arrive with bad news: the cargo is now secured in a new metal shell installed within the last three weeks. Kaz insists the job cannot be done quietly with the current crew—they would need more lookouts and time to figure out the shell's mechanism. Nikolai refuses to take out guards or blow a hole in the shell, fearing it would give Kerch an excuse to abandon neutrality and help Fjerda break his blockade.
A high wail pierces the fog, followed by another. Jesper mentions the cliffs are supposedly haunted. Zoya, frustrated, lifts her hands and rolls back the fog—revealing a circle of armed people in jackal masks and dark scarves. They are Suli, and they are not welcoming.
Zoya steps forward and speaks Suli, a language she hasn't used since childhood. She says, in Suli, that their goal is to stop a war and that the place was not theirs to trespass on. A woman in a jackal mask—a true seer, since among the Suli the jackal mask is sacred—calls Zoya zheji, meaning daughter. The woman speaks of walls raised around Zoya's heart and shadows all around.
When Nikolai asks how she knows those words, Zoya says the simple truth: she is Suli. She reflects on how her family kept her mother's name to avoid drawing attention, and how her father's name was rubbed away like a stain. The seer tells Zoya her father faded as all Suli do when they don't live among their own, and that she might have burned brightly if she hadn't always walked in shadow.
The Suli lead the group down a cliffside path to a cave entrance. The seer explains that a tunnel runs under the watchtowers and opens into a basement beneath Rentveer. Kaz is unsurprised—the Kerch used Suli labor to build the base, and the Suli always leave a back door. The seer tells Zoya that her heart does not belong to her alone, and that when it is all over, she should remember where she came from. Then the Suli vanish.
Zoya realizes Kaz knew the Suli were camped there all along and never planned to go through the fence. He admits it was a gamble—a spin of Makker's Wheel—but his luck held. He tells Jesper and Wylan to take out the spotlights from the cliffs while he and Nikolai tackle the metal shell from inside. As he limps into the tunnel, he tells Zoya that the Suli never forget their own, just like crows.
Key Events
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Zoya, Nikolai, and Kaz arrive at Jesper and Wylan's home in the Geldin District.
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Kaz proposes stealing titanium from the military base at Rentveer.
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Nikolai shares David's rocket schematics; Wylan offers nozzle improvements.
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The group travels to the cliffs by oxcart; Jesper and Wylan report the cargo is locked in a new metal shell.
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Kaz declares the job cannot be done quietly with the current crew.
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The group is ambushed by Suli people wearing jackal masks.
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Zoya reveals her Suli heritage and speaks the language for the first time since childhood.
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The Suli seer directs them to a secret tunnel under the watchtowers.
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Kaz admits he knew the Suli were camped there and had planned for this contingency.
Character Development
Zoya undergoes the most significant shift in this chapter. She has spent her life hiding her Suli heritage, keeping her mother's name and letting her father's name be erased. When she finally says the words aloud—that she is Suli—she experiences what she calls the terror of being seen. The seer's words about walls around her heart and walking in shadow resonate deeply, forcing Zoya to confront how much of herself she has suppressed. Her grief for David is also palpable; she imagines how much he would have enjoyed meeting Wylan, and she feels the loss like a hook in her heart. Her unspoken feelings for Nikolai surface as she considers staying at the palace even after he marries, a choice she calls noble but that clearly pains her.
Kaz demonstrates his signature contingency planning. He never intended to go through the fence; he knew the Suli were camped at the cliffs and gambled that Zoya could speak their language. His line about not walking through a door unless he knows there's a window to climb out of encapsulates his entire philosophy. He also shows a softer side, invoking Inej's name to persuade Wylan and Jesper to take the job.
Nikolai reveals his strategic thinking and his grief. He shares David's schematics openly, trusting this little band of criminals with sensitive military information. He firmly refuses to allow violence against Kerch guards, prioritizing the fragile neutrality that protects Ravka. His banter with Jesper and his smooth handling of the Suli ambush show his adaptability.
Jesper and Wylan showcase their partnership. Jesper is eager for adventure and crime, while Wylan is more cautious and conscientious. Their dynamic—Jesper wanting to keep Wylan happy, Wylan wanting to do the right thing—adds warmth to the chapter. Wylan's technical mind proves valuable, as he immediately grasps the rocket schematics and offers practical improvements.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Hidden identity and the terror of being seen. Zoya's revelation that she is Suli is the emotional core of the chapter. She has passed as pale, kept her mother's name, and erased her father's. The seer's words about walking in shadow and burning brightly force her to confront what she has sacrificed. The chapter asks what it costs to hide who you are.
Grisha freedom and choice. Zoya's opening reflection on whether Grisha could ever be free to choose their paths instead of living as soldiers frames the chapter. Jesper's decision to hide his Grisha abilities is presented sympathetically—Zoya notes she can't blame him for wanting to live without looking over his shoulder.
War deterrence and provocation. Nikolai explains that the bombing at Os Alta was a test meant to provoke. If Ravka doesn't respond, Fjerda will march. The titanium theft is framed as a deterrent, not an escalation—a way to stop a war before it starts.
Contingency planning and manipulation. Kaz's entire approach is built on knowing there's a way out before walking through a door. He manipulated the situation, gambling on Zoya's Suli heritage, and his luck held. The chapter explores the ethics of using people as pieces in a larger game.
The dragon within Zoya. Zoya's dragon senses danger at the cliffs before the ambush, and she hopes the ancient intelligence stays quiet because she can't afford the emotional cost. The dragon is both a source of power and a burden.
The Suli back door. The tunnel under the watchtowers symbolizes the resilience of an oppressed people. The Suli built the base with their labor and left themselves a way in—a reminder that the marginalized always find ways to survive.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is pivotal for Zoya's character arc. Her admission of her Suli heritage is a major revelation that reshapes her identity and sets up themes that will likely pay off in the book's climax. The seer's cryptic words—about Zoya's heart not belonging to her alone, and about queens rather than kings—foreshadow significant developments.
The chapter also advances the plot meaningfully. The group gains access to the base through the Suli tunnel, and Wylan's technical contributions improve the rocket design. The alliance between Kaz's crew and Nikolai's inner circle deepens, bridging the worlds of Ketterdam and Ravka.
Finally, the chapter explores the cost of war and the lengths people will go to prevent it. Nikolai's refusal to risk Kerch neutrality, Zoya's willingness to reveal her deepest secret, and Kaz's calculated gambles all serve a larger purpose: stopping a war before it starts.
Study Questions
1. Why does Zoya experience what she calls the terror of being seen when she reveals her Suli heritage?
Zoya has spent her entire life hiding her Suli identity. Her family kept her mother's name to avoid drawing attention, and her father's name was rubbed away like a stain. She has passed as pale, suppressing this part of herself. When she finally says the words aloud, she feels exposed and panicked—not because anyone in the group would judge her, but because she has never allowed herself to be fully seen. The seer's observation that she has always walked in shadow forces her to confront how much of herself she has hidden.
2. How does Kaz's approach to the mission reflect his overall philosophy?
Kaz never planned to go through the fence at the base. He knew the Suli were camped at the cliffs and gambled that Zoya could speak their language. His line about not walking through a door unless he knows there's a window to climb out of encapsulates his philosophy: he always prepares an exit strategy before committing to a plan. He admits it was a spin of Makker's Wheel, but his luck held. This approach—contingency planning and manipulation—has defined his entire career as the Bastard of the Barrel.
3. What does the Suli seer's message to Zoya foreshadow?
The seer tells Zoya that her heart does not belong to her alone, and that when it is all over, she should remember where she came from. She also says she speaks of queens, not kings, tonight. These cryptic words suggest Zoya's future involves more than serving by Nikolai's side—they hint at her potential to lead, and they connect her personal identity to a larger destiny. The seer's emphasis on remembering her Suli roots suggests that heritage will play a role in what comes next.
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