| main | ongoing | archive | private |
- “I sought Morozova’s amplifiers for you, Alina, that we might rule as equals.” “You tried to take my power for your own.” “After you ran from me. After you chose—” He stopped, shrugged. “We would have ruled as equals in time.”
- what a delightful guy
- had a taste for you, once.” His head snapped up. He hadn’t expected that. Saints, it was satisfying.
- “It’s true,” I said softly. “You are stronger, wiser, infinite in experience.” I leaned forward and whispered, my lips brushing the shell of his ear. “But I am an apt pupil.”
- Mal sighed and did the same. “Can I at least put my shirt on?” he asked. “No,” she said with a leer. “I like the view.”
- “You never know,” said Nikolai. “I’ve been busy. I might have some surprises in store for the Darkling yet.” “Please tell me you plan to dress up as a volcra and jump out of a cake.” “Well, now you’ve ruined the surprise.”
- For all my talk of vows and honor, what I really want is to put you up against that wall and kiss you until you forget you ever knew another man’s name.
- And what’s the rush? Is it my cologne?” “You don’t wear cologne.” “I have such a naturally delightful scent that it seems like overkill. But if you have a penchant for it, I’ll start.” I wrinkled my nose. “No, thank you.”
- Light glinted off an emerald ring. The lush green stone at its center was bigger than my thumbnail and surrounded by stars of tiny diamonds. “Understatement is overrated,” I said on a shaky breath. “I love it when you quote me.” Nikolai tapped the ring. “Console yourself knowing that, should you ever punch me while wearing it, you’ll probably take my eye out. And I’d very much like you to. Wear it, that is. Not punch me.”
- We would probably never feel fine again, but I’d needed that lie then, and I needed it now. It kept us standing, kept us fighting another day. It was what we’d been doing our whole lives.
- “I have waited hundreds of years for this moment, for your power, for this chance. I have earned it with loss and with struggle. I will have it, Alina. Whatever the cost.”
- “There will be nothing left,” I whispered. “No,” he said gently as he folded me in his arms. He pressed a kiss to the top of my hair. “I will strip away all that you know, all that you love, until you have no shelter but me.”
- “Turns out I don’t care for emeralds,” I said. Zoya rolled her eyes. “Or royal blood, blinding charisma, tremendous wealth—” “You can stop now,” said Mal. I leaned my head against his shoulder. “Those are all nice enough, but my real passion is lost causes.” Or just one really. Beznako. My lost cause, found again. “I am surrounded by fools,” Zoya said, but she was smiling.
- “I have to spend the rest of my life finding ways to deserve a certain white-haired girl. She’s very prickly, occasionally puts goose droppings in my shoes or tries to kill me.” “Sounds fatiguing,” I managed as his lips met mine. “She’s worth it. And one day maybe she’ll let me chase her into a chapel.” I shuddered. “I don’t like chapels.” “I did tell Ana Kuya I would marry you.” I laughed. “You remember that?” “Alina,” he said and kissed the scar on my palm, “I remember everything.”
- “Read him religious parables,” I whispered to Misha. “He loves that.” I barely dodged the pillow Mal threw across the room.
- She ran her thumb over the wax seal, fingers quaking slightly. “Is it…?” “It’s a pardon.” She tore it open and then clutched it to her. David didn’t look up from his worktable when he said, “Are we going to jail?”
nov 25 2014 ∞
nov 25 2014 +
nov 25 2014 +