Graceling: Chapters 8–15

by Kristin Cashore
Katsa was "graced" with a special power to kill people, but instead of using her power to serve the ill will of her uncle, King Randa, she decides to learn how to use her powers for good.


Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–7, Chapters 8–15, Chapters 16–21, Chapters 22–30, Chapter 31–Epilogue
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. preoccupation
    the mental state of being obsessed by something
    Not until she sensed the presence behind her shoulder did she stir from her preoccupation and realize how she must look.
  2. feint
    any distracting or deceptive maneuver
    It was just a feint, and when he ducked she jammed at his stomach with her knee, but he twisted so that the blow didn’t fall true, and came back with a fist to her stomach.
  3. premonition
    an early warning about a future event
    She was faster than he was offensively—much faster—but he was stronger, and it was as if he had a premonition of her every turn and strike; she’d never known a fighter so quick to defend himself.
  4. scuttle
    move about or proceed hurriedly
    Katsa and Raffin had done a fair bit of exploring as children, Katsa keeping guard, so that anyone who came upon one of Raffin’s investigations would scuttle away at the sight of her small, glaring form.
  5. rakish
    marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness
    The skin had blackened around his eye, the gold eye, and made his gaze even more rakish and uneven than it had been before.
  6. mundane
    found in the ordinary course of events
    “If you’re seen wandering around the hallways of Randa’s court at this hour, people will talk. This court will turn the most mundane thing into something to talk about.”
  7. guise
    an artful or simulated semblance
    I can travel to Nander and Estill under the guise of seeking information, can’t I, using this city as my base?
  8. sober
    become or cause to become more serious
    He burst into laughter, but then his eyes sobered, and he looked at the floor.
  9. devolve
    grow worse
    She couldn’t knock him from his feet, she couldn’t trap him when their fight had devolved into a wrestling match on the floor.
  10. muddle
    mix up or confuse
    She could not become used to his eyes; they muddled her.
  11. lull
    a pause during which things are calm
    The heat and the closeness of the air seemed to bring a lull to Randa’s cruelty as well, or perhaps he was merely distracted by the flood of foods and wares that always washed into the city from every trade route at that time of year.
  12. revered
    profoundly honored
    “Hand fighting is revered in Lienid. My brothers are great fighters, and of course I was able to hold my own with them, even though I was small—and eventually surpass them, every one of them. They treated me like an equal, like more than an equal.”
  13. bearing
    relevant relation or interconnection
    “My ability to fight has no bearing on my ability to run up a flight of stairs.”
  14. revel
    take delight in
    “They love to get wrapped up in the disputes of my father’s court. They actually revel in it. They love managing their own castles and their own cities. I do believe sometimes that they all wish to be king.”
  15. wryly
    in a humorously sarcastic or mocking manner
    He jumped up and turned to the bed. Informed that his grandfather had awoken, Katsa thought wryly, by the eyes in the back of his head.
  16. smitten
    marked by foolish or unreasoning fondness
    “Katsa, how can you be so blind? He’s completely smitten. Don’t you see how jealous he is? Don’t you remember how he reacted when I scratched your face?”
  17. perceptive
    of or relating to awareness via the senses
    “You’re not the most perceptive person I’ve ever known, Kat,” Raffin said, “if you don’t mind my saying so. Your capacity for missing the obvious is astonishing.”
  18. rankle
    make resentful or angry
    It would leave a scar. She wondered if that would rankle his Lienid vanity, but then she smiled within herself.
  19. glower
    look angry or sullen as if to signal disapproval
    Katsa’s face closed, and she glowered at him.
  20. fawn
    try to gain favor through flattery or deferential behavior
    Flattering, fawning. Everyone flattered Randa.
  21. hackles
    a feeling of anger and animosity
    Her name cut through the air then, and her hackles rose. She’d been right. He hadn’t come only to watch; and now, before all these people, she must act pleasant and civil.
  22. contempt
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
    She only imagined him sneering at her, his words crackling with contempt.
  23. relish
    derive or receive pleasure from
    Giddon rode eagerly and fast, and though Katsa didn’t relish his company, for once she couldn’t complain of their pace.
  24. desolate
    having few or no inhabitants
    And it was a desolate holding, without even sufficient servants, for the raiders had killed and stolen so many.
  25. forgo
    do without or cease to hold or adhere to
    The underlord was desperate for a wife, so desperate that he was willing to forgo her dowry.
  26. outcropping
    part of a rock formation that juts above surrounding land
    They sat on an outcropping of stone and ate bread and fruit.
  27. incredulous
    not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving
    “I should like to see the sea,” she said.
    Giddon’s eyes on her were incredulous.
    “What? Is it such a strange thing to say?”
  28. condone
    excuse, overlook, or make allowances for
    It just seems that this is a task the Council wouldn’t condone.
  29. morose
    showing a brooding ill humor
    By the end of the meal, Giddon was as morose as Oll. Katsa watched Oll’s craggy face and his unhappy eyes.
  30. chastise
    scold or criticize severely
    But then, it was a strange monster, for beneath its exterior it was frightened and sickened by its own violence. It chastised itself for its savagery.
  31. absolve
    excuse or free from blame
    He had taken her thoughts without telling her, and he had wanted to tell her, and that did not begin to absolve him.
  32. doggedly
    with obstinate determination
    He continued doggedly.
  33. grievous
    causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm
    How much have I risked to tell you and Raffin the truth? What would you have done differently, Katsa, if this were your Grace and your secret? Hidden yourself in a hole and dared to burden no one with your grievous friendship?
  34. revile
    spread negative information about
    She who had hurt so many with her own Grace, and been reviled because of it.
  35. mortar
    a substance used as a bond in masonry or for covering a wall
    The mortar was cracking in the frame of the window.
  36. fleeting
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    For one thing, it’s taken me a long time to learn to distinguish between thoughts that matter and thoughts that don’t. Thoughts that are just thoughts, fleeting, and thoughts that carry some kind of relevant intent.
  37. erratic
    likely to perform unpredictably
    “I didn’t used to sense animals and plants or landscapes,” he said, “but lately that’s been changing. Sometimes I’ll get a fuzzy sense of something that isn’t human. If something moves, I might sense it. It’s erratic.”
  38. bestow
    impart a quality to
    “Have I ever encouraged you to bestow upon us your sage advice?”
  39. sage
    having wisdom that comes with experience
    “Have I ever encouraged you to bestow upon us your sage advice?”
  40. disdain
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
    The disdain in his eyes would disappear, and his sneer would slide away.
Created on Tue Apr 26 13:29:55 EDT 2022 (updated Fri Apr 29 09:20:00 EDT 2022)

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