Gifting Fire by Alina Boyden (read my book .TXT) 📕

Praise for Stealing Thunder

“Stealing Thunder was immersive from the very first page. Razia is everything you want in a protagonist.”

—New York Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett

“This is an epic fantasy for our time; beautifully written, considerately composed, and very important in many ways. Highly recommended.”

—New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire

“Stealing Thunder draws you in with its richly detailed worldbuilding and hooks you with gripping action and suspense, but the biggest appeal is the book’s themes of politics, family, and identity. This is the kind of book you’ll want to share with people, so buy multiple copies.”

—Rob Hart, author of The Warehouse

“A breakout novel any way you choose to look at it, Stealing Thunder features an appealing young dragon-loving heroine sure of who she is but still figuring out where she belongs. Between Razia’s capers, romances, and political intrigues, Boyden weaves fantasy threads into a fascinating tapestry. . . . I loved her fresh take on dragons and their riders.”

—E. E. Knight, author of Novice Dragoneer

“This delightful debut is rich with detailed worldbuilding, political intrigue, and South Asian cultural references drawn from Boyden’s experience as a trans activist who has traveled in India and Pakistan. Boyden handles the story with a steady hand, and this first novel will delight romantic fantasy enthusiasts.”

—Library Journal (starred review)

“Come for the vivid world, stay for the intrigue, the dialogue, and the top-notch character design.”

—BookPage

Titles by Alina Boyden

Stealing Thunder

Gifting Fire

ACE

Published by Berkley

An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

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Copyright © 2021 by Alina Boyden

Penguin Random House supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin Random House to continue to publish books for every reader.

ACE is a registered trademark and the A colophon is a trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Boyden, Alina, author.

Title: Gifting fire / Alina Boyden.

Description: First edition. | New York: Ace, 2021.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020044418 (print) | LCCN 2020044419 (ebook) | ISBN 9781984805485 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781984805492 (ebook)

Classification: LCC PS3602.O9339 G54 2021 (print) | LCC PS3602.O9339 (ebook) | DDC 813/.6—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020044418

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020044419

First Edition: April 2021

Cover art by Tommy Arnold

Map design by Soraya Corcoran

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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This book is dedicated to all the trans women past and present whose unapologetic visibility made my life and this book possible.

CONTENTS

Cover

Praise for Stealing Thunder

Titles by Alina Boyden

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Map

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Acknowledgments

Glossary

About the Author

CHAPTER 1

Outside the palace of Bikampur, the monsoon rains fell in torrential sheets, the sound a constant, dull roar that filled my ears. But on this side of the marble latticework jali screens, it was warm, and dry, and safe. The oil lamps, ensconced in pierced-brass chandeliers, sent cascades of orange stars across the dark backdrop of my bedchamber’s marble ceiling, and Prince Arjun Agnivansha was busy unwinding my dupatta from my head and shoulders, his full lips stretching into an eager grin.

“My lady, my lady!”

The shouting in the corridor outside gave me just enough warning to pull away, to throw the loose end of the silk fabric back over my head in some semblance of order before Shiv, one of Bikampur’s court eunuchs, came striding into the room. My cheeks burned nearly as brightly as his did when he saw the state of my clothes, and just how close Arjun was standing beside me.

“Ah . . .” Shiv pursed his lips, his blush stretching all the way to his ears. “Forgive me, this is a bad time.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” I said, because I didn’t think we were going to get the mood back now anyway. “What did you need?”

“I was just making the final preparations before your household leaves for Shikarpur in the morning, my lady, and—”

“Your highness,” Arjun corrected. “She’s a princess of Nizam now, remember?”

I could have kissed him for that, had Shiv not been there. Royal titles weren’t things that were branded on your skin. They only existed if other people believed that they did, and so Arjun’s support meant everything to securing my station.

“Of course.” Shiv bowed by way of apology. “Your highness, I was preparing your household as you commanded and the workmen told me they were ready to load your bed.” His eyes flickered to the one that was sitting in the middle of the room, the one Arjun had been steadily guiding me toward.

“Oh. Right.” My face burned even hotter than it had a moment before. It was a good thing Shiv had arrived when he had, otherwise . . .

I shook that thought from my mind. “You can have the men sent in to claim it. We’ll go elsewhere.”

“If you’d prefer we came back later . . .” Shiv offered, but I shook my head.

“No, no. The household needs to leave as soon as possible since they’ll be crossing the desert on foot and camelback rather than through the air. Best they take it now.”

I forced a smile I didn’t feel, made sure my dupatta was arranged neatly, and strode from the room, Arjun hot on my heels.

He matched me step for step, walking so close beside me that our bodies were practically touching, but he didn’t