"Because," she said with a small, frustrated gesture. "It allows them to feel righteous. Fjerdens are big on that. Honor and righteousness. They give a trial, the illusion of fairness. But the Grisha are being tried for-- for being born."

Nina tried to reign in the surge of anger she felt. "They're hypocrites," she muttered. "I'm not saying that Ravka is perfect, or that what we do is entirely altruistic. But at least we aren't trying to exterminate our own people."