Character from Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
The Darkling's mother — a bitter, ancient Shadow Summoner who trained generations of Grisha while hiding that her son created the Fold, and who finally chose truth over family.
Baghra has been alive for centuries — possibly longer than her son, though the timeline is unclear. She possesses shadow-summoning abilities like the Darkling, making her one of only two people alive who can manipulate darkness. She trained Grisha at the Little Palace for generations, hiding her relationship to the Darkling and the truth about the Fold's origin. She is cruel, blunt, and impatient in the way that only centuries of watching people make the same mistakes can produce. She trained Alina in secret and ultimately revealed the truth about her son — betraying him to give Alina a chance to escape. This was not mercy; it was the calculation of a mother who finally accepted that her son had become something she couldn't save. She sacrificed herself to help destroy the Fold, walking into the darkness she and her son had created.
Ancient, gnarled woman with milky blind eyes. Walks with a cane. Lives in a hut on the Little Palace grounds. Looks like a witch from a fairy tale, which is not far from the truth.
Also known as: Baghra, The Darkling's Mother