She listens and finds herself jealous of how his world's power works. Zoya never wished to kill that tiger. It's why she never allowed a healer to come near her back scars. She wanted to carry it with her, the reminder of what she had done, of what she had survived. But since Juris, she wonders if she had wanted to carry some part of the tiger with her.

"In theory, yes. And reality, too, I suppose."

The animal still needs to die.

Zoya keeps her gaze on the stars, even though she doesn't see them. Instead, she sees Juris' dragon form, limp on the floor, still strong despite the fact he was dying. She misses him terribly while knowing he still lives on in her.

"I recently learned it's more than that, that it's about… connection—a sacrifice for a sacrifice. When you kill an amplifier, it becomes a part of you. Or it should." The Little Palace never taught them to become one with it. It was theirs to take and claim. They deserved it, were entitled to it—just like the Darkling had believed he was entitled to so much more than what the universe wished to grant him.

"Amplifiers choose you, but somewhere along the way, over the centuries, Grisha forgot that those animals had a choice." She looks at him. "I much prefer your world. It seems kinder. I never liked the theory behind claiming an amplifier, even if I liked to pretend otherwise."