More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
What’s reality, except something that really affects us? If enough people believe in something, doesn’t it become real?”
Emer had served her lady faithfully all her days. Much good it had done her.
murmur sweetly, ‘Rest.’ Emer couldn’t be loyal to Rahela any longer. She should be loyal to herself.
After the whole world and your own body changes, you know you’re not safe. The world can always turn on you.”
It’s not a family if there’s only one of you.”
“‘I swear to be loyal and true, to love all you love, and hate all you hate. You will feel no rain, as I will be a shelter for you. You will feel no hunger or thirst while I have food to give or wine in my cup. When my name is in your mouth, I will always answer, and your name will be my call to arms. I will ever be a shield for your back, and the story told between us will be true. Everything agreed between us, I will carry out, for yours is the will I have chosen.’”
This is my villain origin story.”
Only minor villains had petty flaws like being greedy.
A witch who curses you is just telling the future you don’t want to hear.”
“Love is the song that wakes us from the grave. Death cannot stop my heart.”
An anti-hero was just a villain with good PR. The Emperor might sympathize with Rae. She’d always sympathized with him.
“Have you never considered art grants us the impossible? Art opens a door into someone else’s imagination and lets us walk through. Art is the dreamed-of escape. Art lets the dead speak and the living laugh. Art takes you away from pain when no medicine can save you. Art is the first and last word. Art is the final consolation.”
“Why would you dream of escape?” The Cobra raised an eyebrow, working oil through his long braids. “Why would you dream of prison?”
“Everything has a price,” said the Golden Cobra. “Show me your worth.”
“If you want to make an entrance, make the whole scene.”
She’d heard people often asked writers ‘Do you put real people in your books?’ Rae had never thought anyone meant it literally.
“Okay, that name sounds made up.” “All names are made up,” muttered the Cobra.
“Sorry, but the old Rahela can’t come to the phone right now.”
People make up stories so they can pretend they have answers. Nobody ever does.”
“I do not enjoy when men explain things to me,” said Vasilisa. “I was already enlightened by a lady-in-waiting.”
Rahela’s lady mother always said one must feign sharing men’s interests, sharing their very thoughts. She said men wanted women to be nothing but mirrors with breasts.
“You don’t have to kill if you don’t like it,” Key promised. “I’ll kill them for you.” “Kill who?” Against her hair, she felt his mouth curve. “Everyone.”
“Amazing this city was imagined,” he said then. “Isn’t every city imagined?” Marius asked, and on the Cobra’s interrogative glance: “Someone had to think of building a house. A lot of people had to think of building a harbour.”
think when you become more real, you learn to love someone the right way. I was born wrong. Everything I’ve ever done was wrong. I’ve never known how to be anything someone wanted. If I learn more, I’ll learn to serve her better.”
know any tale can be rewritten. Tell me the sky is red and truth a lie. You can be the centre of the world and the meaning of the story. I will make every word you ever say true.”
I swear to love all you love, and hate all you hate. You will feel no rain, as I will be a shelter for you. You will feel no hunger or thirst while I have food to give or wine in my cup. When my name is in your mouth, I will always answer, and your name will be my call to arms. I will ever be a shield for your back, and the story told between us will be true. Everything agreed between us, I will carry out, for yours is the will I have chosen.’”
“I didn’t want to be a fool like everyone else. I wanted to be iron, but you were the only thing that made me a fool. You’re the only story I ever believed in.”
