❛ i once was poison ivy
but now i'm your daisy ❜
( don't blame me ─── kaz brekker )

It'd been a while since someone had called Zara Lantsov princess. She'd been fifteen when she'd been sent away to Ketterdam after an unfortunate 'grisha' incident with a visiting dignitary. He'd tried to slip his hand under her dress, which resulted in her stabbing him in the neck with a dinner knife. Her oldest brother, Vasily, had her sent to a school for troubled youngsters in Ketterdam. She never reached the school, instead choosing to throw herself from the carriage and onto the streets of the damned city. She went under a new name, Zara Volkov. She'd stolen the name from a trading ship in West Ravka after crossing the fold. She wasn't sneaky, or by any means subtle. She was in loose and dirty clothing, but she didn't have a speck of dirt on her. Her hair was blonde and pristine. She looked out of place in the hellscape of Ketterdam.

When Kaz Brekker first saw Zara Lantsov, he knew she was royalty. She carried herself with a certain stiffness and regality he only saw in royals. Not that he'd ever met any royals. Occasionally some royal dignitary or wife will journey to Ketterdam and spend their charges at the Crow Club. Zara reminded him of the royals who'd walked through those doors before her. Untouchable, perfect, beautiful. He'd quickly learned the only ships arriving in Ketterdam were Ravkan. It wasn't hard to put two and two together that the Lantsov princess had suddenly disappeared from the palace four days prior, and ships to Kerch were only from Ravka. He'd watched her for weeks after that. She'd walk around the city aimlessly, standing in front of the Crow club for a bit before walking away. He wondered whether she knew of it, or was just interested in the noises coming from it. It wasn't until three months into her stay that he had Inej approach her.

Kaz had called Zara a princess the moment he met her. She'd spent the day with Inej, who showed her around the Crow Club and her side of Ketterdam, and then met Kaz and Jesper. She was wary of Kaz, understandably so. He'd called her princess. In that moment all Zara could think about was how to leave. She tried to remember everything Nikolai had taught her before he'd left. She looked for anything sharp she could use to escape. He noticed, and told her he wasn't going to hurt her as long as she listened. He wasn't going to hurt her anyway. Killing a princess would bring unnecessary attention to him and the Crows. So he talked to her, and told her everything he needed from her. Starting with information and ending with loyalty. Zara did whatever she needed to make sure her identity would stay a secret.

With Kaz Brekker making decisions for her, Zara was sure to get into trouble. He was reckless, but calculated. Every decision was a risky one, and it usually ended with someone hurt, because not everyone had the same brain capacity as Kaz. However, when Kaz tells Zara about a job across the fold, in Ravka, she can't resist. Her home. She could see Andrei again maybe, and Karina or Freya. Maybe if Nikolai had returned ( which was doubtful ) she could see him too. She jumped at the chance to go. But, she should have known, any journey with Kaz would be a dangerous one. Especially when the Sun Summoner is involved.

ANYA TAYLOR JOY is ❛ ZARA LANTSOV ! ❜
princess of ravka and crows member

❛ my life is an endless supply of tears
and crowns adorned with jewels ❜

FREDDY CARTER is ❛ KAZ BREKKER ! ❜
bastard of the barrel and king of ketterdam

❛ the only thing worth any
time in our lives is money ❜

FLORENCE PUGH as NATALYA HELVAR
GRAHAM PHILLIPS as ANDREI KOZLOV
THOMAS BRODY SANGSTER as DIMITRI IVANOV
DAKOTA FANNING as KARINA PAVLOV
MAYA HAWKE as FREYA ORLOV
KIERA KNIGHTLEY as LILIANA DIMITROV

shadow and bone characters as
previously cast or described

visuals and credits. all visuals in this book belong to me unless stated otherwise. the intro gif was made the loveliest kazara stan, pulcherrius this layout belongs to the ever so lovely parkersparkour who was kind enough to let me use it! she almost made the cover! i do not own the grishaverse, all rights go to leigh bardugo. natalya helvar was created by and belongs to Kate. I own zara, andrei, karina, dimitri and freya, as well as their backstories. I own Zara's plot, and any changes made to the book and tv show plots.

warnings. this book will contain violence, mature themes, language, suggestive themes, blood, fighting, mental illnesses, death, etc. please don't read if these themes make you uncomfortable!

dedications. first this book is dedicated to the number one kazara stans in the nation, parkersparkour and pulcherrius those fucking legends have supported me every step of the way through this fun journey. my babes jcpiters duartcs ADACARISIIS nicolewithasoul and crowclubs thank you guys for being sweethearts about this fic <3

notes. SUPERIOR LANTSOV SIBLINGS NIKOLAI AND ZARA ARE BACK!! new layout and we are feeling good! parkersparkour And i have created a friendship that is so sexy i know y'all will love it. I have so much planned for this book and for this series in general, I'm so so so so excited. this book is going to be a wild ride and I'm looking forward to it. clink your glasses and let's get on this ride bitches, bros and non binary hoes !! k love y'all bye