King Of Battle And Blood Quotes
"It is said to be cursed by Dis, the goddess of spirit, to warn of the evil that was birthed there—the evil that began with the Blood King."
"At least in battle, there were truths. You either survived the day or died."
"Under the rule of a monster, there were no truths."
"Rumors had preceded their arrival. Rumors of how their leader—I hated to even think his name—Adrian Aleksandr Vasiliev had leveled Jola, ravished Elin, conquered Siva, and burned Lita."
"As it turned out, sunlight did not stop magic."
"I did not fear the dark. I did not fear the monsters. I did not even fear the Blood King. But I did fear for my father, for my people, for my culture."
"When will you learn? I always say what I mean."
"The goddesses had abandoned us long ago, and sometimes I felt like the only person who knew it."
"If you are to rule this kingdom—husband or not—it will be under vampire rule from this day forward. You must learn who you are dealing with, and tonight is your first lesson."
"I did not know I wanted one until today," he replied.
"Attraction hardly makes a marriage, King Adrian," I said.
"Unless it is marriage to a monster," I said. "Then it is merely captivity."
"A battle I will gladly fight!" my father shouted.
"Nothing that comes from you will ever be a pleasure."
"You assume I want a wife," he said. "But I came for a queen."
"Are you threatening me?" "No. I am offering the promise of pleasure."
"You are worth every star in the sky, Issi," my father said.
"I am one person," I said. "I am not worth a slaughtered kingdom."
"What need have you for a wife?" I asked. "You cannot sire children."
"I think you will be challenging enough. Why would I wish for more?"
"I will not see this land covered in the blood of my people. I agreed to King Adrian’s terms."
"If it were my choice, I’d have neither of you."
"I swore an oath to your father. I will not hurt you."
"Do not touch!" she commanded, slapping my hands away as I reached up to soothe the place she’d jabbed.
"Moon above and earth below, Bring my love stars that glow. Far past midnight, shadows sneak; Bring my love dreams that speak."
"Bear witness to my shame, Nadia," I said. "I could not kill him."
"I may not have had a choice in my partner, but I have a choice as to how I move forward."
"Feel no shame, Isolde. You are but a victim here."
"I love you," he replied, and I tucked those words into my heart.
"I miss her potential," I answered, staring at him. "I miss what could have been with her as my mother."
"You had every right to defend yourself," he said. "Take comfort. If you had not killed them, I would have, and I would not have been merciful."
"You think these are your people, but they are not."
"We need to leave," he said and took my shoulders, pulling me from the fence. I wrenched away. "Did you not hear me?"
"I heard you," he said through his teeth. "And if we don't leave now, we're next!"
"They’re all dead," I said again. "He knows," Killian said. "He’s responsible."
"So long as spells exist, magic will prevail," he said. "This is the kind of chaos humans make when they summon magic they cannot control."
"You cannot be angry with them. You did not even resist when he took you away."
"I am your queen," I cut him off. "You will address me as such."
"How are you?" he asked. I stared at him, my mouth slightly ajar.
"I am safe," I said. "But what about my people? You said you would protect them."
"I did not murder them in their sleep," he said. "They were dragged from their beds, and when Dragos faced me, he begged for his life to be spared and offered his wife as a gift. I slaughtered him."
"Oh, Sparrow, no one who fucks like you is a saint," he said and filled me in one brutal thrust.
"Making friends?" "More like managing expectations," I said.
"History is just perspective. It changes depending on your side."
"You are quiet today," Sorin said, coming up alongside me. "Well, I am about to enter a den of wolves," I said.
"We are coming upon the first village now," said Sorin, drawing his horse beside mine. "It is called Sadovea."
"I am not afraid, but you are not ready to hear what I have to say."
"Your humans are far more cruel, Isolde. You have no one to blame for our existence but yourselves."
"Anything can be evil in the wrong hands, Sparrow."
"I would do anything you asked if it meant you might see me as more than a monster."
"Your queen is a warrior first, a noble second."
"Yes," he said, and his hand slid to my neck. "Right now, you are radiant."
"I’ve missed you," I found myself saying as his mouth left mine to kiss along my neck.
"You were never my enemy," he replied and pressed his lips to mine.
"So fucking beautiful," he said, and he dipped his head to lick my clit.
"Anyone else wish to offer their daughters as a concubine to my husband?" I asked.
"You will find within these walls many profess to know me," he said. "You must trust what you have come to know."
"You are everything I have ever wanted," he said.
"No, let me watch," he implored, and my whole body flushed with his request.
"Then perhaps you should spend more time among your people," Adrian said.
"You do not have to decide how to feel today or tomorrow or ever if that is your choice," I said.
"You lost my support when you suggested that Adrian invade my mother’s lands," I said.
"I meant it, Isolde. I would have you make your own judgments today."
"Secrets only make the world curious. Better to display than to hide."
"Do not be sorry. You are here now and our queen. You can learn."
"Anything can become a weapon in the wrong hands, even people."
"Of course, but anything can become a weapon in the wrong hands, even people. The truth remains that our world suffered far less when magic was present. There were fewer droughts, less hunger, and more peace."
"Do you think I lack the ability to conquer the world, fuck my wife, and search for a fugitive witch, Noblesse?"
"It wasn’t what he said. It was what he was thinking."
"She offered her blood to show me she loved me. And that is enough."
"I am not afraid of you," I said. "But I do not trust you."
"Likewise, and yet my king killed one of his own for you, a mortal woman he met a week ago. It is any wonder I am angry that my son is dead?"
"Perhaps you should have taught him no means no, but I see where he inherited his inability to listen."
"I do not wish to be enemies, Queen Isolde," he said. "I rather hoped we could be allies."
"If you are allied with my husband, you are allied with me."
"Are you allied with your husband, Queen Isolde?"
"I merely wish to caution you about the crimson mist," he said.
"What better to gain the trust of your enemy than saving her people?"
"By the goddess, I hate that man," Sorin said.
"I think life is a greater punishment for you."
"No one had called me Issi since I’d left Lara."
"They’re enslaved. All of them," he said. "By King Gheroghe of Vela."
"You look beautiful in any form—covered in blood or writhing beneath me."
"I want you for lifetimes," he said. "But I shall be content with now."
"To the edge," he said, and I hesitated. I wasn’t completely sure why, perhaps because there was no rail to hold on to against the wind. Adrian looked down at me and frowned. "I won’t let you fall."
"You asked before what motivates me to conquer the world," he said and looked at me. "It’s this. Two hundred years ago on this night, I lost everything."
"Preening, my queen?" Adrian asked, and he looked down at me, a smile touching his lips.
"Afraid," she said and gave a shuddering breath. Her eyes flicked to Adrian and then back to me.
"Would you dance with me?" he asked. "Yes," I whispered.
"Sleep," he whispered. "I will be here when you wake."
"Because I want you alive, and my people want what I want," he said. "And those who do not will be eliminated."
"You hate me because you love me," he said, and it felt like a taunt as the corners of his lips lifted.
"You have a place beside me because you fill my heart. I love you. I have loved you since the beginning," he said, and his voice almost broke. "I have loved you forever."
"I do not pray," he said. "But I begged for you."
"I want every part of you. I want to invade your body. I want to be so heavy in your blood, you taste me when you bleed."
"Partaking of your blood means I…become vulnerable. Worse, it will make you a target."
"By doing this, you become my one true weakness. If you die, I die."
"I would never let anything happen to you, but I will also not exist without you again."
"Be careful of your words in deals with the divine."
"Gods become more human the closer you are to them."