From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash, #1)

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Duke was a pestilence of overly familiar hands and had an unnatural thirst for punishment.

Still, it was hard to imagine how one could go to sleep healthy and whole and never wake up again.

“Why would you help me?” She opened the door. “Because everyone should be able to live a little, even for a few hours.”

“The loss of a parent or a family member lingers long after they’re gone, the pain lessening but never fading. Years later, you’ll still find yourself thinking that you’d do anything to get them back.”

Death is…” Death was constant.

“I’m thoroughly, happily busy at the moment.”

Rylan came to stand behind me. “We made it in time.” The corners of my lips tilted up before my grin faded. “We did tonight.” Only a few moments passed, and then the sun conceded defeat to the moon. The last rays of sunlight pulled away from the vines. Hundreds of buds scattered over the vines trembled and then slowly peeled open, revealing lush petals the shade of a starless midnight. Night-blooming roses.

Death is like an old friend who pays a visit, sometimes when it’s least expected and other times when you’re waiting for her. Death had indeed paid an unexpected visit.

Beauty was highly coveted and worshipped, flawlessness even more. Because beauty was considered godlike.

Her brows slammed down. “You’re an incredibly suspicious person.”

“You’re an absolutely stunning, murderous little creature.” Pausing, he glanced down. “Nice weapon. Bloodstone and wolven bone. Very interesting…” His gaze flicked up. “Princess.”

“The Maiden is sleeping—” “Doubtful.”

think I have a good grasp on just how much of a role I play in your life.” “Doubtful,” I parroted back.

“If you fall, you’re going to be in so much trouble.” “If I fall, I’ll be dead, so I’m not quite sure how I’d also be in trouble.”

“You can’t change what happened in there. Just like you can’t change the fact that the courtyard used to give you peace. You just replace your last memory—a bad one—with a new one—a good one—and you keep doing that until the initial one no longer outweighs the replacement.”

“Saw us? Holding hands? Dear gods, the scandal.”

I keep looking around, thinking that the garden should look different. Assuming there’d be a visible change to represent how it now feels to me.” Hawke cleared his throat. “But it is the same, isn’t it?”

“Boy, I may have been born at night, but I wasn’t born last night.”

Some truths do nothing but destroy and decay what they do not obliterate. Truths do not always set one free. Only a fool who has spent their entire life being fed lies believes that.”

but lust was not love, it was not loyalty, and it was not long lasting.