ŷ������

“I think sometimes when we find love we pretend it away, or ignore it, or tell ourselves we’re imagining it. Because it is the most painful kind of hope there is.”
― Rae Carson, The Bitter Kingdom

“I love you the way a drowning man loves air. And it would destroy me to have you just a little.”
― Rae Carson, The Crown of Embers

“Honor from death,�� I snap, “is a myth. Invented by the war torn to make sense of the horrific. If we die, it will be so that others may live. Truly honorable death, the only honorable death, is one that enables life.”
― Rae Carson, The Girl of Fire and Thorns

“You look beautiful," Alodia says.
I startle at the compliment. Then I smile. "I’m beautiful to the one person who matters."
She nods. "Hector’s mouth is going to drop open when he sees you.��
“I hope so. But I meant me. I’m beautiful to me.”
― Rae Carson, The Bitter Kingdom

“I know you hate me. But don't let that make you stupid.”
― Rae Carson, The Girl of Fire and Thorns

“From the mouths of the innocents flows truth.”
― Rae Carson, The Girl of Fire and Thorns

“I don’t care if it’s Twilight or Fifty Shades or War and Peace - Never let someone make you ashamed of what you love to read!”
― Rae Carson

“A word is the only thing in the world made more powerful by absence than existence.”
― Rae Carson, The Bitter Kingdom

“A quarterstaff is not very subtle. Or handy. If an kidnapper comes at me, what am I supposed to do? Say, 'Excuse me, my lord, while I pull my enormous quarterstaff out of my bodice?”
― Rae Carson, The Crown of Embers

“God's will. How many times have I heard someone declare their understanding of this thing I find so indefinable?”
― Rae Carson, The Girl of Fire and Thorns

“Given a choice between my life and yours, I will choose mine. Every time. Without hesitation.”
― Rae Carson, The Crown of Embers

“Yes, I love him. Enough to follow him anywhere.”
― Rae Carson, The Crown of Embers

“You made me cut and dye my hair.��
Surely he understands that we face greater problems? “I thought it would greatly improve your looks,�� I snap.
“Shorn hair is a sign of shame. You humiliate me greatly.��
“I’ll light a candle tonight in honor of your dead tresses.”
― Rae Carson, The Crown of Embers

“I lie awake for a long time, wondering which would be more foolish, to prepare for something that may never happen, or not to prepare for something that might.”
― Rae Carson, The Crown of Embers

“I am strong enough, man enough, to be subject to you.”
― Rae Carson, The Bitter Kingdom

“If I were an enemy, and I started bearing down on you like this," he draws his sword, stretches the tip towards me, takes a single step in my direction, "what would you do?" Possibilities race through my head. Should I look for a weapon? Dodge and come up behind his guard? Trip him? Insult his mother?”
― Rae Carson, The Crown of Embers

“Sometimes it's best to let your opponent think he has control.”
― Rae Carson, The Girl of Fire and Thorns

“I loved and lost and survived.”
― Rae Carson, The Girl of Fire and Thorns

“The mind of God is a mystery and none can understand it.”
― Rae Carson, The Girl of Fire and Thorns

“I love you, too," he whispers in my ear. "Wholly. Madly."
"Does that mean you'll marry me?"
"I suppose.”
― Rae Carson, The Bitter Kingdom

“Peace is such hard work. Harder than war. It takes way more effort to forgive than to kill.”
― Rae Carson, The Bitter Kingdom

“No, no." I motion vaguely. "Relax. Don't look so... guardlike." They drop formation at once, glancing at one another shamefaced. Hector draped an arm around my shoulder as if we were out for a companionable stroll. He leans down and says, "So. Horrible heat we've been having lately.”
― Rae Carson, The Crown of Embers

“He studies me thoughtfully. "You are a beautiful queen, Elisa," he says voice pitched low.
I never expected he would say such a thing. "A month or two of pastries will fix that," I say. Then I smile to show him I mean it flippantly.
His expression does not change. "Even then.”
― Rae Carson, The Girl of Fire and Thorns

“Walking away from my desert companions feels like cutting off a limb. How does one say good-bye to an arm? One doesn't, I suppose. One pretends it isn't happening.”
― Rae Carson, The Girl of Fire and Thorns

“Weren't you scared?" I ask.
"Yes. But it was a good scared."
"There's a good kind?"
"Oh, yes." Her voice drops so low I have to strain to hear. "Orlin made me scared all the time. Scared I would starve. Scared I would get too cold. Scared he would hurt me again or get so mad he'd throw me to one of the men. That was nasty bad scared." She pauses, scuffing her boots against the floor. "But you never hit me, even though I'm your slave... You always feed me. You call me my true name. Now when I'm scared, it's not because of meanness. And today, I chose my own scared. It's always a good scared, when you get to pick it your own self.”
― Rae Carson, The Bitter Kingdom

“It is human nature to concoct explanations to fill the great void of the unknown.”
― Rae Carson, The Bitter Kingdom

“I almost panic then. The pleasure-power feeling flees, replaced by humiliation. It's obvious my husband doesn't recognize his own wife. Yet even in this public place, he can't be bothered to hide his admiration for a woman that he finds attractive.

He used to stare at me so intently, like I was the only thing in the world. Have I changed so much? Or maybe that mesmerizing gaze was just a weapon in his arsenal of appeal. Maybe he never actually saw.

Anger carries me the remaining distance. He is the one who should feel grimy with shame, not me.”
― Rae Carson, The Girl of Fire and Thorns

“Mara hurries over and takes my hands. "Er, congratulations on your pending nuptials?"
I whisper, "He'll be so angry when he learns I have engaged us without his knowledge.”
― Rae Carson, The Crown of Embers

“Rosario is safe. You were supposed to outlive me. Elisa is ten times the ruler you were. I've stolen your wife. I'm not sorry.
I miss you.”
― Rae Carson, The Bitter Kingdom

“Promise me you'll live," he insists. "Because when this is all over, we must discuss how you sometimes kiss me to shut me up, and how I'll no longer stand for it.”
― Rae Carson, The Bitter Kingdom