Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy, #1)

by Lauren Roberts

“Do you always fall into the arms of handsome strangers, or is this a new thing for you?”

Perhaps you may not need powers to be powerful.

“Every girl deserves something equally as pretty and deadly as they are,”

I suppose that pain becomes a familiar thing when you are continually inflicting it upon others. You become numb to it.

But after all these years, Jax hasn’t just grown in height—he’s grown on us.

If only death had any regard for promises.

“This is not a goodbye, only a good way to say bye until I see you next!”

“I make it my business to know all the pretty girls who save my little brother.”

“Are you going to make me spoon-feed you too, or can you handle feeding yourself?”

“Mark my words, Prince, I will be your undoing.”

“Too stubborn to ask for my help, Gray?” “No,” I say coolly. “Too strong to need it.”

“Survival. I expect to survive this.”

I am no one’s pawn.

But she’s made it abundantly clear on what she wishes us to be: competition. Enemies. And more importantly, why isn’t that what I want as well?

His gray eyes are like chips of ice, shards of glass. Like both, his gaze is pointed and piercing. Cold yet captivating. Beautiful in the way only deadly things can be.

I wish he were here to fix the broken, mangled object that is now my heart. The heart that broke when he left me.

But just because a fear has been conquered, doesn’t mean it’s enjoyable to be confronted with again and again.

Fighting is my favorite waltz, and I know the steps by heart.

Because when my father died, so did a piece of myself.

“Remind me to make you smile like that again, when you aren’t dying, and I have all the time in the world to memorize it.”

“If you die, I’m going to kill you.”

I’m still a monster, just not the kind that loves the hateful things they do.

“Because I don’t tolerate my toys being played with.” She is going to hate that.

Maybe the future Enforcer could break down a few walls, become a man who is more than the masks he wears around his people.

Cool, calm, collected. That’s Kai.

“Fate is a funny, fickle thing, offering you no choice in how you live.”

“The truth then?” “The truth always,” I breathe.

But monsters are made, not born.

I’d never thought about what my favorite color was before because I hadn’t seen one that was worthy of the title. Until now, that is. “Blue,” I say, my voice low.

“And I’ll save your life again and again, aimlessly hoping you will allow me to stay in it.”

“All this time,” he says quietly, “I’ve been searching for a gaze you wouldn’t give me, waiting for you to want to look me in the eyes.”

The strongest weapon a woman has at her disposal is that she is often underestimated,”

“A king who doesn’t know his people cannot be a king for his people.”

Both of our lives have been a series of trials that we’ve had to survive. Only now, we are going through one together, one we will fight our way out of just as we’ve done in the past.

Even monsters can have morals.

“Never forget that your wit is a weapon to be wielded if only your mind is as sharp as your blade.”

Her. I only want to be deserving of her.

“No, I take it back.” He pauses, seeming to consider something. “I hate blueberries.”

“I am content to listen to you talk for hours, but if you must speak about fruit, then at least pick one we both enjoy.”

I suppose even trauma grows tired of its endless tormenting, if only for a little while.

She looked at me like I was worthy of being seen, like she wanted to see me.

She wants to see me without a mask? Fine. Let her see it all. Let her see my frustration with the feelings she is to blame for.

No one should have to endure the terrors of their own thoughts alone. Nightmares can be our worst nemesis.

The sight of her in jet black is enough to make me colorblind, make me see nothing and no one but her.

Why did I ever think I could have her, ever think she would have me? Because beasts don’t get the beauty.

I’ve never been looked at like it’s a privilege to be in my presence, an honor to hold my gaze, a gift to get a glimpse of me. Not until I met him.

Perhaps the beast can earn the beauty after all.

“How quickly you have forgotten that Slummers are also your people, Father. My people,”

Why does it feel wrong to fight an Ordinary in an extraordinary way?

“Then I will leave my mark upon your heart, lest you forget who’s broken it.”