Children Of Blood And Bone Quotes
"It’s all I can do not to scream. I dig my nails into the marula oak of my staff and squeeze to keep from fidgeting."
"You would never guess a woman her age could be so lethal."
"With each step, I focus on the way my bare feet drag against the reeds of Mama Agba’s floor, testing the friction I’ll need to win this match and finally graduate."
"But Mama—Bow or leave the ring! You’re wasting everyone’s time."
"Mama Agba’s mouth presses into a tight line. There’s no way she has the coin to spare."
"In their eyes we’re still maggots. That’s all they’ll ever see."
"Despite my nerves, I grin as she makes the guards wait, refusing to acknowledge their unwelcome presence."
"You’re surrounded! By the decree of King Saran, I order you to halt!"
"I teach you to be warriors in the garden so you will never be gardeners in the war."
"I grab Mama Agba’s hands and bow my head, diving deep to show my respect."
"It’s not enough for the king to keep the divîners down. He has to break anyone who tries to help us."
"I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t."
"Your opponents carry swords. Why do I train you in the art of the staff?"
"I hide my own with a sip of the tea, savoring the splash of honey on my tongue."
"You were just a child during the Raid. I worried you’d forget."
"It’s not even midday, and I’ve already risked two lives."
"But today everyone bickers, demanding bronze and silver over promises and fish."
"Failure. Disappointment. Disgrace. Which insult shall Father brand me with today?"
"The shock travels through every pore in my skin, igniting my being, catching my breath."
"My gods," I breathe. Every part of my body screams with strain. I can’t believe we actually made it. I can’t believe I’m still alive."
"Magic is a blight," Father breaks into my thoughts. "A fatal, festering disease."
"I clench my fist, almost positive I can feel the magic attacking my blood."
"It’s back," I whisper to myself. With the insanity of the day, that fact is still hardest to believe. We can reclaim our magic."
"You expect me to believe that? When I’ve seen your wretched face in my head all day?"
"I feel," she chokes through her silent sobs. "I feel like I can breathe again."
"Bring magic back for good," Mama Agba says. "As long as I have my visions, I’ll always know where to go."
"No," I answer. "But we’ll get a lead by sunset. When we do, I’ll take my team—"
"You said ‘them,’" Father finally says. "Who was the fugitive with? When she left the palace, she was alone."
"I thought I saw Amari’s corpse." That’s it. "I was ashamed at how much it rattled me."
"No, little prince. It’s you who’s gotten into mine."
"The urge to cry wells up inside me, but I force it down."
"More brilliant than the painting Lekan brought to life, the sunstone dazzles."
"Blood and corpses rain into the water, while injured survivors fight not to drown."
"The gods are real. Alive. Connecting the threads of the maji’s lives."
"It’s imposing. Invading. It unravels everything I’ve been taught to think."
"The air of the dreamscape holds an unnatural peace, as if more than anywhere else in Orïsha, it’s here that I belong."
"She is the one. Whatever happens, she must survive."
"Strength, do not let that strength scare you. You will need it all your life."
"We are our own people. We make our own choices."
"I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of him getting in our way."
"You won’t win. Killing me won’t change what you are."
"After all this time, he’s so close to doing the right thing."
"It’s like seeing her for the first time: the human behind the maji."
"Duty before self. His creed rings through my ears."
"Without power, we're maggots. Without power, the monarchy treats us like scum!"
"Power is not the answer. It will only intensify the fight."
"I can't be another person bearing the seal of Orïsha who causes her pain."
"They built this world for you, built it to love you. They never cursed at you in the streets, never broke down the doors of your home."
"No matter what I do, I will always be afraid."
"Sunlight fills the spacious valley; every acre of the lush greens explodes with life."
"Gods." I spin, taking it all in as Zu waves me over. I’ve never seen so many divîners in one spot, especially with so much joy.
"This is where the old stories are going to be." Zu points to a makeshift stage occupying a grassy knoll between two tents.
"Zulaikha moves through the crowd with the magnetism of a queen."
"You would be so great!" Her eyes go wide. "We don’t have a Reaper yet, and Oya’s attire would fit you perfectly."
""I couldn’t resist." Roën grins like a foxer, revealing teeth that shine a little too bright."
""Keep facts like that to yourself or I won’t be able to stomach this."
"The air of the dreamscape hums like a melody. Soft. Resonant."
""Zélie, please, I need you to be honest. I love my brother, I do. But I have never seen this side of him."
"Zélie, he stares at you. He smiles like—skies, I don’t even know. I have never seen him smile the way he smiles with you."
""Keep saying naive things like that. You’ll only prove Tzain right."
""Gods, if she only knew she died so that you could be the prince’s whore—"
""Because he destroyed our home!" Tzain whips around. A vein bulges against his neck as he screams."
""I’ve been worried about you. You’re forgiving, but being tortured in that tent couldn’t have been easy."
""What if I do it, will you?" "Absolutely not." "Is that a promise?"
""Either he’s about to betray us or something else is taking place."
""Keep me out of it." My chest freezes at the cruelty of his words, shattering all the warmth he put there before."
""I thought things could be different. I wanted them to be different. But after what we just saw, we have no choice. We can’t give people that kind of power."
""You think I want this? You think after planning a new kingdom with you I want this?"
""You could’ve taken magic away without killing us. Without beating our bodies into the ground!"
"I wouldn’t be doing my job as king if I didn’t remind you what you are."
"Magic is here. Alive. Closer than it’s ever been."
"I know you’re scared. I’m scared, too. But I know your reason for fighting is stronger than your fear, because it’s led you here."
"The moment we set foot on the eastern shoreline, I instantly feel the spiritual energy at work."
"If you broke me free, you will find a way to save yourself."
"They may have a thousand men in their army, but not one of them has the support of the gods."
"I’ve watched you do the impossible since the first day we met."
"You should talk to someone. The jokes don’t help much, but talking does."
"The people who gave me my scars are the ones on those ships."
"They’re not your gods. They didn’t choose you."
"No matter what he did, no matter what you see, believe me when I tell you it is not forever."
"With each step toward the forest stretches into a breathless eternity."
"My gods," I breathe to myself when we make it past the soldiers’ earshot."
"Something tells me the fog is a gift from the gods."
"The gods wouldn’t abandon us now; they wouldn’t fail me here."
"Because of Binta," she answers softly. "She had silver eyes. Just like yours."
"The symbols shine in the absence of light, but now that we’re here, the real battle begins."
"Minutes stretch into hours, an eternity that drags like death."
"The sight rips straight through me; a betrayal colder than ice."
"You are a sister of Oya, my love. You know our spirits never die."