Chapter 37 Summary: Kosika's Origins and the First Tithe
⚠️ 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
Chapter 37 opens in White London on tithing day, a seasonal ritual Kosika instituted. As drums pulse through the city, fourteen-year-old Queen Kosika prepares for the ceremony, wearing white that will be stained red by day's end. She reflects on having ruled half her life and her love for the autumn tithe, which coincides with her birthday. The narrative then flashes back seven years to when seven-year-old Kosika and her friend Lark were street children. After discovering the dead king's body in the Silver Wood, Kosika learns from Lark that the king is dead. Lark is attacked by collectors (debt enforcers) who chain him and cut his throat. Kosika, discovering her magic, pulls a piece of wall onto one attacker, kills another with redirected steel, and heals Lark's fatal wound by chanting unknown words—“As Hasari.” A royal guard named Patjoric arrives, executes the remaining collector, notes Kosika's eyes (hinting at her Antari nature), and invites her to the palace. After Kosika reacts protectively when a soldier restrains Lark, she is knocked unconscious by a sword hilt, ending the flashback.
Key Events
- Kosika, now queen, observes the tithing day drums and dresses in ritual white with Nasi's help. She touches the silver saint's seal for reassurance.
- Flashback: Seven-year-old Kosika and Lark sit atop Votkas Mar. Lark announces the king's death. Kosika recalls finding a man in the Silver Wood—the king—and seeing grass grow under his hands.
- Lark is attacked by three collectors. They chain his wrists to suppress his magic and cut his throat.
- Kosika instinctively uses magic: she pulls a stone from a wall to crush one attacker, then forces a sword into the chest of another.
- She finds Lark dying and heals him by chanting “As Hasari,” closing the throat wound and leaving only a scar.
- A royal guard, Patjoric, arrives. He executes the fleeing collector and notes the significance of Kosika's eyes—a mark of Antari.
- Patjoric offers to take Kosika to the palace. When a soldier restrains Lark, Kosika's magic causes the ground to tremble, and she is knocked out with a sword hilt.
Character Development
Kosika emerges as a paradoxical figure: a young queen hardened by her past yet reverent of ritual. Her present-day composure contrasts sharply with the frightened but defiant seven-year-old who discovered her powers. Her bond with Lark is central—she refuses to abandon him even when threatened. Her growth from a street child to a ruler who instituted the tithing ritual shows a deliberate embrace of order and symbolism, perhaps as a way to control the chaos she once lived in.
Lark is portrayed as loyal and resourceful, even as a child. He tries to protect Kosika, signals her to run, and attempts to use his own magic despite being chained. His near-death experience leaves him with a permanent scar, a physical marker of both his vulnerability and Kosika's intervention.
Nasi (present-day) is established as a bold servant who is unafraid to meet the queen's gaze or scold her—suggesting a long-standing relationship of trust.
Patjoric recognizes Kosika's potential immediately. His wonder at her magic and his decisive execution of the collector indicate that he is pragmatic and sees her as something extraordinary.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Transformation and Cost: The white cloak that will become red symbolizes sacrifice—both the tithing blood and the violence Kosika must wield. The seasonal change from summer to fall mirrors her own transition from childhood to rule.
- Power and Identity: Kosika's name means “little queen,” a prophecy that shapes her destiny. Her discovery of magic coincides with her first act of defending a loved one.
- Healing vs. Destruction: Kosika kills two men and heals one friend in the same scene. Her magic is both lethal and restorative, foreshadowing the dual nature of Antari abilities.
- Ritual as Control: The tithing day is Kosika's invention—a way to channel the city's (and perhaps her own) violence into structured observance.
- Bond and Sacrifice: Lark and Kosika's friendship is tested; her refusal to run and her healing chant cement an unbreakable tie that will carry into her reign.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 37 provides Kosika's origin story, explaining how she came to the throne and discovered her Antari magic. It deepens her character beyond the ruler we see in earlier chapters, showing the trauma and loyalty that shaped her. The flashback also introduces the ritual of tithing, which becomes central to White London's functioning under her rule. By linking her birthday to the autumn tithe, Schwab emphasizes that Kosika's identity is inseparable from the cycle of offering and blood. This chapter sets up her motivations and the relationships that will define her arc.
Study Questions and Answers
-
What does the phrase “As Hasari” represent, and why is it significant that Kosika speaks it without prior knowledge?
The phrase is a healing incantation—part of Antari magic. That Kosika utters it instinctively suggests she is tapping into a deeper well of power or ancestral memory. It marks her as a natural Antari, not one who learned magic from a teacher. -
How does the tithing ritual reflect Kosika's character and her approach to rule?
The tithing is a public, scheduled event that demands blood from every citizen. Kosika's invention of it shows she believes in visible, controlled sacrifice as a way to maintain order and connection to the seasons. Her personal enjoyment of the autumn tithe (and its link to her birthday) reveals a pride in her role and a willingness to intertwine her identity with the state's demands. -
What does the encounter with Patjoric suggest about the political situation in White London after the king's death?
Patjoric's immediate interest in Kosika—despite her being a child and covered in blood—indicates that the royal guard is searching for a successor or a symbol. His remark about her eyes hints that Antari are rare and prized. The ease with which he executes the collector shows that order is maintained through ruthless expediency, setting the stage for a power vacuum.