283 Quotes by Marie Rutkoski

I know you want her to be safe forever, but it’s just not that kind of world.

Arin imagined how, if he could, he would kneel before the boy he had been. He’d cradle himself to his chest, let the child bury his wet face against his shoulder. Shh, Arin would tell him. You will be lonely, but you’ ll become strong. One day, you will have your revenge.

I have three younger siblings, and used to tell them an awful lot of lies when they were growing up. The best thing about being a writer is that now I can say that my lies were all in the name of literary creativity. Unfortunately, my brothers and sister don’t believe me.

Before – for years – she had let her mind close seamlessly, like an egg, around this wrong and other wrongs.

Kestrel had bought a life, and loved it, and sold it.

I agree,” Arin said, “under one condition. You mentioned emissaries. There will be one emissary from the empire. It will be you.

Kestrel could say that she’d learned that one’s life is also the lives of others. A wrong is not an egg, separate unto itself and sealed. She could say that she understood the wrong in ignoring a wrong. She could say this, but the truth was that she should have learned it long before.

There is a difference between you and me. If I die, you’ll survive. If you die, it will destroy me.

He saw her. She knew that he saw her. But his eyes refused to see her. It was as if she were transparent. Like ice, or glass, or something equally breakable.